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10
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
The rate of natural increase, or the excess of births over deaths,
was 12.50 per 1,000, compared with 13.28 in 1904. This rate was
lowest in Putney, viz. :—7.92, and highest in Tooting, viz. :—26.69.
This diminution in the birth-rate is a real one, as may be shown
by comparing the births per 1,000 married females at ages 15—45 for
the year with the previous years.
In 1901, the year of the census, there were living 28,298 married
females at ages from 15—45, giving a proportion of 21.5 births to
every 100. In 1904 this proportion was 21.0, while in 1905 it was
only 19.4.
In all London this proportion was, in the years 1901—3, 23.4,
and in 1904 22.8.
In the Registrar General's sixty-sixth Annual Report the proportion
of legitimate births per 1,000 married women aged 15—45 years,
for certain groups of years, was shown to be as follows :—
1870—72 292.5
1880—82 286.0
1890—92 263.8
1900—02 235.5
1903 2333
With reference to this the Registrar-General says :—" This statement
proves that the true decrease in the birth-rate is not adequately
shown by a comparison of the rates calculated on the total population.
. . . This method of measuring the birth-rate shows the amount
of the decrease to be far greater than is shown by the rates based on
the total population."
133 births occurred in the Workhouse, 6 of these belonging to
Clapham, 9 to Putney, 13 to Streatham, 10 to Tooting, 32 to Wandsworth,
52 to Battersea, and 11 to other places.
There were 110 illegitimate births registered during the year, 15
in Clapham, 7 in Putney, 29 in Streatham, 21 in Tooting, and 38 in
Wandsworth.
Of the 70 births in the Workhouse belonging to the Borough, 55
were illegitimate, 4 belonging to Clapham, 6 to Putney, 13 to Streatham,
7 to Tooting, and 25 to Wandsworth.