HAC 42 REPORT on tHe SANITARY CONDITION of the HACKNEY DISTRICT, FOR THE QUARTER ENDING MARCH 29th, 1862, by JOHN W. TRIPE, M.D., Medical Officer of Health. To the Board of Works for the Hackney District. Gentlemen, In company with Mr. Valentine I have inspected houses in the following localities, viz:—Webb's Yard; Cock and Castle Lane ; Abbot Street, Kingsland; Commercial Place, Kingsland; Barrett's Grove; Brook Street, Homerton (10 houses); High Street, Homerton (several hoHses); Wilson's Cottages, Sanford Lane; Lawrence Buildings (7 houses); Pleasaut Place; Farm Cottages, Homerton; Baines' Buildings (10 houses); Railway Cottages, Kingsland; Needbam Terrace, Lower Clapton (12 houses); Rock Place, Tottenham Road; Union Row, Kingsland; Warwick Villas, Sheppard's Lane (31 houses); Tottenham Road; Drapers Court; John Street, West Hackney (8 houses, John Street, Homerton (22 houses, of which 20 were defective); Conduit Court and Place; Rumbold's Court, Shacklewell; Holly Street; Wharf Road, Pritchard's Road; Anderson's Road, Homerton; Falcon Place, Stoke Newington (9 houses,); Navarino Road; Mayfield Street, Dalston; Exmouth Place, Mare Street; Queen's Road, Dalston; Tottenham Square (13 houses); Kossuth Terrace; Portland Place (14 houses); Pawnbrokers' Lane, Union Court, and Mason's Court, Stoke Newington; High Street, Lower Homerton; Pleasant Row (9 houses); Eliza Cottages, Shacklewell; Silk Mill Row; De Beauvoir Terrace; Jerusalem Gardens, Ebenezer Place, Shacklewell; William Street; Blenheim Terrace, Mortimer Road; James Place; Kingsland Row; Clarence Terrace, Clapton; Hindle Street; Samuel Row, John Street. During the quarter 26 deaths have been registered as being from Fever. Several of these deaths however were not caused by Fever, but by various secondary diseases. Fever has chiefly prevailed in West Hackney, as the following list of Streets in which it has occured shows:—Hill Street, Clapton; Park Road, Dalston; Temple Street; Homerton Row; Melina Road; Wick Road; Theresa Place; Hertford Road; Beauvoir Crescent; Ebenezer Place; Hindle Street; Rectory Villas; Blenheim Terrace; Cambridge Terrace; Castle Street; Rock Place; Tottenham Road; 3 deaths in the East London Union; 1 in the German Hospital; and 1 in the Workhouse. The mortality for the whole of London was almost as great as in 1860, and about the same as in 1861. In Hackney the number of deaths were much less than 1861, as 474 deaths only m ere registered this year, against 509 in 1861. If the number in 1861 be corrected for increase of population, it would be 529 against 474 for this year. There were 699 births against the 474 deaths. Of the 699 births, 366 were male, and 333 female children; whilst of the 474 deaths, 231 were males, and 243 females. There were 50 births in Stoke Newington sub-district; 34 in Stamford Hill; 215 in West Hackney, 271 in Hackney, and 129 in South Hackney sub-districts. There were also 33 deaths in Stoke Newington; 22 in Stamford Hill; 115 in West Hackney; 226 in Hackney (of which 46 happened in the East London Union, and German Hospital); and 78 in South Hackney. The ages at death obtained about the same proportion as in other years, as there were 7 9 registered under 1 year old; 119 between 1 and 20 years ef age; 50 between 20 and 40 years old; 67 between 40 and 60 years; 124 between 60 and 80; and 35 persons who attained the great age of 80 and upwards, five of whom lived for more than 90 years. The mortality from epidemic diseases wa3 rather large, 91 deaths having been registered from the diseases included in this group. Of these 1 only was caused by measles; 21 by scarlet fever; 16 by whooping cough; 7 by croup; 4 from diarrhoea; 1 from remittent fever; 26 from fever; 2 from rheumatic fever; 3 from erysipilas; 2 from syphilis, and 7 from diphtheria. There were 21 deaths from various causes—such as dropsy; 68 from tubercular affections,—including 42 from consumption; 48 from diseases of the brain and spinal cord; 15 of which were from apoplexy. There were no less than 33 deaths from diseases of the heart; 83 from inflammatory affections of the lungs; 25 from maladies of the stomach, and other abdominal viscera; 8 from kidney diseases.