I have the honour of laying before you, in the various subjoined tables, such information as will enable you to measure the present sanitary condition of the City of London.
1. The first table ([Appendix, No. I.]) contains a statement of the present population of the City, as derived from the Registrar-General’s recent census; and it compares the existing numbers in each division of the City with those given at the last enumeration in 1841.
In examining this table you will observe that, during these ten years, the general population of the City has increased about 32⁄5 per cent.; that this increase has not been uniform through the nine sub-districts of your jurisdiction; that in some it has been unimportant; that in others there has been an actual decrease, extending even to 42⁄3 per cent. on the previous population; while in the whole East London Union the numbers have risen considerably above the aggregate rate of increase, and in the St. Botolph sub-district exceed those of the former census by more than 16 per cent.
Passing over the minor differences which have taken place in the distribution of the population, I cannot regard that larger increase without apprehension and regret. Probably for the most part it represents the continued influx of a poor population into localities undesirable for residence, and implies that habitations—previously unwholesome by their over-crowdedness—are now still more densely thronged by a squalid and sickly population.
I congratulate your Hon. Court on the recent acquisition of powers (to the nature of which I shall presently advert) for the reduction and prevention of this serious evil.
2. The second table[61] presents a summary of the City mortality for the year which terminated at Michaelmas last; showing the deaths, as they have occurred, male and female, during each quarter of the year, in the several districts and sub-districts of the City; and including at the foot of each column, a statement of the year’s death-rate per thousand of the living in each such district and sub-district.
[61] [Appendix, No. V.] The calculated death-rates are omitted from this, as from the other annual tables:—the quinquennial rates ([App. No. II.]) giving more useful results.—J. S., 1854.
You will observe that, during the 52 weeks, dated from September 29th, 1850, to September 27th, 1851, there have died of the population under your charge 2978 persons; giving, for the City aggregately, a rate of nearly 23 deaths for every thousand living persons.
The rate of last year was little over 21 per thousand.
In my [last Annual Report] I suggested that the death-rate then prevailing was probably (from temporary circumstances) more favourable than the true average of the City; that it corresponded to the period of recovery from severe epidemic influences; that it seemed exceptional; and that you might be prepared for this year’s mortality showing again a tendency to increase.