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2
The annual rate of mortality in 187G was 21.54 per 1000
persons living ; and that of the preceding ten years, 1866—
1875, was 23.21 per 1000. The death-rate was hence 1.67
per 1000 below the average of the preceding 10 years; and
was lower than during any one of those years, except the
year 1872.
The appended tables show clearly in what respects
the mortality of 1876 was normal, and in what respects
the usual limits were transgressed.
It will be seen that the deaths of infants under one year of
age formed a smaller proportion to the number of registered
births than in the preceding year. Since, however—owing
to a change in the statutory law—registration of births
has become much more general of late, it would, perhaps
be safer to take the deaths among infants and compare them
with the deaths at all ages. If this be done, it will be seen
from table No. 2 that the deaths of infants under one year of
age were more, both absolutely and relatively to the total
number of deaths, than in 1875.
Table No. 3 is instructive. It classifies the deaths in private
houses and in the Workhouse according to diseases; and
shows the respective proportions of various diseases, as
measured by the mortality caused by them.
In table No, 4 I have classified various more or less preventible
diseases ; comparing the deaths from the various classes of
diseases with population and total deaths. It will be noted
that proportion of deaths from the seven principal zymotic
diseases was almost the same (3-58) per 1000 of the estimated
population as in the preceding year ; but as the total deathrate
was lower in 1876 than in 1875, the deaths from zymotic
diseases (167) per 1000 of total deaths was higher in 1876
than in 1875. Just one-sixth of the deaths of 1876 were due
to small-pox, measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria, whooping
cough, continued fevers, and diarrhoea; and this death-rate
was a little higher than the average death-rate of London from
the same diseases.
Table No. 5 analyses the mortality from each one of these
zymotic diseases, and shows their variableness during
a period of eleven years. The gross death-rate from measles,
diphtheria, whooping cough, and diarrhoea, was in 1876 above,
and from small-pox, scarlet fever, and continued fevers, below