103 



average, and one third more than in Septemher, 1864, But 7 out of the 9 

 deaths were under two months old, and four of these did not survive birth more 

 than five days. At " 1 to 5" the mortality was less than half the eight years' 

 mean, six of the eight having twice, or more, as many. 18G1 had the same in 

 number, and last year had only one. At " 5 to 20" the deaths were nearly 

 twice the average, and one third more than last year ; but three of these were 

 violent deaths, on which inquests were held. At " 20 to 45" the deaths were 

 but'little above one fourth of the average, and only a trifle more than one fifth 

 of the mortality at the corresponding period in 1864. At " 45 to 60", also, the 

 deaths were considerably less than the average, though one third more than in 

 1864. At " all ages above 60" the mortality was very much above the average, 

 and more than twice as many as in September last year. August also had a 

 more than usual mortality in this group. The analysis of the meteorological 

 phenomena has given a cause for this. Very young children and very old 

 debilitated persons, therefore, have been the principal sufferers this month 

 while weaned childen and adults in general have escaped with much smaller 

 losses than usual. 



Classes of Disease 



1. Zymotic ^ 



2. Constitutional 



3. Local 



4. Developmental 



5. Violent &c. 



Septembers. 



5! 4 4 

 9: 915 



20 20 23 



12i 3 2 



61 0: 4 



^ 



511 



3!l3 



17i32 

 9 2 

 1 2 



42:37 42 56 35 65 50 42 44 46 3-8 



C5 CO 



10 )in 



S2 ^ 

 I— I I— I 



121 3 3 



1210 5 



16 25 25 



7 18 



3 3 3 



^ as 



tb'fcfe 



5 7-8 

 101-8 

 23 



4 2-8 

 31-8 



Zymotic diseases had a fraction more that the average mortality; Croup caused 

 the death of a girl aged 3 years ; Diphtheria,a. boy 6 weeks old ; Erysi2Jelas,?i girl 

 only a month old ; Diarrficea, one at 4 months, and another nearly 3 years 

 old ; a man aged 58 died from Delirium Tremens in the Hospital. In the 

 opinion of many nosologists, this cause of death, ought not to be included in the 

 Zymotic class. 



The Constitutional class of diseases had less than half the eight years' average, 

 and but little more than half of what September 1864 had. Two were from 

 Cancer and three from Consumx)tion, two of the latter females, aged re- 

 spectively 14 and 25, were born in the island. Last year had seven from con- 

 sumption, two of them also females, and Tasmanians by birth. 



The Local class had one less than the eight years' average, but two more than 

 Last September had. In the 1st order diseases of the brain and nervous system 

 the deaths were ll,i.e. ; — 1 from inflammation of the membranes of the brain ; 

 3 from apoplexy ; 1 from paralysis ; 4 from convulsions— all under two months 

 old ; flud 2 from disease of the brain. In 1864 the total in this order was 

 only 6, The atmospheric causes influencing the deaths in this group have been 

 previouslv alluded to. 



The 2ud order. Diseases of the Heart and Circulatory System,hti(l three deaths 

 1864 had two more. The 3rd order Diseases of the Respiratory system, had but 

 one death, and that from long standing disease, while 1864 had eight deaths, 

 and most of them of an acute character in adults in the prime of life. Never- 

 theless, as I have before observed, the daily ranges of temperature were much 

 greater this September than last. The present month, however, had fewer 

 winds from the ocean quarters, and also less ozone. The records in Hobarton 

 show that while a great abundance of ozone is a most potent purifier of 

 tlie air we breathe ; and consequently adverse to the generation of the m asmatic 

 division of the Zymotic class of diseases, and therefore preservative of the 

 general health of a coiinnunity ; yet, that its very stimulating effects is apt to 

 .cause inflammatory affections of the respiratory organs :- Catarrh and its 



