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Mortality at different ages in Workhouse 21
Bloomsbury Dispensary 21
British Lying-in Hospital 21
Infants' Home 22
Sanitary Work of the Year 22
Method of Inspection in St. Giles 22
Disinfecting Chamber 22
New Rales for Rag and Bone Shops 23
Improvements in Workshops 24
Condemned Houses 24
Cow-houses, Slaughter-houses, Bake-houses, Cellars, Sewers, and Bad Food 21
To the Board op Works foe the St. Giles District.
Gentlemen,
The General Mortality.
1. The health of London during the year 1870 did not deviate much
from its average rate, notwithstanding the prevalence of two severe epidemic
diseases. The Registrar General states, in his Annual Summary, that "the
mean rate of mortality for 31 years is 24.34, and the mortality in 1870 is a
little below this; it is 24.12." The birth-rate was 35.3 to 1000 living.
2. The year 1870 may be regarded as an epidemical year, two of the
most formidable of the spreading diseases having been particularly fatal.
Scarlet fever carried off more victims (5998) last year than in any year of
the previous twelve, and small-pox began to be particularly prevalent in tho
last quarter. Tho other catching diseases, however, manifested no especial
activity; so that the aggregate number of this order was not in excess of the
previous year. Hence we notice the peculiarity of a year not generally
unhealthy, although characterised by a high mortality in certain forms of
epidemic disease.
3. The birth-rate for St. Giles District for 1870 was 31.2 to 1000 living,
and death-rate 27.3, so that our birth-rate was as much below the Metropolitan
birth-rate, as our death-rate was above the Metropolitan death-rate.
The Birth-rate in St. Giles District.
4. The registered number of births for St. Giles District during the year
1870 was 1828. This number must, however, be corrected after the manner
adopted last year. There were 167 children born (excluding eight stillbirths)
in the Lying-in Hospital in Endell Street, of whom only 26 belonged
to our District, as ascertained from the previous residences of the mothers ;
141 births must be, therefore, subtracted from the registered number, leaving
us only 1687. Again, of the entire number of births 764 were registered
for St. Giles South, in which sub-district the Hospital lies; the 141 births in
the Hospital must, consequently, be deducted from the registered birth-rate
of that sub-district, which gives us 623.
5. Further, the births in the Workhouse were 103, all of which arc
registered against St. Giles South, but a proper distribution being made
according to the previous residences of the mothers, we find that 12 belong
to Bloomsbury, 27 to St. Giles North, and 62 to St. Giles South: two others
having come from outside parishes. Excluding these two our exact number
of births was 1685.
6. These corrections having been made the following Table expresses
the exact birth-rate to population.