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By which it will be seen that in Christ Church 76 died under
1 year of age, 93 between 1 and 20, 39 between 20 and 40,
81 between 40 and 60, 84 between 60 and 80, and 15 between
80 and 100.
In St. Saviour's 129 died under 1 year of age, 98 between
1 and 20, 32 between 20 and 40, 50 between 40 and 60,
35 between 60 and 80, and 6, 80 and upwards.
You will, doubtless, be struck by the high rate of mortality
amongst infants under 1 year of age, amounting in Christ Church
to 76, and in St. Saviour's to 129 deaths. It is the most striking
feature of the Report, and is surely suggestive of gross carelessness
and a fearful waste of human life. It is true we had to contend
with an epidemic of measles, which prevailed to a great extent in
both parishes, and was especially fatal in St. Saviour's. Admitting
even this, it accounts for 49 deaths only, out of a total of 205.
I do not hesitate to say that a great number of these infants'
lives would have been saved if proper care and nourishment had
been afforded them. The curse of poor people is drink. They
drink a large portion of their wages on Saturday night, and again
on Sunday. And I regret to be compelled to state that it is not
the husbands alone who do this, but wives also. The consequence
is that the poor children are neglected, insufficiently clothed, and
badly nourished with improper and often insufficient food, and
hence this great infantile mortality.
Small-pox has again prevailed in an epidemic form, not only
in London, but throughout the country. In this District the
speedy removal of cases to one of the Small-pox Hospitals was
energetically carried out by the Relieving Officers; and was,
doubtless, most effectual in preventing the spreading of the
disease. 168 cases were removed, most of them to Stockwell;
27 of these died. 12 deaths occurred in the District, making a
total of 39 deaths; of the 12 persons who died in the District, 6, or
50 per cent. had not been vaccinated. In every instance the
houses in which the disease occurred were disinfected by your
Inspector, together with all bed-linen, and articles of furniture
likely to contain infection. In some cases the beds were destroyed
by burning, and replaced at the cost of your Board. This is the