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in the metropolitan districts to be nearly doubled. The
first of these diseases, which have long remained amongst us,
more annoying by their permanence than severity, became,
by some unknown cause dependent on their nature, suddenly
mobilised, and more frequently brought under our notice in
the Weekly Returns of the Registrar-General. During the
whole of this period of prevalent sickness, our district was
so far free from unusual morbid influences, that the weekly
number of deaths was below their average. Part of this
excellent state of general health was doubtless owing to the
improvements which have been made at the public expense,
part to the better regulation of drainage and matters of
general cleanliness, a part also to the spirit which has been
thereby imparted to the units which compose the public,
who have caught the influence, and have contributed to
maintain that position to which the public improvements
have led the way. But a part appears to be owing to a
power higher than the control of human will; in a word,
that we have been less subjected to the influences producing
disease than some of the neighbouring districts.
The visitations of disease were so far partial, that although
the city of London, and some of the suburbs more distant
from the city than Mile End, suffered severely, several
places, our own Hamlet amongst them, maintained at least
their ordinary state of public health.
The records of the Registrar-General for the year 1858
make known to us that to the 25th of December, 1511 persons
died in our Hamlet, being 33 less than in the previous
year. But assuming that the population has increased at the
rate of two and a half per cent. annually, in 1857 (a healthy
year) one person died during the twelve months to every 41
living, in 1858 the proportion was one person to 43 living.