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From the above statements it would appear that the
year 1891 has been essentially a healthy year, and its comparatively
high death-rate, therefore, not easy to explain.
But, although this is not shown clearly by the mortality
tables, there is no doubt that the excess of mortality has
been due to the epidemic of influenza which has been
amongst us off and on for the last three years. In 1890,
652 deaths were attributed to this cause, in 1891, no less
than 2,336. But, as I have shown on former occasions,
influenza is a disease of such varied characters, that it is
exceedingly difficult to recognise it with accuracy; and
there is no doubt that the mortality attributed to inflammatory
affections of the lungs, and even to disorders of
other kinds, during an epidemic of influenza, is largely
the consequence of Influenza. The Registrar General states
that during the thirteen weeks of the second quarter of
1891, during which mainly influenza prevailed, there were
2009 deaths attributed to influenza, and 5,774 to inflammatory
affections of the lungs, of which latter a large
majority are to be regarded as cases in which the pulmonary
inflammation was a sequela or complication of
influenza.
Table IV. gives the populations of Camberwell and of its
sub-districts as enumerated at the Censuses of 1881 and
1891, and also the populations calculated for the middle of
the year on the hypothesis that the rates of increase which
had ruled between these periods have been maintained since.