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breed, as by efficient general scavenging in the community,
including the frequent collection of household refuse and sweepings,
and the prompt burning of this material, or the placing of it in a
suitable receptacle, with a closely-fitting, overlapping lid. In the
second place, all food should be protected from the access of flies.
If household refuse matter is not collected by the local authority
weekly, but has to be disposed of by the tenant, it should be trenched
into the ground, and completely covered with three or four inches
of earth. Where there is no sewerage system, existing privy pits
should be replaced by pail-closets, in which sufficient earth is used to
thoroughly cover all evacuations, and the contents of the pails trenched
and covered with a layer of a few inches of earth.
CANCER.
For the purpose of enabling the incidence of Cancer on the
several populations of the London sanitary areas to be more preciselystated,
factors have been calculated for correcting the death-rates, as
far as possible, for the differences in the age and sex constitution of
the several populations concerned. When these allowances are made
it is found that in the year 1909, the City and Bermondsey (1.22) had
the highest rate, and that the lowest obtained in Stepney and Greenwich
(0.79). The corrected death-rate in Stoke Newington was 1.02
per 1,000 persons living.
OPHTHALMIA IN THE NEWLY-BORN.
A large amount of preventable blindness occurs from this disease,
and, as in so many instances, preventive measures present both a
humanitarian and an economical aspect.
It is unnecessary to say anything under the first-mentioned heading;
but the financial gain by preventing this blindness would be
very considerable, in view of the fact that the cost of educating the
blind child is about £500, as compared with the £30 cost of the
ordinary child.