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38
Increase of Population, Death Rate, &c.—There are
good grounds for believing that the increase of the population
of the parishes comprising this Sub-district has been
very considerable since my last annual report was submitted.
The excess of births over deaths for the past year is
110, and I calculate if only the same number is added for
increase by immigration in the same period, it would
place the population at about 11,300 for 1866. The
registered deaths then being 173, or 22 only over the
number of the preceding year, it follows that a very small
increase in the per centage of deaths to population has to
be noted. In my last report the death-rate was estimated
at 13 per 1,000 persons living. Even allowing my present
estimate of the number of inhabitants to be somewhat too
large, which I do not think is the case, I consider it would
be giving the widest possible margin for any such overestimate
to put the death rate for 1866 at 15 per 1,000
living, and as it cannot possibly exceed that, I cannot
avoid saying I think it most satisfactory to be enabled to
keep our mortuary rate below that of many a rural
locality which, with a rate of even 17 per 1,000, is looked
upon as holding a high place amongst the model parishes
of England.
It is with much satisfaction also that I refer to the fact,
as evidenced by the social position columns of the table of
mortality, of the deaths occurring amongst the industrious
or labouring classes in 1866 being less than those amongst
the three classes above them. In most localities, in consequence
no doubt of the poor being found in much larger
numbers than in this Sub-district, the preponderance of
deaths is greatly on the side of the working population.
The Streatham Sub-district, however, presents in this
respect a very marked exception.
Sickness and Mortality amongst the Union Poor.—Table
V., Appendix, exhibits both the number of cases treated,
and the number of deaths that occurred during the year
amongst the parish poor. It also shows the character of
the diseases most prevalent amongst this class of persons.