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course, proportionately increased, the rate for the County being
13'4 as compared with 12 4 for the previous year.
The 1921 death-rate of 11.5 and infant mortality rate of 66
were the lowest ever recorded in Hackney. The position of
Hackney—6th in the comparative table of the 29 boroughs and
cities—is still very satisfactory, the boroughs with the lower death
rate being Hampstead, Lewisham, Wandsworth, Woolwich and
Fulham. As regards the infantile mortality, to the Boroughs
already mentioned, several others must be added as showing a
more favourable return than Hackney, viz., Westminster, Green,
wich, Holborn, Chelsea, Stoke Newington, Paddington and
Battersea.
The increased death-rate, as regards the younger age periods,
is mainly due to a greater number of deaths from organic diseases
of the heart, bronchitis, and broncho-pneumonia; cancer
and tuberculosis, two very important factors in every deathrate,
show a very slight decrease. Cancer is a disease affecting
the later age periods and tuberculosis the prime of life,
although there is considerable evidence that tuberculous infection
is received in childhood.
The infantile mortality rate for the Borough, measured by
the number of deaths under 1 year of age per 1,000 births
registered, was 72, as compared with 66, the figure for last year;
the Borough average during the last 5 years 1917-1921 is 87,
and the figure for all London during the past year is 74, as compared
with 80 in 1921.
There was an increase during the year in the number of
deaths from Measles, Whooping Cough, Bronchitis and
Pneumonia.
The zymotic death-rate is .63 as compared with .7, the figure
for 1921. The number of Scarlet Fever cases notified during
1922 was 674, as compared with 1,863 in 1921, and the number