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REPORT.
Gentlemen,
The deaths which in 1859 took place in Mile End
Old Town exceeded in number those of the previous year
by twenty two.
In searching for the reason of the apparent increase, or for
circumstances which would account for it, I had the satisfaction
to find, that it might be said practically not to exist.
The numbers arc correct, but the first return in the present
year was for Saturday the first day in January, and the last for
Saturday the 31st of December;—so that in 1859 we have
the events of fifty three weeks to compare with those of fifty
two weeks in 1858. Supposing that the average number
of deaths be thirty weekly, the difference will be seen to be
slightly in favour of the year on which it is now my duty
to report to you. And when the progressive increase of the
population is further taken into consideration, the result
will be found to be still more favourable.
Had the mortality of the year been greater than that of
the preceding year, it would hardly have led to a supposition
that the number of deaths was generally increasing, for, in my