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the existence of contagious disease, and the locality where such
disease is to be found.
Mr. Simon, at page 5 of report above quoted, states that, the deaths
which are in each year registered in this country (now about half a million),
are, on a rough estimate, fully 125,000 more numerous
than they would be if the existing knowledge of those who have studied
the chief causes of diseases, as affecting masses of the population,
were reasonably well applied throughout England.
"Looking at England as a whole, we see from the Reports of
the Registrar-General, that of each 100 persons who die, not quite 10
have reached the standard old age of seventy-five years; and that of
each 100 children born, hardly 74 complete five years of life. This
rate of mortality varies in the different registration districts. In some
of the Districts the death-rate of infants ranges from 8 to 12 per cent.,
while in others, it ranges from 19 to 30 per cent., and, as a whole, the
infant death-rate of England stands at the high average of 18 per
cent. Taking the death-rate of the population at all ages living, we
find that the average death-rate is about 22½ per 1,000 per annum,
while the local death-rate ranges from 13 to 17 to 30 and upwards
per 1000." It is surely worth while for all persons, and especially those
in authority, to make themselves acquainted with these facts, and
endeavour to learn the reason why the death-rate should be in some
Districts so much in excess of that in others, and so to use the powers
intrusted to them for the purpose of promoting the public health,
that the death-rate in the unhealthy Districts may become diminished.
Sanitary measures, in their full efficiency, will, I am afraid, not
be carried out until the public mind is thoroughly imbued with the
importance of them, and for this purpose they must be instructed in
the laws of public and of individual health. The expense involved
in carrying out sanitary improvements is, however, the main
hindrance to their adoption.
Privies in Poor Neighbourhoods.
Although it is essential that the privies in use in the poorer
localities should be provided with pans and traps, it is not at the
present time desirable that the usual water supply apparatus which is
in use in the better class of houses in which only one family resides
should be adopted, but it will be found to be infinitely preferable to
flush the pans with pails of water once or twice a day, or
oftener, if required, for the purpose of thoroughly cleansing
them, and for the prevention of the choking of the drains. This
plan of cleansing the pans and drains has been practised in
this District for many years, and has very satisfactorily answered