And in 1870 another Act of the most far-reaching importance was passed, "The Elementary Education Act," which prescribed the establishment of a School Board for London, and which in process of time would exercise vast influence towards a cleaner, brighter, healthier life than any hitherto within the reach of the masses of the population of London. But though progress was being made in many ways, the progress had not affected infantile life. "The dreary catalogue of human misery" given in the statistics of infantile mortality was as dreary as ever. In every part of London those statistics were appalling. In 1867, in the Whitecross Street District of St. Luke, no less than 64·4 per cent. of the mortality for the district consisted of deaths among children under five years of age. In 1868 it was close upon 61 per cent. In Bethnal Green, in 1869-70, of 3,378 deaths, 1,900 were under five = 56·3 per cent. In a sub-division of Whitechapel, in 1865-6, close upon 58 per cent. were under five; in Poplar a fraction short of 47 per cent. In Kensington, in 1866, 40·6 per cent. were under five. Each year the Medical Officer of Health for Fulham drew attention to, and protested against, the high rate, nearly 50 per cent., of infantile mortality under five, in 1867-8. In Wandsworth, in 1870-1 = 47 per cent. In Camberwell, in 1868 = nearly 50 per cent. In St. Mary, Newington, and in Rotherhithe = 50 per cent. In Bermondsey, in 1869-70 = 56 per cent. In certain streets the percentage was much higher. Thus in Paddington (1870-1):-- Woodchester Street 56 per cent. Cirencester " 65 " Clarendon " 72 " The high infantile mortality betokened high infantile sickness, but of it no records have ever been kept. FOOTNOTES: [81] 25 and 26 Vic. cap. 102. [82] See P.P. 1866, vol. xvii. Report of Royal Commission. [83] Hansard, vol. clxi. p. 1061. [84] Ibid., vol. clxii. p. 148. [85] P.P. 1866, vol. xxxiii. [86] See P.P. 1863, vol. xxv. Report by H. S. Tremanheere to the Home Secretary, 1862. [87] "In a bakehouse in St. Martin's Lane, eight men slept in one room (separated from the bakehouse) which had nothing that deserves the name of a window" (Report of Medical Officer of Health, 1864). [88] P.P. 1864, vol. xxviii. Sixth Report of the Medical Officer of the Privy Council (1863). [89] Hansard, 1864, June 16, p. 1835. [90] See Reports of the Commissioners on Children's Employment, 1864-6. [91] Shoreditch, 1863. [92] Westminster, 1861-2. [93] 1863-4. [94] Whitechapel, 1861. [95] P.P., vol. clxxxvi. Select Committee of House of Commons on Medical Local Government, 1866, p. 259. [96] Hansard, 1861, vol. clxi. p. 1070. [97] Report of Commissioners. P.P. 1864, vol. xxii. p. xlix. [98] See P.P. 1874. Report of Select Committee on the Adulteration of Food, &c. Evidence of H. Owen. [99] 26 and 27 Vic. cap. 40. [100] Ibid. cap. 117. [101] P.P. 1866, vols. xxxiii.-iv.