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plete cycle of existence, or at 101 years.* Of the 1276 Infants,
"the unripe harvest for the scythe of death," 277 fell
under 3 months; 109 from 3 to 6 months; 231 from 6 to 12
months; 303 at 1—2, 165 at 2—3, 105 at 3—4, and 86 at
4—5 years. Under the age of 1 the deaths formed 157 per
cent. of the births, or 1 in 6.3; while in the 61 healthy districts
of England enumerated by Mr. Lee, the proportion
was 1 to 11. In the period intervening from 20 to 60 years,
there passed away from us 529 persons. Between those years
"the quotients of the dying by the living" were considerably
below the proportions of London in 1855. As "individuals
of this class are of much higher political value than
the individuals under 5 years, or above 60 years of age," it
would appear prima facie that the advantage at those ages is
in favour of Bethnal Green.† Table 8 represents the deaths
at 8 ages, and in the 5th column the corresponding amounts
in 1857. It shows that the numbers of the dying to the living
were 82.6 per 1000 at less than 5 years; 11 at 5—10; 3.25
at 10—20; 7 4 at 20—40; 16.7 at 40—60; 63.4 at 60—80;
and 215.7 at 80—100 years. If the amount below 5 years
be compared with those of 1857, it is less by .89 per 1000;
if with the returns of 1838—44, the gain on each 1000 is
nearly 3. "Their safety depends very much on the power
of the parents to supply them with food and raiment—upon
the mothers watchfulness and cleanliness—upon the air they
are doomed to respire in imprisoned courts and alleys;" and
"where the women are employed in any but domestic labour,
they discharge the duties of mothers imperfectly, and the
mortality of their children is high." The relative
* 100 years, according to M. Flourens, being the natural duration of life,
† The ages specified in the quotation by Mr. Edmonds, ranged between 15 and
60 years; but as the Registrar General in the Weekly Return of 1855 distinguishes
vicennial periods only, I am unable to contrast them otherwise than as
above. The difference however would be small.