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MEDICAL OFFICER'S REPORT,
1858.
To the Vestry of St. James and St. John, Clerkenwell.
Gentlemen,
In the present, my third Annual Report, I shall endeavour to
condense the weekly and fortnightly Reports, which I had the honour of
laying before you from time to time, during the past year, with the
addition of some remarks upon the present sanitary condition of the
District, and a statement of the nuisances removed, and the improvements
effected during the same period.
There are three aspects in which the Sanitary state of a District may be
viewed:—1st, in comparison with that of other Districts ; 2ndly, with
that of the same District in former years ; 3rdly, in regard to its Sanitary
capacity,—the standard being founded upon its general sanitary
relations. I will test the mortality of the past year according to these
principles.
During the year 1858, the mortality of the entire metropolis was
above the average ; the Registrar General tells us that the year 1858,
was an unhealthy year.
In Clerkenwell, the number of deaths was 1477, the average of the
last 10 years being 1404 ; hence there was an excess of 73.
According to the metropolitan death-rate, the excess of deaths
would have been 94, so that the mortality of Clerkenwell is not so
much above the average, as that of the metropolis.
In 1856, the number of deaths in Clerkenwell was 1313; in 1857,
1406; so that the deaths were 64 more than in 1856, and 71 more
than in 1857.
The births, in 1858 were 2220; in 1856, 2179; and in 1857, 2219.
During each year, a certain number of deaths of persons removed
from the various districts of the metropolis, take place in General
and Special Hospitals and Lunatic Asylums.
The proportion of these belonging to Clerkenwell amounts to 105;
the number for 1857 being 103,