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72
General, in his annual summary for 1873, speaking of the
whole of London, intimates, that the excess of births over
deaths in the year under notice very closely corresponded
with the estimated increase of the population, or to use
his own expression, "the actual agrees with the natural
increase." This, however, has never been the case in the
outlaying parishes which border what is termed the " outer
ring " of the Metropolis. Putney, for example, which is
just within the Metropolitan area, has a very fluctuating
population, but it is known to increase very largely from
year to year by immigration, or influx of new residents, and
of course proportionately so by births. Unlike some of the
east, west and central districts of London proper, there are in
this parish none of the elements of decline, and there is
no prospect whatever of the population becoming stationary,
as in St. George's, Hanover Square and some other localities,
or decreasing, as it has been shown to have done, in the
City of London, Marylebone, and Westminster.
Adopting then the usual mode of calculation, it is
found that this Sub-district has increased its number of
inhabitants from the estimate of the previous year, which
was 9,807 to 10,002 by excess of births over deaths alone;
by births and immigration together, the calculation referred
to, brings the estimate to 10,101 in the middle of the
year 1873. The deaths being 125, it follows that the
mortuary rate for 1873, was 12.3 only per 1000 persons
living, the birth rate 30.6, and the rate of natural increase,
18.3 per 1000.* This result is highly satisfactory, and
certainly, during my period of office, I have never, in any
one year of the nineteen, had to report so favourable a
condition of things, or even an approach to it.
Uncertified, Sudden and Accidental Deaths, Inquests,
dc.—Happily but two deaths were placed on the Register
during the year, without being first attested by Medical
Certificate, or by Coroner's inquisition.
* By a clerical error it was stated in my Report for 1872, page 65, that the
Birth-rate per 1000 for that year was 137; it should have been that the natural
increase of the population was at that rate.