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what fallacious results. As an illustration, I quote from a recently
published journal. Thus, a question in the House of Commons,
"Whether at a particularly unhealthy station on the West Coast
of Africa, the mortality among the troops was 750 per 1000, and
whether the Government proposed to take steps to prevent this
shocking loss of life by withdrawing the garrison ?" The answer
was, " that the force consisted of a corporal's guard of four men;
that one had been killed by a shark while bathing, a second bitten
by a snake while gardening, and a third despatched by delirium
tremens while drinking; and that the death-rate was therefore
correctly stated in the question, but that it was hoped the next
detachment would be more fortunate.
The total births which were registered in the Whitechapel
District during the 52 weeks of the year 1888, were 2607; an
increase of 35 as compared with the preceding year. The total
deaths which were registered during the same period numbered
2173, fewer than in 1887 by 73, and 84 fewer than in 1886. These
statements are arranged at the commencement of the Appendix
in the Tables A and B*. Suffice it is to mention here that 1299
boys were born to 1308 girls; whilst 1235 males and 938 females
died.
It must be remembered that allowance has to be made for
those non-residents who select public institutions within the
Whitechapel District wherein to be treated for various illnesses,
and there dying, have their deaths registered in those Sub-Districts
where the institutions are. These non-residents have been eliminated
from the corrected Tables, whilst residents who died either
in the District public institutions, or in outlying public institutions,
have been referred to the Sub-Districts where the patients previously
resided, so that a fair statement of the District mortality returns
has been compiled.
Table C† contains particulars of the 719 persons whose deaths
were registered in the District, although they had previously come
from other parts of the metropolis, or from the suburbs. That the
London Hospital is situated in the Whitechapel Church SubDistrict
accounts for nearly the whole of this large number of
non-residents, of whom 708 contributed to the death-register in
* Page 19. †Page 19.