( XiV ) 
STATE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH. 
1st Quarter.— The excess of births over tlie deaths in the quarter 
was 77,G39; so the natural increase of the popiiLation of England 
and Wales was at the rate of 844 daily ; and if the rest of the popii- 
lation increased equally fast, the natural increase of the United 
Kingdom must have been at the rate of 1266 daily. The increase 
exceeds any on record. 86,423 deaths were registered in the three 
months ending in September, or less by 17,916 than the death.s 
(104,339) registered in the coiTcsponding quarter of last year. To 
every six deaths in the last there were only five in the present 
summer. The rate of mortality was 17 ; whereas the average of 
the season is 20 per 1000. The reduction of the mortality is ob- 
servable in the town and in the coiintry districts ; but it is by far 
the greatest in the town districts. The average number of deaths 
in the town districts during the summers of 1850-9 was 52,861 ; 
whei'eas the deaths in the last summer were 45,495 : in the country 
districts during the same periods the deaths wei'e 43,697 and 40,928. 
The rate of mortality in the town districts fell from 23-75 to 18-42 
per 1000 ; in the country and small tovm districts from 17-59 to 
15-87, or 5-33 degrees in the town and 1-72 in the coimtry districts. 
2nd Quarter. — The births exceeded the deaths in the quarter by 
59,691, and that was the natural increase of the population. In the 
year the natural increase of England and Wales was 260,930 souls — 
713 daily. If Scotland and Ireland increased at the same rate, the 
natural increase of the population of the United Kingdom must have 
been at the rate of 1069 daily. 102,557 deaths were registered in 
the last quarter of the 3-ear 1860, and the annual rate of mortality 
during the season was 2-024. The mortality was 0-158 below the 
average. Upon making up the account for the year, the deaths are 
found to be 422,500 ; and the annual I'ate of moi-tality 2-113 ; or a 
little more than 2rin 1000. The average of the preceding ten years 
is 22 : so one life in every 1000 living was saved. Yet the mortality 
of England and Wales is still greatly in excess of the rate expe- 
rienced in the least unhealthy districts. The deaths, instead of 
102,557 would at that rate have been 79,283 ; so during the 92 days 
23,274 persons died unnatural deaths in the least unhealthy country 
in Europe. The densest districts are still the imhealthiest. In the 
town districts the mortality was at the rate of 23 in 1000; in the 
country districts 18 in 1000. It is gratifying to find that the mor- 
tality of the town districts has declined from 25 to 23, and of the 
country districts from 19 to 18. 
