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57,786, against 61,935 in 1855, or in the proportion of 939 deaths
in Hackney, against 1,000 in 1855, and 917 deaths in the whole
Metroplis, against 1,000 in 1855. From this we might infer that
Hackney did not participate in the improved rate of death to so great
an extent as the whole of London. On calculating, however,
the rates of death in London, we find it to have been 10 in
each 417 inhabitants, during the year 1855, and 10 in each 461
daring 1856; whilst in Hackney, it was 10 in each 526 living
during 1855, against 10 in each 582 during 1856, or including
the East London Union in each 524. The real improvement in the
health of Hackney was as great as in the whole of London, for in the
latter there were two deaths less in each 1000 living, and in Hackney
precisely the same. Thus, during 1855, the rate of death in London was
24,and in Hackney 19 in each 1000 living, whilst during 1856in London,
it was 22, and in Hackney 17 in each 1000 living, or including the East
London Union 17'5. This rate of death is very satisfactory, as the
Registrar-General considers it normal, and has fixed it as the maximum
rate at which death should occur. These deductions in both cases are
made on the calculated populations, the numbers being estimated for the
middle of the year. I include the deaths from the East London Union
in some calculations, because the relative proportions of those who died
in public institutions throughout the whole of London, and in Hackney,
including this Union, would then be nearly alike as it is shown in the
summary of weekly returns by the Resistrar-General for theyear 1856,that
" nearly one person out of five who died in the year, closed his days
under a roof provided by public law or private charity."
During the past year, the largest number of deaths were registered
in the first quarter for all England and for Hackney; but for London
in the last quarter, and the smallest number of deaths for England and
Hackney, were registered in the third quarter, the smallest for London
being in the second. We thus see that in the period at which the
greatest mortality occurs, Hackney district corresponds with all England
and not with London, in other words, its mortuary returns agree
with those of a rural rather than a town population.

The prevalence of inflammatory diseases of the lungs during the
first and last quarters of the year, and of epidemic diseases, especially of
diarrhoea, during the third quarter, will explain these peculiarities.