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zymotic death-rate of .85—and the reduction of 4.7 in
the infantile rate of mortality.
The density of the borough population is equal to
16.2 persons per acre.
The vital statistics in England and Wales (1909)
are given as follows, viz., births 25.6 per 1,000 living;
deaths, 14.5; principal epidemic diseases, 1.12; deaths
under one year to 1,000 births, 109.
A consideration of the causes which have contri
buted to a slightly increased death-rate need not give
rise to anxiety, as the circumstances to which it is
largely due were not entirely unexpected or unlooked
for. For instance, the periodical return of measles
occurred in the earlier months of the year, and accounted
for twenty-two deaths, and whooping cough
appeared subsequently, the majority of the cases of
both diseases occurring in the southern and western
portions of the borough. The twenty-two deaths from
measles compare with only one in 1908, and there were
nineteen deaths from whooping cough, being an increase
of seven over the previous year. These diseases,
when attacking the very young, are serious,
and the majority of deaths from measles occurred in
children under five years of age—nineteen out of the
total of twenty-two.
Among a certain, section of the inhabitants of the
poorer districts a lamentable amount of ignorance still
prevails regarding the precautions to be taken, and
the necessity for the seeking of medical advice, in the
earliest stages of these disorders. In no small degree
the excessive death-rate of measles is due to a want of
care and ignorance of the very serious nature of these
diseases, especially when associated with complications.
Diseases of the respiratory organs were responsible
for many more deaths than in 1908; the weather
conditions of the year, no doubt, predisposing to these
disorders ; no fewer than 117 deaths were due to pneumonia
and bronchitis, against seventy-two in 1908.
There were fifty-four deaths from cancer, being an
increase of twelve, and thirty-eight deaths from
phthisis, being two less than the year previous.