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19
The True Death-Rate in 1898.—From time to time
observations are made which indicate misapprehension of the
signification of the expression "death-rate" as used, in the
table at page 18, which shows the rate of mortality for each of
the four-weeklyperiods covered by the monthly reports. It may
be well, therefore, to explain by an illustration what is really
meant. The deaths in the last four-weekly period of the year
were 176, and the death-rate was stated to be 133 per 1,000.
This statement implies, simply, that if the deaths for the whole
year had been in the same proportion to the population, as in
the 49—52 weeks, the annual death-rate would have been
133 per 1,000 of the estimated population at the middle of the
year. The estimated population in 1898 was 172,000: the
deaths registered were 2,798 : the death-rate, therefore, was
16.3 per 1,000 (2,798 :— 172,000 = 16.3). This method of
calculating the death-rate is customary, and is that used by
the Registrar-General. The death-rate so calculated is, of
course, an uncorrected one, as it does not take cognizance of
the relative numbers of the sexes, nor of the age-distribu—
tion of the population. Correction for these data involves
addition to, or subtraction from, the " recorded death-rate,"
as compared with the " standard death - rate."* The
necessity for such correction in this parish is obvious,
having regard to the great excess of females in the population,
and to the lower death-rate in the female sex as compared
with the rate in the male sex. As has already been stated,
females are, approximately, 36,060 in excess of males, the
relative numbers of the two sexes being, males 67,970, and
females 104,030. The deaths among the 67,970 males (1,335)
* "The standard death-rate" signifies the death-rate at all ages, calculated on
the hypothesis that the rates at each of twelve age-periods in each town were
the same as in England and Wales during the 10 years 1881-'90, the death-rate in
England and Wales during that period having been 19'15 per 1,000. (RegistrarGeneral's
Annual Summary). See also an observation on the subject, at page
24, on the death-rate in " other large towns."