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49
years there were only 4 deaths from Small-pox amongst
all classes in this parish. Also that 45 cases in the same
period were treated by the Union Medical Officer, of which
two only proved fatal. There is reason to believe that
many more than were removed of these 45 cases would
have been sent into hospital, had there existed greater
facilities for such removal, and had beds been always
available in the only institution in the metropolis for the
reception of poor patients labouring under this distressing
malady.
In like manner the second portion of the Table shows
that in the same 11 years 33 deaths from Fever took place
amongst all classes in this Sub-district, and that 239 poor
patients were treated by the Union Medical Officer, with
the result of only 11 deaths. In some of the larger
parishes of this Union a much greater number of both cases
and deaths occur yearly amongst the out-door poor; and
there can scarcely be two opinions respecting the expediency
of establishing local infirmaries or hospitals in
sufficient numbers to meet a want long felt in many of the
large and populous suburban districts.
A very note-worthy fact in connection with the above
Table may here be mentioned, viz., that a somewhat large
number of fever cases are shown to have annually occurred
before a system of efficient drainage in connection with the
great intercepting sewer was projected and completed in the
town portion of this parish, but since the accomplishment of
this necessary undertaking, at the latter part of 1865, the
malady referred to has claimed but a single victim, and
further, that not a solitary case of this disease was treated,
nor a death due to the same registered, amongst the parish
poor, during the entire year of 1866 !
It is believed that nothing could better mark the benefits
derivable from judicious sanitation than the circumstance
here referred to, and costly though this measure of improvement
has unquestionably been (and it never should be lost
sight of that the execution of these extensive works is made
compulsory on local authorities by an act of the legislature)
the ratepayers may be very fairly congratulated upon the
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