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Births and Deaths in 1869 in. England. 
Births 
In 18G9. 
Annual Birth- 
rate to 1000 
persons living 
(1869). 
Average Birth- 
rate to 1000 
persons living 
(1859-68). 
First Quarter: Jan., Feb., March 
Second Quarter : April, May, June 
Third Quarter : July, Aug., Sept. 
Fourth Quarter: Oct., Nov., Dec. 
204,055 
188,459 
190, 132 
190, 231 
37-98 
34-6i 
34-45 
34-38 
36-85 
36-65 
34-04 
33-79 
772,857 
35'34 
35-34 
Deaths 
in 1869. 
Annual Death- 
rate to 1000 
persons living 
(1869). 
Average Death- 
rate to 1000 
persons living 
(1859-68). 
First Quarter: Jan., Feb., March 
Second Quarter: April, May, June 
Third Quarter: July, Aug., Sept. 
Fourth Quarter : Oct., Nov., Dec. 
133,437 
118,849 
114,654 
128,146 
24-84 
21-83 
20-77 
23-16 
25-36 
22-03 
20- 63 
21- 90 
495,086 
22-64 
22-48 
The death-roll for the last quarter of the year 1869 shows that 
the public health was far from being in a satisfactory state. The 
mortality was much higher than it had been in any of the corre- 
sponding quarters that have intervened since 1864. Scarlet-fever 
spread with destructive force amongst the young ; in London alone, 
in the last 92 days of the year, it destroyed 2710 souls. It has 
been shown that the countless myriads of motes that are seen to 
dance in every sunbeam are organic particles, and among them are 
zymotic bodies which are said to be germs of disease. These bodies 
are in concentrated force in the rooms occupied by persons suffering 
from, or who have died of, scarlet-fever ; hence the absolute neces- 
sity of isolating the sick as much as possible, and of adopting the 
precautions for the hygienic management of the invalid chamber, 
which have been drawn up by medical authorities. While all the 
efforts that medical skill can devise should be employed to mitigate 
the intensity, and arrest the progress of this highly contagious 
disease, it should be borne in mind that the prevention of its further 
extension is often, in the first instance, a mere question of expense. 
Unwhitewashed ceilings, uncleansed rooms, and unpurified bedding, 
are fruitful sources of infection ; the clothing that has been worn 
by scarlatina patients should be destroyed, and children who have 
suffered from the epidemic should be kept away from school until 
some considerable time has elapsed from the period of their 
recovery. 
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