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41
BATTERSEA WEST.
I am pleased at being able to present a very favorable
report as to the deathi-rate and sanitary condition of this
populous division of Battersea during the past year,
1874. Though the principal part of the population is
composed of working people, who, owing to their occupation,
cannot bestow upon themselves that care against
changes of temperature and climate which is necessary,
and which, therefore, tends to swell the mortality tables,
still, the death-rate is low, and contrasts most favorably,
not only with that of London generally, but many of the
suburbs, as the following pages will show. By a recent
order of the Board, the Medical Officers of Health are
now supplied with the returns of births and deaths direct
from the Registrar of the District every Saturday, in the
place of their being forwarded by the Registrar General
himself several days later. This is a great improvement
on the old system, for by this means the Health Officers
are made acquainted with any deaths from Zymotic Disease
considerably earlier than they otherwise would be, so that
means for the disinfection of houses and clothes can be at
once taken, the value of which arrangement cannot be