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29
BATTERSEA.
The Medical Officers of Health for Battersea have the
pleasure of presenting a much more favourable report for
the year 1872 than they were able to do in 1871, in which
latter year epidemic disease added materially to the
mortality.
During 1872 the mortality was as follows, as will be
seen by reference to the appended statistical tables:—
In the Eastern Division of the Sub-district 540
In the Western Division (containing the
Union Infirmary) 644*
Bodies found in River which could not
be apportioned to either Sub-district 18
Total mortality 1202
which, upon an assumed mean population of 58,285†
will give a death-rate for the year of 20.6 per thousand
per annum. If, however, 107 non-parishioners who died in
the Union Infirmary be deducted, the legitimate death-rate
will be found to be 18.9 per thousand.
In 1871, with a mean population of 54,847, the deaths
numbered 1,472, and consequently the rate of mortality was
26.8 per 1,000.
In 1872 the proportion of deaths to persons living was
1 in 48, in 1871, 1 in 37, thus giving 11 years additional
"probable duration" of life to every inhabitant.
* It should be well understood that the Workhouse Infirmary being
situated in the Western Division of Battersea, the deaths in that Institution,
which were rather numerous in 1872, viz. 155, have to be taken
into account in judging of the comparative mortality of the two divisions
into which this large parish has recently been separated for Sanitary
purposes.
†These numbers are based upon those used by the Registrar General during
1872, the real mean population is probably somewhat larger, viz., 58,317.