Chapter XII: Appendix: Of Tables (1)

ILLUSTRATING THE
SANITARY CONDITION OF THE CITY OF LONDON.

I. Area and Population of the several Districts and Sub-districts of
the City.

II. Quinquennial Synopsis of City Mortality, from Michaelmas 1848 to
Michaelmas 1853; with Death-Rates calculated for this period, on the
Population enumerated in 1851, for each District and Sub-District of
the City.

III. First annual enumeration of Deaths, relating to the fifty-two
weeks dating from October 1st, 1848, to September 29th, 1849.

IV. Second annual enumeration of Deaths, relating to the fifty-two
weeks, dating from September 30th, 1840, to September 28th, 1850.

V. Third annual enumeration of Deaths, relating to the fifty-two
weeks, dating from September 29th, 1850, to September 27th, 1851.

VI. Fourth annual enumeration of Deaths, relating to the fifty-two
weeks, dating from September 28th, 1851, to September 25th, 1852.

VII. Fifth annual enumeration of Deaths, relating to the fifty-two
weeks, dating from September 26th, 1852, to September 24th, 1853.

VIII. Quinquennial Mortality, classified by Age; first, for the entire
City; next, for the Three Unions severally.

IX. Number of Deaths occasioned, during the last five years, by
certain Acute Diseases, chiefly epidemic, infectious, and endemic.

X. Comparative Mortality in different seasons of the year: namely, in
the Autumn-Quarters (October, November, December), in the
Winter-Quarters (January, February, March), in the Spring-Quarters
(April, May, June), and in the Summer-Quarters (July, August,
September), of the five years from Michaelmas 1848 to Michaelmas 1853.

XI. Autumn Mortality.

XII. Winter Mortality.

XIII. Spring Mortality.

XIV. Summer Mortality.

No. I. _Area and Population of the several Districts and Sub-districts of the City of London._

+-----------------------------+-------+-------+-------------+-------+
| | Census| Census| Decennial |Area of|
| Sub-district. | of | of | increase (+)|Land in|
| | 1841. | 1851. | or |Acres. |
| | | |decrease. (-)| |
+-----------------------------+-------+-------+-------------+-------+
| {St. Botolph | 20,197| 23,435| + 3238| 85|
|EAST LONDON. {Cripplegate | 19,161| 20,582| + 1421| 68|
| {Workhouses[88]| 454| 576| + 122| |
| { +-------+-------+-------------+-------+
| {Total | 39,812| 44,593| + 4781| 153|
+-----------------------------+-------+-------+-------------+-------+
| {North | 12,138| 12,350| + 212| 47|
|WEST LONDON. {South | 16,460| 15,844| - 616| 77|
| {Workhouse[89] | 387| 409| + 22| |
| { +-------+-------+-------------+-------+
| {Total | 28,985| 28,603| - 382| 124|
+-----------------------------+-------+-------+-------------+-------+
| {South-West | 8839| 9204| + 365| 49|
| {North-West | 12,427| 11,847| - 580| 72|
|CITY OF {South | 11,954| 11,461| - 493| 82|
|LONDON. {South-East | 10,597| 10,594| - 3| 84|
| {North-East | 12,103| 12,826| + 723| 92|
| {Workhouse[90] | 920| 794| - 126| |
| { +-------+-------+-------------+-------+
| {Total | 56,840| 56,726| - 114| 379|
+-----------------------------+-------+-------+-------------+-------+
| Entire Population of} 125,637|129,922| + 4285| 656|
| the City of London} | | | |
+-------------------------------------+-------+-------------+-------+

[88] One of these workhouses is situated in the North sub-district of
the West London Union. In 1841 it contained 157 inmates; in 1851, 187
inmates. The other workhouse is situated in the St. Botolph
sub-district: in 1841 it contained 297, in 1851, 389 persons.

[89] This workhouse is situated in the North sub-district of the
Union.

[90] In 1841, the 920 paupers of this Union were received, partly at
Marlborough House, Peckham; partly in Deacon’s Farm-house, Stepney
Green. The present workhouse, erected since 1841, is at Bow.

No. II.--_Quinquennial Synopsis of City Mortality, with Death-rates calculated per Thousand on the Population of 1851._

+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| | EAST |
|Population,} | LONDON |
|according }Entire City| UNION, |
|to the }of London, | 44,593. |
|Census }129,922. +--------+--------+-------+
|of 1851. } | Saint |Cripple-| Work- |
| |Botolph,| gate, |houses,|
| | 23,435.| 20,582.| 576. |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+-------+
|Mortality of five years| | | |
|from Michaelmas 1848 to| | | |
|Michaelmas 1853. | | | |
| {1848-9 =3763= | 519| 574| 179|
| {1849-50 =2752= | 296| 444| 125|
| {1850-1 =2978= | 493| 471| 167|
| {1851-2 =3064= | 534| 460| 176|
| {1852-3 =3040= | 516| 534| 155|
| { +--------+--------+-------+
| { =⁂= | 2458| 2483| 802|
| { | |
| {Total =15,597= | =5743= |
+-----------------------+-------------------------+
|Yearly Death-rate _per_| =25.75= |
|thousand of the living | |
|Population. | | | |
| =24.00= | =24.30=| =27.41=| =*= |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+-------+

+-----------------------+----------------------+
| | WEST |
|Population,} | LONDON |
|according }Entire City| UNION, |
|to the }of London, | 28,603. |
|Census }129,922. +-------+-------+------+
|of 1851. } | North,| South,| Work-|
| | | |house,|
| |12,350.|15,844.| 409. |
+-----------------------+-------+-------+------+
|Mortality of five years| | | |
|from Michaelmas 1848 to| | | |
|Michaelmas 1853. | | | |
| {1848-9 =3763= | 372| 598| 126|
| {1849-50 =2752= | 324| 290| 108|
| {1850-1 =2978= | 317| 313| 68|
| {1851-2 =3064= | 266| 379| 129|
| {1852-3 =3040= | 289| 309| 164|
| { +-------+-------+------+
| { =⁂= | 1568| 1889| 595|
| { | |
| {Total =15,597= | =4052= |
+-----------------------+----------------------+
|Yearly Death-rate _per_| =28.33= |
|thousand of the living | |
|Population. | | | |
| =24.00= |=29.19=|=27.66=| =*= |
+-----------------------+-------+-------+------+