—41 deaths were registered as being caused by old age; 20 from premature birth and debility; no less than 6 from malformations, and 15 from violence. The nuisances abated by Mr. Valentine during the past quarter are as follows:— Cesspools emptied, filled up, and drained into the sewer 66 Cesspools emptied 17 Stable, cow, pig, and vegetable refuse removed 37 Honses lime washed, purified, and repaired 42 Pigsties repaired or removed 14 Foul and offensive drains cleansed and reconstructed 127 Other nuisances 8 311 The preliminary and other notices issued in consequence of these visitations having in many instances failed to obtain the the removal of the nuisances complained of, 29 owners of property were required to attend before the Board, to show cause, if they could, why they should not be summonsed to one of Her Majesty's Police Courts. This step was successful as regards 24 persons, so that it was necessary to issue only 5 summonses during the quarter, the whole of which were decided in favour of the Board. The weather during the quarter was most remarkable, having been below the average temperature during the first week of January; nearly 8 degrees above it during the second week; falling during the third week to nearly 8 degrees below it, and then for more than a fortnight being extremely warm, sometimes 10, 12, and once or twice nearly 15 degrees above the mean. Similar variations, but to a smaller amount, occurred throughont the quarter, so that Mr. Glaisher writes in his report: "during the whole of the past three months the temperature of the air has been for a few days together cold, and then for a few days together warm, and so on alternately; the former or cold periods have varied from five to nine days, and the warm from seven to nine days, with one of fifteen days. I have no recollection of such a succession of hot and cold periods of nearly equal length.'' The average temperature for the quarter was 1½ degrees in excess of the mean, the daily range less than usual, although the weather was so very changeable, and the rain fall was in excess by about 1½ inches. The highest temperature recorded was 63, and the lowest 21½, affording a range of more than 40 degrees. I remain Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, JOHN W. TRIPE. May, 1862. 24 HAc 42 REPORT on the SANITARY STATE of HACKNEY DISTRICT, FOR THE YEAR 1862, BY JOHN W. TRIPE, M.D., Medical Officer of Health to the District, Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians, E. &c. Vice-president of the British Meteorological Society, &c. Printed by Order of the Board, by andrew t. roberts, hackney road, shoreditch, ANNUAL REPORT. To the Board of Works for the Hackney District. Gentlemen, An Act to amend the Metropolis Local Management Act, was passed during this year (1862), by which the duties of the Sanitary Department have been considerably modified and increased. By the 43rd Clause, the Vestry are not bound to print any other Report of the Medical Officer of Health, than an annual one, which is to be appended to the Annual Report of the Board, to be made in the month of June in each year. By Clause 91, any person breeding, keeping, or feeding swine in any locality or premises which may be unfit for these purposes, or which may create a nuisance, shall be liable to a penalty of forty shillings, and to a further penalty of 10s. a day during the time he shall so offend after notice from the Board to discontinue the same, and a further penalty of 10s. a day if he disobey the order of a Magistrate prohibiting the using of the place for either of the above named purposes. By the 93rd Section, no person can use any place for slaughtering cattle, or keeping 4 cows as a dairyman, without a license had from the Justices for such purpose, under a penalty, for each offence, of £5; and the District Board is further empowered to oppose the granting of such license, if they shall see fit. The duty of inspecting each cow-house, and of directing the works necessary to be done for rendering the cow-houses fit for keeping cows, falls on the Medical Officer of Health, and of seeing the works carried out, on the Inspector of Nuisances; both of which in so extensive a district as that of Hackney, entails very considerable expenditure of time and labour. By the 67th Clause, it is provided that when any house is without a proper water supply, and such supply can be furnished for threepence per week, the Board may give notice to the owner of the premises to procure such supply and to do such other works as may be necessary Tor that purpose. Or, the Board may, when the supply is insufficient, through a large number of residents, (being of more than one family), require the owner to provide a further supply at the rate of thirty gallons per day for each person, and if he neglect to comply with the notice, the Justices may order a penalty of forty shillings. I have also to report, that in company with Mr. Valentine, I have inspected the following localities, and