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10
Bhort period during which the Metropolis Local Management Act has
been in operation.
There is, I regret to say, one black spot in the mortality tables of the
district caused by the excessive number of deaths in Albert Street,
Victoria Street, and Brook Street. These deaths were in great measure
caused by the effluvia from the fcecal and sewage matters which overflowed
the yards and privies, and which I so frequently reported ; but which
there was so much difficulty in removing partly in consequence of the
opposition offered by Mr. Baker, the landlord ; partly from the want
of a sewer in those streets, and from the indisposition of the Board to
do the work and charge the owner. It appeared, from a house to house
visitation which I made in company with Mr. Valentine, that there were
550 people living in these streets ; that during the first quarter of the
year there were only 2 deaths, during the second only 2 deaths, during
the third, when the effluvia was so very bad, no less than 12, and during
the fourth quarter there were 9 deaths. These give an aggregate number
of 25 deaths, or 1 in 22 inhabitants (whilst, as above shown in the
whole of Hackney, there was only 1 death in each 54'93 inhabitants) or
more than double the ordinary death rate. But this does not show the
immense injury sustained so well as the age at death, for I have ascertained
that no less than 8 died under 1 year old, 7 between 1 and 5
years, 6 between 5 and 20, 2 between 40 and 60, and 1 between 60 and
70. So that about 70 per cent, died under 5 years of age. The average
age at death was 10 J years, and the expectancy of life would have been
only 19 years 110 days, against 48 years 167 days for the whole District.
A more striking proof of the injurious effects of bad drainage can scarcely
be conceived.
I cannot conclude my Report on these streets without mentioning the
enormous amount of labour sustained by the Officers of the Board.
There were frequent house to house visitations of the streets made by
myself and Mr. Valentine, or of the individual houses in which deaths
occurred, or in which nuisances existed. The Surveyor had to examine
the drains, and eventually carry out the work in accordance with the
orders of the Magistrate and the Board. There were no less than 13
attendances before the Magistrates, of which 3 were to obtain summonses,
7 to have the summonses adjudicated on, and 3 for orders. At
most of these all the Officers attended.
I have repeated in each Quarterly Report the number of nuisances
stated, and therefore now present the numbers as a whole. It appears
from these that Mr. Valentine was successful in 1224 cases, which may
be classed as follows :—