+---------------------+----------------------------------------------+
| | CITY OF LONDON UNION, |
|Population,}Entire | |
|according }City of | |
|to the }London, | 56,726. |
|Census }129,922. +-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------+
|of 1851. } | S. W. | N. W. | South,| S. E. | N. E. | Work-|
| | | | | | |house,|
| | 9,204.|11,847.|11,461.|10,594.|12,826.| 794. |
+---------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------+
|Mortality of five | | | | | | |
|years from Michaelmas| | | | | | |
|1848 toMichaelmas | | | | | | |
|1853. | | | | | | |
| {1848-9 =3763= | 293| 245| 263| 214| 262| 103|
| {1849-50 =2752= | 176| 168| 218| 183| 219| 101|
| {1850-1 =2978= | 191| 169| 258| 217| 213| 101|
| {1851-2 =3064= | 196| 198| 203| 171| 235| 117|
| {1852-3 =3040= | 170| 188| 223| 164| 224| 104|
| { +-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------+
| { =⁂= | 1026| 968| 1165| 949| 1153| 526|
| { | |
| {Total =15,597= | =5787= |
+---------------------+----------------------------------------------+
|Yearly Death-rate | =20.40= |
|_per_ thousand of the| |
|living Population. | | | | | | |
| =24.00= |=23.83=|=17.96=|=21.90=|=19.52=|=19.58=| =*= |
+-----------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+----+
|N.B. The first year’s total (3763) includes 15 deaths, which, by |
|reason of their imperfect registration, it has been impossible |
|to refer correctly to the Unions where they occurred. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+

NOTE TO TABLE No. II.

In calculating the Death-Rates given in the last lines of this Table, I have proceeded as follows:--

First, I have counted all _Workhouse-Population_ and _Workhouse-Deaths_ as forming part of the aggregate population and aggregate mortality of that Union to which the particular workhouse legally belongs.

Next, I have distributed among the several sub-districts the population and the mortality of their Union Workhouses, in the ratio of the general sub-district population; so as to prevent the high Workhouse-Mortality from telling unjustly against that sub-district in which the Workhouse happens to have been erected.

Thus, for instance, the East London Union has its male Workhouse placed in the territory of the West London Union; but I have reckoned it as belonging to the East London Union, in respect both of its population and its deaths. Similarly, the City of London Union has its Workhouse situate at Bow; but, not the less, I have considered its 794 inmates and 526 deaths as belonging to the population and the mortality of our central Union.

Thus again for the sub-district death-rates--for instance, in the two sub-districts of the East London Union: reckoning the Workhouse-Population not as exclusively due either to Cripplegate or to St. Botolph, but as furnished by these sub-districts jointly, in the ratio of their populations, I have distributed 576 between them in the proportion, 23,435 : 20,582. The Workhouse-Deaths of the period (802) have been similarly distributed; and the rates, given in the last line of the table, are finally deduced from a comparison of these sums, viz:--

23,435 + 306.66 : 2458 + 426.991 :: 1000 : 121.515, which divided by 5 (to show an annual, instead of a quinquennial, result) gives 24.30 as the annual death-rate for St. Botolph; and, in like manner, 20,582 + 269.33 : 2483 + 375.008 gives 137.065 as the quinquennial, and 27.41 as the annual death-rate _per_ thousand for the sub-district of Cripplegate.

_Hospital Deaths_ have been distributed, as far as possible, according to the previous residence of the patients. Thus the north sub-district of the West London Union, in which St. Bartholomew’s Hospital is situated, is made to retain only its just proportion of deaths. On the same principle I have reckoned to the death-lists of other sub-districts those cases in which I could ascertain that the residents of such sub-districts had gone to die either in St. Bartholomew’s, or in other Metropolitan Hospitals.

No. III.--_First Annual Enumeration of Deaths, relating to the Fifty-two Weeks dating from October 1st, 1848, to September 29th, 1849._

+------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------+
|DEATHS in the four| EAST LONDON UNION. | WEST LONDON UNION. |
|quarterly periods,+--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|terminating as |Saint |Cripple-| Work- |North. |South. |Work- |
|follows:-- |Botolph.|gate. |houses.| | |house. |
| +--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|In the quarter | M. F.| M. F.| M. F.| M. F.| M. F.| M. F.|
|ending: | | | | | | |
| I. Dec. } =766={| 63 64| 69 59| 10 21| 44 30| 55 48| 14 15|
| 30th } {| 127 | 128 | 31 | 74 | 103 | 29 |
| | | | | | | |
| II. March} =822={| 70 66| 60 57| 17 19| 39 34| 50 40| 20 10|
| 31st } {| 136 | 117 | 36 | 73 | 90 | 30 |
| | | | | | | |
|III. June } =765={| 40 45| 62 68| 16 23| 46 31| 61 49| 13 21|
| 30th } {| 85 | 130 | 39 | 77 | 110 | 34 |
| | | | | | | |
| IV. Sept.}=1395={| 88 83|104 95| 17 56| 75 73|116 179| 15 18|
| 29th } {| 171 | 199 | 73 | 148 | 295 | 53 |
+------------------+--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|Sum of the four {|261 258|295 279| 60 119|204 168|282 316| 62 64|
|quarters =3748={| 519 | 574 | 179 | 372 | 598 | 126 |
|Unclassified =15= | =1272= | =1096= |
|TOTAL FOR THE YEAR =3763=
+---------------------------------------------------------------------

+------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
|DEATHS in the four| CITY OF LONDON UNION. |
|quarterly periods,+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|terminating as | S. W. | N. W. |South. | S. E. | N. E. | Work- |
|follows:-- | | | | | |house. |
| +-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|In the quarter | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. | M. F.|
|ending: | | | | | | |
| I. Dec. } =766={| 25 15 | 27 23 | 36 23 | 25 15 | 31 31 | 1 22|
| 30th } {| 40 | 50 | 59 | 40 | 62 | 23 |
| | | | | | | |
| II. March} =822={| 20 32 | 32 31 | 28 32 | 29 23 | 40 37 | 14 22|
| 31st } {| 52 | 63 | 60 | 52 | 77 | 36 |
| | | | | | | |
|III. June } =765={| 35 21 | 31 24 | 37 21 | 24 21 | 22 28 | 12 14|
| 30th } {| 56 | 55 | 58 | 45 | 50 | 26 |
| | | | | | | |
| IV. Sept.}=1395={| 62 83 | 37 40 | 48 38 | 45 32 | 40 33 | 5 13|
| 29th } {| 145 | 77 | 86 | 77 | 73 | 18 |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|Sum of the four {|142 151|127 118|149 114|123 91|133 129| 32 71|
|quarters =3748={| 293 | 245 | 263 | 214 | 262 | 103 |
|Unclassified =15= | =1380= |
|TOTAL FOR THE YEAR |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+

