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Parish of Saint George the Martyr, Southwark.
where, such as in hospitals or workhouses: the worst places may thus appear, so far as deaths go,
the best.
In the third Table, are recorded the deaths of 626 males and 623 females; that is, 22.55 in
every 1,000 of our population. A very great improvement appears in the health of the South of London,
more than in the other districts. The average of the previous ten years, shows 26.28 deaths per 1,000;
while in this year, 1857, the mortality was 21.60; this difference of nearly five in the 1,000 represents a
saving of 3,230 lives annually in the south districts of London alone. In England and Wales the proportion
was 21.76; in all London, 22.20. In 1339 the deaths in this parish were 25.68 in 1,000; now,
as you see by this Table, they are 22.56; if in 1857 we had lost at the same rate as the mortality of 1839
shows; I should have had to record 164 deaths more for this year than are here shown; these favourable
results are worth securing, and are also worth increasing; to save annually in one parish 164 lives is
indeed a great gain.
The Registrar General computes, that for every death, two persons are constantly ill; 164 less
deaths, would indicate 328 fewer cases of illness; each constant case would represent many actual cases of
illness; how many I cannot say, but a very great number. Some not very hopeful people think, that we
cannot get below a ratio of 22 deaths in the 1,000 inhabitants; but from the improvement since 1839
just cited; and from what I see of the sanitary defects easily removable, with good faith in the examination
and good faith in the carrying out the work ordered; we may reasonably expect to come gradually
down at least to 17 or 18 in the 1,000. We have a good substratum of gravel just below us, through
which currents of water are almost constantly filtering;—add to this natural advantage impermeable house
drains, a better storage of water or a constant supply, less cramming so many human heings into so small
a space, (a family or more in a room); you will see at once that more improvement may come about than
we can at present expect. In 1681 to 90, the annual death rate in London was 42.10 per 1,000;
in 1746 to 65, it was 35.50; in 1844 to 55, it was only 24.90. Here is great improvement steadily
achieved; are we now, with increased knowledge, to stop short, with so much recognised removable
death-cause about us? I would also draw your attention to that part of this Table, which shows 642
deaths under 10 years old,— more than half the total deaths; 21 of them died of scarlatina; 64 of
whooping cough; 69 of diarrhœa; 66 of tabes, or bowel decline; 26 of consumption, or lung decline; 96
of brain disease; and 121 of chest complaints: much of all this is preventable. I have often expatiated
upon this in my reports to you; better food, but especially better air, even with the same food; would,
without doubt, save numbers of these children. The mass of them have not stamina enough to stand up
against the complaints that usually attack children; and which complaints would, with ordinary power to
meet them, pass along over them with little real injury; and many of the diseases would (the helping cause
being weakened and removed) die out. I am surprised to record but one death from small-pox; having
lately seen many children growing up unvaccinated;—and now small-pox is becoming prevalent: 1,973
births are recorded for the year; the public vaccinators have returned but 680 cases successfully vaccinated;
and but 731 were registered according to law: no doubt many are vaccinated, but are not recorded:
the law unfortunately encumbered the simple operation with so many forms and processes; and placed
the management of it under an unpopular poor law commission, which every one had been even taught to
dread; that we cannot be surprised if the operation is neglected: it is, however, a most sad state of things,
that out of 1,973 children born, only 731 are known to have been vaccinated. I have often had occasion
to see that the unvaccinated usually bring the disease into their respective neighbourhoods; it then passes
to the least protected, and finally to others. The mortality from zymotic disease is 250, that is, one in five,
and of these, 201 were children under 10 years of age; we seem to have a great underlying tendency to
consumption, or rather to tubercular disease; this will account for the great fatality in some other diseases;
such as measles, whooping cough, bronchitis, and pneumonia; in the ordinary way, and in fairly sound
constitutions, few of these four diseases should prove fatal. It is now quite established, that with close
over-crowded rooms; that is, by assiduously causing the continued breathing a tainted atmosphere; you
may insure consumption in the most healthy: let such persons, with the disease so established, become
parents; and you have a most fruitful crop of hereditary disease; and a state is produced which renders it
very difficult for the young to overcome other diseases, such as those I have noticed. From neglect, privation
and accidents, we have lost during the year, forty-five, ten at least of these were from starvation,
literally from privation of food; twenty of this class were infants, many of whom met their deaths unfairly;
and several, at least eight, directly from the close packing in over-crowded bed-rooms, found dead
usually by the mother on awaking in the morning. There is a great deal of carelessness touching human
life; and a great want of common sense or serious thought in the preserving it: much is left to chance:
there is either fatalism, or a stolid indifference upon the matter, pervading English society; and the poor,