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19
sumption. Taking our whole population, the
death from consumption is one in every 344 of the
population, which is a very considerably larger
proportion than in all London. Looking at these
figures then, and seeing that for the last six years
there has been a tendency to increase in this disease,
it undoubtedly is one of the first and most earnest
questions to which attention ought to be devoted,
as to how its progress can be arrested. The
diminution of the overcrowding, and the improvement
of the ventilation of houses, shops, and work-rooms,
are evidently the two great objects to which all
exertions should be directed.
Whilst these two great objects are kept in
view, it is manifest that there are various secondary
methods of action which may be adopted with success.
It is not only necessary that too large a number
of persons should not be crowded together, and that
the places in which they live should be properly
supplied with fresh air, but facilities should be
given to persons engaged in sedentary employments
to obtain fresh air out of doors. I have often
before alluded to the importance of the parks in
the neighbourhood of St. James's being made not
only accessible to the inhabitants of this parish, but
of their being so arranged as to offer inducements
for the people to walk in them and spend their time
there. I think two things might be done which
have hitherto been neglected. In the first place, I
think, open spaces ought to be railed off where cricket