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60
Social Position.—There has been in the past year
a very marked diminution in the relative proportion of
deaths borne by the labouring to the other classes of the
inhabitants. This is especially noticeable in the deaths
from epidemic diseases, the proportion of which was less
than the average to the extent of 25 per cent. Thus, the
proportion of deaths from all causes borne by the labouring
classes was 72 per cent., and of the deaths from epidemic
diseases 60 per cent. ; the corresponding average proportions
of the ten preceding years have been 76 per cent.
and 80 per cent. respectively. This diminution of the
usual disproportionately large death-burden of the working
classes may be accepted as an indication of sanitary
improvement in those localities where such improvement
is most needed.