316 The Mortality of Liverpool, [ July, 
may be said, that of the shafts which are almost hourly aimed by 
Death into the nursery of fever below, a few fly too high, and reach 
the seats of affluence above. 
Since the subject was last discussed in these pages, we have 
received at regular intervals the “ Reports of the Health of Liver- 
pool” drawn up by a gentleman who, to judge from the care and 
patience which he bestows upon that task, must be emimently 
adapted for his duties. Dr. Trench, the Medical Officer of the 
borough, seems to have made up his mind that we shall not lose sight 
of the important subject of which he treats, and if his Report, just 
issued, receives a more conspicuous notice at our hands than such 
parochial or corporate returns usually obtaim, it is, as we have already 
stated, because the information which he so diligently supplies is of 
interest, not to his own town alone, but to the nation at large. 
We will let him speak for himself as much as possible, and his 
figures will be found stubborn and terrible facts.* 
“The returns made by the local registrars record 19,374 births 
and 17,282 deaths in the Borough of Liverpool during the year 
1865.” 
The births and deaths are pretty equally divided between the 
sexes, “The total death-rate of the borough was 36°4 per 1,000.” 
The deaths were 446 in excess of those registered in the previous 
year, and 1,744 above the corrected averages of the last ten years. 
In his statement which particularizes the causes of death (one of 
the many interesting tables accompanying his Report), we find 
that of these 17,282 deaths, 7,766, or nearly one-half, were 
children under five years of age; and we are told that “the 
truest test of the sickliness of a place is the average death-rate of 
children.” Again, although the average rate of mortality for the 
whole borough is 36°4, that of the parish of Liverpool alone, in 
which 11,251 out of the 17,282 deaths occurred, was 41°5; whilst 
that of the “ out-townships,” which we have referred to as being 
the more healthy portions of the town, ranges from 19°9 to 38°9, 
making an average of 29°6. “In the year 1860,” the Report says, 
“a year of great prosperity, the deaths only reached 11,236, making 
the death-rate of the borough as low as 26°0 in the 1,000, the 
lowest hitherto recorded.” 
Six years since, therefore, the death-rate was 26°0 in the 
1,000 for the whole town. Last year it was 36°4 for the same; 
41°5 for the borough, and 29-6 for the out-townships. This will 
show the reader what Liverpool is, and what it might be made. 
Now let us look at the causes of death, and whichever way we 
turn we encounter the word “zymotic.” The diseases embraced by 
* ¢ Report of the Health of Liverpool during the year 1865.’ By W. 8. Trench, 
M.D., Medical Officer of Health for the Borough. Liverpool ; Hewson and 
Procter. 
