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17
The number of deaths for the year is certainly large; it is
larger than that for any year since 1854, and larger by 134 than
that returned for the year 1861. At first Bight such an
augmentation of the number of deaths has a very unpleasant
appearance. But, associated with the increase of the number
of deaths has been an increase by 97 in the number of births.
An increase in the number of births of itself necessitates an
increase in the number of deaths; but this increase in the
number of births confirms a fact which many other circumstances
indicate, viz.:—that the increase in the population of Camberwell,
which the census shews has been taking place during the
last few years, is still in active progress. Hence it may be
safely inferred that a part, and probably no inconsiderable part,
of our excess of mortality, has been the natural result of growth
of population and augmented birth-rate. We must not shut
our eyes to the fact however that certain diseases have been
more than usually prevalent, and have been attended with
considerable mortality. Under the head "fever," I find 64
deaths are placed; this number is 39 above that assigned to
the same disease in the previous year's report; and 33 above
the highest number registered during any one of the preceding
six years. No doubt many of these fever-deaths were deaths
from that form of fever, typhus, which was prevalent in London,
and to occasional outbreaks of which we have ever been liable.
The second disease, or rather group of diseases to which I refer,
is scarlet fever and diphtheria. These (for it is impossible to
isolate them for comparison with former years) together were
the assigned cause of 141 deaths. This number is less by two
than that at which the mortality from these diseases stood for
the year 1858 ; but it is an increase of no less than 103 on that
for the year 1861. These diseases, typhus, scarlet fever, and iu
a less degree diphtheria, had unquestionably an important influence
in raising the year's mortality. And I have no doubt