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9
witnessing the revolting fact that great numbers of the poorer classes are
still compelled to drink the water of the Thames and Wandle, which is
but sewage more or less diluted, I again beg to urge it upon your consideration
as a matter of the utmost importance to the health of this town,
that every house should be furnished with a proper supply of wholesome
water, at least as an article of food (and a most important one), if it cannot
be at present employed for drainage, and other purposes of general
cleanliness.
Conclusion.
A greatly diminished rate of mortality, which during the past year
barely exceeded that of the healthiest of the rural districts—a high rate
of natural increase—a rate of infant mortality which although actually
great, was relatively low compared with that of London and most of
the metropolitan districts,* together with a great and continuous decrease
of deaths from epidemic disease during the past three years—are the
prominent facts elicited by the foregoing statistical information. They
indicate unequivocally that the health of this parish has undergone a
very notable improvement since the commencement of the sanitary
operations of the Board, and that during the two past years it was in a
very satisfactory condition ; they moreover bear such a marked relation
to each other, that the results indicated by them cannot be satisfactorily
accounted for, except by a full entertainment of the effects of sanitory
agency.
G. E. NICHOLAS,
Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth.
* The rate of infant mortality in towns bears so invariable a relation to the general
mortality, that the one may be received as the exponent of the other, and consequently
as a very fair criterion of the health of any locality. The death-rate of infants under
5 years is 41 per cent, of all deaths in London ; in Marylebone, 41; in Islington and
Uewingtou 45, In this pariah during the past year it was 23 per cent.