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TUBERCULOUS DISEASES. 21
For the reason assigned above it is useless to give the sex-age mortalities save in the two
larger groups and for the whole Borough. Below are last year's rates from pulmonary
tuberculosis contrasted with the mean rates for the preceding quinquennium. It will be seen
that higher rates were recorded last year among males at ages 15—, 35—, 45—, and 55—,
while among females higher rates were recorded at two ages only, viz., 25—, and 35—.

The mortality from the other forms of tuberculosis is more uniformly distributed throughout
life, and hence a somewhat more extended tabulation is required. The figures given
below show a considerable reduction in the mortality among males and females at the
younger ages of life. The few exceptions to the general reduction recorded do not carry
much weight, as they are based on very small numbers of deaths at each age. The almost
universal decrease in the rates is the more significant feature.

The mortality rates from " phthisis" given in Table 10, have been obtained from the
figures published in the Quarterly Reports of the Registrar-General, those for " other
tuberculous diseases " from the Medical Officers of Health of the districts, save that the
Metropolitan rate has been calculated from the figures given in the Weekly Returns. The
local rate for phthisis (TOO) was exceeded only by the rates for the Metropolis (T31), Westminster
(1*22) and Marylebone (1*15). The Hampstead rate (0*77) was the only one in
excess of its mean (0*74). Higher rates from other tuberculous diseases than that for the
Borough (0"26) were recorded in the Metropolis (0*51), Kensington (0*42) and Westminster
(0-35).
Owing to differences in the sex-age composition of the populations, the " corrected " rates
from phthisis,* given in Table 19 (page 29), are to be preferred to those already quoted. The
general conclusion which may be drawn from the figures in that Table, is that the local rate
does not show a reduction in the mortality from phthisis equal to that shown in the other
districts. Such conclusion is based on the smaller differences between last year's rate and
the standard, and the mean rate for 1903-07. Some allowances must be made for the greater
density of population to the acre (highest (106) in the Borough) and for the larger proportion
of population living in tenements of less than five rooms, the local percentage (50'9) being
exceeded only by that for Marylebone (55'6).
* The data necessary for obtaining similar rates for other tuberculous diseases are not at present available.