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78
Excluding diseases of the heart, it will be seen that the number of deaths attributed
to tuberculosis and phthisis, is larger than that of any other disease—pneumonia coming
next with 113, while the total deaths from diseases of the respiratory system were 265,
or 24 per cent. of total deaths from disease. This proportion of deaths in a class of
men which are leading an open-air life is striking, and the prevalence of such diseases
amongst them is no doubt largely encouraged by the want of ventilation in the quarters
in which many of them are compelled to sleep and live, when not actually on deck.
The total number of deaths from "zymotic diseases," under which heading is
included the generally known infectious fevers, &c., is 238, or 21.5 per cent. of the
total. Of these diseases, enteric fever accounts for 63 deaths, and malaria for 56. The
number of deaths from venereal disease is only 13, as men rarely die from this disease on
board ship, and the figure gives no indication as to the number of cases which have
occurred amongst seamen during the year.
Diseases of the digestive system which account for a total of 151 deaths, or
l3.6 per cent., include all the well-known diseases of the digestive tract, a discussion
of which would be beyond the limits of space in this Report.
PORT OF LONDON.
The limits of the Port of London as at present defined commence at High Water
Mark in the River Thames at Teddington Lock, in the County of Surrey, and extend
down both sides of the River Thames to an imaginary straight line drawn from the
Pilot Mark at the entrance of Havengore Creek, in the County of Essex, to the Lands
End at Warden Point, in the Isle of Sheppey, in the County of Kent, such point being
the North-Western limit of the Port of Faversham, and shall extend up and include
both sides of the River Medway to an imaginary straight line drawn from the
South-East point of land Westward of Coalmouth Creek, thence across the said River
Medway to the Westernmost point of the piece of land which forms the Eastern side of
the Stangate Creek, or, in other words, the North-West point of Fleet Marsh, and from
thence in a Southerly direction to Iwade Church, in the said County of Kent, and thence
in a North-easterly direction to Elmley Chapel, in the said Isle of Sheppey, a supposed
direct line from Elmley Chapel, to Iwade Church, being the Western limit of the Port
of Faversham, and the said Port of London shall include the Islands of Havengore
Creek aforesaid, called Potton and Rushley Islands, and so much of the said Creek and
watercourse as extends from it to the town of Rochford, and shall also include all
other islands, rivers, streams, creeks, waters, watercourses, channels, harbours, docks
and places within the before-mentioned limits contained. (See page 83.)
POPULATION OF THE PORT.
The number of persons actually living within the Port, on vessels, is always ot
interest, and the opportunity afforded by the Census 1911 has been taken, with a view
to furnishing your Committee with some information as to the resident population of
the Port, as distinct from the larger working population which flows and ebbs daily.