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A more exact method of estimating the birth-rate is by calculating
it on the number of females living at child-bearing ages, distinguishing
married and unmarried, legitimate and illegitimate, The illegitimate
births were 186 in 1902 (5.7 of the total births), 150 in 1903 (4.7 of
the total births). The legitimate birth-rate calculated on the above
lines was equal to 174 per 1,000 married women in 1902, 164 per
1,000 in 1903; the illegitimate rate would equal 4'6 in 1902 and
3'8 in 1903, per 1,000 unmarried women between the ages of 15
and 45.
The births are arranged according to the old divisions of the City in
Table III., and the comparative rates are shown in Table IV. These are,
uncorrected for births outside the City.
Deaths.
2,517 deaths were registered in the City in the 52 weeks ending the
2nd January, 1904. After deducting 931 deaths of non-citizens in
public institutions in the City, and adding those of 833 citizens who died
in other districts, the corrected total is 2,419, and is equivalent to
an annual rate of 13.5 per thousand persons. The London death-rate
for the same period was 15.2, and for England and Wales 15.4, which is
the lowest rate on record, the only previously recorded rates below 17
per 1,000 having been 16.3 in 1902, 16.5 in 1894 and 16.9 in 1901.
The rates were, in each instance, below the average of the preceding
ten years, to the following extent:—The City 3.7 per 1,000, London
3.3 per 1,000, and England and Wales 2.3 per 1.000.
A Factor for Correction of Death-rates.—Following on the method
adopted by the Registrar General in dealing with the statistics of the
large towns of England and Wales, Mr. Shirley Murphy, the Medical
Officer of the County Council, has calculated out a "factor" whereby
differences in the age and sex constitution of the population may be
removed. This is arrived at by obtaining the age and sex distribution
of the population of a district at the last census, and after ascertaining
the death-rate for each sex, at each age period, in England and Wales