View report page

16
married persons, and whose families are rapidly and constantly
increasing.
Another fact, that I ought perhaps to bring to your knowledge,
is, that out of 760 deaths that occurred in the whole District
amongst children under 10 years of age, 372 were registered in the
Parish of Saint Paul. This infantile mortality will partly be
accounted for from the large number of births, already noticed as
taking place in that Parish.
On taking the foregoing facts into your consideration, the
principal feature that must strike your observation will be, the
great amount of infantile mortality occurring in the District.
This mortality has arisen for the most part from, what may be
termed, preventible causes. It is, then, to the removal of those
causes that I shall now more particularly direct your attention, and
which will fall under the following subjects:—
SEWERAGE.
It is to be regretted that the sewerage of this District is at
present so very limited. The Parish of Greenwich shows by far
the largest portion on the plans. The Parish of Saint Paul will
furnish the next in number; but that of Saint Nicholas, Deptford,
appears to be almost without these primary necessaries of health
and cleanliness.
The rapid and complete removal of all refuse by efficient
sewerage is of the most essential importance to the health of the
community. Without it all human aid for the prevention of disease
would be futile.
At the present stage of your operations, and in the present
state of uncertainty as to the future operations of the Metropolitan
Board of Works, I cannot press upon you the commencement of
the sewerage of the whole District; still, there are some parts, such
as the upper part of the Parish of Greenwich, and that of New
Town, Deptford, in which some sewerage works may with safety
be commenced.
HOUSE DRAINAGE.
In the inspection of houses, special attention has been paid to
the drainage into the common sewer in those streets where sewers