116 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION. 
If from the number of registered deaths, I am allowed to 
'deduct those that occurred at the Colonial Hospital during 
the above period, viz. : 908, then we would have 3,070 
deaths and 2,814 births ; balance against births, 156 ; a 
sad result indeed ! I propose the above deduction, because, 
of the many persons who come to town for the benefit of 
medical attendance, not a few die and are registered as in- 
habitants of the Borough ; that number fairly compensates, 
I believe, for the inhabitants of Port-of-Spain who die at 
the Colonial Hospital and whom I have deducted. 
Taking the population of Port-of-Spain at 19,500 during 
the above quinquennial period, and the number of deaths 
at 3,070, we would then have 3*14 per cent, as the rate of 
mortality. Let us make allowance for incorrect registration, 
let us bring the population of Port-of-Spain to 20,000 souls, 
the mortality would still be great : but it is especially great 
among young children who die from sheer neglect. I should, 
however, observe that young age is a predisposing cause to 
zymotic diseases, particularly from the age of 6 months to 
five years. 
During the same period the number of registered births 
and deaths, throughout the Island, was as follows : 
Births. Deaths. 
1861........ 
1862 
2,447 
2,443 
1861 
1862 
2,900 
1863 
2,776 
1863 
2,384 
1864 
1864 
2,532 
1865 
2,955 
1865 
2,448 
13,595 
13,354 
balance in favor of births 241. 
Let me again observe that the registration of deaths should 
he taken as pretty correct, inasmuch as no funeral can be 