that in almost everyone of them we found nuisances requiring abatement. In many of the streets or places almost every house required repair, in consequence of their extremely dilapidated state, in other places, new or improved drainage was required for the houses. Morpeth-road, South Hackney; Albert-grove, South Hackney; King's-terrace, Homerton; High-street, Homerton; Lordshiproad, Stoke Newington; Princess-road, Homerton; Victoriacottage, Hertford-road, De Beauvoir-town; Buccleugh-terrace, Upper Clapton; Commercial-place, Kingsland-road; Clarencevillas, Clarence-road; Green-lanes, Stoke Newington; Churchstreet, Stoke Newington ; Sandford-lane, Newington-common; 5 High-street, Homerton; Warwick-villas; Shepherd-lane, Homerton; Back of, Sandford-lane; Draper's-court, Highstreet, West Hackney; Needham-terrace, Clarence-road; Bain's -buildings, Cock and Castle-lane; Railway-cottages, Ridley-road; Margaret-street, and Little Margaret-street, Stamford-hill; Conduit-place, and Court, Upper Clapton; Stapleton's-buildings, Tyssen-street; Graham-road; Barrett'sgrove, Stoke Newington; Navarino-road, Dalston; Kossuthterrace, Hackney Wick; Pawnbroker's -lane; Union-court; Mason's-court; Springvale-grove; York-buildings, High-street, Stoke Newington; Portland-place, Lower Clapton; John-street, West Hackney; John-street, Homerton; Falcon-place, Churchstreet, Stoke Newington; Conduit-court, Upper Clapton; Hollystreet, Dalston; Silk-mill-row, Hackney-wick; Pleasant-row Shacklewell; Jerusalem-gardens, Church-street; Exmouth-place Mare-street, Tryons-place; Eliza-cottages, Shacklewell; Kingsland - row, Dalston - green; Beauvoir - terrace, Kingsland; Clarence-terrace, Lower Clapton; Blenheim-terrace, Mortimerroad; John-street, Hindle-street, and Alma-road, Dalston; Church-road, Princes-road, Belle-Veu-terrace, Homerton; White-post-lane, Hackney-wick; Warburton-road, John-street, London-fields; The Grove, Hackney; Lawrence-buildings, Falcon-place, Hindle-street, Shacklewell; Deborah-terrace, Wick-road; John-street, Shacklewell; Caroline-cottages, Conduit-street, Upper Clapton; Orchard-court, Union-row, Kingsland; Brooksbys-walk, Green-lanes; Dunns-cottages, Johnstreet, Shacklewell; Bowling-green-street, Fairy-street, Unionstreet, Newington - common; Rectory-road; Conduit - court, Falcon-court, Frederick-terrace, Stonebridge-common; Conduit-court, and place, Cock and Castle-lane; Frederick-place, Upper Clapton; Woodland-street, Bloomfield-street, Dalston; Well-street, Lark-row, John-street, Cambridge-heath; Hammonds-cottages, High-hill - ferry; Mortimer-place, Downham- 6 road; Lawrence-buildings, West Hackney, Miller-place, Queen's road; Downham-road; Cassland-road; De Beauvoir-square; Park-street, Church-street, Stoke Newington; Morpeth-road, Victoria-park; Victoria-grove; Park-road, Dalston; Grove, Hackney; Augusta-row, Iligh-hill-ferry; Austin's-buildings, Clapton; Cock and Castle-lane; Exmouth-place, Mare-street; Hertford-road; Ebenezer-place, Frederick-place; De Beauvoir terrace, Church-street, Stoke Newington; Tyrons-court; Jamesplace, Shacklewell; Providence-square, Back-road; John-street, Cambridge-heath; Harrison's Factory; Wood-street, Clapton; Graham-road; Lawrence-buildings, Morpeth-road, Green-lanes, Stoke Newington; Chapel-court, Cbapel-yard, Monday-court; Brompton-court; High-street, Stoke Newington; Tudor-grove, Shore-road; White-post-lane, Hackney-Wick; Burgess-yard, Stoke Newington; Pleasant-place, Union-street, West Hackney; Pullins- place; Paynes-court, Orchard-street: High - street, Homerton; Hurst-cottages; Bird Cage-fields, Stamford-hill; Morning-lane; Buccleugh-terrace, Upper Clapton; De Beauvoirsquare; Dalston-rise; Bucks-buildings, Albion-road; Churchstreet, Hackney; High-hill-ferry; Well-street; Wick-road; Chapel-road, Stamford-hill; Dalston-green; Kingsland-green; John-street, Homerton; Red-lion-lane, Lordship-road, Stoke Newington; London-fields; Culford-road; Morning-lane; Queen's-road, Dalston; Houses in John-street, Cambridgeheath; Bartholomew-place, Hertford-road; Queen's.road, Dalston; Duncan road; Clapton-terrace; Sandford-lane; Bathrow, Tudor grove; Tyssen-street, West Hackney; Queens-road; Melina-place, Sheep-lane; Bath-row; Palatine-place, Clark'sbuildings, Stoke Newington; Woodland-street, Dalston; Jerusalem-gardens, Hindle-street, Shacklewell; Coldbath-lane; London-lane; Prospect-place, Back-road; Palatine-place, Stoke Newington; South-place, Dalston; Woolpack-place, Morninglane; Abbot-street, Kingsland; James-place, Shacklewell. 