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SUTTON URBAN DISTRICT.
Area, 1,886 Statute Acres.
Number of Inhabited Houses at Census 1881, 1,537; at Census 1891, 2,200;
at Census 1901, 2,976.
Population (exclusive of South Metropolitan District Schools) at Census 1881, 8,700;
at Census 1891, 12,000; at Census 1901, 15,486.
MEDICAL OFFICER'S REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1903.
Gentlemen,
I have the pleasure to submit my Third Annual Report on the health and
sanitary administration of the district. The year has been a very favourable one, as
far as the mortality is concerned, the death rate the lowest recorded in the district
and 2.4 per thousand below the average of the previous ten years, the decrease in
the loss of life as here implied being most marked at the two extremes of life,
namely, under five years of age and over 60. During this period the meteorological
conditions have also been remarkable, the rainfall having exceeded all previous
years of which records are available. Taking these two facts in conjunction, the
question naturally arises as to how far the latter has influenced the public health as
a factor in the cause of the lessened mortality. The constant cleansing of the
atmosphere, the washing of germ-laden streets and back-yards, and the flushing of
drains by the frequent rains would seem to be of benefit, whilst flies—those little
pests of a dry summer—are certainly less prevalent in wet seasons, and are probably
a greater factor than we at present conceive in the spread of summer diseases, by
the facility with which they carry infectious germs to milk, food, etc.
Although other influences may have been concerned in causing the above
favourable record, I think we may assume, having regard to the beneficial effects
which seem to accrue from the natural cleansing power of rain, that the nearer
an approach is made to this by frequent and unstinted flushing by artificial
means during dry seasons the better it is likely to be for a community.
I.—Physical Features.
Sutton in its main direction lies almost due north and south, the High
Street continuous on the north with the London Road and on the south with the
Brighton Road, intersecting the district in this direction, which is about 2¾ miles
long between the boundaries. From east to west the town is divided by the
Carshalton Road and Cheam Road, and at this point is about a mile in width. The
whole district has an area of 1,836 acres The southern portion of button is
beautifully situated, sloping up to the noted breezy Banstead Downs, attaining a
height of about 300 feet above sea level, and having a subsoil of Chalk. The
northern portion also rises from the lower part of the town about Sutton Green (117
feet above sea level) to Sutton Common and Benhilton, both of which are prettily
situated and favourite residential districts. This part of the town is mainly situated
on the London clay, but dividing this from the chalk, which may be roughly said to
extend to a line drawn east to west, about the level of West Street, are two narrow
strips of Thanet sand and plastic clay (Woolwich and Reading beds) an outcrop of
the lower London tertiaries. The natural or surface water drainage is mainly to the
Pyl Brook, a small tributary of the Beverley Brook, and to a small extent on the
east side into a brook running into the Wandle. On the north side Sutton is
bounded by Carshalton and Morden, on the south by the parish of Banstead, on the
east by Carshalton, and on the west by Cheam and Morden.