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11
This gratifying fact, however, stands side by side
with another of an opposite and grave nature.
The same Table V. shows also a gradual increase,
during the last five years, in the proportion of
deaths at the middle periods of life. The number
of persons dying at ages between 20 and 60 have
increased in the ratio to the population.
For example—
In 1868-9:—
225 persons died between the ages of 20 to 40, or at the rate of
2 . 3 per 1000 of population.
260 „ between the ages of 40 and 60, or at the rate of
2.6 per 1000 of population.
266 ,, between the ages of 60 and 80, or at the rate of
2 .8 per 1000 of the population.
But in 1871-72:—
288 persons died between the ages of 20 and 40, or at the rate of
2.9 per 1000 of population.
304 ,, between the ages of 40 and 60, or at the rate of
3. 0 per 1000 of population.
325 ,, between the ages of 60 and 80, or at the rate of
3.2 per 1000 of population.
Why a death-rate at these ages should have averaged
7.7 per 1000 in 1867-8, and 9.1 in 1871-2, is a subject
for investigation ; but we have probably not to
look far for an explanation.
I scarcely expected to find such a state of things
so near at hand in this Parish, as I endeavoured
to predict in my Report of 1868-69, p. 14. There
has been for some years a large influx of persons
mostly of the working class, coming from the overcrowded
and unwholesome houses of other districts
of the Metropolis. Large numbers of the newly-