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census of 1871, was 20 per cent. above the like
proportion in London. Under 5 years of age the
deaths from diarrhœa were 110; from scarlet fever 68;
from measles 38; and from whooping cough 91;
making a total of 307 deaths from these four causes,
against 60 deaths from the same diseases at all other
ages. Many other causes of death are chiefly fatal at
this period of life, and hence in estimating the true
value of a zymotic death rate, and also of the general
rate of mortality, it is very important to bear in mind
the difference which may exist in different districts in
the constitution of the population with regard to age.
Our infant death rate was low. The deaths under one
year of age being 144 per 1,000 registered births. In
London the proportio n was 158. In the Provincial
Towns it ranged from 146 in Bristol, to 219 in
Leicester. The mean rate in 20 towns was 169.
POPULATION.
Estimates of population are based on the increase
which occurred in the ten years which preceded the last
census. When the number of inhabited houses is
known the estimate may be checked by means of the
average number of persons living in each house, at the
last census. I have not been able to obtain the requisite
information on this subject. The population in 1861
was 58,212, and in 1871 it was found to be 80,429,