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and necessarily so in a manufacturing suburb like Battersea,
where the neglect of children by parents engaged in labour
is most deplorable. Under the above heading in the mortality
table there is noted 185 deaths, which is one less
than occurred in the preceding year. Of these 185 deaths
no less than 83 were due to Pulmonary Phthisis. There
is likewise a considerable decrease from the preceding year's
mortality in the number of those who succumbed to Diseases
of the Brain and Nerves, to Heart affections, to maladies
connected with the Digestive Organs, and to Violence ;
but the deaths resultingfrom Premature Birth, Low Vitality,
and Malformation, are more by 29 than the number recorded
under that heading in 1866. The total deaths from all
causes compared with that of 1866, shows, as I have already
observed, a considerable decrease, amounting to as many
as 132 in favour of the past year.
Ages at Death. — I have already remarked upon the
excessive infant mortality. Amongst persons of advanced
life the numbers of deaths under various ages do not exhibit
any remarkable disparity, but the number dying of old
age is less by 11 than that recorded in the table of my
last report. Of those who at the time of death were
labouring under some form of disease, often associated
with old age, there were two who had reached their 95th
year. There are also to be found on the year's register
26 between 70 and 80 years of age, 6 between 80 and 90,
and 3 (inclusive of the two at 95) between 90 and luO.
Mortality in the Workhouse and among the Out-door
Union Poor.—Of the total number of deaths (870), 125,
or about a seventh of the whole, were inmates of the workhouse
at the time of their decease, 51 only however belonged
to the parish of Battersea. The remainder of these
workhouse deaths (74) being deducted from the total will,
of course, reduce the mortality proper to the parish to 796,
and consequently make a corresponding difference in the
death-rate per 1000, referred to at the commencement of
my report. I may here observe that 35 persons died in
the infirmary of the Union at advanced ages, that is to
say, between 70 and 95 years.
The amount of sickness among the out-door Union poor