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68
PUTNEY AND ROEHAMPTON.
The very favourable report which I was able to
present regarding the health of this sub-district during
the year 1884, is excelled in the most unexpected
manner by that which I am about to offer upon the
public health during the year 1885. Indeed, I think
it would be a very hard matter to find any urban or
even rural district with so low a death-rate. We have
of course the advantage of increasing knowledge of
epidemic and other diseases and of the means and
modes of meeting them, but on the other hand, we
have to face increasing density of population and all
the perils of a stupendous sewer system, of which we
have the misfortune to be at the fountain-head. It
speaks well for the care and energy of the sanitary
authorities, as well as for the natural advantages of
position, soil, and climate, that a report which can
be described as the most favourable ever presented
should be in my power to make.
Population
The growth of London suburbs is such, that
the rate of increase which occurred during one
decade (say 1871-81) cannot apply to that of the
next decade (1881-91), yet for the sake of uniformity
and in the absence of an annual census, wo must suppose