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REPORT.
Gentlemen,
I have the pleasure to submit the Twenty-sixth
Annual Report upon the Public Health and Sanitary Condition of Mile
End Old Town, for the year 1881-2, and ending March last.
I have referred to much of the work for the past year in my review
of the proceedings in my department during a period of Twenty-six
years, and now ready to be presented to the Vestry, in compliance with
their order—repetition is therefore unnecessary.
Autumn of last year happily witnessed the termination of small-pox
as an epidemic, and only a lew sporadic cases have since occurred. I
congratulate you upon this result after such a prolonged and anxious
contest with that virulent disease, the more so because I am certain
that the measures adopted by you contributed very materially to its
extinction. There were no deaths in Mile End during the last quarter
of the official year ending March last from small-pox.
BIRTHS.
The total number of births during the year was 4141, compared with
4117 the previous year, and showing a rate of 37.64 per 1000 population
compared with 34.7 for the whole metropolis.
DEATHS.
The total number for the year was 2371, showing an annual rate
per 1000 population of 21.55, compared with 2276 deaths in the previous
year and a rate of 20.69;the rate for the whole metropolis was 22.2.
(See Table I.) which also shows the number of deaths for each quarter,
the last being highest. The difference between the number of births
and deaths (1770,) represents the natural increase in the population of
the Hamlet during the year.
Table II shows the number of deaths from all causes under 36
different heads during each quarter.
Table III shows number of deaths from eight principal infectious
diseases. The annual rate in Mile End Old Town was 3.15 per 1000,
compared with 3.34 the previous year, and 3.64 in the metropolis and
other large towns combined. In all cases coming to my knowledge
printed notices for disinfection and sanitary instructions are at once
sent to the houses, by this means I know much good has been done,
people become interested in sanitary matters, and it frequently occurs
that upon the Vestry's disinfecting man going to do the work it has
already been efficiently done.
Whooping Cough, as is generally the case, was the most fatal in
this class, and yet it appears to receive the least consideration either 011
the part of health authorities or the public generally, the same extent
of mortality from any other infectious disease would create an alarm,
and the most stringent preventive measures would be adopted, but the
suppression of whooping-cough appears to have been given up, either
as a hopeless task, or is looked upon as not sufficiently dignified and