No. IV.--_Second Annual Enumeration of Deaths, relating to the Fifty-two Weeks dating from September 30th, 1849, to September 28th, 1850._

+------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------+
|DEATHS in the four| EAST LONDON UNION. | WEST LONDON UNION. |
|quarterly periods,+--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|terminating as |Saint |Cripple-| Work- |North. |South. |Work- |
|follows:-- |Botolph.|gate. |houses.| | |house. |
| +--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|In the quarter | M. F.| M. F.| M. F.| M. F.| M. F.| M. F.|
|ending: | | | | | | |
| I. Dec. } =765={| 62 56| 72 65|22 22| 42 43| 30 40| 10 13|
| 29th } {| 118 | 137 | 44 | 85 | 70 | 23 |
| | | | | | | |
| II. March} =803={| 49 47| 68 56| 21 15| 50 41| 42 42| 21 19|
| 30th } {| 96 | 124 | 36 | 91 | 84 | 40 |
| | | | | | | |
|III. June } =589={| 39 41| 42 48| 6 13| 39 35| 45 26| 5 22|
| 29th } {| 80 | 90 | 19 | 74 | 71 | 27 |
| | | | | | | |
| IV. Sept.} =595={| 57 45| 57 36| 12 14| 35 39| 26 39| 5 13|
| 28th } {| 102 | 93 | 26 | 74 | 65 | 18 |
+------------------+--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|Sum of the four {|207 189|239 205| 61 64|166 158|143 147|41 67|
|quarters =2752={| 396 | 444 | 125 | 324 | 290 | 108 |
| | =965= | =722= |
|TOTAL FOR THE YEAR =2752=
+---------------------------------------------------------------------

+------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
|DEATHS in the four| CITY OF LONDON UNION. |
|quarterly periods,+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|terminating as | S. W. | N. W. |South. | S. E. | N. E. | Work- |
|follows:-- | | | | | |house. |
| +-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|In the quarter | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. |
|ending: | | | | | | |
| I. Dec. } =765={| 35 22| 26 19| 27 28| 30 21| 22 30| 9 19|
| 29th } {| 57 | 45 | 55 | 51 | 52 | 28 |
| | | | | | | |
| II. March} =803={| 23 23| 16 29| 48 32| 22 36| 45 29| 15 14|
| 30th } {| 46 | 45 | 80 | 58 | 74 | 29 |
| | | | | | | |
|III. June } =589={| 13 21| 14 25| 25 15| 23 20| 21 29| 9 13|
| 29th } {| 34 | 39 \ 40 | 43 | 50 | 22 |
| | | | | | | |
| IV. Sept.} =595={| 20 19| 18 21| 22 21| 16 15| 15 28| 12 10|
| 28th } {| 39 | 39 | 43 | 31 | 43 | 22 |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|Sum of the four {| 91 85| 74 94|122 96| 91 92|103 116| 45 56|
|quarters =2752={| 176 | 168 | 218 | 183 | 219 | 101 |
| | =1065= |
|TOTAL FOR THE YEAR |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+

No. V.--_Third Annual Enumeration of Deaths, relating to the Fifty-two Weeks dating from September 29th, 1850, to September 27th, 1851._

+------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------+
|DEATHS in the four| EAST LONDON UNION. | WEST LONDON UNION. |
|quarterly periods,+--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|terminating as |Saint |Cripple-| Work- |North. |South. |Work- |
|follows:-- |Botolph.|gate. |houses.| | |house. |
| +--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|In the quarter | M. F.| M. F.| M. F.| M. F.| M. F.| M. F.|
|ending: | | | | | | |
| I. Dec. } =672={| 47 54| 68 57| 7 25| 29 33| 35 37| 8 6|
| 28th } {| 101 | 125 | 32 | 62 | 72 | 14 |
| | | | | | | |
| II. March} =876={| 87 67| 77 63| 19 30| 51 36| 46 43| 11 11|
| 29th } {| 154 | 140 | 49 | 87 | 89 | 22 |
| | | | | | | |
|III. June } =767={| 72 43| 58 43| 26 22| 45 47| 38 41| 11 10|
| 28th } {| 115 | 101 | 48 | 92 | 79 | 21 |
| | | | | | | |
| IV. Sept.} =663={| 63 60| 62 43| 13 25| 53 23| 38 35| 9 2|
| 27th } {| 123 | 105 | 38 | 76 | 73 | 11 |
+------------------+--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|Sum of the four {|269 224|265 206| 65 102|178 139|157 156| 39 29|
|quarters =2978={| 493 | 471 | 167 | 317 | 313 | 68 |
| | =1131= | =698= |
|TOTAL FOR THE YEAR =2978=
+---------------------------------------------------------------------

+------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
|DEATHS in the four| CITY OF LONDON UNION. |
|quarterly periods,+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|terminating as | S. W. | N. W. |South. | S. E. | N. E. | Work- |
|follows:-- | | | | | |house. |
| +-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|In the quarter | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. |
|ending: | | | | | | |
| I. Dec. } =672={| 27 21| 24 20| 25 24| 24 31| 19 29| 16 6|
| 28th } {| 48 | 44 | 49 | 55 | 48 | 22 |
| | | | | | | |
| II. March} =876={| 28 31| 22 26| 39 42| 27 29| 35 32| 12 12|
| 29th } {| 59 | 48 | 81 | 56 | 67 | 24 |
| | | | | | | |
|III. June } =767={| 26 18| 22 16| 40 35| 35 35| 31 25| 15 13|
| 28th } {| 44 | 38 | 75 | 70 | 56 | 28 |
| | | | | | | |
| IV. Sept.} =663={| 24 16| 21 18| 29 24| 23 13| 17 25| 14 13|
| 27th } {| 40 | 39 | 53 | 36 | 42 | 27 |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|Sum of the four {|105 86| 89 80|133 125|109 108|102 111| 57 44|
|quarters =2978={| 191 | 169 | 258 | 217 | 213 | 101 |
| | =1149= |
|TOTAL FOR THE YEAR |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+

No. VI.--_Fourth Annual Enumeration of Deaths, relating to the Fifty-two Weeks dating from September 28th, 1851, to September 25th, 1852._

