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1898] 36
Second Quarter.—During this period the health of Islington, as
judged by its mortality returns, was very satisfactory. Indeed, it
might be almost described as abnormal, for the deaths, which numbered
1,246, were 172 below the corrected average of the second quarters of
the years 1885-97, and the death-rate, which equalled 14.44 per 1,000
of the population annually, was 3.30 below the mean of the same
periods.
On one occasion only has the death-rate for this period been so low,
namely in 1897, when it was only 12.67.
If it had not been for the presence of Measles, which caused
107 deaths, the return would have been even more favourable than
it was.
Third Quarter.—The quarter was only slightly less healthy than
is usual at this season of the year, the deaths being 41 above the
corrected average of the third quarters of the preceding thirteen years
and the death-rate 0.47 above the mean of the same periods.
The total number of deaths was 1,439, as against a corrected
average of 1,398; while the death-rate was 16.68 contrasted with a
mean rate 16.21 per 1,000.
In the beginning of this quarter very low death-rates were
experienced, ranging from 9.98 1o 15.72 per 1,000. In its seventh
week (the 33rd of the year) the mortality increased, so that the deathrate
became 19.80, whence to the end of the quarter it varied from
17.53 to 21.76.
Diarrhcea was the cause of this disturbance of the death-rate for it
was more than usually prevalent, having caused 238 deaths, equal to an
annual death-rate of 2.76, as against a corrected average of 165 in the
corresponding periods of the thirteen years 1885.97. There have been
occasions when the deaths exceeded this return, namely, in 1886 and
1887, when they were respectively 272 and 280. They are,
however, the highest for ten years. Throughout the Country the