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5
HEALTH AND SANITARY CONDITION OF THE
ENTIRE DISTRICT.
The health of this District, during the year 1875,
in common with that of the rest of the Metropolis suffered
considerably from the presence of Epidemic Diseases.
But the incidence of the latter was so partial (as will be
found on reference to the several Local Summaries contained
in this report) that while some of the Sub-districts
suffered a heightened mortality, others enjoyed comparative
immunity from those diseases. Hence the death-rate
of the entire District is found to have been below the
average and not very materially heightened by such
unfavourable influences.
Vital Statistics.
The total deaths registered in the entire District during
the year 1875 numbered 3096; 1571 were of males and
1525 of females.
The births were 5529 in number; 2771 of males and
2758 of females.
The excess of births over deaths gives the natural
increase of 2433.
The Death-rate.-The most important and generally
accepted exponent of the sanitary status of any locality is
presented by its death-rate; but its trustworthiness, it
need scarcely be remarked, is entirely dependent on its
accuracy. Unfortunately such accuracy, except at the
periods of each census, has been very difficult of attainment,
in consequence of the absence of a reliable datum
for determining the exact number of the population, upon
which alone a correct estimate of the death-rate neces-