+------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------+
|DEATHS in the four| EAST LONDON UNION. | WEST LONDON UNION. |
|quarterly periods,+--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|terminating as |Saint |Cripple-| Work- |North. |South. |Work- |
|follows:-- |Botolph.|gate. |houses.| | |house. |
| +--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|In the quarter | M. F.| M. F.| M. F.| M. F.| M. F.| M. F.|
|ending: | | | | | | |
| I. Dec. } =800={| 73 67| 59 58| 32 32| 40 28| 37 43| 18 12|
| 27th } {| 140 | 117 | 64 | 68 | 80 | 30 |
| | | | | | | |
| II. March} =773={| 62 62| 50 46| 18 30| 30 24| 58 43| 25 12|
| 27th } {| 124 | 96 | 48 | 54 | 101 | 37 |
| | | | | | | |
|III. June } =774={| 54 56| 78 53| 21 17| 39 31| 65 56| 23 8|
| 26th } {| 110 | 131 | 38 | 70 | 121 | 31 |
| | | | | | | |
| IV. Sept.} =717={| 77 83| 54 62| 6 20| 35 39| 41 36| 17 14|
| 27th } {| 160 | 116 | 26 | 74 | 77 | 31 |
+------------------+--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|Sum of the four {|266 268|241 219| 77 99|144 122|201 178| 83 46|
|quarters =3064={| 534 | 460 | 176 | 266 | 379 | 129 |
| | =1170= | =774= |
|TOTAL FOR THE YEAR =3064=
+---------------------------------------------------------------------

+------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
|DEATHS in the four| CITY OF LONDON UNION. |
|quarterly periods,+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|terminating as | S. W. | N. W. |South. | S. E. | N. E. | Work- |
|follows:-- | | | | | |house. |
| +-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|In the quarter | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. |
|ending: | | | | | | |
| I. Dec. } =800={| 33 30| 29 25| 26 26| 23 25| 32 23| 9 20|
| 27th } {| 63 | 54 | 52 | 48 | 55 | 29 |
| | | | | | | |
| II. March} =773={| 20 22| 33 28| 33 28| 31 19| 27 40| 17 15|
| 27th } {| 42 | 61 | 61 | 50 | 67 | 32 |
| | | | | | | |
|III. June } =774={| 24 33| 29 22| 22 19| 30 17| 33 26| 17 11|
| 26th } {| 47 | 51 | 41 | 47 | 59 | 28 |
| | | | | | | |
| IV. Sept.} =717={| 26 18| 15 17| 29 20| 15 11| 31 23| 12 16|
| 27th } {| 44 | 32 | 49 | 26 | 54 | 28 |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|Sum of the four {|103 93|106 92|110 93| 99 72|123 112| 55 62|
|quarters =3064={| 196 | 198 | 203 | 171 | 235 | 117 |
| | =1120= |
|TOTAL FOR THE YEAR |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+

No. VII.--_Fifth Annual Enumeration of Deaths, relating to the Fifty-two Weeks dating from September 26th, 1852, to September 24th, 1853._

+------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------+
|DEATHS in the four| EAST LONDON UNION. | WEST LONDON UNION. |
|quarterly periods,+--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|terminating as |Saint |Cripple-| Work- |North. |South. |Work- |
|follows:-- |Botolph.|gate. |houses.| | |house. |
| +--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|In the quarter | M. F.| M. F.| M. F.| M. F.| M. F.| M. F.|
|ending: | | | | | | |
| I. Dec. } =675={| 72 58| 46 60| 10 20| 35 33| 35 32| 14 19|
| 25th } {| 130 | 106 | 30 | 68 | 67 | 33 |
| | | | | | | |
| II. March} =878={| 67 64| 80 66| 32 22| 35 31| 45 55| 34 20|
| 26th } {| 131 | 146 | 54 | 66 | 100 | 54 |
| | | | | | | |
|III. June } =817={| 69 60| 69 62| 24 27| 53 36| 46 44| 25 21|
| 25th } {| 129 | 131 | 51 | 89 | 90 | 46 |
| | | | | | | |
| IV. Sept.} =670={| 70 56| 84 67| 8 12| 32 34| 25 27| 18 13|
| 24th } {| 126 | 151 | 20 | 66 | 52 | 31 |
+------------------+--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|Sum of the four {|278 238|279 255| 74 81|155 134|151 158| 91 73|
|quarters =3040={| 516 | 534 | 155 | 289 | 309 | 164 |
| | =1205= | =762= |
|TOTAL FOR THE YEAR =3040=
+---------------------------------------------------------------------

+------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
|DEATHS in the four| CITY OF LONDON UNION. |
|quarterly periods,+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|terminating as | S. W. | N. W. |South. | S. E. | N. E. | Work- |
|follows:-- | | | | | |house. |
| +-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|In the quarter | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. | M. F. |
|ending: | | | | | | |
| I. Dec. } =675={| 23 14| 21 22| 31 26| 18 15| 25 29| 10 7|
| 25th } {| 37 | 43 | 57 | 33 | 54 | 17 |
| | | | | | | |
| II. March} =878={| 19 30| 38 19| 32 33| 29 20| 40 35| 15 17|
| 26th } {| 49 | 57 | 65 | 49 | 75 | 32 |
| | | | | | | |
|III. June } =817={| 20 25| 27 20| 30 29| 24 26| 27 20| 19 14|
| 25th } {| 45 | 47 | 59 | 50 | 47 | 33 |
| | | | | | | |
| IV. Sept.} =670={| 16 23| 18 23| 25 17| 18 14| 28 20| 10 12|
| 24th } {| 39 | 41 | 42 | 32 | 48 | 22 |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|Sum of the four {| 78 92|104 84|118 105| 89 75|120 104| 54 50|
|quarters =3040={| 170 | 188 | 223 | 164 | 224 | 104 |
| | =1073= |
|TOTAL FOR THE YEAR |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+

No. VIII.--_Quinquennial Mortality, classified by Age, first for the entire City, next for the three Unions severally._

+--------------------+------+-----+-----+-----+------+------+------+
| | Under| From| From| From| From | From | From |
|Deaths in the Popu- | 5 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 30 | 40 |
|lation of the City | Years| to | to | to | to | to | to |
|of London. | of | 10.| 15.| 20.| 30. | 40. | 50. |
| | Age. | | | | | | |
+--------------------+------+-----+-----+-----+------+------+------+
|Year by year{1848-49| 1243 | 202 | 92 | 90 | 292 | 345 | 396 |
|dating from {1849-50| 1032 | 83 | 44 | 70 | 166 | 200 | 251 |
|Michaelmas {1850-51| 1194 | 124 | 48 | 60 | 169 | 227 | 248 |
|to {1851-52| 1197 | 113 | 57 | 84 | 196 | 253 | 267 |
|Michaelmas. {1852-53| 1135 | 94 | 37 | 59 | 179 | 258 | 268 |
+--------------------+------+-----+-----+-----+------+------+------+
|Sum of five year’s |=5801=|=616=|=278=|=363=|=1002=|=1283=|=1430=|
|deaths | | | | | | | |
+--------------------+------+-----+-----+-----+------+------+------+
|Deaths East London | 2471 | 215 | 80 | 105 | 338 | 432 | 488 |
|of five Union | | | | | | | |
|years West London | 1416 | 141 | 75 | 122 | 305 | 376 | 405 |
|in Union | | | | | | | |
|their City of Lon-| 1914 | 260 | 123 | 136 | 359 | 475 | 537 |
|Local don Union | | | | | | | |
|Distri- Uncertain | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
|bution. Address | | | | | | | |
+--------------------+------+-----+-----+-----+------+------+------+

