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REPORT
on the
SANITARY CONDITION OP ST. MARY, ISLINGTON,
FOR MARCH, 1867.
No. CXIX.
The general mortality of our district during the past month has on
the whole been less than that of March for several years past. Three
hundred and ninety-nine deaths were registered, the numbers in the
corresponding weeks of the last four years being 422, 406, 382, and
452. The mean corrected mortality of the same weeks during the ten
previous years was 429, so that the deaths this year have been thirty
less than had a similar mortality prevailed.
I am sorry to observe, however, that small-pox still continues to
prevail extensively, especially in some of the streets adjoining the Essex
Road and at Balls Pond. I have communicated with the District
Vaccinators in these localities, and they tell me they are doing all in their
power to induce the people to avail themselves of the protection offered
them; but with so dense a population, and so large, and other work to
attend to, the utmost efforts that these gentlemen are capable of making
are insufficient to meet the emergency. There is no doubt that, in any
place where small-pox breaks out, the epidemic may be extinguished by
active vaccination of the inhabitants—the thing has been done over and
over again—but for this purpose a sufficiency of assistance should be
provided, and those engaged in the task should be entirely devoted to
their work, and visit from house to house; and this involves expense.
The question simply is whether the object justifies the outlay, and this
question it is for the Trustees to decide. During the last four months
there have been forty-four deaths from small-pox, and as the mortality
of that disease is estimated at one in ten cases, this means that during
the period referred to 440 cases have occurred in the parish at large.
I have a record of 175 of them.