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54
TABLE II.
The following table shows the quarterly number of deaths, each
sex, and the mean temperature during the year 1879.
Sub-District of Fulham.
Sub-District of St. Pauls
Sub-District of St. Peter
Qurtr.
Mean
T emp'
ature
Males.
Females.
Total.
Males.
Females.
Total.
Males.
Females.
Total.
Grand
total
1st
37T
149
136
285
160
161
321
13
18
31
637
2nd
49.3
150
123
273
114
119
233
12
15
27
533
3rd
58.2
124
99
223
128
108
236
23
14
37
496
4th
40.3
145
132
277
124
162
286
14
16
30
593
Total
46.2
568
490
1058
526
550
1076
62
63
125
2259
The above table shows that the greatest mortality was in the
first and last quarter, and that the quarter in which the mean temperature
was lowest represents the highest mortality. It should
also be noticed that the highest mean temperature represents the
lowest mortality. This is just what might be expected for it is a
well recognized fact that " ceteris paribus " the lower the temperature,
below an average mean temperature of about 50° Fahr., the
greater is the mortality. This is a most important fact and is very
suggestive of the necessity of guarding against cold weather, for
it may be observed as above, that for every degree of cold below
a certain point a certain number of deaths take place. The practice
that prevails in England of sending young children out only partially
clothed, sometimes sitting in perambulators, in cold weather, can
not be too strongly condemned. There can be no doubt that very
many lives are thereby sacrificed. The deaths of males exceeded
those of females by 53, but if we turn to the birth rate we find that
the number of females born exceeded that of males by 47. In the
whole of London also the number of deaths of males exceeded
that of females.
The number of births registered in this district last year was the
greatest on record, being 3957 (2002 females and 1955 males).
It is interesting to note the fact that in this district the number of
females born exceeded that ot the males. This fact taken in conjunction
with what I have stated before, that the number of deaths
of males exceeded those of females, accounts to some extent for the
excess of single women. Of the 3957 births registered last quarter,
there were 269 in St. Peter's (125 females and 144 males); 2112
in St. Paul's ( 1061 females and 105 1 males); 1576 in Fulham (816
females and 761 males). Thus we see that in the parish of Fulham
there was an excess of 56 females, while in the parish of Hammersmith
there was an excess of 9 males. The previous year it was
the reverse, i.e., in Fulham there was an excess of 26 males, while