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36
BATTERSEA WEST.
In presenting the annual report of this sub-district
for the past year, I have to observe that the deaths are in
excess of the previous one by 88, caused by, in the epidemic
class, Whooping Cough, Measles and Diarrhoea, and in
the non-epidemic classes—diseases of the respiratory
organs—the result of the long-continued cold weather,
followed by so much wet—these latter diseases were
especially fatal in the very young and persons of extreme
age. Though the deaths are in excess of 1877, a year
when they were less than in 1876—if we look at the
nature of the population and their means of livelihood,—
we may congratulate ourselves on the favourable death-rate
of 18 per 1,000—calculated on the assumed population of
the Registrar-General, which, in this district, judging from
the birth-rate, is much too low.
Cases of Small Pox have occurred throughout the
year, though not to any great extent, and have almost
entirely been in persons above the age of puberty. I have
never known a case in a child which had been properly
vaccinated in infancy. No difficulty has been experienced
in obtaining admission to the special hospitals.
Many of the houses in this district have been flooded