118 



At n to 20 years the deaths were also slightly above the average. In all the 

 remaiuiug groups the mortality was greatly below the average. 



Zjiiiotic deaths were a triiie above the December average, though precisely 

 the same iu number that December 18G3 had. Two were cases of Croup in 

 children, aged 3 and 6 years respectively ; one was a case of Continued Fever 

 in a girl of 8 years old ; the fourth was a case of Pyoemia in a ,man aged 51, 

 broug'it to the hospital from a rural district in the interior of the island ; the 

 fifth was a case of Diarrhcea in a child eleven n^onths old ; the remaining' 

 four were registered as D^se/ifer^, aged respectively nine weeks, fourmonths° 

 forty years, and fifty-six years. 



Constitutional diseases caused a slight excess of deaths above the average. 

 Cancer and Scrofula each caused one death, at the ages of 53 and 39 respec- 

 tively. Consumption caused five deaths, two of the number of 16 and 17 years 

 of age were born in Tasmania. December 1863 had only three deaths from 

 consumption, none of them natives of the island. The deaths from Local 

 diseases were nearly one-third less than the seven years' average, principally 

 owing to the unusually small proportion of deaths from diseases of the organs 

 of respiration (one only). December 1863 had three more in the total in this 

 class. Developmental diseases caused a much smaller share of deaths than usual. 

 Of the three, one was a malformed child, which only survived its birth eighteen 

 days ; both the others were from old age, 68 and 89 years old respectively. 

 Violent and accidental deaths were less than half the average, though exactly 

 the same in number as December 1863; one was the i-esult of injuries caused 

 by a cart running over him ; the other was found drowned in a pond in the 

 Queen's Park. 



Inquests during the month were only 2. being one-half the number of Decem- 

 ber 1863. The deaths in Hospital^ inclusive of one of the inquest cases, were 10. 

 December 1863 had only 8. Only one death occurred at the Male Invalid 

 Asylum, aged 65, and from chronic bronchitis, being the single case before 

 alluded co from diseases of the organs of respiration. A death from disease of 

 the brain was the only one in that establishment in December 1863 also. Of 

 the 36 deaths this month, 23 were males, 13 females. Five died in the 

 Glenorchy, and 1 in the Queeuborough rural tUvisions of the Hobarton 

 Registration District ; 30 in the city. In the first week there died 8 ; in the 

 second 7 ; in the third 12 ; in the fourth 7 ; in the last three days 2. The most 

 fatal period of the month was the three days 18th to 20th inclusive, when 8 

 deaths took place. The meteorological pecuUarities of these three days were : 

 — The smallest wind movement of any three consecutive days in the month, 

 the least amount of ozone and electricity, and a storm of rain, with thunder 

 and lightning. 



The Births registered wei 3 ijQ being 14 more than were registex-ed in Decem- 

 ber, 1863. 



_In the registration district of Hobart Town, having a total population of about 

 25,000 persons, there were altogether in the year 1864 568 deaths, being 19 4-7 

 less than the average of the previous seven years, though 21 more than 1863 

 had. Of these 121 were under one year of age, being 14 ^-7 below the seven 

 years' average ; 67 were from 1 to 6 years old, being 2u 5-7 less than the seven 

 years' average; 41 were between 5 and 20 years of age, being 8 2-7 more than 

 the average of the seven years ; 113 were between 20 and 45 years old, being 

 less than the average ; 113 were between 45 and 60 years of age, being 15 3-7 

 more than the average; 107 were above 60 years old, (the oldest 102) being 5 

 2-7 more than the mean. 



110 died from diseases in the zymotic class, being 17 4-7 less than the average 

 of the seven years, 95 died from diseases in the wn«rt^w^i<wia; class, being 4 1-7 



