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19
The general death.rate in the Inner Wards for 1900 is
21.5, as compared with 24 7 during 1899, per 1000. representing
a saving 288 general deaths during the year 1900.
The zymotic death.rate in the Inner Wards for 1900 is 2.3,
as compared with 3 8 during 1899, per 1000, representing
a saving of 135 deaths from the principal zymotic diseases
during the year 1900.
In the Outer Wards the general and zymotic death.rates
for 1900 are 15.7 and 1.3 per 1000 respectively, as compared
with 17 2 and 2 03 for 1899, representing a saving of 332
and 155 deaths from general and zymotic diseases during
the year 1900. The Infantile Mortality rate (i.e., deaths
of infants under 1 year per 1000 births) is a delicate index
of the sanitary state of a district, and the lowered rate
(uncorrected) for Lambeth for 1900, viz. : 147.3 as compared
with 161.9 per 1000 during 1899, is cause for
congratulation.
The corrected average birth.rates are, Inner Districts
34.3, Outer Districts 25.7, per 1000. One thing is specially
noticeable, viz.: that the Inner Districts do not suffer so
severely as hitherto, though there is still a greater difference
between the Inner and Outer Districts in regard to their
mortality returns than is satisfactory. The congested condition
under which the inhabitants live in the Inner Wards,
as compared with those in the Outer Wards, explain in
great part these differences. No efforts must be spared to
lessen the difference, though it is practically impossible to
obliterate it, considering the different status of the
inhabitants, and the different conditions under which they
live, e.g., area or house density. Given good sanitary
conditions for the crowded Inner Districts, the difference
will be reduced to a minimum, and a Sanitary Authority be
doing all it can reasonably be expected to do.
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