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47
In the distribution of phthisis mortality throughout the year 1899 the central group of
districts had the highest death rate and the northern group the lowest. Of the several sanitary
districts St. Luke and St. George, Southwark, had the highest death rate (3.53) and Hampstead
the lowest (0.84). During each of the four quarters of the year the central group of districts had
the highest death rate. The northern group of districts had the lowest death rate during the third
quarter of the year, and the western group during the first, second and fourth quarters.
The following table shows the number of deaths from phthisis at several age periods in
each of the sanitary districts of the administrative county. For the purposes of this table deaths
occurring in public institutions belonging to London have been distributed to the sanitary areas
in which the deceased had previously resided. (See footnote (1), page 3).

Since the discovery of the tubercle bacillus by Koch, in 1882, attention has been increasingly
given to the measures which can be adopted for tbe prevention of phthisis. The recognition3 of
the cause of phthisis is leading sanitary authorities to consider how far the application of methods
commonly used for the limitation of the infectious diseases may be useful in connection with this
disease, and hence in several of the London districts opportunity is given by the sanitary authorities
for the disinfection of rooms which have been occupied by persons who have suffered from phthisis.
The reports of medical officers of bealth shew that disinfection is thus undertaken by the sanitary
authorities in Kensington, Marylebone, Stoke Newington, St. Luke, Shoreditch, Mile-end Old-town,
St. George-the-Martyr, Newington, Lambeth, Battersea, Camberwell, Plumstead.
My last report contained a diagram showing, for the year 1898, the relation of overcrowding to
mortality from "all causes," and to mortality from phthisis. In the present report I include a diagram
arranged in a somewhat similar manner, and which enables the mortality statistics of 1899
to be studied* This diagram (XVII.) shows that mortality from all causes, from phthisis and
» The death rates at ages have been calculated for groups of sani'.ary districts arranged in order of " overcrowding.'* The death
rates obtaining in the least overcrowded group have been adopted as standards of comparison ; the death rates at each age of the other
groups of districts being expressed as a percentage above or below tbe corresponding death rate obtaining in the kast overcrowded group
In the diagram the death rates obtaining in the least overcrowded group of districts are represented by the dotted lines, th* death
rates obtaining in each of the other groups of districts being represented by a curve. The amount of " overcrowding "in the group of
districts to which each curve relates is shown in the margin. *
Each fquare in the diagram represents 10 per cent.
It will be seen that three curves are shown for each groun of sanitary districts, viz —
lilack ... ... Phthisis Red ... ... All causes Slue ... ... All causes less phthisis
The above description applies equally to each of these curves.