Decembeb 2, 1889.] 



KNOWLEDGE. 



37 



tical series of smaller ones for different causes of death,* 

 the scale varying according to convenience. The curves 

 are made out from the official Wreldij llctuni. 



The death-rate, to begin with, has been throughout 

 below the average. It certamly shows an increase (not 

 very great) towards the average, from Sept. 7th, and one 

 finds in a few of the disease curves (circulatory system, 

 respiratory system, zymotic, violent, &c.) a rise about the 

 same time, accoimting for this increase. But, after all, 

 the relation of those curves to the average (dotted line) 

 curves remains in general good. None of the curves show- 

 any great excess over the average, and in most cases the 

 total numbers after the commencement of the strike are 

 under the total of the averages for the same time. We 

 need not dwell much on details. 



Of zymotic diseases, diphtheria is the only one that shows 

 a contmuous excess of deaths during those three months, and 

 this is not, apparently , connected with the strike. The others 

 show a mortality almost imiformly under the average. 



The deaths from diseases of the circulatory system (heart 

 disease, &c.), seem also to have been mostly in excess, 

 but not more after the strike commenced than before it. 



We give a curve of deaths from alcoholism 

 (('.('. deiiriiiiii trcmi'na, &c.) The fact that eoo 

 the deaths assigned to this cause have been, 

 not only in those three months, but 

 throughout this year, nearly always in 

 excess of the averages, might be worth .-qq 

 the attention of those who are given to 

 very glowuig representations of our national 

 progress in temiserance (though we must mo 

 avoid putting too great a strain on these 

 figures). There is no evidence here of an '""' 

 increase of drunkenness during the strike. 

 The drinking, indeed, was no doubt greatly 

 diminished. 



Perhaps we might expect an increase of 

 suicides in such a time of pinch and anxiety. 

 But the suicide-curve does not seem to be 

 materially affected. Suicides are classed 240 

 in the Returns with deaths from accident ; 

 homicides and execution under the head of 200, 

 violent deaths ; and we may further note 

 that there were nearly twice as many cases 

 of homicide in the period before August 10 ^'"' 

 as in the longer period after it (17 as against 

 8). The increase in violent deaths from 

 September 7 appears to have been chiefly 

 in the section of " accidentaljdeaths." 40 



Is it merely a comcidence, or is it more, 

 that directly after the two weeks ending 

 July 13 and August 7, which show relative 

 maxima in the deaths fi'om alcoholism, come 

 two weeks which show corresponding maxima 

 number of suicides ? 



We find, then, on the whok', that the influence of the 

 strike is not, thus far, very apparent. But, remembering 

 that a population of two or three hundred thousand is but 

 a fraction of the whole, it wotdd be well if we could get 

 facts bearing more closely on this portion. This we are 

 enabled to do by the records of deaths in different districts 

 of London — North, South, East, West, and Central. We 

 show these in our third diagram ; and as the East and 



West districts have approximately equal populations (the 

 former had 692,78K in 1881, and"the latter 669,033 ; and 

 the West has probably grown more than the East since 

 that date), we may with advantage specially compare these 

 tw'o, the one being closely affected by the strike, the other 

 not. The fourth diagram show's the infant deaths in the 

 same districts. 



There is sometliiug of a divergence of those two curves 

 (m Diag. 3) about the end of August. The rise then 

 beginning in the East curve, as also that m the South 

 somewhat later, may be partly connected with the strike. 

 But it will be noticed that there is a general rise in other 

 districts, such as the North and the Central, on which the 

 strike can have had httle or no influence ; so that some 

 more general cause or causes seem to be indicated. 



If the result here again seems to be negative, we must 

 bear in mind the limits of the case presented. Thus, e.y. 

 it might very well be that the undoubted privations 

 endured by many during the strike issued in the forma- 

 tion of a soil very favourable to the seeds of disease. 

 The results in such a case might appear considerably later 

 and be spread over a long time. Moreover, we have been 







11 la 20 -11 3 10 17 21 .11 



July Aug. 



DiAGKAM 3. — Deaths 



Sept. 

 Districts. 



<; 1:1 20 27 .t 10 17 24 .11 7 14 21 2s 



July .\ug. Sept. 



DiAiJRAM 4.— Infant Deaths in Districts. 



tlie 



which ended /otalhi in 



• " Zymotic disease " hero includes small-po.\, measles, scarlet 

 fever, diplitlieria, whoopiriK-coufjb, typhus, ontei-ic fever, simple 

 continued fever, diarrhiua and dysentery, and cholera. The chief 

 diseases of the respir.itory system are bronchitis and pneumonia ; of 

 the brain and nervous system, apoplexy and convulsions ; of the 

 digestive system, liver disease, dentition, enteritis, and peritonitis ; 

 of the circulatory system, heart disease, &c. 



dealing only with cases of illno;^ 

 the period considered. 



On the other hand, we may recall the very favourable 

 conditions of the strike— the splendid weather throughout, 

 the extraordinary liberality of sympathisers (especially in 

 Austraha). the order in general maintained, the skill 

 in organising commissariat, the credit given by trades- 

 people, etc. To not a few- dockers it was probably a case 

 of holiday in London, with regular food, and, in some 

 mstances, wholesome restriction of expenditure ; and the 

 personal and family deterioration, through s<iuandering of 

 wages m the public-house, must have been much 

 reduced. 



In reviewing the facts, it is evident tliat a great social 

 revolution has taken place with vastly less derangement of 

 the body-politic, in matters here considered, than would 

 I have been the case fifty or a liuiidr.d years ago. 



