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THE MANCHESTER DEATH-RATE.
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Annotations. "
Ne
quid nimis."
THE PUBLIC HEALTH (LONDON) BILL. IT could scarcely be expected that the Public Health I (London) Bill would be read a third time in the House of Commons without some modification of the provisions it ’, contained after amendment by the Standing Committee on Law. The metropolitan vestries and district boards are strongly represented in the House of Commons, and have too great an influence over the elections of members of Parliament for their wishes to be entirely disregarded; and these bodies, or rather some of them, have not viewed with satisfaction the constitution of another authority having administrative duties in relation to the subject matter, which has hitherto been entirely in their hands. We do not doubt that a little experience of the new order of things will soon allay any apprehensions which are now felt on this score, and that eventually the advantage of having a body able to consider the wants of the metropolis as a whole will be fully recognised. The alterations which have been made in the Bill are, from the point of view of efficient sanitary administration, somewhat unfortunate, inasmuch as they tend to render permanent those small differences in local government which have been recognised as serving no object and leading to perplexity and failure. Mr. Ritchie hopes to overcome this difficulty by persuading the numerous sanitary authorities to adopt model by-laws which he has
promised
to prepare, and if he is successful in his efforts
there will be less reason for regretting this alteration of the Bill, but the future only can show how far he will attain his object. Notwithstanding this modification the Bill is a good and useful measure. It largely increases the powers of the sanitary authorities, and it enables a central metropolitan authority having jurisdiction over the whole of London to coordinate the experience of each district and This ensure that the law is effectually administered. indeed has been London’s greatest want-a want which Mr. Ritchie has clearly recognised, and which he has done his best to supply. We trust, therefore, that in its passage through the House of Lords the Bill will not be further deprived of its useful provisions. It has weathered a severe storm, and, thanks to Mr. Ritchie’s careful piloting, is still capable of rendering admirable service to London. We hope therefore to have the satisfaction of seeing the Bill become law with as little delay as possible.
THE MANCHESTER DEATH-RATE. THE recent census shows that the rate of growth in Greater Manchester during the ten years ending in April last was almost identical with that which had prevailed in the preceding ten years. The result of this is, in the first place, that the Registrar-General’s estimate of the present population of the city was all but absolutely correct ; and in the second place, that the high death-rates that have been published for the city in recent years turn out to have been accurate and to need no correction. In Salford, however, the over-estimate of the population by the official estimate was so enormous that the recent death-rate in the city has been under-stated by no less than 26 per cent. Thus while the high Manchester rate is proved to have been correctly calculated, the new census figures show that Salford has been living in a "fool’s paradise." It is difficult to account for it, but these circumstances appear to have given satisfaction to the correspondent of the Manchester City News, who last year set himself the difficult task to prove that the high death-rates in Manchester were "all moonshine." His
on the subject in the same paper is so crowded with blunders that it is almost impossible to treat his statements seriously. It may be useful, however, to point out that the effect of using the new estimates of population based upon the recent census numbers has been to raise the London death-rate by 1 per 1000, not by 11 per 1000, and to raise the Salford rate by 5 per 1000, and not by 18 per 1000; while the Manchester rate remains unchanged, and has not " advanced only 8 per 1000." Moreover, it is not true that the London death-rate as given in the comparative table of the Registrar-General’s Weekly Return is based upon Greater London, as it is and always has been based upon Inner or Registration London. With regard to the comparison of the death-rates in Manchester and Salford, it may be stated that the mean rate in Manchester, during the ten years 1881-90, calculated upon estimates of population based on the recent census numbers, was 26’6 per 1000, and no less than 5 per 1000 in excess of the mean rate in the twenty-eight towns during the same period. The rate in Salford calculated in the same way was 24’5, and more than 2 per 1000 below the Manchester rate. Compared with the death-rate in the preceding ten years, the rate in Manchester showed a decline of 3 per 1000, equal to 6’8 per cent.; while the decrease in Salford was 3’5 per 1000, and was equal to 12’5 per cent. Thus not only was the corrected mean deathrate in Salford during the ten years 1881-90 very considerably lower than the rate in Manchester, but, compared with the rates that prevailed in the preceding ten years, the reduction in the death-rate was proportionally nearly twice as great in Salford as in Manchester. It should be remembered that the enlarged area of the city of Manchester has been adopted by the Registrar-General and by the local sanitary authority as a basis for its mortality statistics since the beginning of this year. It is too early at present to know what effect this enlargement will have upon the recorded death-rate of the city. It may be noted, however, that in the first quarter of this year, under the influence of the influenza epidemic, the death-rate of Greater Manchester was 28’4 per 1000, which exceeded by 5’4 the mean rate in the aggregate of the twenty-eight large towns.
