View report page

94
Death- Calculated from the registered mortality and the
rate estimated population, the death-rate of the past
year was 19.93 per 1,000 persons living; and, inclusive
of the deaths that occurred in institutions without the
sub-district, 22.41 per 1,000. Determined, however, in
this manner, neither of these deductions can be accepted
as representing the natural death-rate of this sub-district,
in consequence of the disturbing influence of certain
public institutions by the mortality of which the deathrate
is unduly raised. These are the Hospital for
Incurables, St. Peter's Hospital, and the Surrey County
Lunatic Asylum, the inmates of which are, with a
fractional exception, derived from without the subdistrict,
undergo no natural increase, and are subject to
a high mortality, which on an average forms about onefifth
of the total deaths registered—an amount that
renders any deduction of the death-rate from the death
register, without correction for the conditions referred
to, entirely valueless. In consequence of the foregoing
circumstances, it becomes necessary therefore to deviate
from the ordinary method of calculation, and to correct
the latter by withdrawing from it the population and
mortality of the above-named institutions, and adding to
it the deaths of Wandsworth inhabitants that have taken
place in hospitals and other institutions located without
the sub-district. Calculated in accordance with these
conditions, the death-rate of the past year was 19.62
per 1,000. Exclusive of the 24 deaths that took place
in the Metropolitan and other hospitals, the rate was
18.82 per 1,000, and admits of more just comparison
with the recorded death-rates of former years, which
until two years ago did not include those deaths, the
latter having always been held to be fully compensated
by the deaths of persons who come into the sub-district
during the year.