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9
the rural districts. I need not tell you that such
a view of the matter is altogether erroneous.
To be able to judge more accurately, therefore,
of the City mortality, it is necessary to examine the
returns of those districts where the population are
more firmly fixed to their homes. Such localities
are common enough in both the eastern and western
divisions of the City; and there, as might be
expected, the death-rate rises to from 50 to GO per
cent. over that of the central division, and from 20
to 30 over that of all England. It is sad to contemplate
this fact, for we are conscious that it
involves a world of wretchedness and suffering;
that in truth, it is an expression of how much might
have been done to lessen the weight of misery, and
to lengthen the days of human existence. It is,
however, encouraging to know that bad as the
present condition of things assuredly is, it is not
nearly so bad as it was before the exercise of those
remedial measures which were originated by your
late medical officer; and, I entertain a hope, that
with the appliances of sanitary medicine, and the
earnestness with which you employ them, the time
is not far distant when the deep shadow of death
that darkens these localities shall be considerably
lightened; when the returns of such places as
Cripplegate, St. Andrews, and the south-western
sub-district generally, shall no more stand out upon