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which was 393. It must be remembered, in estimating the mortality of the
workhouse, that the number of inmates is on the increase from year to year. In
1846 the average number was about 1100, in 1856 1409, and in 1857 it was
1454. When this is taken into consideration it will be seen that thereof
mortality is diminished more than would appear from the actual number of deaths
alone. The causes of death are stated in full in Table I., and the ages at which
they occurred in Table II. It will be seen that measles was fatal to 20, consumption
to 56 (nearly one-sixth of the whole number), old age to 56 (nearly
one-third of the deaths from this cause in the whole parish). Sixty deaths
occurred under the age of 5 years ; above the age of 60 there were 158 deaths,
which is nearly one-half of the whole number.
Since January, 1856, very great improvements have been made in the
workhouse. Nearly all the evils complained of by Dr. Bence Jones in his report
to the Poor-Law Commissioners at that time have been remedied. The removal
of the children to Forest Gate has placed a very large and well constructed
building at the disposal of the Directors, who have adapted it in a very excellent
manner to the use of the sick. Large and convenient buildings have been erected
for the casual poor and those whom it is thought desirable to keep apart from
the other inmates. Baths are provided for the use of all admitted to these
wards, and an apparatus to bake and to fumigate the clothes with sulphur for the
destruction of vermin and the itch. Attached to them are sheds for oakum
picking, and near are yards for stone breaking.
New wards, with all conveniences, have been built for the male lunatics and
lying in women. The late women's infirmary has been fitted up for female
lunatics, and this, as well as many other wards, has been provided with good
airing grounds. "Little Bethlem," so often complained of, has been pulled down.
The kitchen and laundry have been removed from the body of the house, and
commodious, newly constructed ones, now stand detached in the garden, so as not
to occasion any annoyance or ill effects to the inmates. The washing machine,
erected at considerable expense, is no doubt a great boon, inasmuch as it
thoroughly cleanses the foul blankets and other heavy articles which formerly
were never fairly purified ; and it also gets through so much more washing than
could formerly be effected by the pauper washerwomen, and thus allows of a frequent
change of body and bed-linen throughout the establishment. The result is
that itch, which formerly existed almost throughout the building, is now a rarity.
All underground sleeping-rooms are disused. The enlargement of the
kitchen allows a great improvement in the cooking. There has been carried out,
too, a very satisfactory classification of the inmates, who were formerly distributed
over the building in a most miscellaneous manner. The men are now separated
from the women, the sick from the healthy, the insane from the sane, the infants
from the adults, the bedridden from the able-bodied. Each class has now its
allotted portion of the building. The ventilation of many parts has been much
improved.
There have been many other things effected to improve the health of the
inmates, besides those which I have enumerated; but it is unnecessary for me
to dwell upon them, as they have been for the most part brought under your
notice from time to time by reports from the Directors. The amount of space
now allotted to the inmates is in all cases equal to, and in many exceeds, that
which is usually allowed in workhouses according to the requirements of the Poor
Law Board. In the City of London Union, Bow Road, which is very well conducted,
and in many respects may be regarded as a model workhouse, the space
allowed for adults, in rooms occupied day and night, is about 500 cubic feet; and
in rooms occupied by night only about 400 cubic feet. This standard is rather
lower than that which is fixed in your workhouse; the maximum number now