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9
BIRTHS—BIRTH.RATE.
The total number of births registered during the year was 3,535 ;
males, 1,754 ; females, 1,781. Twenty.nine of these (males 16, females
13) were born at the Union Workhouse.
In 1902, there were 3,426 births; in 1901, 3,210; in 1900, 3,037;
and in 1899, 2,835.
The birth-rate for 1903 is 33'25, compared with 33.81 for the
previous year, and 32.86 for the preceding ten years.
The number of births over deaths, or the natural increase of the
population, was 2,357, compared with 2,272 in 1902,1923 in 1901, 1783
in 1900, and 1553 in 1899.
The birth-rate for England and Wales for 1903 was 28'4, or 4.85
below that for this district. The birth-rate for the country generally is
the lowest on record.
A diminishing birth-rate in the country must stimulate sanitary
authorities to prevent the great wastage of infant life that is preventable.
The ratio of male to female births was 100 to 101.5.
Distributing the births as supplied by the Registrar over the various
wards of the district, we have had in the four quarters :—