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7
In examining these new Tables with a little attention you will
observe that they afford a more precise exposition than wE have had
hitherto, both of the exact mortality of the District and of the
special mortality of each of the two Parishes of which is is composed.
The casual deaths of persons coming amongst us only as it were to
die, have been carefully separated from those of habitual residents,
and excluded from the absolute amount of District mortality. Thus,
the deaths which have occurred in the workhouse have been carefully
apportioned between the two parishes from which the sufferers
came; and, amongst the deaths in the Hospitals, an exact distinction
has been made between those of persons living previously
amongst us and those of persons merelv coming in from,other places.
by strict adherence to this rule of computation it wall be observed that
the number of deaths wIthin the year which precisely belong to the
Parish of Christchurch have been 400, and those which are with equal
precision to be referred to St. Saviour's, 470 ; —or, a gross District
total of 870 deaths.
It may, however, be objected to this exclusive manner of computation
that the very favourable result which it sets before us is
merely a factitious one, created really by the omission of what had
formerly been put down as an integral part of my Report; to avoid
this imputation, I have also prepared a Table in the old mode, and
after including in it every death that would have found a place in
Tables framed upon my former method, I have the gratification of
announcing to you a decreaso in the General District mortality for
1859, which amounted to no less a number than 51.
The comparison of births and deaths during the year gives to the
former an excess of 520, — a fact which proves conclusively the
prevailing healthiness of the District, and in some measure may be
taken as indicative of its general prosperity.
The result which is presented to us in the sixth table is also a
faithful and a highly favourable one. It cannot fail to be a gratification
to us to.know that we have a lighter per-centage of mortality
to pay than that which falls upon the neighbouring districts, or,
indeed, upon the vast metropolis of which they are a part. You will
be pleased to know that our deaths are nearly 3 in 1000 less than
in the group of districts South of the Thames, and nearly 2 in 1000
less than in the whole of London. And you will be, I trust, still
further pleased, and strengthened in your zeal when you know that
a lesser mortality has been in like manner dealt to us under the ravages
of the fearful epidemic of the past year. We have had from
small-pox less than the common average loss. For, whilst the
deaths from that diseaso have been upon the whole mortality of London
a 1/55 and upon ihe mortality of the Southern Districts as1/59
they have been in their relation to that of St. Saviour's only as 1/67
and for this considerable difference in our favour we are clearly