156 REPORT—1863. 
On the Reduction of the Death-rate in Gateshead by Sanitary Measures. 
By Joun Lame. 
The situation of the town of Gateshead is upon the banks of the River Tyne, 
immediately opposite Newcastle—built pu on the low ground adjoining the 
river, and partly on rapidly rising ground behind, the whole being very favourably 
situated for drainage. In the old parts of the town, on the flat ground at the 
river’s edge, the streets are narrow, two of considerable length being only from 
8 to 10 feet wide; other parts of the old town are built in courts, the houses in 
almost all cases being improperly constructed, and devoid of all means of thorough 
ventilation ; generally miserably deficient in accommodation, and no yard attached, 
the whole ayailable space being built upon. 
Previous to 1851 (when the Public Health Act was applied to Gateshead), 
there had only been one sewer executed, costing £2000, but no use was made of 
it for “private drainage.” Sewerage works were commenced by the Board in 
1854, and they spent up to the end of 1862 the sum of £6525; but this left about 
one-fourth of the sewerage works yet to be done to render them complete, or, say, 
total executed, and to be executed, will cost £10,500. The smallness of this sum 
for a town of 33,589 inhabitants (in 1861) is owing principally to the favourable 
nature of the site for drainage, and also in some measure to the cheapness of the 
materials, the whole of the sewerage pipes being made in the town, and on 
account of pipes 6 inches diameter being in most cases used for branch sewers 
instead of 9-inch and 12-inch, the usual sizes. 
The cost of draining towns varies from 12s. to 20s. per head of the population, 
or even in some cases higher, but the sewerage works of Gateshead will only cost 
6s. 3d. per head. 
Since 1851 there has also been executed all necessary “private drains,” con- 
necting the houses and yards with the public sewers, costing, say, four-fifths of 
the public sewers (the usual proportion), or £5000, 
Between 1851 and 1862 there have been thirty-six “private streets” paved at 
an expense to the owners of the adjoining houses of £3680. 
The cost of the whole of the above permanent sanitary works executed has 
therefore been £15,205. 
As the result of this expenditure, the annual mortality has been reduced from 
50:2 per 1000 (for the six years from 1851 to 1856 inclusive) to 25:4 per 1000 
(for the six years from 1857 to 1862 inclusive), or a saving of nearly 5 per 1000. 
If, instead of the last six years, the average of the last four years were taken, the 
death-rate will be still further reduced to 24°3 per 1000. 
This is far above what it ought to be, as the normal mortality of towns may be 
stated at 17 per 1000, but which standard it is not anticipated will be speedily 
reached in Gateshead, on account of the malconstruction of the old houses, as 
mentioned above. Yet, as new and better houses are built, and sanitary works 
are vigorously carried on, there is every reason to believe that a mortality of less 
than 20 per 1000 will be attained. 
On the Decrease of the Agricultural Population of England, 1851-61. By 
Freperick Purpy, Principal of the Statistical Department, Poor Law Board, 
and one of the Honorary Secretaries of the Statistical Society. 
The author commenced by drawing attention to the prosperity which of late 
years has attended English farming, and to the rise in the value of land, especially 
since 1853. Nevertheless, at the last census it was found that the only counties 
which had decreased in population were the agricultural ones of Cambridge, Nor- 
folk, Suffolk, Wilts, and Rutland. To exhibit the decrease in the population 
ascribed to the class “ Agricultural ” in the census of occupiers of 1861, the writer 
divided the kingdom into three sections. (1) 24 counties of highest rank, where up- 
wards of 20 per cent. of the adult population is occupied in agriculture. (2) 16 
counties of intermediate rank, where over 10 and under 20 per cent. is employed ; 
and (3) 5 counties of lowest rank, where less than 10 per cent. is employed. Be- 
tween 1831 and 1861 the first section of counties had increased 1,093,000, or 22 
per cent. on the population generally ; the second section 1,651,000, or 39 per cent. ; 
