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MORTALITY OF THE CITY OF LONDON.
7
each column, a statement of the year's death-rate
per thousand of the living in each such district and
sub-district.
You will observe that, during the 52 weeks, dated
from September 29th, 1850, to September 27th,
1851, there have died of the population under your
charge 2,978 persons; giving, for the City aggregately,
a rate of about 23 deaths for every thousand
living persons.
The rate of last year was 21.29 per thousand.
In my last Annual Report I suggested that the
death-rate then prevailing was probably (from temporary
circumstances) more favourable than the
true average of the City; that it corresponded to the
period of recovery from severe epidemic influences ;
that it seemed exceptional; and that you might be
prepared for this year's mortality showing again a
tendency to increase.
Such has been the case; and it illustrates the
necessity of appealing to cyclical averages for correct
intelligence as to the healthiness of a population.
To my mind the increased mortality of this year
does not indicate any deterioration of the City in
respect of sanitary matters under your control: it
shows merely that the death-rate, which must be
considered our present average for the City, is in
truth higher than that which favourable circumstances,
foreign to your jurisdiction, last year permitted
us to attain.
Looking to the total mortality of the last three