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deaths from inflammatory diseases of the lungs, and hot
weather from diarrhoea. The increase, however, besides that
arising from these variations also depends on the greater or less
proportion of children of the well-to-do classes, as compared with
those of the poor, because the mortality amongst children of the
poor under 1 year is nearly double that amongst the former class.
The table shows that 22.5 per cent. of the deaths at all
ages occurred amongst children under 1 year, against 235 in
1887, 25.8 in 1886, and an average of 24.4 in the years
1876-85. In 1856-65 the average was lower than in 1888, as
at that time we had fewer poor in proportion to the whole
population than at present. At the next age period of 1-5, i.e.,
of children above 1 year old and under 5, the rate was in
excess of the average, viz., 18.5 per cent., against 16 9 in
1876-85, so that the death rate at 0-5, i.e., under 5, reached
41.0, against 41.2 per cent. in 1887. The death rates during
each subsequent decennium were as follows: at 5-15, 4.9 per
cent.; at 15-25, 4.1; at 25-35, 4.4; at 35-45, 6.9 ; at 45-55,
7.7 ; at 55-65, 9.2 ; at 65.75, 11.5; at 75-85, 8.0 ; and above
85, 2.3 per cent. of the deaths at all ages.
As the percentages of deaths at different ages vary in
proportion to the population living at each age period, as well
as in different years according to the prevalent diseases, I
have extended my calculations to a period of 38 years ; the
first decennium, for 1851-60, being that during which sanitary
measures could have produced but little effect on the death
rates generally ; the second, 1861-70, when sanitary measures
were being more actively carried out, but were not advanced
sufficiently to influence the death rates to a deoidedly
appreciable extent; the third decennium, 1871-80, and the
period 1881-88, when a more marked effect might fairly be
expected. The death rates at all ages corresponded with my
expectations, except for 1861-70, when they increased above those
for 1851-60, the chief cause being the influx of a large number
of poorer persons than those previously living here, and the