( XIV ) 
STATE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH. 
1st Quarter. — The number of deaths registered in the three 
months was 100,986, considerably more than in the same quailer of 
1860, which was 86,423, but less than in that of 1859. And over 
England the fluctuation in the deaths was generally similar to that 
which is shown in the aggregate number. The annual rate of 
mortality did not rise quite to the average ; for the former was 
199 in 10,000 of the population, the latter is 202. In the cold 
September quarter of 1860 the rate was 171. The mortality in the 
country and small towns was 178, whereas that of the large towns 
was 221. The respective average rates are 176 and 235: whence 
it appears that in an eqiial number of the population (10,000) there 
were 43 deaths more in towns than in country ; but the health of 
the former was better relatively to their own former experience, 
than that of the latter, for the mortality amongst the rural popula- 
tion slightly exceeded its average. In 10,000 persons the excess of 
deaths over those of the corresponding quarter of 1860, was 37 in 
towns, and 19 in the country. 
2nd Quarter. — The total number of deaths registered this quarter 
was 104,917 ; it was not so great as in the same quarter of 1859, but 
greater than in that of 1860. The death-rate for England and 
Wales last quarter was 2-061 per cent, of the population, the average 
being 2-179. Within eleven December quarters the maximum has 
been 2-4; the minimum 1-995. The population that dwell in the 
larger towns suffered a death-rate of 2-3 ; that of country parishes 
and small towns a rate of 1-8, or rather more. The difference may 
be stated thus : — If the mortality of last quarter prevailed for a 
year, a proportion of the persons who inhabit towns, equal to five 
in a thousand, would die, who would sui-vive the close of the year 
if their lot had been cast amongst a rural population. But rela- 
tively to the standard furnished by the experience of former years 
in each of the two classes, the urban population obtained, or, by the 
successful application of sanitary science, achieved a greater reduc- 
tion of the mortality than that which was obtained in the rural 
districts. In the former, from an average of 2-5 the rate was 
reduced to 2-3 ; in the latter it fell from 1-9 to 1-8. 
