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4
Whooping cough was both prevalent and fatal, commencing
in February and terminating in the early
part of July. A case of smallpox was brought to my
knowledge in May, which was promptly removed to
the Smallpox Hospital, and no other case followed.
The continuous growth of the parish is evident,
as shown by the erection of new dwelling houses and
shops, the former more particularly at Gunnersbury,
Grove Park, and the Eastern end of the district ; the
latter on the main road chiefly. Considerable efforts
were made as usual for the improvement of the lowest
class of dwellings by the application where necessary
of the powers conferred on you by the " Housing of
the Working Classes Act," 1890, for closing houses
when considered unfit for habitation.
The returns of the Registrar of Births and Deaths
indicate a birth rate below the average of the past ten
years, and almost the same as that of the previous
year. The death rate was 14'29 per thousand of the
population, being one less than the average for ten
years. The zymotic death rate was a trifle higher
than the year preceding, and above the average of
the past ten years, due in a great measure to the great
number of deaths from whooping cough and its complications.
Population.
In a population enumerated once in ten years only,
and subject to fluctuation, the difficulty of forming an
approximate estimate increases in proportion as each
year of the decennial period passes, also until the next
census is taken : in order to avoid this, it has been