View report page

30
Mortality.—The deaths registered during 52 weeks
in the year 1878 were, of males 433, and of females 462 ;
the total number being 895. The numbers for the two
preceding years were, for 1877, 905, and for 1876, 893;
which when the increased population elsewhere shewn is
taken into account, aifords evidences of the excellent
sanitation of the sub-district.
The estimated mean population being 50,200, the
death-rate for the year 1878 would be at the extremely
low average of l7.8 per thousand. The
Registrar-General's method of calculating the increase of
population, although perfectly correct when applied to
the whole country, is insufficient when applied to such
rapidly-increasing communities as the one under consideration
; and would give an official mean population
for East Battersea of 40,049, with a consequent deathrate
of 22.3 per thousand per annum.
Ages at death.—The number of deaths under one
year of age was 364, or 40 per cent, of the total number.
Between one and five years 211 deaths occurred, or 23 per
cent, of the whole. The number of deaths under five
years would therefore be 575, and be 63 per cent, of the
895 deaths registered.
Above 80 years of age 9 persons died. Of these 6
were females of the respective ages of 82, 84, 89, 90, 93
and 93; and 3 were males aged 8], 85 and 85 at time of
death. It would appear that superior longevity is one of
the numerous privileges of the former sex.
Zymotic or Epidemic Diseases.—The year 1878 will
contrast favourably with any recent year in the diminished
fatality of diseases of this class. In the year 1876 and
1877 206 deaths occurred, and in 1878 zymotic disease
caused but 194 deaths. A glance at the subjoined table
will show in what particulars the three years differ from
each other in the respective mortality from the various
diseases.