DANGEROUS PERFORMANCES. A NATURAL and not always reprehensible interest attaches to the wild beast show. Not only the curiosity of the wonder seeker, but the more educated concern of the naturalist may here derive a harmless satisfaction from close observation of savage animal life. When, however, the same conditions become the occasion of sensational displays the case is altered. In the performances of the professional lion-tamer, for example, we are at once conscious of a great risk encountered, and the question is to what extent is this risk allowable. Occasional so-called accidents have taught the lesson that nothing is more characteristic of the fierce animal nature than its uncertainty. Weeks, months pass away without mishap. Then there comes an unexpected outbreak of ferocity-some effect of weather, it may be, of want of food, or blind beast-passion-soon over, perhaps, but in the meantime irremediably mischievous. The case of a lion-tamer, who was fatally injured a few days ago at Plymouth by one of his performing animals, may be quoted as a recent illustration. The coroner’s jury in this case advised the prohibition of such dangerous performances, and most persons will admit the justice of their recommendation in the circumstances. We have again and again protested in the same sense. It must also be remembered, however, that whatever the danger apparently incurred, the measure of real or inherent risk is that which must chiefly operate in directing prohibitory legislation. If an occurrence like the
Annotations. "
Ne
quid nimis."
THE PUBLIC HEALTH (LONDON) BILL. IT could scarcely be expected that the Public Health I (London) Bill would be read a third time in the House of Commons without some modification of the provisions it ’, contained after amendment by the Standing Committee on Law. The metropolitan vestries and district boards are strongly represented in the House of Commons, and have too great an influence over the elections of members of Parliament for their wishes to be entirely disregarded; and these bodies, or rather some of them, have not viewed with satisfaction the constitution of another authority having administrative duties in relation to the subject matter, which has hitherto been entirely in their hands. We do not doubt that a little experience of the new order of things will soon allay any apprehensions which are now felt on this score, and that eventually the advantage of having a body able to consider the wants of the metropolis as a whole will be fully recognised. The alterations which have been made in the Bill are, from the point of view of efficient sanitary administration, somewhat unfortunate, inasmuch as they tend to render permanent those small differences in local government which have been recognised as serving no object and leading to perplexity and failure. Mr. Ritchie hopes to overcome this difficulty by persuading the numerous sanitary authorities to adopt model by-laws which he has
promised
to prepare, and if he is successful in his efforts
there will be less reason for regretting this alteration of the Bill, but the future only can show how far he will attain his object. Notwithstanding this modification the Bill is a good and useful measure. It largely increases the powers of the sanitary authorities, and it enables a central metropolitan authority having jurisdiction over the whole of London to coordinate the experience of each district and This ensure that the law is effectually administered. indeed has been London’s greatest want-a want which Mr. Ritchie has clearly recognised, and which he has done his best to supply. We trust, therefore, that in its passage through the House of Lords the Bill will not be further deprived of its useful provisions. It has weathered a severe storm, and, thanks to Mr. Ritchie’s careful piloting, is still capable of rendering admirable service to London. We hope therefore to have the satisfaction of seeing the Bill become law with as little delay as possible.
