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161
"NOTTING DALE."
The vital and mortal statistics of the "special area" have
already been given at page 16. They afford little ground for
satisfaction excepting in regard to a diminished mortality
from the diseases of the zymotic class. The mortality from
diseases of the tubercular class (42 deaths) was high, being at
the rate of 10.5 per 1,000 (=1 per cent.) of the population
(4,000), irrespective of 23 infantile deaths from wasting diseases
(atrophy, debility, inanition), closely related in many instances
to tuberculosis. The tuberculosis death-rate in the parish, as
a whole, was 1.9 per 1,000, that of North Kensington being
2.6. The rate in the North-West sanitary district, including
the special area, was 52 per 1,000: irrespective of the special
area the rate in this district was 3.6 per 1,000; the nearest
approach to this rate was in the North sanitary district, viz.,
2.0 per 1,000 (vide table, page 130).
Overcrowding and Indecent Occupation of
Rooms.—The most notable event of the year in connection with
sanitary administration in the special area, was a series of cases
of indecent occupation and overcrowding of registered houses
brought to light through early morning inspections made by
Inspector Steward ; by my authority, and under police protection.
The revolting particulars of these cases were set out
in the fourth monthly report, (April 26th, page 43) and need
not be repeated here. Overcrowding is a nuisance within the
meaning of section 2 (1) (e) of the Public Health (London)
Act, 1891 : indecent occupation is forbidden and made a
punishable offence by the third bye-law relating to registered
houses, which reads as follows :—
" Separation ok the Sexes.—The keeper of a registered house, and any
lodger therein, shall not suffer more than two persons of different sex,
if above the age of 12 years, to occupy the same sleeping room."
A bye-law to this effect is, I think, rare, if not exclusive to this
parish, and without it, in the absence of overcrowding, it would