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23
I have just mentioned the diminution in the birth rates
of England and London for some years past, in which Hackney
to a very great extent has participated. Thus in the 10 years
1861-70 and 1871-80 the mean birth rates in this District were
33.8 and 34.7 respectively, but in 1882 it was only 32.9; in
1883, 32.3; in 1884 only 30.8; and in 1885, 30.9 per thousand
inhabitants. The reduction in all London was about the same,
so that some general cause must have been in operation to cause
these results. In France also a similar reduction has been
observed. The death rate, however, was very low during these
4 years, so that the natural increase of population has not been
diminished by the low birth rate, as the excess of births over deaths
in Hackney was no less than 11,896 in those years. In 1885
the excess was 2,903. The corrected death rate was only 176
per 1000, which, as it is based on the total deaths of inhabitants
registered not only in this District, but in the hospitals of tbe
Asylums Board, including the ships and Darenth Camp, and
also in all the Metropolitan Hospitals and at the Asylums for
Idiots and Lunatics outside the Metropolis, is very satisfactory.
Until lately I was not able to present you with an accurate
return of these deaths, but I made an allowance for them by
comparing the number of deaths in all Institutions, except
Workhouses, in London with the total deaths, and allowing in
due proportion, pro rata to population, for Hackney. The
corrected death rate for all London was 19.7, which is the
lowest, as well as that for this District, since I was appointed in
1856 ; indeed it is the lowest for many years before that time.
The number of deaths under 1 year per 1000 births was not so
satisfactory as I could have wished, as there were 137 deaths at
this age in this District, against 133 for the 10 years 1874-85
and 148 for 1885 in all London. This was caused by the large
proportion of deaths under 1 year from measles, diarrhoea,
convulsions, bronchitis, premature births and atrophy. The
deaths of children under 5 years per 1000 deaths at all ages
were also unsatisfactory, as they numbered 246 under 1 year of