KEN 96 FOURTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH (EXTRACT FROM THE VESTRY REPORT FOR MARCH, 1869 - MARCH, 1870) 31 REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. Vestry Hall, Kensington, Sanitary Department, 1870. Gentlemen, In pursuance of the section of the Metropolis Local Management Act, I have the honour of presenting my Annual Report of the mortality of your Parish during the past year, of the general statistics of disease, and mortality, and also of the number of nuisances removed or abated during that period; in fact of the amount of sanitary work performed in the twelve months ending March 1870. The records of births and deaths aro however compiled from January to December. The total number of births has been 3,625, divided as follows:— Brompton. Kensington. First Quarter 195 784 2nd Quarter 165 709 3rd Quarter 167 742 4th Quarter 150 713 677 2,948 Giving a total number of births of 3,625, or 103 in excess of the previous year. The mortality during the same time has been 2,249, viz.:— Id Brompton. In Kensington. 1st Quarter 171 458 2nd Quarter 125 394 3rd Quarter 115 417 4th Quarter 139 430 550 1,699 Shewing an excess of only 17 over the past twelvo months. The number of births was therefore greater by 1,376, than the number of deaths. It is very difficult to estimate our population at the present time, but I believe we may safely say our mortality was about 19 per 1,000 per annum, without deducting any of the deaths in the Hospital for Consumption, in which institution 142 died, nearly all non-parishioners. 171 persons also died in your workhouse. 32 The healthiness of a parish, however, depends more upon the class or type of disease than upon the actual numbers alone, for as a rule the more rapidly a district increases in population, the greater per centage will be the death rate. I beg, therefore, to give you an analysis of the mortality from diseases usually termed epidemic, or more properly zymotic, diseases which in fact are to a certain extent preventable. Small Pox. Scarlet Fever Whooping Cough. Fever. Diarrhoea. Measles. Diptheria. Total. 1st Quarter 2 33 21 11 0 5 2 74 2nd „ 2 10 26 11 7 6 0 62 3rd „ 1 21 15 8 82 4 2 133 4th „ 1 42 9 12 19 12 5 100 Total 6 106 71 42 108 27 9 369 In 1868 4 170 34 52 113 84 ... 457 This points out the decrease of 88 deaths during 1869 than in 1868. In 1867 I may mention that as many as 29 died from small pox You will perceive that a large number of deaths occurred from scarlatina during the first and last quarter of the year; but we must remember the disease was exceedingly rife over the whole metropolis—and you will also notice that diarrhoea was very prevalent during the third quarter, commencing as usual about the fourth week in June. The mortality from the other diseases does not, I think, require comment; The usual report from the Inspectors, Mr. Wood and Mr. Langman, is appended- I remain, Gentlemen, Tour faithful Servant, F. GODRICH, Medical Officer of Health.. REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS UNDER THE NUISANCES REMOVAL ACT, From 25th March, 1869, to 25th March, 1870. DISTRICTS. North. South. Total. Number of Houses inspected 1297 1322 2619 Complaints made 483 530 1013 Notices prepared and served 609 672 1281 Summonses heard at Police Court 60 49 109 Magistrates' Orders made 28 21 49 Works done under Summons without order 32 28 60 Rooms cleansed and whitewashed 583 617 1200 Passages and staircases ditto 183 224 407 Drains—New pipes to houses, feet about 390 325 715 „ Repaired 164 194 358 „ Cleansed 70 65 135 „ Trapped 51 47 98 „ New bell Gratings 50 63 113 „ Entered with Sewer 49 41 90 Sinks—Trapped 34 50 84 Cesspools—Emptied 9 15 24 „ Abolished 7 11 18 Privies—New panned 24 19 43 „ Trapped 27 35 62 „ Cleansed and Repaired 75 62 137 „ Dilapidated—one abolished 7 9 16 „ New erected 8 13 21 „ Supplied with water 114 94 208 Houses supplied with water 14 17 31 New covers to Cisterns and Butts 23 18 41 New Reccptacles for waste provided 21 17 38 Ventilation of houses improved 19 14 33 Yards re-paved and repaired 28 22 50 Stables and outhouses cleansed and whitewashed 29 20 49 Cows removed 0 16 16 Cow sheds abolished 0 0 0 Pigs removed 96 52 148 Styes abolished 17 8 25 New Dustbins erected 18 12 30 New Dungpits erected 27 33 60 Offensive accumulations of dung removed 81 98 179 34 DISTRICTS. North South Total Stagnant Water, Animal, and other offensive matter removed — 39 42 81 Nuisances removecMiy request of Inspectors 64 52 116 Cases in which Inspectors could not interfere 41 56 97 „ referred to Surveyor's office 38 27 65 Unnecessary complaints 45 63 108 Bakehouses under constant supervision 71 64 135 Licensed Slaughter-houses ditto 34 25 59 „ Cow Sheds ditto 19 17 36 This Report, of course, does not represent the actual amount of work really performed, but is only a record of those cases demanding your Vestry's directions. I remain, Gentlemen, Tour faithful Servant, FRANCIS GODRICH, Medical Officer of Health. ' R1 2/69