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the Town sub-district was 20.0 per 1000, and in Brompton 16.5 per
1000; that the rate in the male sex was 23.0 per 1000, and in the
female, 16.4 per 1000. There was one death among males to every
43 persons living, and one in 61 among females. There were 103.2
deaths of females to l00.0 of males, and taking the entire population
into account, one death to 52.2 persons living. Compared with 1878,
the deaths of males show a decrease of 52, and of females 53.
The deaths of children under one year of age were 722, a decrease of
101 as compared with the number in 1878, attributable to the diminished
fatality of whooping-cough and diarrhoea. These 722 deaths
were equal to 15.1 per cent, on births registered, and to 24.2 per cent,
on total deaths, the equivalent percentages in the whole Metropolis
being 14'8 and 23.2. The deaths under five (1218) were fewer by
211 than in 1878, and were equal to 25.4 per cent, on registered
births, and to 40.8 per cent, on deaths; the corresponding
percentages in the Metropolis being 26.6 and 41.3. The deaths at
sixty and upwards were 713, 56 more than in 1878— equal to 23.8
per cent, on total deaths, the equivalent percentage in the Metropolis
being 22.6.
The deaths of illegitimate children under five were 100, nearly 45
per cent, on illegitimate births, and all but seven of them were in the
Town sub-district. Of the 100 only 14 outlived the first year, and of
these 8 died between 1 and 2; 3 between 2 and 3; 2 between 3 and
4; and 1 between 4 and 5 years. The causes of death were—measles,
whooping-cough, and diphtheria each 1, diarrhoea 7, lung diseases
14, other visceral diseases 2, scrofulous or tubercular affections 33,
convulsions 10, apoplexy (at four months) 1, want of breast milk 2,
thrush 4, teething 3, premature birth 7, debility from birth 4, syphilis,
hemorrhage from umbilicus, and "unknown," each 1; violence 7—
including "wilful murder" 1, "blow on head" 1, and suffocation 5.
A large proportion of illegitimate children are brought up by hand
and by strangers. The evidence of improper feeding is apparent
enough in the foregoing list of fatal diseases. The propoition of
deaths by violence is excessive— 12.5 per cent, including the case
of neglect to secure the umbilical vessels at biith. The 86 deaths
under one, are equal to about 40 per cent, on the registered illegitimate
births, the equivalent rate for all children being 15.1.