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15
Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health—1864.
will remain room for complaint. That the evil of drunkenness would be cured thereby,
I do not for one moment wish to infer; its origin lies far deeper, deep as the heart of man;
but it would, I believe, be greatly diminished. I have no sympathy with that advocacy of
sanitary reform which gives rise to expectations which cannot be realised, and to hopes
destined only to be disappointed.
The births registered in the year were 2068; and the birth rate was 37 per 1000. 1,646
deaths were registered; this number exceeds that cf 1859-60 by 262; but, is less than
that of 1863-4 by 43. The annual rate of mortality was 29½ per 1000; or, one death in 34
of the population.

433 persons died of zymotic disease; 48 less than in the preceding year. Of all the
diseases of this class, except fever, scarlatina has been most fatal; 78 persons died of that
disease. Diarrhoea was fatal to 44; and typhus to 128. This disease destroyed in all
London during the year 1864, 3,689 persons. Of small pox 8 died. The small pox epidemic
is now extinct. It commenced in 1860, and has added considerably to the death rate.
What that cause is, which gives rise to these epidemics, we are profoundly ignorant; as we
are of their sudden outbreaks at certain times and places. We are not so ignorant, however,
of those causes which aid their progress, and increase their fatal power. It may
he that there is a specific for each lying close at hand, and which only awaits a second
Jenner. But having a specific by no means implies the use of it. For that hideous disease
which defaces, blinds, and destroys, might have been extinguished half a century
ago: yet, from the years 1859-60 to 1863-4 it has killed 183 persons within the limits of
this district; besides the many it has physically injured, as well as sown the seeds of diseases
to spring up at some future time. It was found at the small pox hospital that the