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The Bloomsbury Dispensary. 64. The usefulness of this charity has
never been better exemplified than it has been this year, in contending
with the severe epidemic of Small pox. It happened that this fatal
disease spread with most intensity in the sub-district of Bloomsbury, and
thus caused the heaviest demands upon the services of the physicians of
this charity. The late house physician was accustomed to Jgive me daily
information of the occurrence of cases, and co-operated with me with
much energy in the removal of the patients, and the disinfection of the
premises. Tho following is tho tabular statement of the sickness and
mortality for the year.

The British Lying-in Hospital. 65. The number of births in this
institution was 177, of which 99 were males and 78 females. There were
7 still-births,—3 males and 4 females. There were also 7 deaths,—4 of
mothers and 3 of children: one of tho mothers died from pleurisy, two
from peritonitis after flooding, and one from flooding. In the last caso,
the patient was brought in nearly exanimate, and was delivered with
instruments. Eighteen of the women belonged to St. Giles' parish and
4 to St. George, Bloomsbury.
The Infants' Home. 66. One hundred and eleven infants were provided
for by this institution during the year: 70 were received into the house
in Great Coram-street, in the first instance, and afterwards put out to be
nursed; 41 were sent out to be nursed without passing through the home.
We maytherefore consider that this has become, practically, an institution
for " farming out," as it is termed, young children. It will be
therefore interesting to watch the effects of the new system in comparison
with the former practice. Only two are reported to have died in this
district. Dr. Pakamore, the medical attendant, has obligingly informed
me that the entire number of deaths was 13, and that the causos of death
were as follow, vix., 2 (twins) of hereditary syphilis, 2 of bronchitis, 1
of pneumonia, 4 of tabes mesenterica, 2 of diarrhcea, 2 of debility from
birth. This gives a mortality of 12.6 per cent.,—a rate that is much
lower than the death-rate among infants in St. Giles District, which may
be taken at 20 per cent. It is much lower also than the infantile
death-rate to children born in the whole of England. Further experience
is required to determine the real value of this most interesting experiment.
The Sanitary W nrk of the Year.
67. The duties of the Inspectors have been more than usually
onerous this year, in consequence of the prevalence of Small pox. During
tho earlier part of the year this epidemic ra ed principally in tho Par isli
of St. Giles; but about the month of Se tember it broke out with
exceeding severity in the Little Coram Street section of the Parish of St.
George, Bloomsbury, necessitating the most active efforts on thepart of