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REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH.
1908
PART I.
The mean temperature of the air during 1908 was exactly equal to the average of the preceding
65 years. The monthly average was markedly exceeded in October and less so in May and November,
while the April mean was considerably below the average, the deficiency being less marked in August
and January. The rainfall during the year, as a whole, was slightly below the average, the difference
being most marked in the months of November, September and October, and also manifested, although
in less degree, in the months of May, January and February. In each of the remaining months of the
year the rainfall was somewhat above the average, this difference being most marked in the month
of July. The marriage-rate (15*9) was considerably below the marriage-rate of the preceding year
(17*0), and was the lowest rate recorded in London since complete marriage statistics have been
available. The birth-rate (25*2) was the lowest on record in London since the institution of civil
registration, as were also the death-rate (13.8) and the infantile mortality (113). The deaths from
diseases of the respiratory system and pneumonia were below the annual average number of the
preceding 10 years, whilejthe deaths from influenza and cancer were above the average. No case of
small-pox is known to have occurred in London, and the deaths from measles, whooping-cough,
diphtheria, enteric fever, diarrhoea and phthisis were below the average.
If the death-rate in 1908 be compared with that of the decennium 1891-1900 the result expressed
in terms of lives and " life capital," shows a saving of 26,205 lives, representing a gain to the community
of 1,066,770 years of " life capital."
Population.
The population of the Administrative County of London, estimated to the middle of the year
1908, was 4,795,757.
The populations of the City of London and each of the metropolitan boroughs, as constituted
by the London Government Act of 1899, estimated to the middle of 1908, are shown in the following
table—

Marriages.
The number of marriages in the Administrative County of London in 1908 was 38,209,
giving an annual rate of persons married of 15*9 per 1,000 persons living. This, as previously stated,
is the lowest rate recorded in London since complete marriage statistics have been available.
The marriage-rate in s uccessive periods lias been as follows—

21322
Bf