+--------------------+------+------+------+----+-------+
| | From | From | From | Age| Total.|
|Deaths in the Popu- | 50 | 60 | 70 | not| |
|lation of the City | to | to | up- | re-| |
|of London. | 60. | 70. |wards.|por-| |
| | | | |ted.| |
+--------------------+------+------+------+----+-------+
|Year by year{1848-49| 355 | 366 | 367 | 15 | 3763 |
|dating from {1849-50| 254 | 318 | 334 | 0 | 2752 |
|Michaelmas {1850-51| 261 | 303 | 342 | 2 | 2978 |
|to {1851-52| 260 | 287 | 350 | 0 | 3064 |
|Michaelmas. {1852-53| 297 | 320 | 393 | 0 | 3040 |
+--------------------+------+------+------+----+-------+
|Sum of five year’s |=1427=|=1594=|=1786=|=17=|=15597=|
|deaths | | | | | |
+--------------------+------+------+------+----+-------+
|Deaths East London | 444 | 551 | 619 | 0 | 5743 |
|of five Union | | | | | |
|years West London | 393 | 420 | 398 | 1 | 4052 |
|in Union | | | | | |
|their City of Lon-| 590 | 623 | 769 | 1 | 5787 |
|Local don Union | | | | | |
|Distri- Uncertain | * | * | * | 15 | 15 |
|bution. Address | | | | | |
+--------------------+------+------+------+----+-------+

No. IX.--_Number of Deaths occasioned, during the last Five Years, by certain Acute Diseases, chiefly Epidemic, Infectious, and Endemic._

+-------------------+------+----------+--------+------+-----------+
| | | Acute |Scarlet-| | |
| | | Diarrhœa | Fever | |Erysipelas,|
|In the successive | | (not of | and |Small-| Pyæmia, |
|years terminating |Fever.| infants),|Cynanche| Pox. | and |
|severally as | |Dysentery,|maligna.| | Puerperal |
|follows:-- | | and | | | Fever. |
| | | Cholera. | | | |
| | | | | | |
+-------------------+------+----------+--------+------+-----------+
|At Michaelmas, 1849| 166 | 825 | 135 | 17 | 44 |
|„ „ 1850| 118 | 54 | 32 | 33 | 40 |
|„ „ 1851| 107 | 23 | 46 | 41 | 17 |
|„ „ 1852| 165 | 37 | 86 | 96 | 24 |
|„ „ 1853| 145 | 43 | 85 | 15 | 26 |
+-------------------+------+----------+--------+------+-----------+
|Total number of | | | | | |
|such Deaths in the | =701=| =982= | =384= | =202=| =151= |
|Five Years 1848-53.| | | | | |
+-------------------+------+----------+--------+------+-----------+

+-------------------+----------+--------+--------+---------+
| |Diarrhœa, | | | |
| |Bronchitis|Measles,| Hydro- | Total |
|In the successive | and |Hooping-|cephalus| of |
|years terminating |Pneumonia | cough | and |preceding|
|severally as |of Infants| and | Convul-| columns.|
|follows:-- | under | Croup. |sions of| |
| | 3 years | |Infancy.| |
| | of age. | | | |
+-------------------+----------+--------+--------+---------+
|At Michaelmas, 1849| 285 | 196 | 264 | =1932= |
|„ „ 1850| 243 | 124 | 219 | =863= |
|„ „ 1851| 340 | 272 | 282 | =1128= |
|„ „ 1852| 330 | 132 | 308 | =1178= |
|„ „ 1853| 304 | 190 | 289 | =1097= |
+-------------------+----------+--------+--------+---------+
|Total number of | | | | |
|such Deaths in the | =1502= | =914= | =1362= | =6198= |
|Five Years 1848-53.| | | | |
+-------------------+----------+--------+--------+---------+

No. X.--_Comparative Mortality in different seasons of the Year; namely, in the Autumn Quarters (Oct., Nov., Dec.) in the Winter Quarters (Jan., Feb., March,) in the Spring Quarters (April, May, June) and in the Summer Quarters (July, Aug., Sept.) of the Five Years from Michaelmas, 1848, to Michaelmas, 1853._

SYNOPSIS.

+------------------+-------------------------+--------------------+
|DEATHS in the dif-| EAST LONDON UNION. | WEST LONDON UNION. |
|ferent seasons of +--------+--------+-------+------+------+------+
|five years, as | Saint |Cripple-| Work- | | |Work- |
|follows:-- |Botolph.| gate. |houses.|North.|South.|house.|
+------------------+--------+--------+-------+------+------+------+
|In five Autumn | 616 | 613 | 201 | 357 | 392 | 129 |
|Quarters | =1430= | =878= |
+------------------+--------+--------+-------+------+------+------+
|In five Winter | 641 | 623 | 223 | 371 | 464 | 183 |
|Quarters | =1487= | =1018= |
+------------------+--------+--------+-------+------+------+------+
|In five Spring | 519 | 583 | 195 | 402 | 471 | 159 |
|Quarters | =1297= | =1032= |
+------------------+--------+--------+-------+------+------+------+
|In five Summer | 682 | 664 | 183 | 438 | 562 | 124 |
|Quarters | =1529= | =1124= |
+------------------+--------+--------+-------+------+------+------+

+------------------+-------------------------------------+------+
|DEATHS in the dif-| CITY OF LONDON UNION. | Total|
|ferent seasons of +-----+-----+------+-----+-----+------+ for |
|five years, as |S. W.|N. W.|South.|S. E.|N. E.|Work- |entire|
|follows:-- | | | | | |house.|City. |
+------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+-----+------+------+
|In five Autumn | 245 | 236 | 272 | 227 | 271 | 119 |=3678=|
|Quarters | =1370= |
+------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+-----+------+------+
|In five Winter | 248 | 274 | 347 | 265 | 360 | 153 |=4152=|
|Quarters | =1647= |
+------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+-----+------+------+
|In five Spring | 226 | 230 | 273 | 255 | 262 | 137 |=3712=|
|Quarters | =1383= |
+------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+-----+------+------+
|In five Summer | 307 | 228 | 273 | 202 | 260 | 117 |=4040=|
|Quarters | =1387= |
+------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+-----+------+------+

No. XI.--_Comparative Mortality in Different Seasons of the Year._

AUTUMN QUARTERS.

