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TO THE
VESTRY OF ST. MARY, ISLINGTON.
Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present my Fourteenth Annual Report. In doing so
I have to remark, that although our population has suffered severely from two
epidemic and contagious diseases, chiefly affecting infants and young persons,
namely, hooping cough and scarlet fever, yet, on the whole, the mortality and
sickness do not appear to have been so great as they were in 1868. Circumstances
have been more favourable. Food has been cheaper, although work has been scarce
for the labouring classes, and while the winter was mild the summer quarter was
comparatively cool. I shall have occasion, however, to record the appearance,
chiefly in one corner of the parish, of a form of fever which we have experienced in
common with other parts of the metropolis.
MORTALITY AND SICKNESS.
Four thousand two hundred and sixty-five deaths of residents in Islington were
registered during the 52 weeks ending January 1st, 1870. In order to correct this
for deaths of some of our residents which may be supposed to have taken place in
hospitals, prisons, &c., in other parts of London, we may add another 237 deaths,
making a probable total of 4,502 on which to calculate our death-rate for the year.
When the census is made next year, I shall be in a better position than now to
calculate the death-rate. There is no reason, however, to believe that it was
excessive.

There are some things worth noticing in this table.