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7
Rescue Homes of the Salvation Army established in Hackney, and
of these only 8 were of Hackney parentage; so that the actual
number of illegitimate births amongst Hackney residents was 136.
These give an illegitimate birth-rate of 21.3 per 1,000 births. Such a
rate does not testify very highly to the morality of Hackney.
Deaths.—The deaths registered in Hackney during the year 1900
reached the total of 3,898; but of these 518 were of non-residents
in the district, and in addition 291 Hackney residents died in other
districts. Making the necessary corrections, I find the exact
number of deaths amongst residents during the year 1900 to be
3,652, which is equivalent to an annual death-rate of 16.7 per 1,000
living. Correcting this rate for age and sex-distribution by means of
the factor 1.01645, the true mortality of Hackney for the year 1900
becomes 17.4 per 1,000 living, against a rate of 171 per 1,000 living
for the year 1899. The above rate for 1900 compares favourably with
all London, which was 18.8 per 1,000 for the same year. It is very
satisfactory to know that in spite of increasing population, especially
of a class amongst whom as a rule the death-rate is high, and
increasing density, the death-rate does not show any considerable
rise. It also shows that the money and labour spent in Public
Health administration have not been used in vain, but are being
rewarded by lengthened life, and improved health of the public.
Infant Mortality.—The deaths under one year of age numbered
1,035 during the year 1900. This is equivalent to a mortality
of 162 per 1,000 births. The following table shews the chief causes
of infant mortality during the last nine years. It will be seen that
diarrhoea and tubercular diseases, with lung diseases, form a large
proportion, and are all more or less preventable.
The infant mortality for all London for the same period was
160 per 1,000.