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years was 2182, and of the years 1871-6, as many as 2744, and
2825 in 1876. The proportion of births to deaths has also very
greatly increased, especially during the last few years; as in
1841-50 there were on an average only 146 births to 100 deaths; in
1871-6 there were 171, and in 1876 as many as 193, which is a
singularly large proportion. The birth rate per 1000 population
has also increased, especially during the last two years, when it
amounted to 35.1 and 35.8, against 28.3 in 1841-50. The
deaths under 1 year to 100 births, which afford a pretty failcriterion
as to the sanitary and social condition of the population
(other things being equal), have increased from 12.8 and 12 7
in the years 1841-50 and 1851-60, to 14.3 in 1861-70, and 14.6
in 1871-6. Taking this fact in connection with the large
increase in the birth rate, and the low death rate at all ages per
1000 population, it is evident that the general social condition of
our population, as regards wealth, has decreased, and also that
the greater density of our population is acting detrimentally
on the health of infants. At the same time the percentage of
13'9 in 1876 compares favourably with that for all London,
which was 15.7 in that year, and generally obtains an average of
nearly 16.0 deaths under 1 year per 100 births. The death rate
from all causes, viz., 18.5 per 1000 population, is singularly low,
being lower than any one of the decennial means, or for any year
since 1856, which was also singularly healthy. The mean for all
London was also unusually low, having been only 22.3, against
24.77, 23.77, and 24.43 in each decennial period since 1841.
The mean rate of mortality during 1876 in the West districts of
London was 21.0; in the North, 21.4; in the Central, 24.0; in
the East also 24.0, and in the South, 22.1; so that the death rate
in the West and North districts was much below the average.
The table also shows that while the death rate from the seven chief
zymotic diseases, per 1000 population, had increased during the
three decennial periods of 1841-70, in England and Wales, from
3.64 to 4.16, being an increase of one-seventh, yet, in spite of