47 



VITAL STATISTICS FOR THE COUNTY OF 



ESSEX. 



Hy JOHN C. THRF.SH, D.Sc, M.n., K.R.Mel.Soc, etc. 



{Medical Officer of Health for the Chelmsford and Maldon Rural Sanitary Districts.) 

 [Read March 2lst, iSgi.^ 



' I "*HE following statistics have been compiled from the returns of 

 the Registrar-General for the several quarters of the year 1890.' 



The [)()pulation of Essex in the middle of 1890, according to the 

 Registrar-General's method of estimation, will be 676,410, but, as I 

 pointed out last year, the probability is that this is too low. Calcu- 

 lating the population of the rural and urban districts separately I 

 estimate the population at 743,390. The census to be taken this 

 spring will show which is the more correct. The rates given in the 

 tables which follow, and having reference to the whole country, are 

 based upon the higher estimate. 



Marriages. — During the year 4,625 marriages have been regis- 

 tered in the county, giving an annual rate of i2"4 per 1,000 per- 

 sons living as compared with i2-o for the three preceding years. 



Births. — The number of births registered was 23,254, giving a 

 birth-rate of 31 "3 per 1,000 persons living. The mean rate for the 

 preceding three years was 33"i, so that the decline is steadily continu- 

 ing. 



Deaths. — During the year 12,873 dc-'^ths have been registered, 

 giving a death-rate of 17 '3 against 177 for the preceding ten years 

 and 1 5 'I for the year 1889. 



The number of deaths of infants under i year was 3,196, giving 

 a mortality of 137 per 1,000 children born. This is above the 

 average and considerably higher than the rate which obtained last 

 year, viz.., 1 13 deaths per 1,000 births. 



The deaths from all causes included 1,785 from the seven principal 

 zvmotic diseases, giving a death-rate of 2*4 per 1,000, which is about 

 the mean for the preceding ten years, but considerably higher than 

 the rate for 1889 which was only i-6. 



In the following table the death, birth, marriage rates, and infantile 

 mortality, are compared with the corresponding rates for England and 

 Wales. 



I Kor the summary of the Sanitary Co idiiion of Essex for the ten years, 1879-1388, anil for 

 the year 1885, see I)r'. Thresh's papc in F.sskx Natl'rai.ist, vol. iv. pp. 97-99. - Etl. 



