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did a recent writer to a medical journal, that "the birth.rate of
St. Luke last year reached the enormous number of 46.7 per
1,000 for, after making the deduction of non.resident persons,
the actual rate stood at 36'3 per 1,000. This rate is undoubtedly
high enough, and, in my opinion, supported by the tables
annexed, has much to do with the high death.rate, and, strange
to say, that the number of births last year belonging to the Parish
exceeded either of the previous four years, and this notwithstanding
the decreasing population, while the rate per 1,000 was
higher than any year since 1889, at which time the population
numbered nearly 2,000 more than last year. I believe the cause
of this may be fairly ascribed to the circumstances of the large
number of artizans' dwellings now existing in the Parish, and
the fact of their being occupied for the most part by married
people below the middle period of life. (About 8,000 persons,
or nearly one.fifth of the population, reside in the artizans'
dwellings.)
Dr. Drysdale, in a letter to the British Medical Journal on the
subject of " High and low death rates in London Districts in
1896," and to which I have already referred, says :—" St. Luke
is an example of a district with a heavy death.rate (25.1 per
1,000 in 1896), and St. George's.in.the.East had a similar death.
rate of 24.5 per 1,000 last year. It would, I submit, be a very
instructive discussion if some of your correspondents would
suggest why the death.rate of Hampstead is just about half that
of St. Luke or St. George's, Southwark ? If I might be allowed
to give my opinion on the matter, it would be that Hampstead is
peopled by educated and rather well.to.do inhabitants ; and,
that, on the contrary, St. Luke is peopled by less educated and
far poorer folks.
" There is another, and perhaps a more fundamental cause of
the difference of the death.rate of our poorer and richer districts
in London. Hampstead had last year a modest birth rate of 19
per 1,000 inhabitants ; St. Luke had an enormous birth.rate of
46.7 (? 36.3). Well, it seems to me that, in London at least,
death.rates are high when birth.rates are high, and that if the
mortality is to be lowered in St. Luke births must be reduced.
Phthisis is about thrice as prevalent in St. Luke as it is in
Hampstead."
Dr. Drvsdale's view of the subject I fully endorse.
In tabulating the deaths, I have, during the years 1887 to 1891