If, however, we allow for the understatement of ages, the two lines for the whole metropolis would be nearly coincident. On the experience of Carlisle and Hereford, the average age of death should be twelve years higher.
Arranging the several districts of the metropolis, in the order of the average age of deaths, we find the average age of the living decrease with the average age of the dying; and the proportion of births to the population increase with the decrease of the average age of death. The excess in the proportionate number of births beyond the proportions in such a county as Hereford (1 to 44), where the average age of death is much higher, and proportionate number of deaths to the population, afford important indicia.
| Districts in which average Age of Death of the whole Population is | Average Age of Death in the District, of all Classes. | Average Age of all who live in the District. | Proportions of Births to the Population. | Proportions of Deaths to the Population. | Excess above County of Hereford in the Number of: | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths and Funerals. | Births. | ||||||
| Years. | yrs. | mon. | |||||
| Highest (Comprising 2 Districts.) Population 120,678. | 35 | 27 | 11 | 1 to 41 | 1 to 42 | 966 | 145 |
| 1. Intermediate (6 Districts.) Population 311,022. | 30 | 27 | 5 | 1 to 39 | 1 to 46 | 1,836 | 639 |
| 2. Intermediate (12 Districts.) Population 774,937. | 27 | 26 | 11 | 1 to 33 | 1 to 40 | 7,457 | 5,718 |
| Lowest (12 Districts.) Population 663,290. | 23 | 26 | 5 | 1 to 30 | 1 to 41 | 5,705 | 6,822 |
It will be observed that in the least healthy districts where the pressure of the causes of mortality is the most extensive, the average age of death falls nearly three years and a half below the average age of the living, whilst in the higher districts the line of mortality rises towards the natural position, or nearly four years above it. But it must still be borne in mind, in the inspection of the returns from the highest district, that the average is made up of districts which are probably retrograding, connected with others which are advancing,—of districts such as are developed by Mr. Worrell, registrar, in his note on one of the returns from St. Pancras, comprising streets, the connected courts and alleys from which are widely as separate and distinct in condition,—and, if I may use such an illustration, as little appropriate for any average that could be represented by numerals—as were the conditions of Lazarus and Dives.
Even the lowest proportion of deaths to the population presented in the district returns, that of Hackney, where it is only 1 to 56. appears to be a proportion in excess by nearly one-eighth, i. e. the deaths from epidemics, as well as the excess of more than one-third in the deaths of children under 10 years of age. The return, from the healthiest district in the returns, of the average age of deaths gives an average of 7 years’ loss of life for the whole population; whilst for the adults of the middle classes it gives 10 years, and for the adults of the working classes 7 years’ premature loss of life. Even in the county of Hereford where there is a proportion of deaths of 1 to 64 of the population, and the standard of the Carlisle table of insurance where an average age of 39 years of death is attained, it will be observed that even this average includes a large proportion (542), or nearly 1-third in the number of deaths under 10 years of age, and 123 or 1–14th deaths from epidemics, besides others involving deaths from preventible causes. Only 329, or 1 in 5 of the deaths in this very healthy county, were deaths registered as from old age. By the removal of this excess of deaths, the excess of births which replace them would even in these districts be of course still further diminished.
It may be conjectured that if there were the means of distinguishing accurately the various classes of the living amongst whom these deaths fall, the irregularity of the proportionate number of deaths which probably arise amongst the labouring classes would be accounted for. The present returns of the number of births do not distinguish the classes amongst whom the births occur. Taking the districts in the order of the average age in which deaths occur to the labouring classes, and comparing the proportions of the deaths and funerals with the proportions which occur in Hereford, the excess of deaths and funerals was in 1839 as follows:—
| Districts in which average Age of Death of Artisans, &c., is | Average Age of Death of Artisans, &c. in the Districts. | Excess in Number of Deaths of Artisans, &c., in the District above the Deaths of Agricultural Labourers in Herefordshire. |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Highest number of the class (comprising 2 Districts.) | 38 | 483 |
| 2. Intermediate (1) number of the class (5 Districts.) | 27 | 548 |
| 3. Intermediate (2) number of the class (10 Districts.) | 23 | 1,773 |
| 4. Lowest number of the class (15 Districts.) | 20 | 4,121 |
The totals of the subjoined district returns for the metropolis are as follows:—
| Number of deaths of each class. | Number of deaths from Epidemic disease. | Average age at death of all who die above 21. | Average age at death of the whole class, including children. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adults. | Children under 10 years. | Total. | ||||
| Gentlemen | 1724 | 529 | 2253 | 210 | 60 | 44 |
| Tradesmen | 3970 | 3703 | 7682 | 1428 | 51 | 25 |
| Labourers | 12045 | 13885 | 25930 | 5469 | 49 | 22 |
| Paupers | 3062 | 593 | 3655 | 557 | 60 | 49 |
| Undescribed | 2996 | 2761 | 5757 | 1051 | 56 | 28 |
| Totals | 23806 | 21471 | 45277 | 8715 | 53 | 27 |
The following totals of the mortuary registration of the several registrars’ districts in Hereford for the same year are given for comparison:—