7 In addition to this list of streets and places, we inspected seventy cow-houses, scattered all over the districts, nearly the whole of which required white-washing, cleansing, repaving; a large proportion, the erection of receptacles for the manure, improved ventilation, and other structural work. There were also sixty-five slaughter-houses inspected, the majority of which required lime-whiting and cleansing. The sanitary condition of the district has been decidedly good during this year, for there were only 1749 deaths registered in the district, including an excess of about 50 in the East London Union and German Hospital, against the corrected number of 1814 in 1861. The weather was very favourable to health during the greater part of the year, which accounts to a considerable extent for the diminished number of deaths, The improved arrangements for drainaga, and the supervision exercised over the dwellings of the poor, must have had considerable influence in producing this favorable result The first Table which I shall lay before you, is that of the births in each sub-district, by which it will be seen that although the average for each sub-district has altered considerably, yet that the total has not increased so much as in former years. TABLE I. 1862.—Births in each Sub-Dittrict. Quarters. Stoke Newington Stamford Hill West Hackney Hackney South Hackney Totals First 50 34 215 271 129 699 Second 53 31 206 278 149 717 Third 45 26 169 269 138 647 Fourth 43 47 183 261 171 705 Totals 191 138 773 1080 587 2768 Per Centages Births 6.9 5.0 27.9 39.0 21.2 100 Pop.1861 7.9 6.6 29.2 37.8 18.5 100 In 1858 the births were 2454; in 1850, 2570: in 1860, 8 2633; in 1861, 2752; and in 1862, 2768; so that the increase has not kept up in the same ratio as that of the population. The smallest number registered in any quarter was 647, viz. in the third quarter, and the highest 717, in the second quarter. There were 191 births registered in Stoke Newington, 138 in Stamford Hill, 773 in West Hackney, 1080 in Hackney, and 587 in South Hackney. The ratio of births to population, was, as is usually the case, smallest in Stamford Hill and Stoke Newington sub-districts, and largest in South Hackney and in Hackney. In Stamford Hill there were at the last census, 66 people living out of each 1000 in the whole district, whilst there were only 50 out of each 1000 births, in Stamford Hill there were 79 persons living to each 1000 in the whole district, and 69 out of each 1000 births whilst in Hackney, there were 378 persons in each 1000, and 390 out of each 1000 births; and in South Hackney 185 in each 1000 persons living, whilst there were no less than 212 out of each 1000 births registered in the whole district. Table 2, shows the ratio of births in each sub-district. TABLE II- 1857-62.—Birth-rate in each Sub-district. Years Stoke Newington Stamford Hill West Hackney Hackney South Hackney 1857 6.8 6.2 32.2 37.8 17.0 1858 6.7 5.1 32.9 37.3 18.0 1859 6.7 6.1 31.8 36.7 18.7 1860 5.8 5.0 31.5 38.6 19.1 1861 6.2 4.6 29.8 39.7 18.5 1862 6.9 5.0 27.9 39.0 21.2 In the years 1857-62, by which we learn that the lowest rate for Stoke Newington was 5.8, and the highest 6.9, being that for the present year. That the lowest rate in Stamford Hill was 4.6, and the highest 6.2, which occurred in 1857; that the highest in West Hackney, 32.9 occurred in 1858, the lowest, 9 27.9, in the present year; whilst in Hackney, the highest 39.7, occurred in 1861, and the lowest 36.7 in 1859; and in South Hackney, the highest 21.2, was that for the present year, and the lowest 17.0 in 1857. The fluctuations in the birth rate are useful as showing partly an alteration in the relative proportions of the population, partly an alteration in the social condition of the inhabitants. Thus, in Stoke Newington and Stamford Hill there is a larger proportion of unmarried people, servants and others, to the whole population as compared with Hackney and South Hackney. There has also been a great increase in the number of residents in Hackney and South Hackney, and an absolute diminution in Stamford Hill. TABLE III- 1862.