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15
report
OF THE
Medical Officer of Health
FOR THE YEAR 1907.
YITAL STATISTICS.
Population—The estimated population for the year 1907
amounted to 152,532, calculated upon the assumption that the
increase in the population maintained the same rate of progression
each year as it did during the intercensal period 1891
to 1901.
It must be understood therefore that the population is
purely an estimate, and in districts in which the conditions of
the population vary little, such estimates prove remarkably
accurate. In other districts, however, great changes may occur
in any period, the most important of which are the alterations
of population by reason of emigration and immigration.
The Borough of Lewisham is rapidly extending its
population, and I believe in far greater proportion and with
greater rapidity each year than in the intercensal period 18911901.
This is due principally to the fact that a considerable
portion of the Borough was unbuilt upon. In recent years
buildings have been erected in various parts of the district at a
rapid rate, particularly in the Catford, Lewisham Park,
Sydenham, Forest Hill and Brockley Wards. This fact is well
illustrated by Table 1, where it will be seen that the estimated