THE MANCHESTER DEATH-RATE. THE recent census shows that the rate of growth in Greater Manchester during the ten years ending in April last was almost identical with that which had prevailed in the preceding ten years. The result of this is, in the first place, that the Registrar-General’s estimate of the present population of the city was all but absolutely correct ; and in the second place, that the high death-rates that have been published for the city in recent years turn out to have been accurate and to need no correction. In Salford, however, the over-estimate of the population by the official estimate was so enormous that the recent death-rate in the city has been under-stated by no less than 26 per cent. Thus while the high Manchester rate is proved to have been correctly calculated, the new census figures show that Salford has been living in a "fool’s paradise." It is difficult to account for it, but these circumstances appear to have given satisfaction to the correspondent of the Manchester City News, who last year set himself the difficult task to prove that the high death-rates in Manchester were "all moonshine." His
on the subject in the same paper is so crowded with blunders that it is almost impossible to treat his statements seriously. It may be useful, however, to point out that the effect of using the new estimates of population based upon the recent census numbers has been to raise the London death-rate by 1 per 1000, not by 11 per 1000, and to raise the Salford rate by 5 per 1000, and not by 18 per 1000; while the Manchester rate remains unchanged, and has not " advanced only 8 per 1000." Moreover, it is not true that the London death-rate as given in the comparative table of the Registrar-General’s Weekly Return is based upon Greater London, as it is and always has been based upon Inner or Registration London. With regard to the comparison of the death-rates in Manchester and Salford, it may be stated that the mean rate in Manchester, during the ten years 1881-90, calculated upon estimates of population based on the recent census numbers, was 26’6 per 1000, and no less than 5 per 1000 in excess of the mean rate in the twenty-eight towns during the same period. The rate in Salford calculated in the same way was 24’5, and more than 2 per 1000 below the Manchester rate. Compared with the death-rate in the preceding ten years, the rate in Manchester showed a decline of 3 per 1000, equal to 6’8 per cent.; while the decrease in Salford was 3’5 per 1000, and was equal to 12’5 per cent. Thus not only was the corrected mean deathrate in Salford during the ten years 1881-90 very considerably lower than the rate in Manchester, but, compared with the rates that prevailed in the preceding ten years, the reduction in the death-rate was proportionally nearly twice as great in Salford as in Manchester. It should be remembered that the enlarged area of the city of Manchester has been adopted by the Registrar-General and by the local sanitary authority as a basis for its mortality statistics since the beginning of this year. It is too early at present to know what effect this enlargement will have upon the recorded death-rate of the city. It may be noted, however, that in the first quarter of this year, under the influence of the influenza epidemic, the death-rate of Greater Manchester was 28’4 per 1000, which exceeded by 5’4 the mean rate in the aggregate of the twenty-eight large towns.
DANGEROUS PERFORMANCES. A NATURAL and not always reprehensible interest attaches to the wild beast show. Not only the curiosity of the wonder seeker, but the more educated concern of the naturalist may here derive a harmless satisfaction from close observation of savage animal life. When, however, the same conditions become the occasion of sensational displays the case is altered. In the performances of the professional lion-tamer, for example, we are at once conscious of a great risk encountered, and the question is to what extent is this risk allowable. Occasional so-called accidents have taught the lesson that nothing is more characteristic of the fierce animal nature than its uncertainty. Weeks, months pass away without mishap. Then there comes an unexpected outbreak of ferocity-some effect of weather, it may be, of want of food, or blind beast-passion-soon over, perhaps, but in the meantime irremediably mischievous. The case of a lion-tamer, who was fatally injured a few days ago at Plymouth by one of his performing animals, may be quoted as a recent illustration. The coroner’s jury in this case advised the prohibition of such dangerous performances, and most persons will admit the justice of their recommendation in the circumstances. We have again and again protested in the same sense. It must also be remembered, however, that whatever the danger apparently incurred, the measure of real or inherent risk is that which must chiefly operate in directing prohibitory legislation. If an occurrence like the