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6
greater probability of disease which is communicable between
individuals becoming grave in a dense population, it will be
important always to regard the early appearance of disease
in those quarters with jealous watchfulness, and carefully to
enforce the ordinary sanitary regulations.
At the present moment, the mortality of the Hamlet is
too low to warrant any but the most gentle kind of
interference. The causes of the unwelcome change, in the
disproportion of people to the house accommodation the
upper Wards of the Hamlet are able to afford, is undoubtedly
to be found in the demolition of houses in London, which
has been deemed necessary for the recent extensive local
improvemeilts. Clusters of houses, each inhabited by several
families, have been replaced by palaces, and their occupants
dislodged to seek other abodes. Being mostly operatives, or
belonging to the labouring class, and accustomed to live near
their place of employment, they were naturally unwilling to
travel further than necessary, and so have accepted the
readiest accommodation for their families. I believe, however,
that it is a sort of centrifugal action, which, by
continuing, will prove its own remedy, and the overplus of
people in the upper Wards will gradually avail themselves
of the freer atmosphere of the lower parts of the Hamlet.
It will be well to remember that this immigration is
almost confined to persons who are particularly benefited by
local sanitary improvement, among whom disease is most
rife, when it occurs, and from the paucity of their means
and continual occupation when they have employment, are
less able to defend themselves from various maladies which
are sure to be in excess when there is over occupation of
space by living beings.
The births exceeded the deaths last year by a considerable