io6 



Mr. Gwyther on the 



1 728- 1 764," in which he shows that epidemics occurred 

 regularly at somewhat over 4 years ; that the victims of each 

 epidemic were almost entirely taken from those born since 

 the preceding epidemic ; that the rate calculated on this 

 basis was a death rate of 126 per thousand ; and that the 

 deaths in the first four years were roughly in the rate of 

 incidence shown by 



0- 



where the rates in successive years are progressively too 

 low, because I have not allowed for diminution by deaths 

 from other causes. 



Comparing this with the corresponding columns of 

 Table I., we see that the maximum infant death rate is now 

 very decidedly within the first year, and probably within 

 the first six months of life. As the epidemic of 187 1-2 

 is unique in the years covered by the Registrar General's 

 reports, I have considered it separately in Table II., and 

 during that epidemic we see that the infantile death rate 

 had begun to rise again in the fifth year, and we shall see 

 later that the rise was more markedly continued during the 

 next five years. 



The decrease of death rate is well marked during the 

 course of years that I am considering, except in the fourth 

 year during the epidemic of 187 1-2. 



In the ages from 5-10 the diminution of death rate is 

 well marked though less than the infantile rate, but during 

 the epidemic of 187 1-2, the increase of the death rate at 

 this age was very considerable as is well shown by con- 

 sidering Table III. 



After passing the age of ten, the reduction in death rate 

 is not so considerable as to seem to require any special 

 examination. 



