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Report.
July. 1874.
Gentlemen,
In accordance with the requirements of the Metropolis Local
Management Act, I have the honour to lay before you the Eighteenth:
Annual Report on the Vital Statistics and Sanitary Proceedings of this
Parish.
The Vital Statistics are not so favourable as they were in the preceding
year, when our death rate was only 20.8 per 1000; but such a death rate
is very exceptional, and we can scarcely hope, even under the most
favourable circumstances, to constantly maintain such a low one.
In compiling the Statistics for this Report, I have separately enumerated
the deaths under one year, which has not been done by me heretofore.
In our Sanitary proceedings great endeavours have been made to
remedy the defects in the structure of houses, their ventilation and
drainage, and to improve the condition of the Parish generally; but
where there are such a large number of badly-constructed houses—
inhabited mainly by working men and labourers of the indigent class—
we find it most difficult to keep them in good condition, for many of
the people are of such uncleanly habits, that if the tenements be put
in thorough repair by the landlord, they soon become dirty and dilapidated
through the carelessness of the occupiers, thus requiring a constant supervision
to be exercised by the Sanitary Staff.
The total number of births registered in this district during the year
was 5050, while the total deaths registered amounted to 3129, shewing
an increase of 1929. The total for the preceding year was: births, 5187;
deaths, 2588; the excess of births numbered 2599.