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8
My attention has been called to a cistern in Oxendon
Street, into which coal gas is introduced from the
water pipes. This is an increasing evil, and one I
fear very difficult to remedy.
November 20th, 1856.—Report made on the subject
of the manufacture of Blacking, which is clearly a
nuisance, although difficult to be proved injurious to
health.
December, 1856.—The number of deaths in November
rather exceeded the average. This is to be imputed
to the sudden invasion of a degree of cold unusual at
this early period of winter.
It is instructive to note the localities of deaths from
epidemic diseases. I find that during the last month
3 deaths occurred in Bedfordbury, 2 in Chymister's
Alley, 1 in Pipemaker's Alley, and 1 in Hop Gardens,
all from hooping cough, while in the rest of the
Parish only one death occurred from all these diseases.
So in taking the deaths which occur among children
under 5 years of age, the large majority occur in these
overcrowded spots.
Report for the Year ending Dec. 31st, 1856.
—During the present year the number of deaths in the
Parish of St. Martin was 598; in the year 1855, 625;
in 1854, 624. The number of deaths in Charing Cross
Hospital during 1856 was 77; in 1855, 73; in 1854,
77. The present year will, therefore, bear a favorable
comparison with former years, although the death rate,
deducting the deaths in the hospital, is nearly 22 in
1000. In former years the death-rate in St. Martin's
was 24 in 1000; in the Strand Union, 27; in Holborn,
28; in St. George's Southwark, 30; in St. Saviour's,
38; while in Hampstead and St. George's, Hanover
Square, it was only 18. So that in 7 years 1000 more
persons die in St. Martin's than in Hampstead out of a
corresponding amount of population.