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be constantly present in a district as a result of drainage defects,
or of a polluted water supply; whilst in another district its
introduction may be wholly accidental, as when due to casual
pollution of water, or to a specifically contaminated milk supply
introduced from without.
These and like circumstances must be kept in view if we
would draw sound conclusions from a high or low rate of
prevalence of zymotic diseases, particularly in relation to the
sanitary condition of a district.
Subject to corrections for local circumstances, for climatic
influences, and for high rates in previous years, the concurrence
of a low zymotic death rate, and of a low general death rate,
furnishes just ground for satisfaction; and as the general rate and
the zymotic rate were both below the average in Kensington in
1886, we are entitled to the enjoyment of that satisfaction. It
need hardly be said that a persistently high rate of mortality from
zymotic diseases furnishes matter for serious consideration.
Kensington, as we shall see, has hitherto been fortunate in having
a death rate from these diseases much below that of the Metropolis
generally.

From the above Table we learn that the deaths from the
"seven principal diseases of the zymotic class," which were
81 fewer than in 1885, were also 147 below the corrected decennial