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31
But if the non-parishioners who died in the Infirmary be
subtracted from the total mortality it will be found that one
parishioner in 53 only died in 1872.
The mortality for all London in 1872 was 21.4 per
thousand, and that of Battersea at large 20.6, showing a
difference in favour of this parish of 1.2 per thousand, and
if the mortality amongst parishioners only, which as before
shown was but 18.9 per thousand, be treated in a similar
manner, it will be seen that the metropolitan mortality
exceeds that of Battersea by 2.5 per thousand.
Taking the least favourable view, by including the
deaths of non-parishioners in the Union Infirmary, the
year 1871 having had a death-rate of 28.6 per thousand,
and the year 1872 one of 20.6 per thousand, a difference
in favour of the latter year of 6.2 per thousand per annum
results. This, as will be shown subsequently, is almost
entirely owing to a diminution in the deaths from Zymotic,
Epidemic, or preventable disease, and in that respect an
evidence of the value of the extensive sanitary operations
of all kinds carried out under the jurisdiction of the
Board.
The beneficial results of the perfected system of Main
Drainage are now becoming evident, more especially in
South London, and to quote the Registrar General's Annual
Report for 1872, which says "That while the population
"has gone on increasing, and has grown denser in the
"parts formerly open, the mortality, as a whole, has not
"increased; on the contrary, it has decreased; in
"South London the mortality fell from 26.6 to 23.2 or 3.4
"in 20 years. This is decisive evidence of the salutary
"effects of the drainage of South London, which was
"formerly a marsh;" and the present report will probably
be a convincing proof of the fact that Battersea has at least
profited in an equal degree with its neighbours from the
now completed system of sewers.