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different cases of sickness which came under treatment, the
large proportion (618) of pulmonary diseases, and the
relative proportions of the three most fatal epidemic diseases
referred to are at once apparent. The ratio of deaths to the
total cases treated was 3.1 per cent., which closely corresponds
with the average.
Sanitation. —The amount of sanitary work which has
been accomplished during the year is recorded in Table 6
in the Appendix. It is seen to have been of large and varied
extent, and will be found to favourably bear comparison
with similar records of former years, especially in reference
to the inspection of houses and the construction of new
sewers. It should be observed, in reference to this Table,
that its figures very inadequately represent the amount of
work actually performed; for there are a variety of
proceedings known to the Medical Officers of Health and
the Surveyors which cannot be tabulated; that is, the
figures show the results obtained, but fail to indicate the
means by which those results were secured. Although a
vast amount of sanitary work has been beneficially accomplished
during the now lengthened period of the Board's
existence, there yet remain in this District very numerous
sanitary requirements awaiting fulfilment. Some of the
most important of these the Medical Officers of Health
venture to bring to the notice of the Board, as having been
either indicated in former reports, or which will be found
commented on in the Local Summaries contained herein.
These requirements may be thus briefly summarized :—
1. A constant service of pure water.*
According to Dr. Frankland's Tables of Analysis of
the waters supplied to the Metropolis during the year
1875, the two waters which contained on an average
* According to the Registrar General's calculations contained in his
Report for 1875, the Metropolis might be supplied with water at half the
present cost. It would, therefore, seem desirable to consider whether this
District could not procure for itself an abundant and economical supply
of the greatest purity by artesian borings from the chalk strata.