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TUBERCULOUS DISEASES. 27
Duration of Consumption.—During the eight years 1901-8, 1,223 deaths of residents of the
Borough have been registered with phthisis as the primary cause of death. There have been
other deaths with that disease as a secondary cause, but the number of such deaths has not
been noted. During the same period enquiries have been made after the deaths taking place
in the Borough. It has been thought desirable to examine the reports with a view to
determining, if possible, the reputed duration of the disease. On scrutiny of the reports, those
relating to 478 deaths, dating from 1903, were found suitable for the present purpose. The
test of suitability was the inclusion in the report of a definite turn to the disease.
It must be admitted at this stage that there are many difficulties and uncertainties
attaching to all estimates of the duration of consumption, but the discussion of such points
cannot be taken here. A brief note of the results obtained is all that can be given.
By summation of the reported durations of the disease, the average duration for males
(all ages), was found to be 22T4 months, for females 27*78 months, and for persons, 24'20
months. Below is given a table of the numbers of instances of reported durations of selected
terms, recorded at different ages of life, for each sex. It should be noted that the average

While it is thought that the averages given for each sex-age group may be accepted as
approximations to the true averages, those given for males, females and persons at all ages
cannot be so accepted, unless it is shown that the sample of 476 deaths used for the estimation
has a sex-age composition corresponding with that of the total deaths recorded. On
page 28 is given a tabulation of the percentages of deaths at each age (sexes distinguished)
in the sample 476 deaths, and in the total deaths during 1901-08.