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50 Medical Officers of Health Annual Report
causes, such as an inclement season or the prevalence of
Influenza. Therefore, there may be an unusually large
number of deaths in a particular year, balanced by a
smaller number in the preceding and succeeding years.
It is to be expected that as Clapham has tended year by
year to become more completely urban in character, and
the open spaces more completely covered by houses, that
the death-rate from tubercular diseases will rise. On
looking back, however, to the early days of the administration
of the District Board of Works, it is found that this
is not so. In the first year, 1856, the death-rate for
Consumption in Clapham was 2 96 per thousand, which is
more than double that for 1900.
Diseases of the
Nervous System.
These deaths were only 62, or 14 below the
decennial average. The number in this
class has shown considerable variation in the ten years,
but has not shown any tendency to increase.
Diseases of the
Organs of Circulation-Heart,
&c.
These deaths have tended to increase.
They numbered 77, and were 10 above the
corrected average.
Diseases of the
Respiratory
Organs.
The deaths were four above the average, and
numbered 136. The large number of deaths
probably had relation to the epidemic of
Influenza above referred to, the greatest number being
in the first quarter of the year when Influenza was
prevalent.
Diseases of the
Digestive Organs.
There wore only 30 deaths from this cause
or six below the average.
Diseases of the
Urinary Organs.
They were 19 in number, and corresponded
to the average.
Premature birth,
&c.
There were 66 deaths, and they were six
above the average.