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56
to be visited on those who tamper with human life, mislead the
public, and often inflict the worst injury on unsuspecting people.
There were seven deaths last year, in which there had been " no
medical attendant," besides those, the causes of which were to
some extent explained by the previous knowledge of the deceased
by medical practitioners.
METEOROLOGY.
The mean temperature of the air at Greenwich in 1876 was
50o.l Fahr., or .8 above the average of 36 years (1840-75). The
averages of the four quarters were 39°.8, 510.7, 61°.8 and 47°. The
highest reading by day (84°) occurred in the week ending July 22,
and the lowest by night (17°.2) in the first week of the year. The
hottest week in the year was that which ended August 19th, mean
reading 72 , and the coldest that which ended January 15th (30o.7).
The mean temperature of the fourth quarter was more than 7° above
the mean of the first. and less than 5° below that of the second (or
summer) quarter. The influence of these meteorological facts is
very conspicuously seen in the vital statistics of the year. The
dampness of the atmosphere {i.e., the difference between the dew
point temperature and air temperature) was 6"4 (average of 35
years 5.6). The rain fall was 23.9 inches, the average in 36 years
being 24.1 inches.
VACCINATION.
Table X (appendix) for which I am indebted to Mr. Shattock,
the vaccination officer, presents the usual satisfactory results—
more satisfactory indeed than could almost be hoped for, seeing
how great is the extent of the parish, and that one officer has sole
control of this important business. The figures are their own best
commentary, and they prove with what zeal and probably unsurpassed
success the vaccination laws are carried out in Kensington.
Owing to the prevalence of small pox the facilities for revaccination
were increased, and in addition to the usual day-times, arrangements
were made at all the stations which afforded working
people an opportunity of being re-vaccinated in the evening, of which
large numbers availed themselves. The Guardians of the Poor
are at the present time (July) taking steps to discover unvaccinated
children by a house-to-house visitation.* The necessity for this step
is obvious, for it is only since the passing of the last Act in
1871 that compulsory vaccination has been carried out with
anything like satisfactory efficiency.
A special difficulty, moreover, has existed in Kensington, owing
to the fact that the population has largely increased by
* Vide foot note, page 31.