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viz., 16.6, there would have been in these two years 3,987
deaths instead of 3,565. There was thus a saving in these
two years of 422 lives compared with previous years. This
represents roughly a gain of life capital to the community of
12,000 years. This gain may be expressed in terms of money,
for as Sir James Paget said, "the greater part of the national
wealth is the income from the work which is the outcome from
the national health." Sir Edwin Cbadwick estimated the
value of each individual of the working class at £200. At this
rate a saving of 422 lives represents a money gain of £84,400.
But this is not all the saving, for every death represents say
25 persons attacked by some disease lasting on an average
30 days. One-third of these would be of the working age, and
their wages about 4/- a day, making a further saving of
£21,100. The cost of medical attendance and nursing at 1/a
day, would make a further £15,825, making a gross saving
of £121,325. I am far from inferring that all this saving of
life and health is due to improved sanitary administration;
indeed in view of the low death rate in London and the
provinces during the two past years, I have no doubt that
much of it is attributable to favourable meteorological or other
general causes. But it is to be noted that whereas the Plumstead
average death rate for 1901 and 1902, showed a reduction
of 1.8 only compared with the previous ten years, Woolwich
Parish showed a reduction of 2.7, and Eltham of 2.8. From
these figures, I think it may be inferred, that a very considerable
proportion (say one-fourth) of the saving in life capital
above referred to, may fairly be attributed to the improved
sanitary administration inaugurated by the Woolwich Borough
Council, and it will be seen how remunerative is all well considered
expenditure directed to the obtaining of improved
sanitary conditions. The above remarks refer only to a recent
improvement in sanitary administration, not by any means to
the total saving of life and health which might be attributed to