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housing. 73

The proportion of children to the total population living in overcrowded conditions as
discovered at annual cleansing* decreased last year to 36.9 per cent. In 1913 the percentage
was 42.9, and in 1912, 44.5.
Vital Statistics. —No data being available with regard to the numbers of inhabitants of
Registered Streets in 1914, the figures obtained at the enumeration made in 1913 have been
used in the calculation of the morbidity and mortality statistics given in Table 46. It is thought
that the results so obtained are sufficiently approximate for the purpose of comparison.
The total morbidity rate was 13.57 per 1,000 persons of all ages, as compared with 8.03 in
the Rest of the Borough. In 1913 the corresponding rates were 9.61 and 6.06 respectively. The
increased rates recorded last year were mainly due to scarlet fever and diphtheria in the
Registered Streets and to scarlet fever only in the Rest of the Borough.
The total mortality rate in the Registered Streets was 23.99 per 1,000, and that in the Rest of
the Borough 11.72. In comparison with the corresponding rates for 1913, last year's rate in the
Registered Streets shows a decrease of 5.9 per cent., and that for the Rest of the Borough a
decrease of 0.9 per cent. It will be noted that there are striking differences between the rates
from diarrœhal diseases (2.51 in the Registered Streets, 0.29 in the Rest of the Borough), tuberculous
diseases (2.99 in the Registered Streets and 1.05 in the Rest of the Borough), and the respiratory
diseases (3.89 in the Registered Streets and 1.53 in the Rest of the Borough).
Clarendon Street Area. —At the time of the annual cleansing, 79 rooms in 77 tenements
were found to be overcrowded, the inhabitants of the overcrowded tenements numbering 409
persons, of whom 134 were under 10 years of age.
A special report with regard to the basement rooms in Cirencester Street was submitted to
the Public Health Committee in February, 1914. Upon their recommendation the Council
subsequently ordered notices to be served under Section 96 of the Public Health (London) Act,
1891, with respect to underground rooms at 58 houses.
Morbidity and mortality rates in the area and the rest of the Borough are given in Table 47.
The morbidity rate from diphtheria was lower in the area (1.98) last year than in the Rest of
the Borough (2.03), but in all other instances higher rates were recorded in the area. It will
be noted that the mortality rate in the area dropped from 30.82 in 1913 to 26.63 in 1914, the
latter rate being slightly below the average for the five years 1907-11.
The infantile mortality last year was at the rate of 183 per 1,000 births. In 1913 the rate
was 173, and in 1912, 175.
* 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.
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