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of the death-rate of nearly 1 per 1000, and by a greater amount and intensity
of disease.
2. It was nevertheless above the average of the ten preceding years, as
represented by a death-rate less by 3 per 1000 (exclusive of cholera years).
3. This deterioration of health was due to the prevalence of an extensive,
and fatal epidemic of Scarlet Fever, which accounts for the great excess of
infant mortality.
In order to give practical value to these results for indicating the directions
which sanitary operations should assume, it is desirable to know the particular
localities in which those diseases which increased the death-rate, prevailed.
I have therefore prepared a table showing the parts of the parish in which the
deaths from epidemic diseases have occurred since the commencement of the
operations of your Board. The deaths so recorded are found to be associated
more or less with conditions prejudical to health. This table, I may remark,
would be of great practical value if the houses throughout the parish were
all properly numbered; every house in which a death occurred could then
be accurately known by a reference to the register of deaths. I have
handed the table (which is excluded here from want of space) to your
Surveyor for his guidance.
GEORGE EDWARD NICHOLAS,
Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth.