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may be distinctive only by their external signs. In any
case, the subject involved in the comparison of the
extent and mortality of the two diseases dining special
periods, is of sufficient interest in the study of preventive
medicine, to merit some consideration, and possibly
its further pursuit may be productive of some good,
but a question of such indefinite proportions cannot be
further prosecuted in this Report.
The Census of 1871.
During the past two years I have estimated the
population of the Hamlet for the purposes of my Reports
to the Health Committee at 90,000, and two
years previous to that at 85,000 ; the population in
1861 being 73,064; hence the weekly rates of mortality
given in my Reports have been closely in proportion to
the average population during these periods.
There are some interesting details to be observed by
an analysis of the returns of the last census, as issued
by the Board of Guardians, in relation to the public
health, and to which I will briefly allude.
In the North Ward, the increase of population
during the ten years, was 3,849, or 25 per cent, upon
the population of 1861.
In 1861, there were 6.53 persons to each inhabited
house; in 1871, 7 persons to each house; so that the
population increased in a greater ratio than the new
houses to accommodate them in the same numbers as
in 1861. The increased population would have required
to live to the number of 9.5 persons in each new house,
but diffusing them through the entire Ward, reduces
this to 7 persons, or half a person more than in 1861
to each house; but the distribution would of course
not be equal, hence there is probably considerable
overcrowding somewhere in this Ward.