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Somer's Town, and 2 in the Kentish Town sub-district. Of the whole number
in 1858, 17 were from Zymotic diseases, namely, 6 from Scarlet Fever, 3 from
Typhoid Fever, 3 from Hooping Cough, 2 from Measles, 1 from Diphtherite, 1 from
Diarrhoea, and 1 from Erysipelas; 14 were from Diseases of the Respiratory
Organs, including Consumption, and 4 from the Nervous Diseases of Infancy. Of
the 44, 24 were under 5 years of age.
During the three years, 1856, 1857, and 1858, there were 127 deaths in
the Mews, of which 59 were in Tottenham Court sub-district. Of these 127
deaths, 40 were from Zymotic diseases, namely,. 8 from Scarlet Fever, 6 from
Typhoid Fever, 12 from Hooping Cough, 4 from Measles, 6 from Diarrhoea, 1 from
Diphtherite, 2 from Erysipelas, and 1 from Puerperal Fever; 37 were from
Diseases of the Respiratory Organs, besides the cases of Hooping Cough and
Measles. There were 12 of the deaths from Hydrocephalus, Convulsions or
Teething. More than half the number (65) were deaths under 5 years of age.
I have, in a similar manner to that adopted with certain streets, tabulated
the mortality in the various Mews of the Parish. It appears from this table
(Table B) that the mortality of those living over stables is very high, greatly
in excess of the average mortality in this parish. The population living over
stables in the district may be estimated at about 1550. Last year the number
of deaths mounted to 44, which gives a death-rate of more than 23 per thousand,
whilst in the parish at large it was about 23. The average annual death in
the three years, 1856, 1857, and 1858, was about 27 in the thousand; in the
entire parish about 21. The causes of death which appear to be chiefly in
excess are the Zymotic diseases, diseases of respiration, and nervous diseases of
children, the three classes which are usually found to abound where bad sanitary
arrangements exist. The mortality in the Mews of the Tottenham Court subdistrict
is very excessive; during the last year, 21 deaths occurred out of a
population of 500, giving a death-rate of 42 per thousand. The average annual
death-rate in the last three' years was about 39 per thousand, or nearly 1 out of
every 25 living. This is a mortality about twice as great as in the entire Parish,
and is a circumstance which urgently demands investigation and improvement.
The high rate of mortality is mainly dependent upon the constant inhalation
of ammonia, carbonic acid, and the other gases given off by animal excreta.
It was never intended that human beings should live in such a situation, as to
breathe the air which has been first polluted by the lower animals; and if they
occupy rooms over stables this is almost inevitably the case. The impurity of the
air which is breathed in these lofts might, however, be greatly diminished by
a few simple measures. If the stables were properly paved, drained, and ventilated,
the air in them would be far less impure than at present. If all communication
between the stable and the loft were shut off as far as practicable,
and proper means adopted for the supply of pure air to the dwelling-rooms,
the evils would be again immensely diminished. As things are now, the stables
are, for the most part, badly paved, so that the flooring becomes saturated with
organic matter in a state of putrefaction ; there is very imperfect provision for
drainage; there is little or no means of ventilation for the stable, except the
outer door and the passage from it to the dwelling rooms, so that nearly all the
air supplied to the inmates comes through the stable ; the dwelling-rooms, too,
have frequently but one window, opening out on to a badly-paved and badlydrained
yard ; and, in many instances, they are not supplied with conveniences
for disposing of the human excreta, which the inhabitants then deposit on the
manure heaps either in the stable or in the yard just under their window.
During the past year, you have, on my recommendation, adopted some
regulations in reference to Mews and dwelling-rooms over stables. These have
been, in a considerable number of instances, enforced; great benefit has resulted