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132
The phthisis rate was 3.4 in the first four years and was double
that of the City. During the last three years, however, it has fallen so
that the average for the seven years is 2 per 1,000.
Kensington Place has had a good many phthisis and infant deaths
(some of the latter being illegitimate). The sanitary condition of the
houses has been examined during the last few years, and a number of
improvements effected.
District No. 9.—This is the site of the Millbank Prison, and is now
occupied by the County Council Buildings, the Tate Gallery, and by
the Army Hospital and Medical School. These last have just recently
been occupied.
The Buildings began to be occupied in 1899, and were completed
in 1902. The inhabitants now number about 3,190; making allowance
for the variation in population in the earlier years, the death-rate for
the last five years works out at an average of 13'5 per year; the phthisis
rate 0.25, deaths from respiratory disease at 0.19, and from diarrhoea at
0.6 per 1,000, all of which may be regarded as satisfactory. The
rents of the rooms vary from 7s. to 8s. 6d. for two rooms, 9s. 6d. to
10s. 6d. for three rooms, and 12s. 6d. to 13s. for four rooms.
District No. 10 lies south-west of the Millbank Estate, and abuts on
the Vauxhall Bridge Road from the River to Begency Street. The
census population was 2,321. The district, speaking generally, comprises
two classes of property—a small proportion of two-storey dwellings
built for working class occupation and a much greater proportion of
three and four-storey houses built for a better class. Of the latter a
small number, e.g., Bessborough Gardens (east side), are still so occupied,
but the great majority, notably Ponsonby Place and Terrace, now
accommodate an artizan population not improbably displaced from
adjacent demolished areas. Each of these houses now contains several
tenements, without having the conveniences which are now to be found
in buildings such as the Council's Dwellings. Steps have been taken
to lay on extra water and make other provisions. Overcrowding existed
in the earlier part of the seven years, and such an influence would help
to account for the death-rate from all causes averaging 4.2 per 1,000
above that of the City generally in the first four years. There is,
however, a tendency to improve, but the diarrhoea rate, l.l per 1,000,
is too high.
District No. 11 adjoins Nos. 8, 9 and 10, and includes the east side
of Chapter Street, Regency Street up to the junction with Chapter
Street, and the east side of Regency Street up to Page Street, and
includes the City Dwellings. This district has seen considerable
changes during the last ten years. Much property was demolished
notably in Regency Street, Chapter Street, Douglas Street, Frederick