—Deaths in each Sub-district. Quarters Stoke Newington Stamford Hill West Hackney Hackney South Hackney Totals First 33 22 115 226 78 474 Second 24 25 95 201 76 421 Third 23 23 93 150 62 351 Fourth 34 15 108 237 109 503 Totals 114 85 411 814 325 1749 Corrected Nos. 123 92 444 541 345 1545 Per Centages Deaths 7.9 6.0 28.7 35.1 22.3 100 Corrected Populn- 7.9 6.6 29.2 37.8 18.5 100 As already mentioned, the deaths were below an average in Hackney, during the year 1862, especially after deducting the unusually large mortality in the East London Union and German Hospital. As mentioned in previous reports, an allowance should be made for mortality in Hospitals, when a comparison is made with other districts, or the whole of London, but as the German Hospital has not been in the district for a long period, the mortality in it is excluded, as well as that of the East 10 Loudon Union, to admit of ready and trustworthy comparison with past years. The total number of deaths registered within the district was 1749, of which 114 were registered in Stoke Newington, 85 in Stamford Hill, 44 in West Hackney, 814 in Hackney, and 325 in South Hackney sub-districts. But as 204 deaths happened in the German Hospital and East London Union, which have to be eliminated as usual; and as 84 deaths took place in the Hackney Workhouse, which have to be apportioned to the various sub-districts in proportion to the population, it is almost useless to consider the mortality as registered. In the above table I have given the original and the corrected numbers for each sub-district in comparison with population, which shews that precisely the corrected rate of deaths occurred in Stoke Newington sub-district, viz. 79 out of each 1000 deaths in the whole district; that in Stamford Hill it was only 60 instead of 69 per 1000; in West Hackney it was 287 instead of 292 per 1000; in Hackney only 351 instead of 378 per 1000; and in South Hackney 223 against 185 per 1000. The birth-rate in South Hackney having been larger than the calculated rate, it is almost certain that the population is larger than the calculated number, and that therefore the death-rate was smaller in proportion to the residents than that just mentioned, but a glance at Table 4, shews that this cannot account for the whole of the increased mortality. TABLE IV- 1857-62.—Corrected Rates of Death in the Sub-districts. Years. Stoke Newington Stamford Hill West Hackney Hackney Sonth Hackney Totals 1857 9.8 7.8 31.9 34.2 16.3 100 1858 7.4 7.0 31.2 34.8 19.6 100 1859 6.7 6.1 31.8 36.7 18.7 100 1862 7.4 6.3 31.7 34.9 19.7 100 1861 6.7 5.0 31.5 35.9 20.9 100 1862 7.9 6.0 28.7 35.1 22 3 100 11 This Table does not indicate the absolute mortality in any one district, but the proportionate rate of death. Thus in 1857, out of 1000 deaths in the whole district, 98 belonged to Stoke Newington, 78 to Stamford Hill, 319 to West Hackney, 342 to Hackney, and 163 to South Hackney; whilst in 1862, only 79 belonged to Stoke Newington, 60 to Stamford Hill, 287 to West Hackney, 351 to Hackney, and 223 to South Hackney. But whilst the population of Stamford Hill and Stoke Newington may be considered almost stationary, that of Hackney has considerably, and that of South Hackney very largely increased since 1857. The next Table shows the mortality from all causes, divided into 18 groups for each of the four quarters of the year, and the per centages for the whole year, during the years 1859, 1860, 1861, and 1862. TABLE V- Deaths in 1862. 1st Qr. 2nd Qr. 3rd Qr. 4th Qr. Totals PBlt CBNTAGES 1862 1861 1860 1859 49o.4 49o.7 47o.4 51o.l 1 Zymotic Diseases 91 79 74 128 375 21.5 19.9 16.8 23.0 2 Diseases of uncertain seat 21 27 24 32 104 6.0 5.1 4.6 4.5 3 Tubercular Disease 68 91 59 81 299 17.1 16.5 16.8 15.9 4 Diseases of Nervous System 48 58 41 60 210 12.0 11.8 13.7 14.0 5 Heart 33 27 30 20 110 6.3 6.5 6.3 3.8 6 Lungs, &c 83 48 30 82 243 13.9 17.4 18.5 14.1 7 Stomach, &c 25 16 19 23 83 4.8 5.1 3.6 5.8 8 Kidney, &c 8 4 8 7 27 1.5 1.8 1.6 2.2 9 from Childbirth 5 2 2 2 11 0.6 0.8 0.7 1.0 10 of the Bones, Joints, &c. 5 3 1 3 12 0.7 0.3 0.3 0.4 11 Skin .... 1 ... 3 4 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.3 12 Malformations 6 6 1 1 14 0.8 0.2 0.4 0.1 13 Premature Birth & Debility 20 10 9 21 60 3.4 3.4 3.0 3.1 14 Atrophy 1 10 8 2 21 1.2 1.0 1.2 1.0 15 Old Age 41 19 30 26 116 6.6 6.9 7.1 6.8 1(5 Sudden Death 1 2 2 2 7 0.4 0.2 0.4 0.8 17 Deaths fr. Violence & Accidents 15 18 10 10 53 3.0 3.0 4.9 3.0 18 Not specified ... ... ... ... ... ... 0.1 ... ... 474 421 351 503 1749 100. 100. 100. 