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14
SUMMARY OF VITAL AND MORTAL STATISTICS.
In the table at page 15, the principal vital and mortal statistics of the year have been
arranged in thirteen four-weekly periods corresponding to the dates of the monthly reports.
The birth-rate was 19.3 per 1,000; the death-rate 14.0 per 1,000. There were, as usual,
considerable fluctuations in the rate at different periods of the year, ranging between the minimum
(10.5) in the seventh four-weekly period, ended July 15th, and the maximum (16.8) in the second
four-weekly period, ended February 25th. The rate in five of the periods was above, and in eight
below, the average for the year. The deaths in the first half of the year (1,353) were 199 more than
those in the second half (1,154); the death-rate in the two half-years being 15.1 and 12.9 respectively.
The deaths from the principal diseases of the zymotic class were 247—three more than in 1904, and
70 below the decennial average ; 108 of them occured in the first half of the year, 139 in the second.
Whooping cough was the prevalent and most fatal disease in the first half; the deaths in the first
twenty-four weeks numbering 51 out of a total of 60 in the year. Seventy-four of the 90 deaths
(mostly infantile) from diarrhoea occurred in the second half of the year ; 64 of them in twelve weeks,
July 16th to October 7th. The deaths from diseases of the respiratory organs (537) were more by
21 than in 1904. Diseases of the heart were the causes of 209 deaths, compared with 212 in the
preceding year. Phthisis was fatal to 199 persons against 226 in 1904; other tubercular diseases
claimed 74 victims, compared with 116 in the preceding year.
COMPARATIVE VITAL AND MORTAL STATISTICS.
London.—The birth-rate, 27.1 per 1,000 (2.2 below the decennial average), was the lowest
on record. The rate has been declining for many years, never having been below 30 per 1,000 prior
to 1898: the highest rate during my tenure of office, 35.9 per 1,000, was recorded in 1876.
The death-rate was 15.1 per 1,000 (1.5 per 1,000 below that in 1904), and 2.7 below the
average of the preceding four years 1901-4.
Small-pox, the cause ot '242,1,3000, 13 and '25 deaths, respectively, in 1901,1902,1903,and 1904,
was fatal to 10 persons in 1905.
Scarlet-fever was the cause of 549 deaths, compared with 365 in 1904, and a decennial average
of 595.
Diphtheria was the cause of 553 deaths ; 176 fewer than in 1904, and 1,166 below the decennial
average, 1,719.
Enteric-fever shows the smallest number of deaths on record, 243 or less than half the
decennial average, 596.
The four diseases above-named, commonly spoken of as the " dangerous infectious
diseases," were the causes of 1,355 deaths : the deaths from the other three principal diseases of
the zymotic class totalled 6,632 being 1,785 above the decennial average; viz., measles 1,715
(average 2,495), whooping-cough 1,507 (average 1,941), and diarrhoea 3,410 (average 3,981).
Kensington.—The birth-rate, 19.3 per 1,000, and the lowest on record, was the same as the
rate in 1904, and 1.3 below the decennial average. Having regard to the disproportion in the
number of the sexes a high birth-rate is not possible ; but the fall from the maximum during my
tenure of office, viz., 31.7 in 1872, is unduly great.
The death-rate, 14.0 per 1,000; was 0.2 below that in 1904, and 1.6 below the decennial
average; the infantile mortality-rate, 144, compared with 162 in the ten years 1895-1904.
Scarlet-fever was the cause of 21 deaths, diphtheria of 9, and enteric-fever of 13; total 43 in a
population of 179,000 ; a surprisingly small number. The deaths from scarlet-fever, diphtheria and
interic-fever were 2 above, and 36 and 2, respectively, below the decennial averages. The deaths
from the remaining three of the principal diseases of the zymotic class were 204 : viz., measles 54
[average 77), whooping-cough 60 (average 51), and diarrhoea 90 (average 107).
The table at page 20 shows the number of deaths in the several Wards of the Borough
from the principal diseases of the zymotic class.
The mean temperature of the air at Greenwich during the year was 49.9 Fahrenheit and 0.5
above the means of the preceding 50 years: the means of the four quarters being 41.8, 53.2, 60.9
and 42.6, respectively.