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11
THE BIRTH-RATE.
The number of Births registered in Lambeth during the
year 1895 was 9,341, as compared with 9,232 for the year
1894. Of the total 9,341 births, 4,838 were males, and
4,503 females, showing an excess of 335 males.
The birth-rate for Lambeth is, therefore, 32.8 per 1000
inhabitants (35.9 for males and 29.9 for females), as compared
with 30.5 for London (32.8 for males and 28.3 for
females); whilst in the various Registration Sub-districts the
birth-rates work out as shewn in Table A. Tables B and C
shew the number of births and the birth-rates for the last 10
years in Lambeth.
The birth-rate affects the death-rate by altering the
age constitution of the population, and the inter-relationships
of birth- and death-rates are important in considering
the Vital Statistics of a Community. With a persistently
high birth-rate the age constitution (in the early years) is
affected considerably, as will be easily understood by an
example. Supposing a high birth-rate be maintained for
20 years, there will be an increase of persons living under
20 years of age, and, therefore, though the number of persons
under 5 years of age is increased, causing thereby an
increased death-rate, the number of persons between 10
and 20 years of age is also increased, and the death-rate
thereby decreased. The rate of mortality amongst young
children (under 5) and the aged (60 and upwards) is higher
than amongst persons of other age periods (e.g., 5 to 20,
20 to 40, 40 to 60), so that a persistently high birth-rate
may produce a low death-rate; or, in other words, the lower
the average age constitution of a population, the lower