100. As before stated, the total number of deaths registered in the district was 1749, of which, 474 were registered in the first quarter, 421 in the second quarter, only 351 in the third quarter, and no less than 503 in the last quarter. Of the 474 12 deaths in the first quarter, 94 were registered as from epidemic diseases, 68 from tubercular affections, 83 from diseases of the lungs, and no less than 41 from old age; whilst in the second quarter, 79 only were registered from epidemic diseases, the very large number of 91 from tubercular affections, only 48 from lung diseases, and 19 from old age. In the third quarter, epidemic diseases were as usual predominant, but singular to say, were less fatal than in any other quarter, although generally they cause a larger mortality at this time of year than at any other. Tubercular diseases were also less fatal than usual, 59 deaths only having been registered from these causes. In the last quarter, there were no less than 128 deaths from epidemic diseases, 81 from tubercular affections, 60 from diseases of the nervous system, 82 from lung diseases, 21 from premature birth and debility, and 26 from old age. During the year, 375 deaths were registered from epidemic (zymotic), and 279 from tubercular diseases, 210 from affections of the nervous system, 243 from diseased lungs, 83 from affections of the abdominal organs, 60 from premature births, and 116 from old age. Out of the 1749 deaths, no less than 1127 or 64.5 per cent. were caused by epidemic diseases, tubercular affections, diseases of the nervous system, and affections of the lungs. Diseases of the heart have also much increased of late years, as the average of 1860-61-62 was 6.4 per cent. of the total mortality, whilst the average of 1857-58-59, was only 4.0 per cent. The next Table shows the number of deaths in each quarter from the seven chief epidemic diseases, viz.: small-pox, measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria whooping cough, diarrhoea, and fever. 13 TABLE VI- 1862.—Deaths from Epidemic Diseases. IstQr. 2ndQr. 3rd Qr. 4th Qr. Totals Small-Pox ... 1 1 ... 2 Measles 1 6 6 19 32 Scarlet Fever 21 9 9 44 83 Diptheria 7 5 5 10 27 WhoopingCough 16 14 15 11 56 Diarrhoea 4 6 6 9 25 Fever 26 20 23 20 89 Totals 75 61 65 113 314 This Table shews that the small-pox epidemic did not commence during this year in Hackney, as there was not any death from it either during the first or last quarter of the year, and only 1 in each of the other quarters, whilst measles caused a mortality varying from 1 in the first quarter to 19 in the fourth quarter; scarlet fever produced 9 deaths in the second, 9 in the third quarter, 21 in the first, and no less than 44 in the last; of all epidemic diseases, I consider this as influenced less than any other by sanitary improvements external to the dwelling, and to depend materially on the internal arrangements, on cleanliness, and isolation of the affected persons. Diphtheria produced a mortality of 27 in the year; whooping cough of 56, of which 16 deaths were registered in the first quarter ; diarrhoea caused only 25 deaths against 51 in 1861, 19 in 1860, 87 in 1859, 50 in 1858, and 69 in 1857. Fever was I regret to say, unusually fatal, but not so much so in Hackney as in other metropolitan districts. In some of my former reports I stated my conviction that although sanitary measures would reduce the fatality of fever, yet that they would not prevent its outbreak when meteorological or other causes exerted an unusually powerful influence. This opinion has been fully borne cut by the recent epidemic, for in most of the cases which I enquired into, no error in the sanitary arrangements could be detected. One 14 striking feature of the epidemic has been the good social position of a large proportion of the sufferers, showing that good ventilation, good drainage, and abundant diet, and other "good things' of this life, will not always ward off an attack of fever. TABLE VII- Phr Centages of Deaths in each Quarter, 1857 to 1862. Quarters. 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 First 27.5 27.7 24.4 31.8 29.2 27.1 Second 21.4 21 3 21.4 23.5 22.4 24.1 Third 24.4 21.8 27.2 20.0 24.6 20.1 Fourth 26.7 29.2 27.0 24.7 23.8 28.7 Totals 100 100 100 100 100 100 This Table shows the great variation which takes place in the rate of death at different seasons of the year, and it would also show, if the mean temperature were attached to each, that the variations between different seasons is caused chiefly by alterations of temperature, and this difference would have been much more marked if the deaths had been classified into Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter quarters, instead of into first, second, third, and fourth. In the first quarter of the year, the rate of death varied between 24.4 and 31.8 percent., never having been, except in 1859, below the average for the year, viz.: 25 per cent. In the second quarter the rate varied between 21.3 and 24.1 per cent., so that the mortality of the second quarter was remarkably regular, and never rose to the average. In the third quarter, the rate ranged between 20.1 and 27.2 per cent., having been with the exception of 1859, below the mean, and this exception 15 was caused by an extremely hot summer. In the last quarter, the rate ranged from 23.8 to 29 2 per cent., the mortality in two quarters, those of 1860 and 1861, having been below the mean, whilst that of the other years were above it. TABLE VIII 1861.