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but there was a sudden extension of the scope of the data in 1886
and the years immediately following. This w as the period during
which the embryo of local statistics was developing those
anatomical features which would later distinguish it as a member
of a species, capable of adaptation without alteration of its fundamental
character. Many of the detailed original records have
fortunately been preserved, and missing data have been completed
from these sources as far as the available time permitted. To the
best of my know ledge no figures were ever published for the war
years, and the tables included in this report probably incorporate
the first official record of these figures.
It is advisable that separate rates for each period should
be given for males and females separately, and for the purpose
of calculating these rates, I have—by a method briefly referred to
later—divided the estimated population for each year into males
and females respectively. It is logical to have some standard
wherewith to compare local figures, and for this purpose possibly
the best standard is the corresponding rates for England and
Wales. Unfortunately the vital statistics by sexes for the country
as a whole for quinquennial periods have practically never been
published officially. "For the sake of completeness I have thought
it worth while to calculate all these quinquennial rates for England
and Wales for males, females and persons respectively. It
should therefore be mentioned that these figures are not taken
directly from any official source, and that I am responsible for any
errors which may have crept into the calculations.*
As all the rates given in these tables are crude rates, they
cannot be used to give a complete expression of the changing
incidence of deaths from a particular disease throughout the years.
This is due to the altering age constitution of the population,
local or national. The process of standardization of the rates is
beyond the scope of this report. Corresponding rates for the
same periods can, however, be used to indicate the relative
mortality from the particular disease locally and for the country
as a whole fur that period.
The data which I have given here will be examined in
more detail in later reports, in which I hope to fill some of the
gaps in the present tables.
*Each quinquennial rate for England and Wales was computed from the summed
deaths (or eases) and populations for the live years in the period. The rates are in
all cases given correct to the third decimal place, so that accurate rates per million
can be obtained b.v shifting the decimal point.
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