London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hackney 1884

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]

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19
Table I. shows, to a great extent, the general statistics for
the distriot during the last 11 years. During this period the
population has increased from 139,000 to 205,000 (negleoting
odd numbers), showing a very large addition to our numbers.
This addition means more houses and roads, as well as a great
increase in the sanitary work of the district, especially as a very
large proportion of the new houses are occupied by artizans and
the lower classes. The increased numbers also means greater
density of population, and, therefore, a greater tendency towards
a higher mortality, as the late Dr. Farr, in some of his elaborate
and careful statistics, proved that, to a very great extent, the
death-rate corresponds with the density of population. This
table does not show the annual death-rates, as they will be
found in another table, but I deemed it advisable to point out
that in these years the density had increased from 35.3 to 523
persons per acre, and, therefore, on Dr. Farr's data, the deathrates
ought, especially as there are proportionately more poor
inhabitants, to have been larger during the latter part of this
period. The number of births registered in 52 weeks of 1884
was 6,334, against 4,755 in 1874, the mean for the 10 years
being 5,857. The deaths in 1884 amounted to 3,700, against
an average for the 10 preceding years of 3,233, and in 1874,
of 2,797. The number of deaths of infants and young children
under 1 and 5 years were 880 and 1,510 respectively in 1884,
against 788 and 1,271 in 1874-83. There was an excess of
deaths above 1 and under 5 years in 1884, which will be
referred to in the proper place.
B 2