View report page

6
In previous annual reports it has been shewn that a more accurate estimate of the effect on the
community of fluctuations of mortality could be obtained by the use of a " life table," the method used
being similar to that employed by Dr. Tatham in a report on the health of greater Manchester for the
period 1891-3. I now propose to compare on these lines the London mortality in the period 1891-8
with that obtaining in the period 1881-90, and for this purpose shall make use of the following table,9
showing the mean future lifetime of males and females in certain age-groups, which has been calculated
from the and Qx columns of the life table for London, 1881-90, published in my annual report
for the year 1893.

In the following table the mean annual number of deaths occurring in the eight years 1891-98
is compared with the annual number of deaths which would have occurred had the death rates of the
period 1881-90 been maintained in the period 1891-98, and the annual number of lives gained or
lost in the latter period at each age-group is shown. The figures in the last column of the table express
this gain or loss in terms of " life capital," the figures being obtained by applying the mean future
lifetime figures given in Table I. to the number of lives gained or lost at each age-group.
* The method employed in the calculation of this tzble s shown in more detail in mv annual report for the rear 1894. paire 10.