+-----------------+--------------------------+--------------------+
| | EAST LONDON UNION. | WEST LONDON UNION. |
|DEATHS in five +--------+--------+--------+------+------+------+
|Autumn Quarters | Saint |Cripple-| Work- |North.|South.|Work- |
|as follows:-- |Botolph.| gate. |houses. | | |house.|
| +--------+--------+--------+------+------+------+
|Oct., Nov., Dec.,| | | | | | |
| 1848| 127 | 128 | 31 | 74 | 103 | 29 |
| „ „ „ | | | | | | |
| 1849| 118 | 137 | 44 | 85 | 70 | 23 |
| „ „ „ | | | | | | |
| 1850| 101 | 125 | 32 | 62 | 72 | 14 |
| „ „ „ | | | | | | |
| 1851| 140 | 117 | 64 | 68 | 80 | 30 |
| „ „ „ | | | | | | |
| 1852| 130 | 106 | 30 | 68 | 67 | 33 |
+-----------------+--------+--------+--------+------+------+------+
|Total of five | =616= | =613= | =201= | =357=|=392= |=129= |
|Seasons | | | | | | |
+-----------------+--------+--------+--------+------+------+------+

+-----------------+-----------------------------------------+------+
| | CITY OF LONDON UNION. |Totals|
|DEATHS in five +------+------+------+------+------+------+ for |
|Autumn Quarters | S.W. | N.W. |South.| S.E. | N.E. |Work- |entire|
|as follows:-- | | | | | |house.|City. |
| +------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
|Oct., Nov., Dec.,| | | | | | | |
| 1848| 40 | 50 | 59 | 40 | 62 | 23 | =766=|
| „ „ „ | | | | | | | |
| 1849| 57 | 45 | 55 | 51 | 52 | 28 | =765=|
| „ „ „ | | | | | | | |
| 1850| 48 | 44 | 49 | 55 | 48 | 22 | =672=|
| „ „ „ | | | | | | | |
| 1851| 63 | 54 | 52 | 48 | 55 | 29 | =800=|
| „ „ „ | | | | | | | |
| 1852| 37 | 43 | 57 | 33 | 54 | 17 | =675=|
+-----------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
|Total of five |=245= |=236= |=272= |=227= |=271= |=119= |=3678=|
|Seasons | | | | | | | |
+-----------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+

No. XII.--_Comparative Mortality in Different Seasons of the Year._

WINTER QUARTERS.

+-----------------+--------------------------+--------------------+
| | EAST LONDON UNION. | WEST LONDON UNION. |
|DEATHS in five +--------+--------+--------+------+------+------+
|Autumn Quarters | Saint |Cripple-| Work- |North.|South.|Work- |
|as follows:-- |Botolph.| gate. |houses. | | |house.|
| +--------+--------+--------+------+------+------+
|Jan., Feb., Mar.,| | | | | | |
| 1849| 136 | 117 | 36 | 73 | 90 | 30 |
| „ „ „ | | | | | | |
| 1850| 96 | 124 | 36 | 91 | 84 | 40 |
| „ „ „ | | | | | | |
| 1851| 154 | 140 | 49 | 87 | 89 | 22 |
| „ „ „ | | | | | | |
| 1852| 124 | 96 | 48 | 54 | 101 | 37 |
| „ „ „ | | | | | | |
| 1853| 131 | 146 | 54 | 66 | 100 | 54 |
+-----------------+--------+--------+--------+------+------+------+
|Total of five | =641= | =623= | =223= | =371=| =464=| =183=|
|Seasons | | | | | | |
+-----------------+--------+--------+--------+------+------+------+

+-----------------+-----------------------------------------+------+
| | CITY OF LONDON UNION. |Totals|
|DEATHS in five +------+------+------+------+------+------+ for |
|Autumn Quarters | S.W. | N.W. |South.| S.E. | N.E. |Work- |entire|
|as follows:-- | | | | | |house.|City. |
| +------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
|Jan., Feb., Mar.,| | | | | | | |
| 1849| 52 | 63 | 60 | 52 | 77 | 36 | =822=|
| „ „ „ | | | | | | | |
| 1850| 46 | 45 | 80 | 58 | 74 | 29 | =803=|
| „ „ „ | | | | | | | |
| 1851| 59 | 48 | 81 | 56 | 67 | 24 | =876=|
| „ „ „ | | | | | | | |
| 1852| 42 | 61 | 61 | 50 | 67 | 32 | =773=|
| „ „ „ | | | | | | | |
| 1853| 49 | 57 | 65 | 49 | 75 | 32 | =878=|
+-----------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
|Total of five | =248=| =274=| =347=| =265=| =360=| =153=|=4152=|
|Seasons | | | | | | | |
+-----------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+

No. XIII.--_Comparative Mortality in Different Seasons of the Year._

SPRING QUARTERS.

+-----------------+--------------------------+--------------------+
| | EAST LONDON UNION. | WEST LONDON UNION. |
|DEATHS in five +--------+--------+--------+------+------+------+
|Autumn Quarters | Saint |Cripple-| Work- |North.|South.|Work- |
|as follows:-- |Botolph.| gate. |houses. | | |house.|
| +--------+--------+--------+------+------+------+
|April, May, June,| | | | | | |
| 1849| 85 | 130 | 39 | 77 | 110 | 34 |
| „ „ „ | | | | | | |
| 1850| 80 | 90 | 19 | 74 | 71 | 27 |
| „ „ „ | | | | | | |
| 1851| 115 | 101 | 48 | 92 | 79 | 21 |
| „ „ „ | | | | | | |
| 1852| 110 | 131 | 38 | 70 | 121 | 31 |
| „ „ „ | | | | | | |
| 1853| 129 | 131 | 51 | 89 | 90 | 46 |
+-----------------+--------+--------+--------+------+------+------+
|Total of five | =519= | =583= | =195= | =402=| =471=| =159=|
|Seasons | | | | | | |
+-----------------+--------+--------+--------+------+------+------+

