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REPORT
on the
SANITARY CONDITION OF ST. MARY, ISLINGTON
FOR JULY, 1872.
No. CCII.
The total number of deaths registered in the parish during the
week ending July 27th, viz.; 304, although higher than the corresponding
number last year was decidedly lower than the average for the
month, only giving a death-rate of 18 per 1000 per annum on the
estimated population, while that of London generally was 22 per 1000
per annum during the same period: the rate has steadily increased
during the four weeks in question, as was to be expected from the
exceptionally low rates in May and June, and it is possible that it may
further increase in the succeeding months.
We are still remarkably free from epidemic diseases; no death
has been recorded from Small-Pox in the parish during the four weeks;
and this is the first time that such has been the case since May, 1870.
On the other hand to Diarrhoea, which only caused 6 deaths in June, 49
deaths have been attributed, of which 45 were among children under 1
year of age.
Under the heading Cholera five deaths are recorded, three being
those of infants under 1 year old, and the other two of adults; I see no
reason to believe that any of them were anything more than cases of
Choleraic Diarrhœa, or so-called English Cholera; indeed it appears on
enquiry, that the death of one of the adults was brought about by
eating a quantity of unripe fruit.
Last month I thought it necessary to point out the great danger of
connecting the waste pipes of cisterns with the traps or soil-pipes of
water-closets; while repeating this caution, I must now refer to the
fact that there is a form of trap in common use in areas, and even in
the sinks, &c., in the kitchens and back-kitchens of houses, which is
not only very often useless, but worse than useless, as I shall presently
show:—1 mean the ordinary bell-trap; this trap is so well known,
that I need hardly describe it; when there is plenty of water and the
moveable top is in its place, with the rim of the bell in the water, all is
well, provided the pressure of gas in the sewer is not sufficient to
cause it to force its way through the half inch of water which is between