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17. Lives saved. In the two last years, I have estimated that
302 and 384 lives, respectively, were saved owing to the reduction
of the death-rate. The average death-rate in the years 1896-1905,
was 15'4. Such a rate in 1906 would have meant the death of
1956 persons instead of the 1697 who actually died. There was
thus a saving of 259 lives in 1906. This is good in itself, for in
spite of the depression in the Woolwich labour market, there is
no over-population in the country at large, and experience has
shown the erroneousness of Malthus's doctrine as to the limitation
erf the productiveness of the soil. But each of these 259 lives
saved means ten others who have escaped a weakening illness, or
have weathered illness with less damaging effects, for a lower
death-rate means improved health of the surviving population.
Infant Mortality.
18. The deaths under one year were 391, and the infant
mortality (or deaths under one year per thousand births) was 111.
The rate has only twice been lower, viz., in 1905 and 1903.
The following table gives the infantile mortality in each Parish
and Ward of the Borough during the past five years, compared
with the neighbouring Boroughs, London, and England. Herbert,
St. Margaret's and Central Wards had the lowest infantile
mortality, and South River the highest. The reduction of
infantile mortality in St. George's and North River Wards is
very marked.