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36
indicates an improved state of the health of the parish. It
must be borne in mind, however, that this diminution in the
number of deaths is associated with a still larger diminution,
in the number of births,and that the latter circumstance
renders it exceedingly probable that,instead of the usual
increase, there has been latterly some falling off in the population
of the parish. The unusually large number of houses
which have remained empty in various parts of Camberwell
enhances the probability of this explanation.
In order to obtain the death-rate, it is necessary to know
not only the number of persons who have died in the year,
but the average number of persons who have been living in
the year. But it is impossible at the present time to ascertain
the latter fact for Camberwell with any degree of certainty;
and still greater uncertainty of result must attend
any endeavour to determine the population of the several
sub-districts.
I will however now, as I have done in several former
years, estimate the population of the parish and of its subdistricts,
and also their death-rates, by two methods, both of
which are orthodox,but which furnish widely different
results; and I shall do this partly because I am anxious to
obtain for your information the facts above referred to as
accurately as I can obtain them, and partly because it will
be interesting to compare my results with those which the
Census-returns will soon furnish us with. It must be
borne in mind, however, that the Census-returns of population
will relate to the night of the 3rd of April, 1871;my
own estimates of population relate to the middle of the year
1870.