DEATH-TOLL OF ENGLAND AND WALES. 



135 



We cannot state the problem quite so definitely as this 

 would imply ; but if we take Dr. Farr's estimate of 5 mil- 

 lions of additional inhabitants in our towns, and apply to 

 this the usual urban rate of 24 as distinguished from the 

 rural rate of 19 per 1000, we obtain an excess of 25000 

 deaths that would have to be placed to the account of 

 overcrowding. 



The fact that, on the whole, the mortality has remained 

 stationary during the last thirty years, shows that 25000 

 lives must have been saved by other means, and hence that 

 some influences have been at work to mitigate the evil 

 eflFects of overcrowding. What these influences are is 

 made at least very probable by the fact that, in most of the 

 notable exceptions to Dr. Farr's law, sanitary improvements 

 have been carried out for a good many years. In the fol- 

 lowing examples it will be noted that the density of most 

 of the places named has decidedly increased, whilst the 

 moi'tality has diminished. 



The first six of these districts are taken from the Table 