+-----------------+-----------------------------------------+------+
| | CITY OF LONDON UNION. |Totals|
|DEATHS in five +------+------+------+------+------+------+ for |
|Autumn Quarters | S.W. | N.W. |South.| S.E. | N.E. |Work- |entire|
|as follows:-- | | | | | |house.|City. |
| +------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
|April, May, June,| | | | | | | |
| 1849| 56 | 55 | 58 | 45 | 50 | 26 | =765=|
| „ „ „ | | | | | | | |
| 1850| 34 | 39 | 40 | 43 | 50 | 22 | =589=|
| „ „ „ | | | | | | | |
| 1851| 44 | 38 | 75 | 70 | 56 | 28 | =767=|
| „ „ „ | | | | | | | |
| 1852| 47 | 51 | 41 | 47 | 59 | 28 | =774=|
| „ „ „ | | | | | | | |
| 1853| 45 | 47 | 59 | 50 | 47 | 33 | =817=|
+-----------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
|Total of five | =226=| =230=| =273=| =255=| =262=| =137=|=3712=|
|Seasons | | | | | | | |
+-----------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+

No. XIV.--_Comparative Mortality in Different Seasons of the Year._

SUMMER QUARTERS.

+-----------------+--------------------------+--------------------+
| | EAST LONDON UNION. | WEST LONDON UNION. |
|DEATHS in five +--------+--------+--------+------+------+------+
|Autumn Quarters | Saint |Cripple-| Work- |North.|South.|Work- |
|as follows:-- |Botolph.| gate. |houses. | | |house.|
| +--------+--------+--------+------+------+------+
|July, Aug., Sep.,| | | | | | |
| 1849| 171 | 199 | 73 | 148 | 295 | 33 |
| „ „ „ | | | | | | |
| 1850| 102 | 93 | 26 | 74 | 65 | 18 |
| „ „ „ | | | | | | |
| 1851| 123 | 105 | 38 | 76 | 73 | 11 |
| „ „ „ | | | | | | |
| 1852| 160 | 116 | 26 | 74 | 77 | 31 |
| „ „ „ | | | | | | |
| 1853| 126 | 151 | 20 | 66 | 52 | 31 |
+-----------------+--------+--------+--------+------+------+------+
|Total of five | =682= | =664= | =183= | =438=| =562=| =124=|
|Seasons | | | | | | |
+-----------------+--------+--------+--------+------+------+------+

+-----------------+-----------------------------------------+------+
| | CITY OF LONDON UNION. |Totals|
|DEATHS in five +------+------+------+------+------+------+ for |
|Autumn Quarters | S.W. | N.W. |South.| S.E. | N.E. |Work- |entire|
|as follows:-- | | | | | |house.|City. |
| +------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
|July, Aug., Sep.,| | | | | | | |
| 1849| 145 | 77 | 86 | 77 | 73 | 18 |=1395=|
| „ „ „ | | | | | | | |
| 1850| 39 | 39 | 43 | 31 | 43 | 22 | =595=|
| „ „ „ | | | | | | | |
| 1851| 40 | 39 | 53 | 36 | 42 | 27 | =663=|
| „ „ „ | | | | | | | |
| 1852| 44 | 32 | 49 | 26 | 54 | 28 | =717=|
| „ „ „ | | | | | | | |
| 1853| 39 | 41 | 42 | 32 | 48 | 22 | =670=|
+-----------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
|Total of five | =307=| =228=| =273=| =202=| =260=| =117=|=4040=|
|Seasons | | | | | | | |
+-----------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+

ON THE PRESENT
BURIAL-PLACES OF THE CITY.

TO THE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE OF THE HON. THE COMMISSIONERS OF SEWERS
OF THE CITY OF LONDON.

_December 10th, 1852._

GENTLEMEN,

In order to an application of the Metropolitan Burials Act by the constituted authorities of the City, you have requested me to report how far, in my judgment, the existing burial-places within this jurisdiction are fit for further reception of the dead.

I have little to add to the information which I have laid before the Commission in my successive annual reports--especially in that of 1849, and which long since induced me to express my conviction ‘that the City of London could no longer with safety or propriety be allowed to furnish intramural burial to its dead.’

It would, indeed, be ridiculous if I should pretend to you that this part of the subject requires any further inquiry. Putrefactive decomposition of one kind and another is the principal cause of town-unhealthiness. Against its occurrence round about our houses all your legislation is directed. The human body, once destitute of life, furnishes no exception to the laws of organic decay: under the common laws of chemical change, it soon dissolves itself into products neither less offensive, nor less poisonous, than those of any brute’s decomposition. And you cannot take a juster view of the subject--you cannot arrive at stronger arguments for the immediate abolition of intramural interment, than by forcing yourselves to discard for a moment all memory of the fading human outline which masks this dreadful nuisance, and to conceive it as _a mere bulk of animal matter_, planted every year to undergo decomposition within the City, beneath our Churches, and before our thresholds.[91]

[91] The right of interment in the City may at present be claimed in
respect probably of more than three thousand corpses _per_ annum. The
number actually interred of late years has, I believe, not exceeded an
average of two thousand _per_ annum.

Dead bodies thus buried contribute importantly in their neighbourhood to the vitiation of air and water. Those that lie shelved in vaults, eventually, if not at first, spread through the atmosphere every product of their decomposition. Those that are dug into the soil have their decay modified by its influence, mingle with its drainage the products of their transformation, and thus (as I have shown in my remarks on the Bishopsgate pump water) find their issue in the nearest land-spring of the spot, polluting the drink of the population. Further, in all the more frequented burial-grounds, the soil seems to be saturated with animal matters only partially transformed; and at every new disturbance by the spade, a fresh quantity of this unctuous clay comes upmost, tainting the air with materials of fœtid decomposition, often to the great distress of persons who dwell in the vicinity.

On such grounds as these, I cannot hesitate in renewing my report that the City of London is absolutely unfit to serve as a further burial-place for the dead; and this, whether by inhumation or in vaults, whether in parochial burying-grounds, or in those of other communities.

Regard being had to the object of your reference, you would probably not desire me at present to enter on the ulterior questions of extramural interment.

On such representations as I have made, the Court of Common Council (acting under the Metropolitan Act already referred to) has authority to determine in respect of the City of London, whether the existing places of burial, either from their insufficiency, or from their dangerousness to health, are so unfit for their purpose as to render it necessary that other burial-space be provided.

Should they affirm this view, they can then ‘authorise and direct the Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London to exercise for the said City and Liberties all the powers and authorities vested in Burial-Boards under the Act.’