—Ages at Death. Quarter Under 1 Year Between 1 and 20 Between 20 and 40 Between 40 and 60 Between 60 and 80 Above 80 Totals Per Cent. First 77 117 51 69 125 35 474 27.1 Second 70 106 65 83 84 13 421 24.1 Third 57 68 64 53 89 20 351 20.1 Fourth. 96 150 62 67 107 21 503 28.7 Totals 300 441 242 272 405 89 1749 1000 Per Cents 1857 22.4 22.5 13.8 14.7 20.8 5.8 100 1858 24.4 22.4 13.5 14.3 20.1 5.3 100 1859 18.9 25.1 13.5 14.5 21.3 6.7 100 1860 19.3 26.2 130 13.7 21.4 6.4 100 1861 18.8 26.8 11.5 16.0 21.0 5.9 100 1862 17.2 25.2 13.8 15.5 23.2 5.1 100 The next Table to be discussed, shows the per centages of deaths for each quarter of the year, the number of deaths at six periods of life which were registered in each quarter of the year, and the per centages for each year from 1857 at the different ages. These include all the deaths in the District, and are not corrected for deaths in the East London Union. In the first quarter the ratio of deaths to those registered during the whole year was 27.1 per cent.; in the second quarter, 24.1 per cent.; in the third quarter, 20.1 per cent.; and in the last quarter, 28.7 per cent. There were 300 deaths, or 172 out of each 1000 registered under 1 year old; 441 deaths of persons more than 1 year but less than 20, or at the rate of 252 per 1000; 242 deaths between 20 and 40 years of age, or only 138 per 1000 deaths; 272 deaths between 40 and 60, or 155 per 1000; 405 deaths between 60 and 80 years of age, or 232 per 1000; and 89 deaths of persons above 80 years of age, or 51 per 1000. The 16 rate of deaths amongst children under 1 year old was less during 1862 than in any year since I have been Medical Officer of Health to this District, having been only 172 in 1000, whilst in 1861 it was 188, in 1860 it was 193, in 1859 it was 189, in 1858 it was 244, and in 1857 224 in each 1000 deaths of all ages. This is very satisfactory, as sanitary measures affect the youngest first, for they are more constantly exposed to, and more susceptible of, those causes which lead to an increased mortality in a given population. The ratio of deaths also between 60 and 80 has increased, pointing out as well as the diminished mortality of infants, that the general health of the inhabitants of Hackney District has decidedly improved since 1856. As before stated, the 1789 deaths include 204 which occurred in the German Hospital and East London Union. These according to the plan hitherto followed have to be eliminated in calculating the average age at death of the inhabitants. There were 11 deaths of children under 1 year old, 25 deaths of young persons between 1 and 20 years of age, 51 of these between 20 and 40 years old, 51 between 40 and 60 years old, 57 of persons between 60 and 80 years old, and 9 of these who were more than 80 years of age. After deducting those, the average age at death of the residents, was 33 years, 11 months, and 9 days. As the number of persons residing in the District on April 1st, 1861, was 83,295, and as the population increased between 1851 and 1861 at about the rate of 4 per cent, per annum, the population on July 1st, 1862, being the middle day of the year, would be about 87,492. Now as the number of deaths of residents was 1544, it follows that there were 10 deaths in each 579 inhabitants, or at the rate of 1"73 per cent. This is the smallest rate of mortality ever registered in the Hackney District. The death rate in the Northern Districts of the Metropolis was smaller than in any other of the great divisions of London, having been 2196 percent. This included the addition of a 17 correction for the deaths in Hospitals generally, which if added to the Hackney District would make the rate of deaths about 1.950 per cent. or much less than even the average of the Northern Districts collectively, and very considerably below the average for the whole of London, which was 2.349 per cent, of the whole population. The number of nuisances abated by Mr-. Valentine,—partly under my directions,—have been very large; and when considered in connexion with the list of localities visited by me, will give a fair idea of the sanitary work performed. Of course there are very many places which Mr. Valentine inspected which ar» not mentioned in the list given, but still enough is shown to indicate the great labour