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12
BIRTHS.
The total number of Births registered during the year 1903,
has been 2,702, of which 1,374 were males, and 1,328 females;
this gives a Birth Rate of 27.15 per 1,000 of the population,
which is slightly below the Birth Rate of last year. The Birth
Rate for the County of London equals 28.5, and varies from 13.8
in the City of London, 169 in the City of Westminster, 17.1 in
Hampstead, to 357 in Bethnal Green, 37.1 in Finsbury, and
37'6 in Stepney.
DEATHS.
The total number of deaths registered during the period was
1,317, of which 715 were males, and 602 females. This total
number of deaths is actually 137 less than the total number of
deaths in the previous year. This gives a crude Death Rate for
the Borough of 13.23 per 1,000, thus favourably comparing with
15.1 the Death Rate for the County of London as a whole, and
16.0 the Death Rate for the 76 large English Towns. It is very
gratifying to find that, although the population for the Borough
has increased by some 1,385 persons, yet amongst this increased
population there has been an actual diminution in the total number
of deaths. This very satisfactory result is undoubtedly due to
a complexity of causes, and, in my opinion, undoubtedly the
cause having the very greatest effect, was the unusual rainfall
throughout the year, and particularly during the summer months,
when the presence of putrifying organic refuse in the proximity of
dwellings brings its inevitable train of infantile deaths; whereas,
during the year in question, from the very constant washing, both
of the atmosphere and streets, and the flushing away of fermenting