This course being taken, the Commission (subject to approval from the Secretary of State) will have authority to make all arrangements requisite for the final closure of burial-places within the City.

In approaching the subject of extramural sepulture, with its innumerable details of inquiry, for site, for conveyance, and for burial--details which form the knowledge and experience of a special class of persons, the Commission may perhaps first consider whether works so foreign to their usual functions shall be undertaken by themselves directly, or shall be made matter of contract with existing Cemetery Companies, or other associations or individuals. Till this decision is made, it seems impossible to conjecture what topics you may wish to entertain, or within what limits the industry of your officers may most usefully be exercised.

There are many very important parts of the subject with which it may hereafter become my duty to deal; but till the preliminary questions are settled, it would be idle to detain you with sanitary considerations belonging to a later stage of your inquiry.

As my Report for 1849 had long been out of print, I subjoin an extract from it of so much as relates to the matter in hand.[92]

[92] The passages here referred to form a separate section of the
First Annual Report; and therefore need not be reprinted in this part
of the present volume.--J. S., 1854.

NOTE.

_On considering the above Report, the Improvement Committee of the
Commissioners (to whom the subject had been specially referred) at
once resolved to report to the General Court that, in their ‘judgment,
steps should be taken for closing the several burial-places within the
City;’ and at the same time they desired that the Officer of Health
would prepare for them his opinion on those ulterior arrangements
which such closure might render necessary._

_The following Report was written accordingly._

INTRODUCTORY REPORT
SUGGESTING THE
OUTLINE OF A SCHEME
FOR
EXTRAMURAL INTERMENT.

TO THE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE
OF THE
HON. THE COMMISSIONERS OF SEWERS OF THE CITY OF
LONDON.

GENTLEMEN,

Under the several clauses of the Metropolitan Burials Act, and under certain clauses of the City Sewers Act 1848, the Commissioners of Sewers, acting as a Burial-Board for the City of London, will be subject to the following responsibilities--viz.:

_First_,--That a sufficient extramural burial-place be provided for
those classes of persons who have heretofore had right of interment
within the City;

_Secondly_,--That the facilities of transit and conveyance to such
burial-place be commensurate with the purposes for which it is
established;

_Thirdly_,--That evil no longer accrue to the health of the City from
unnecessary delays of interment, or from the keeping of dead bodies in
the dwelling-rooms of the poor.

* * * * *

I. To measure the sufficiency of a burial-place, one must know for what numbers of population it is intended to suffice.

Burial-Boards under the new Act are obliged to provide accommodation for all _parishioners_ or _inhabitants_ of the several parishes within their jurisdiction.

Under the term ‘parishioners’ as relating to the City, there may be included, I am told, an indefinite number of non-resident rate-payers: and although, at first, interment might not be claimed under the latter head to any considerable extent, yet, with the completion and success of your Cemetery, the applications might year by year become more numerous. From the nature of the case, such claimants would in most instances be of the wealthier classes, and might consequently be expected to apply for special allotments of ground. It seems therefore desirable that you should have some knowledge of the number for whom you may thus be required to provide.

I would accordingly suggest as expedient, that a legal opinion should be obtained on your exact liabilities under the law referred to; and especially as to whether the right of burial possessed by non-resident rate-payers does likewise extend to the non-resident households of such rate-payers.

In the meantime I will leave this set of claimants out of my argument; assuming that, whenever you have reckoned their number, you will be able, on their account, to add to your general estimate, according to a fixed proportion, the assessment of whatever additional accommodation they may legally require.

The number of deaths belonging to the ‘inhabitants’ of the City of London may be more precisely given. It would probably lie, as an average, within 3200 per annum.

In attempting to fix the extent of ground required for your purpose in respect of this mortality, I must bring before you some preliminary considerations.

First,--as regards the _minimum accommodation_ to be given in your Cemetery; I assume that every person buried there, however humble his previous station in life, may in death claim a grave to himself. It has been the opprobrium of our previous system that, in the poorer classes of interments, many bodies have been huddled together into a single pit. Probably you will think, as regards your future burial-place, that no consideration of cheapness can justify this indecency: probably you will be unwilling that, in a presence which confounds all social comparisons, there should be drawn, with your sanction, between rich and poor any so disrespectful distinction. But at all events, on sanitary grounds, I feel bound to assure you that these multiple burials are quite inadmissible. With such concentration of organic remains in very narrow compass, the soil grows utterly fœtid; and it becomes impossible to guard against nuisance arising to the public, or against danger to those who are occupied in digging and tending the ground. These evils, indeed, are so glaring, and the indecorum of crowded interment has long been so notorious, that nothing could have given them continuance except the necessities of our narrow accommodation under the system of intramural burial: and it would of course be without excuse to perpetuate them under the changed circumstances of extramural Cemeteries, where space can so readily be obtained for all legitimate requirements of the public. So far as the experience of other countries may help to determine your judgment in this matter, I may inform you that, in every foreign interment system which can deserve to be considered an establishment of public authority, the right of single burial is universally recognised.

Next--as regards the _succession of interments_; according to the burial-usages of modern times, no public Cemetery with fixed limits can be permanently useful, except on a full recognition of the fact that it is a decaying place for the dead, not a place for their embalmment or mummification. For hence it follows, that ground once used for burial becomes equally fitted for a second use, whenever by gradual decomposition the bodies first interred there have thoroughly vanished from the soil.

This principle has given the common rule of burial; and for obvious reasons. Under any other plan, the entire area allotted for interment would presently be in holding. No portion, however remote the date of its first occupation, could be resumed for a second series of interments; and the provision of a new Cemetery would be indispensable. Pushed to its extreme consequences, such a system must eventually convert the entire country into its burial-ground.

Under the practice of intramural interments--that practice which the new law supersedes, the principle of temporary tenure has been made to cover all manner of brutal abuses. Graves have been disturbed--within metropolitan churchyards and other burying-grounds, in which the transformations of decay had not half accomplished themselves; and public decency has been outraged--here, in the centre of civilisation, by the spectacle of human remains being tossed about like offal. It is one chief advantage of extramural sepulture, that, while the inevitable decay of the dead will be removed from the vicinity of the living, and the latter will no longer have their atmosphere tainted by this hideous contamination; so likewise for the dead--however humble, that in this new resting-place, room will be allotted them with no indecent stint; that the dwellings and market-places of the living will no longer hem them in, grudging their narrow requirements; that their return to dust will be respected, as beseems the last phase of mortal existence; and that, against any desecration of their repose, there will be given every security which piety and affection can demand.