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about 20, deaths were comparatively rare; thence onward the
mortality gradually increased with each decennial period, and
we find that the number of those, who perished after threescore
years and ten had been attained, was little less than half the
number of deaths in children under 5. The extremes of life
are ever its periods of greatest danger. The deaths among
young children were more numerous last year than usual.
Of the total number of deaths, 683 occurred in males, 736
in females, a difference depending mainly on the disproportion,
before adverted to, in the numbers of the two sexes.
The births (Table VIII.) during the year 1861 amounted
to 2391, of which 1180 were of boys and 1211 of girls. The
births were 972 in excess of the deaths. 42 belonged to Dulwich,
668 to Camberwell, 709 to St. George's, and 972 to
Peckham. It is satisfactory to know, as an evidence of prosperity,
that the births have regularly increased from year to
year, (Table IX.) and that they were in the last year more
than 300 in excess of the births registered in 1857.
On the whole, the material progress of Camberwell during
the last six years, and the health which with some few drawbacks
it has enjoyed and, as the figures above adduced
demonstrate, continues to enjoy, may justly be accepted as a
Subject of satisfaction and congratulation.
Works done.—I proceed now to enumerate the Works done
(Table X.) in the department with which I am specially connected,
but cannot do so without testifying to the great zeal
and efficiency of my subordinates, the Inspectors of Nuisances.
During the twelve months, which expired on the 31st of
March, 1862, 1953 houses were inspected. As the result
partly of these inspections, or house to house visitations, and
partly of information derived through complaints, 268 houses