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in Poplar Place, 30.0 per 1000; in Prospect Terrace, 85.2 per
1000; in Derry Street 44.4 per 1000; in Wellington Square,
53.7 per 1000, all be it remembered, compared with a general
death rate of the district of 21.0. As evidence that it is
possible for a population to live in the Gray's Inn Lane subregistrarion
district under conditions more favourable to life,
may be cited the death-rate of a model lodging house, Derby
Buildings, where the death-rate for 1882 was only 18.7. So
again, in the Tottenham Court Road sub-registration district
where the general death rate is 20.2, that of Draper's Place is
38.8, a death rate nearly twice as much as in the district as a
whole.
If the death rate of our parish is to be lowered, it must be
by the removal of those circumstances which lead to the loss
of life of which these figures give evidence. As the Vestry
are aware, much has been done already by insisting upon a
higher degree of cleanliness in the dwellings of the poor, by
dealing with nuisances as they arise in individual houses; there
are however, some conditions intimately bound up with the
health of the people, which can only be altered on a much larger
scale, I refer particularly to the pollution of water supplied
by the Water Companies in a great proportion of dwelling
houses. It is unnecessary to describe the endless opportunities
which the cistern and water-butt give for the pollution of
water which is used for food, but it may be accepted that in
houses without number water which enters them wholesome
and good, is by the time it comes to be consumed often absolutely
injurious to health. Nor can a system, which is open
to this accusation, be defended on the score of expense, for
those who own house property have had too much experience
of the constant expenditure incurred in attempting to maintain
in proper condition cisterns and water-butts. The time has
certainly come when all classes of the population should be
able to receive their water free from impurity, and the first
step towards this is the provision of a constant service.
I have in former reports pointed out the improved position
the Vestry might occupy towards houses inhabited by the very
poor if regulations were made under the 35th Section of the
Sanitary Act, for dealing with tenemented houses. Objection
has been made to this course, based upon the belief that it
it would be necessary under this clause to treat alike all
houses let in lodgings. There is however, no necessity to
bring under the control of the regulations other houses than
those which are let out in tenements to the very poor, but