and attention requisite to keep the District in a good sanitary condition. The number of nuisances removed during the year have been in excess of those abated in 18G1. As usual I present them in a classified list:— Privies emptied, filled up, and drained into the Sewer 257 Privies and Cesspools emptied 55 Stable, Pig, Cow-dung, and other refuse removed 191 Premises repaired and limewashed 247 Gulleys trapped, Roads cleansed, &c 36 Pigs removed, and Pigsties repaired and cleansed 80 Choked Drains cleansed, repaired, and re-constructed 358 Urinals, and other filthy and offensive places cleansed 49 Other nuisances 162 Total 1435 To obtain the removal of this large number of nuisances, only 15 owners of property were summonsed before the Magistrates. SUMMARY OF METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR HACKNEY—RECORDED BY DR. TRIPE. 1 862. Barometer Temperature of the Air. Moisture Wind Rain Mean of Observations corrected Absolute Means Mean Dew. pointTemper. ature General Direction Amount collected Month ending | Highest Lowest Range Mean of all highest Mean of all lowest Daily Range Adopted Mean Temperature Inches 0 0 0 0 ° o 0 0 Inches January 31st. 29.772 54.8 20.6 34.2 44.2 33.8 10.4 39.0 35.2 s.w. 1.92 February 28th 29 964 57.0 25.2 31.8 45. 4 37.0 8.4 41.3 37 8 E. 0.74 March 31st 29.570 63.4 21.4 42.0 49.6 3S.8 10.8 43.8 40.4 W. 3.62 April 30th 29.932 74.6 27.2 47.4 57.5 42.2 15.3 48.8 42.4 W. 2.44 May 31st 29.806 77.8 39.0 38.8 66.0 48.0 18.0 56.2 50.0 W. 3.06 June 30th 29.790 74.4 43.2 31.2 66.8 50.4 16.4 56.8 48.2 W. 2.38 July 31st 29846 79.2 44.4 34.8 70. 2 51.0 19.2 59.4 51.7 W. 2.48 August 31st 29.882 79.0 45.0 34.0 70.6 52.2 18.4 59.6 52.4 w. 3.66 September 30th 29 .938 73 .2 39.6 33.6 66.8 49.6 17.2 58.1 50.7 S.E. 2.10 October 31st 29.802 70.4 29.8 40.6 60.2 45.8 14.4 52.2 47.0 S.W. 4.12 November 30th 29.886 56.6 24.8 31.8 45.4 35.8 9.6 39.4 36.2 N. 1.02 December 31st 29.963 55.4 32.4 23 .0 47 .6 39.3 8 .3 43.8 40.3 S.W. 2.28 Means 29.846 679 32.7 35.2 57.5 43.7 138 1 49.9 44.4 w. 29.82 Note.—All the Meteorological instruments have been compared and certified by Mr Glaishor. All the observations have been corrected for error, diurnal range, &c., and reduced by. Glaisher's Tables, last editions. 19 The mean pressure of the air as indicated by the barometer, has been smaller than in 1861, but higher than in 1860, the variation between the two having been less than one tenth of an inch. The barometer was higher during February and December, the average for these months having been 29.964 inches, and lowest in March, when it was only 29.750 inches, so that the variation in the monthly means did not much exceed two tenths of an inch. The highest temperature recorded during the year was 790.2 in the month of July, and the lowest 200.6 in the month of January, so that the extreme range was 580.6. The mean of the highest reading in each month of the year was only 670.9, that of 1861 having been 690.l, and that of 1860, one of the healthiest years ever known, was 640.3. The mean of the lowest reading in each month was 320.7, that of 1861 having been 320.3, and of 1860, 300.8, so that whilst the extreme range was 580.6, the mean of all the monthly ranges was 350.2, which was less than in 1861 but more than in 1860. The mean of the highest readings for each day in the year was 570.5, and of the lowest 430.7, giving a mean daily range of 130.8 against 160.2 in 1861, and 140.3 in 1860. The mean temperature of the air was 490,9 against 490.7 in 1861, and only 470.4 in 1860, and the mean due point temperature was 440.4 against 430.8 in 1861, and 420.2 in 1860. The rain fall was much above the average, having been 29.82 inches, while in 1861 in was 21.22 inches, and in 1860, the most rainy summer of late years, it was 33.10 inches. The rainfall was greater in Hackney than in the adjoining districts, but this was caused partly by two or three very heavy storms of rain having occurred in Hackney, when only a small amount fell in the adjacent districts. In October the large quantity of 4.12 inches fell, of which nearly 1 inch was registered during one day. In 1861, the enormous quantity of 5.30 inches 20 fell during the month of November. The temperature for the first quarter of the year was about 2 degrees above the average, that for the second quarter was nearly 1 degree above it, that for the third quarter about 1 degree below it, and that for the fourth quarter nearly an average, having been 40.4 in defect in November, when the mortality was very high, and 30.5 in excess in December, when the mortality was unusually low.