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13
matter from the yard surfaces in proximity to houses, and the
very thorough cleansing of the putrifying matter from drains and
sewers removed this source of pollution. The large amount of rainfall
also tended to produce a more uniform temperature, and undoubtedly
had its effect upon fermentative processes which usually
take place in the soil. Such a good result having been thus
obtained by the wholesale cleansing of the drains connected with
the property, and of the surfaces of the yards attached to the
house, seems to me to conclusively point the direction in which
we might further extend our preventive work, that is by devoting
more attention to the periodical cleansing and flushing of
these adjuncts to our houses.
This matter has been before the Public Health Committee
on more than one occasion, but up to the present they have not
seen their way clear to the adoption of such a thorough system of
house drainage and court yard flushing as one would wish to have
adopted, and one will always be able to look back and point to
the very satisfactory feature of the Death Rate for this year as the
ideal for achievement by these means.
In the County of London the lowest Death Rates amongst
the various Metropolitan Boroughs were, l6.0 in Hampstead, 11.1
in Lewisham, 124 in Wandsworth, 12.6 in Stoke Newington, 13.2
in Paddington and Greenwich, and 13 5 in Woolwich; whilst the
highest rates were 18.6 in Holborn, 19.4 in Shoreditch, and 20.3
in Finsbury.
Locally the Death Rate varied from 4.03 in Kidbrooke, 10.50
in Charlton, 13.58 in East Greenwich, 14.96 in West Greenwich,
to 16.54 in St. Nicholas.