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Death-rate in England and Wales, and in London and other Large Towns.—
The death-rate in England and Wales in 1908, was 14*7 per l'OOO; 0*3 below that of 1907;
1*7 below the average rate in the preceding ten years, and the lowest yet recorded. The rate in
London, was 13"8 per 1,000 of the estimated population, and 0-8 below that of 1907 ; l-4 below
the average rate in the 5 years 1903-1907, and the lowest on record.

Greater London.—The death-rate in " Greater London "—which is co-extensive with the
" Metropolitan " and " City" Police Districts, the population of which at the middle of the year
was 7,323,327 (viz. 4,795,757 in Inner or Registration London and 2,527,570 in the Outer Ring) was
13*2 per 1,000, as compared with 14'4,14*4, and 13*9, severally, in the preceding three years. In the
County of London the mortality was at the rate of 13'8 per 1,000, whilst in the Outer Ring it did
not exceed 12'0. Infantile mortality in Greater London was equal to 108 per 1000 births, as
compared with 123, 129, and 112, severally, in the preceding three years. Last year infantile
mortality was equal to 113 per 1,000 in the County of London, and to 98 in the Outer Ring.
Other Large Towns.—The crude death-rate in the seventy-six large towns, including
London (population 16,234,952), was 14"9 per 1,000; the rates in the preceding three years having
been 15'7, 15*9 and 15*4. The death-rates of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dublin and Belfast were
severally 15'2, 17"7, 23*0, and 19'5. These rates are calculated without reference to differences
between one town and another with regard to the age and sex-distribution of their respective
populations. But the sex and age composition of the several populations having been ascertained
at the census of 1901, suitable factors have been calculated for correcting the recorded death-rates
in the large towns in order to render them fairly comparable with one another ; and in his Annual
Summary the Registrar-General furnishes a table showing the recorded and corrected
death-rates per 1,000 persons living, in each of the 76 towns in 1908.
Colonial and Foreign Cities.—The authorities of a large number of the principal cities
supply returns of mortality to the Registrar-General. The highest death-rates recorded in 1908,
were 32*2 in Rio Janeiro, 28"6 in St. Petersburg and 28*0 in Moscow; the lowest, 10*3 in Sydney,
130 in Amsterdam and 13'7 in Rotterdam.
Indian Cities.—The death-rate was 27*8 per 1,000 in Calcutta, 40*6 in Madras, and
39*1 in Bombay.
ASSIGNED CAUSES OF DEATH.
The Registrar-General issued, in 1902, a "New List of Causes of Death," as used in the
Annual Reports for England and Wales, together with " Suggestions to Medical Practitioners
respecting Certificates of Causes of Death," in which it is stated to be " highly desirable that
Medical Practitioners should use only those terms which are recognised by the Royal College of
Physicians of London." This List comprises "General Diseases," i.e., those in which the
whole body may be said to suffer, and " Local Diseases," of various systems and organs, set out
in the Table (page 57,) in which the first twenty diseases named are those formerly described as
"Specific, Febrile or Zymotic Diseases;" chief among them being the nine "Principal
Zymotic Diseases;" three of which were formerly associated under the generic term " Fever,"
which comprises Typhus-fever, Enteric-fever, and Pyrexia.