View report page

4
123—making in all a total decrease of 937 cases. Looking at these facts,
we cannot but feel that the measures taken to improve the sanitary
condition of the District have been successful, and have resulted in a
most marked and satisfactory improvement in the health of the
inhabitants.
POPULATION.
The population of Bethnal Green has now reached nearly 120,000, and
we have no more house-room than heretofore. The consequence is, that
overcrowding is as great as ever; and although the Public Health Act of
1866 was framed to obviate this great evil, it is practically unworkable,
owing mainly to high rents (which in some cases have increased as much
as 50 per cent.)—dearness of provisions—scarcity of employment—and
the imposition of taxes for the first time upon the tenant; and many
families who could ordinarily afford to occupy a whole house, have been
obliged to let lodgings; others, who have occupied two rooms, have been
obliged to put up with one; and where overcrowding has existed, and
the law enforced, the people have merely removed to other houses, and
thus perpetuated the evil which it was the intention of the Legislature to
obviate.
The average Deaths for the whole of London in 1866 was 26.4 per
1000, or one person died of every 37.9 living. For Bethnal Green there
were 32.9 per 1000, or one person died of every 30.4 living, one death in
2.8 being from Zymotic Diseases.
In 1867 the average deaths for the whole of London was 23 per 1000,
or one person died of every 43 living.
For Bethnal Green they were exactly the same, one death in 5.4 being
from Zymotic Disease. This is only reiterating what I have said before,
that there is a great improvement in the general health of the District,
as evidenced by the smallness of the number of deaths from Zymotic
Diseases.
The Births registered in Bethnal Green in 1867 were—Boys, 2631;
Girls, 2478: total, 5109—being 1 birth to every 23 persons living in
1867, against 1 birth to every 24.1 persons living in 1866.
For the whole of London the rate was in 1867, 1 birth to every 27 persons
living. For 1866 it was 1 to every 28.1 persons living; so that our
birth-rate was a little above the average for the whole of London.