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7
constant and uniform growth of this giant city. Now it is
clear that to determine the relative mortality for the whole of
London in any year subsequent to the last census a correction
for increase of population must be made, otherwise the annual
increase in the number of deaths due to increase of population
would be unjustly ascribed to deterioration in the sanitary condition
of the metropolis ; and it is equally clear, that this correction
may be made with a reasonable assurance of its accuracy.
But how unfairly superior healthiness would be ascribed to
several of the central districts of London—in some of which the
population has remained stationary, in some of which it has even
diminished—were their mortality during the last five years calculated
on the inference that the number of their inhabitants
had increased at the same rate as the population of London;
and, on the other hand, how unjustly the stigma of unhealthiness
would cling to several of the peripheral parishes, in which
the growth of the population is extremely vigorous, were their
mortality during the same period estimated according to the
same rule.
Now Camberwell is one of the most rapidly growing of the
metropolitan parishes, and the remarks just made apply therefore
with peculiar force to it, and demonstrate the importance,
for our own sakes, of making an independent calculation of its
rate of increase. During the fifty years, between 1801 and
1851, this parish progressed, as regards population, far more
rapidly than the whole of London—its increase per cent. at the
end of the first decenniad being 60-1, at the end of the second
58-1, at the end of the third 58, at the end of the fourth 41-2,
and at the end of the fifth 37-1. And although the rate of
increase (calculated according to the rules of compound interest),
would appear gradually to have diminished, it was still
during the last ten years considerably (16 per cent.) higher
than that for the whole of London during the same period;
and higher also than that of every other district except Islington,
Kensington, Poplar, Lewisham, Chelsea, Hackney, and
Bermondsey. But, in truth, though the rate of increase for
Camberwell would appear to have decreased, the actual increase
has been greater and greater during each successive ten years, the
increment in the first decenniad being 4250, that in the second
6567, that in the third 10,355, that in the fourth 11,637, and
that in the last 14,799. And hence, it may very fairly be