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38
BATTERSEA WEST.
During the year 1882 the total amount of mortality,
allowing for increase of population, closely approximated
to that of 1881. The death-rate, calculated in the same
manner as that used by the Registrar-General, who
assumes a continuance of the same rate of increase
of population as that which prevailed during the
past decade, was 18.0 per 1,000. But if we compare
the birth-rate during the census year with that
of the present it will, I think, be apparent that
this method of calculation is liable to error when
applied to a locality like West Battersea which is subject
to such great increase of population by immigration;
thus in the census year, when we had the exact population
on which to calculate our statistics the birth-rate
was 37.5 per 1,000, or 5 per 1,000 less than that of the
previous year, showing clearly that the method pursued
could not be correct, and whilst giving us a rate which
did not exist very materially affected the death-rate, which
correspondingly also considerably declined. Taking,
then, the census year's birth-rate as a guide to our
present population the number of persons in this
district would be 59,600, and the death-rate 16 per
1,000, in the place of 18, whilst the birth-rate, which is
41 per 1,000, would be reduced to the standard of 1880,
viz, 37, which I believe to be about the actual state of
things.
In reviewing the causes of death, especially in
reference to those diseases over which the sanitarian has
control it is satisfactory to note that they exhibit a
diminution on the previous year, and are for the most