AND THE RATE OF MORTALITY. 311 



and annual mean and extreme values of the various me- 

 teorological elements as observed at Greenwich ; but these 

 statements as usually given are of little value to sanitary- 

 science. To be of use, the results of meteorological ob- 

 servations ought to be regularly grouped and discussed 

 with reference to the various questions which arise in con- 

 nexion with the origin and development of diseases ; but 

 this obvious and very important course of proceeding ap- 

 pears to be entirely neglected by boards of health, health 

 committees, and officers of health ; and, as a natural con- 

 sequence, their misdirected efforts, made without a due 

 regard to the true principles of sanitary science, have 

 hitherto failed entirely to effect any improvement in the 

 state of the public health, or any reduction in the general 

 rate of mortality, as is clearly shown in the mortality re- 

 turns. Thus, during the 15 years 1838-52, the average 

 annual rate of mortality for the whole of England was 

 22*35 to 1000 persons living; and during the succeeding 

 15 years, 1853-67, it was 22*47. I* i® therefore evident 

 that, notwithstanding the so-called sanitary improvements, 

 made, at great cost, in almost every town and district in 

 the kingdom during the latter period, the public health 

 remained in the same unsatisfactory state in which it had 

 been during the previous 1 5 years ; and the death-rate still 

 showed a tendency to increase. 



From a Table at page xlii of the 30th Annual Heport of 

 the Registrar General, it appears that, during the six years 

 1857-62, the average annual rate of mortality in 142 dis- 

 tricts and 56 subdistricts, comprising the chief towns in 

 England, was 23*70 per 1000 living, while in the following 

 five years, 1863-67, it was 25*35; and in the remaining 

 districts and subdistricts of England and Wales, compri- 

 sing small towns and country parishes, it was 1974 in the 

 former period, and 20*41 in the latter. Now, as the cha- 



