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housing.
146 of the 5,452 families during the inspections in connection with the annual cleansing,* such
figures being equivalent to a percentage of 2.6. In 1911 the proportion was 4'3 and in 1912, 30.
The proportions of the total inhabitants enumerated overcrowded were 4.3 per cent. in 1913,
6.3 in 1912, and 4.1 in 1911. An unsatisfactory feature in the figures is the apparent increase in
the proportion of children to the total population living in overcrowded conditions. In 1913, of
the 761 persons overcrowded, 57.0 per cent. were children under the age of 10 years, the
corresponding proportion noted in 1912 being 55.5, and in 1911, 54 9.
Of the 146 overcrowded tenements 63 consisted of one room, 62 of two rooms, 17 of three,
3 of four, and 1 of six. Approximately the tenements were situated in the basement in 37
instances, on the ground floor in 27, on the first in 38, and on the second in 44.

Note.—Figures in parentheses relate to 1912, no houses being added to the Register in that year.
Vital Statistics.—The total morbidity rate recorded in the Registered Streets was 9.61 per
1,000 persons of all ages (Table 60), as compared with 6.06 in the Rest of the Borough. In 1912
the corresponding rates were 7.97 and 4.54 respectively. In 1911 the rates were—Registered
Streets, 5 21, Rest of the Borough, 3 91, so that there has been a progressive increase in each
case since 1911. The increase in the rate recorded last year in the Registered Streets over that
observed in 1912 was equal to 20 per cent. of the latter rate, while in the Rest of the Borough the
increase was equal to 33 per cent. In the Registered Streets increases in the rates due to scarlet
and enteric fevers have to be noted, while in the Rest of the Borough there was in addition some
increase in the rate due to diphtheria. The rise in the rate due to scarlet fever was equal to
68 per cent. of the 1912 rate in the Registered Streets and to 75 per cent. in the Rest of the
Borough.
The total mortality rate in the Registered Streets was 25.51 per 1,000 and that in the Rest
of the Borough 11.82, a sufficiently striking difference. Last year's rates in both instances show
an increase of a little more than 8 per cent. above the rates for 1912. Attention may be called
to the disparity of the rates from diarrhoeal diseases (2.46 in the Registered Streets; 0.26 in the
Rest of the Borough), tuberculous diseases (2.36 in the Registered Streets; 1.ll in the Rest of the
Borough), and the respiratory diseases—bronchitis and pneumonia—(5 08 in the Registered
Streets; 190 in the Rest of the Borough). As a contrast it should be noted that the mortality
from the tuberculous diseases in the Registered Streets show a decrease of 30 per cent. when the
rates for 1912 and 1913 are compared, while those in the Rest of the Borough show an increase
of 33 per cent.
* The numbers obtained at the annual cleansing are to be preferred as a test of overcrowding, because the
instances of overcrowding found at other times include repeated overcrowding by certain families who appear to be
unable to recognise the fact that the sizes of their families demand more accommodation. There are some halfdozen
families who are found time after time in different homes, but always overcrowded. There is no legal
machinery for dealing with such cases except the usual routine of notices and prosecutions.