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similarly prevailing conditions, produce a constant ratio of
increase. If this proposition be correct, it must be apparent
that the determination of the population from its
ratio of births will embrace, amongst the lesser causes of
variation referred to, all the fluctuations due to emigration
and immigration, the latter of which can be arrived at
only by the assumption of an estimate of increase
which may or may not have any foundation on fact.
These data being premised, the population of this District,
calculated from its previously ascertained ratio of births
on an average of 10 years, amounted during the year 1875
to 157,576 persons, giving a death-rate of 19.64 per
1000 living on an average during that year.
Causes of Death.—The nature of the causes of death, and
the classes of disease from which the mortality of the past
year resulted, are recorded in Table 1 Appendix. These,
with the relative positions which they occupied in their
order of fatality, and their numerical comparison with
those of former years, will be found fully commented on
in the several local Summaries. It will therefore be
necessary here only to indicate those classes which claim
attention in consequence of their unusual activity or
variation from their ordinary position in contributing to the
rate of death.
Diseases of the Respiratory Organs (excluding Consumption),
which formed upwards of 20 per cent. of all deaths,
assumed the first place in the causation of the mortality,
thus occupying the position almost invariably held by
diseases of the Zymotic class. The next most fatal class
of diseases was the Tubercular, which includes Scrofula and
Consumption, forming upwards of 18 per cent.; and the third
in order of fatality was the Zymotic Class, constituting
upwards of 17 per cent. The other classes present no variations
which would appear to have affected the Death-rate in
any appreciable degree; but it should be observed that Class
3 (Diseases of the Brain and Nerves) is, as usual, in excess,
by reason of its containing the mortality of the Surrey