890 



Population and Mortality in Calcutta. 



[Oct. 



Statement of the average rate of Mortality per cent, among the different classes 

 of inhabitants in Calcutta per census and Table of mortality. 



Denominations. 



English,.. 

 Eurasians,. 



Portuguese, 

 French, 



Western Muhamraadans, 

 Bengal Muhammadans, . . 



Moguls, 



Arabs, 



Western Hindus, 

 Bengal Hindus, 



Mugs 



Low Castes, 



Armenians, 



Native Christians, 



Chinese, 



Jews, 



Parsees, 



Madrassees, 



No. of 

 Inhabi- 

 tants. 



3138 

 4746 



3181 

 160 



13,677 



45,067 



527 



351 



17,333 



120,313 



683 



19,084 



Total. 



Average 

 mortality 

 p. annum. 



'884 



3341 



59,622 



157418 



636 



49 



362 



307 



40 



55 



277 



417 



1607 



9558 

 25| 

 3§ 



Average 

 mortality 

 percent. 



3$pr. ct, 



12* 



n 



6t3 

 64 



in 28 



in 8 



1 in 36 



1 in 16 

 1 in 25 

 1 in 14 



The great difference in mortality between the Hindus* and Musul- 

 mans is striking, while the difference to be observed between the Por- 

 tuguese, as compared with the English and the Eurasians, is equally so. 



Here is much room for speculation, and it cannot be said that as yet 

 we have as good means of getting correct information upon this subject 

 as they possess in Europe : nevertheless, we may approach as near as 

 we can to the point we wish to ascertain, and we may hope to improve 

 in such statistical records. 



The Portuguese, among whom so great a mortality is shewn, are a 

 suffering race very subject to the catalogue of complaints enumerated 

 in these papers ; while the English and Eurasians are far more prosper- 

 ous in life, and enjoy comforts and happiness in a very high degree, 

 as compared with the former section of society. The mortality of the 

 English and Eurasians 3J per cent, per annum, while that of the Portu- 

 guese being 12^ per cent, is very great. In 1830 I ascertained, and 

 published, in the Gleanings of Science the burials in Calcutta of Protes- 

 tant Christians from the year 1820. To shew at that time, that 

 although the European population must have greatly increased, yet, that 

 the deaths and burials had not encreased, and now that the same 

 population is acknowledged to have increased very materially indeed, 

 yet we see upon referring to the first column of one of the tables, giving 

 the Protestant burials, for the last 20 years, no increase of deaths. 

 The years 1833-4, the two years following the sea inundations, shew the 

 greatest mortality of late years ; while among the native population 

 those two years, shew an extraordinary mortality. The two last years 

 shew in respect of both European and Native population that healthiness 



* The difference of Mortality amongst the Muhammadans and Hindus may be ac- 

 counted for by the circumstance that the Hindus of Calcutta consisting of families 

 include a much larger proportion of Infant life. The same circumstance will ex- 

 plain the great difference between the average Mortality amongst the Portuguese 

 and the Europeans of Calcutta.— -Ed. 





