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8
areas. The period over which these figures extend (eight years) and the actual
number of deaths are both too small to allow of drawing any absolutely
sound conclusions. Nevertheless, it may be noticed that the mortality of
the Borough Sub-district is 14.8 higher than that of the 33 large English
towns. Further, the figures, so far as they extend, show that the
excessive mortality of the Borough Road Sub-district is maintained from
year to year, so that it appears to be due to inherent and not to accidental
causes.
The annual death rate for 1900 has fallen slightly, being 271 as
against 27.7 in 1899, thereby showing a decrease of 0.6 per 1,000. During
the same period the returns for the whole of London showed a fall of 1,
and for the 33 great towns of 0.7. The phthisis and diarrhoea rates of the
Parish of St. George-the-Martyr are the highest in London. There has
been a decrease in the deaths from diphtheria. The infantile death-rate
is still very high and is exceeded only in two other Metropolitan districts.
As all, or nearly all, of the mortality arises from preventable causes,
it follows, as pointed out in former years, that there is still room for large
and permanent reduction in the death-rate of St. George-the-Martyr.
Were it possible to eliminate the Borough Road Sub-district, or to reduce
its mortality to a level with that of other sub-districts, the condition of
St. George-the-Martyr, as a whole, would compare favourably with many
districts much more happily situated, both as regards density of population
and general healthiness of surroundings.