TABLE XXI.

Showing the Mortality of the Fatal Diseases in Edinburgh and Leith during the Years 1846-7-8.

From these it will be seen, that the whole class of epidemic diseases fluctuates considerably; indeed, a proper average of this class of diseases could only be obtained by taking a long average of years. One fact, however, may be noted with regard to them, and that is, that with certain diseases, one epidemic disease usurps the place of another, and so destroys it, that during its prevalence, that other seems almost quite extinguished. This is notably the case with scarlet fever. When it prevails as an epidemic, measles and hooping cough, the usual fatal diseases of children, are in more or less complete abeyance, but immediately resume their prevalence and fatality on the disappearance of the epidemic scarlatina.

We are still too little acquainted with the causes which give rise to epidemics to be able to trace them to their causes. Each epidemic disease appears to be governed by laws of its own, which seem to be diverse from that which regulates others. The year in which one epidemic rages is in some cases found to correspond to that in which another also is prevalent, so that two epidemics are ravaging the population at the same period of time. In other years, however, the one epidemic is observed without the other, or the one seems even to take the place of the other; and all our inquiries have as yet failed to trace this coincidence or succession to any probable cause.

Some years, however, appear to be peculiarly favourable to the spread of epidemic influence, as, for instance, was 1847, in many, but not in all, the towns of Scotland. During that year, measles, smallpox, hooping cough, typhus fever, and influenza, prevailed simultaneously in Edinburgh and Glasgow, to a greater extent than they had been observed to do for many previous seasons. But in many of the other towns of Scotland no such connection was traced; and even in Leith, closely adjoining, as it is, to Edinburgh, measles that year was below the average in frequency and fatality.

Table XXII. gives a general view of the diseases which proved fatal in six of the chief towns of Scotland during a series of years, all the years mentioned being included, and the numbers in the table indicating the total deaths from these diseases during the years named. To render this table more easily comparable with Table XXI., Table XXIII. has been added, which gives the proportions per 1,000 deaths in which certain diseases proved fatal in the different towns. In drawing up this table, the "unascertained" deaths were necessarily omitted. The proportions are given for Aberdeen, though evidently too incorrect to allow of any confidence being placed in them.

From this table, we see that the manufacturing town of Paisley furnishes the largest proportion of deaths from consumption, no fewer than 208 out of every 1,000 deaths from all diseases falling victims to that fell disease. Next follows Glasgow, also a manufacturing town; then Greenock; then Dundee, also the seat of manufactures; then Perth; and lastly Edinburgh and Leith. In this last town, the proportional deaths from consumption was so low as 103 deaths only out of every 1,000 deaths from all diseases.

The high mortality from consumption in the manufacturing towns can be easily accounted for. The confinement of masses of people to the confined atmosphere of manufactories, and the breathing air which is constantly more or less filled with particles of dust, have been long

known to induce that disease. The very low mortality from that disease in Edinburgh and Leith is more difficult to explain, the proportion being not only much lower than in any other of the towns of Scotland, but also below that of most towns of England. Exposed as Edinburgh and Leith are, from their situations, to the full force of the biting easterly and northerly winds, it might a priori be expected that lung affections, and more especially consumption, would be more than usually prevalent. Such, however, is not the case; for, if we even allow for the increased general mortality in 1847 from fever, and in 1848 from cholera, the proportionate mortality from consumption would be below that of almost all towns in Scotland or England.

TABLE XXII.

Showing the Number of Deaths from certain Diseases in Six Towns of Scotland during certain Years, (all inclusive).

TABLE XXIII.

Showing the Proportional Mortality of a few of the Principal Fatal Diseases

in 1,000 Deaths from all Causes.

The probable reason, therefore, for this immunity, must be looked for in the circumstance that the keen air and constant breezes, which both towns enjoy in perfection, brace and strengthen the respiratory organs, and render them less liable to become the seat of those morbid deposits on which consumption depends.

Relative to the comparative frequency in the different towns of epidemic diseases, viz., typhus fever, scarlet fever, measles, small-pox, and hooping cough, little need be said, seeing the number of years under observation are too few to admit of any fair average being obtained. Besides, the calculations for Edinburgh, Leith, Greenock, and Paisley, were made from epidemic years, while those of Glasgow, Perth, Dundee, and Aberdeen, were made from years of mean mortality.

Relative to the other diseases, some rather interesting results are arrived at. Thus, croup seems to be most prevalent in the low-lying and sheltered towns, such as Glasgow, Dundee, Perth, and Greenock. Brain disease, on the other hand, appears out of all proportion numerous in Edinburgh, Perth, and Leith, and at a minimum in Paisley and Aberdeen; and heart disease seems so far to follow the same apparent influences as brain disease, inasmuch as it also is more prevalent in Edinburgh and Leith than in any of the other towns in the above table. Much reliance cannot, however, be placed on these proportions, as the registration of the causes of death is carried on in Scotland in too unsatisfactory a manner to admit of anything more than an approximation to the truth being attained.

In conclusion, permit me to remark, that I hope the facts now brought forward relative to the Vital Statistics of Scotland will have the effect of inducing those in authority to do something in the way of enabling us, with more accuracy, to ascertain the actual condition of our population. The approaching census, if taken as it ought to be, should give us the numbers of the insane in lunatic asylums and private madhouses; of the fatuous or idiots in workhouses, or boarded with their friends, or at large in the general population; of the blind; of the deaf and dumb; and, lastly, the number of married persons with issue, and of married persons who have had no issue.

Scotland also requires an uniform system of registration of births, deaths, and marriages; and if Government cannot carry a measure which shall prove satisfactory to all parties, what hinders it to pass a short Act, rendering it imperative on the clergy of the Established Church, which asserts the right of keeping such registers at present, to furnish annually to the Secretary of State, to the Lord Advocate, or to any authorised person, a complete list of all the marriages in their respective parishes, and of all the burials in the various cemeteries within each parish? If Government does not succeed in carrying out a new and uniform system of registration, it appears to me it is bound to enforce the proper keeping of the present parochial registers, and I can see no difficulty in the way, in so far as the marriages and burials are concerned. A similar return from the present registry of births would answer no end, inasmuch as not a third of the births over the country is registered; but were Government once seriously to contemplate such a beneficial measure for Scotland, means might easily be suggested by which this deficiency might be supplied.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Railway Traffic, Casualties, and Legislation.

FROM the Parliamentary Returns it appears that the total number of persons of every description killed and injured on all the passenger railways open for traffic in Great Britain and Ireland during the half-year ending 30th June, 1850, amounted to 93 killed and 68 injured, and that they may be classed as follows:

Three passengers killed and 33 injured from causes beyond their own control, 7 passengers killed and 3 injured owing to their own misconduct or want of caution, 25 servants of companies or of contractors killed and 17 injured from causes beyond their own control, 29 servants of companies or of contractors killed and 10 injured owing to their own misconduct or want of caution, 26 trespassers and other persons, neither passengers nor servants of the company, killed and 5 injured by crossing or walking on the railway, and 3 suicides.

The number of passengers conveyed during the half-year amounted to 31,766,503.

The length of railway open on the 31st December, 1849, was 6,032 miles, and on the 30th June, 1850, 6,308 miles; showing an increase during the half-year of 276 miles.

The following is a comparative statement of traffic upon all the railways in the United Kingdom during the half-year ending 30th June, 1850, and during the corresponding period in the previous year: