The general sanitary condition of the population of Scotland and the pressure of the preventible causes of death appears to be lower than in England, and higher than in Ireland, and so it appears from the recent census is the average age of the living.

It may be conceived that the low average age of the living in these cases is ascribable mainly to an increasing proportion of children incidental to an increasing population. Not so, however: the average age of the living is more powerfully influenced by disturbing causes affecting the population of adults, each with accumulated years, than by causes affecting the infantile population. One adult of 50 years added to the living is equal to the addition of 50 infants, and so with the average ages of deaths. The average ages of the living appear to have increased and not diminished with the increasing population. Be the sanitary condition of the poorest classes and the amount of disease and death what it may, as compared with former periods (and there is direct evidence that it is in populous districts increasing), there has been some improvement in the residences of the middle and higher classes; household drainage and cleanliness has in some districts been improved; the quantity of town and land drainage and cultivation has of late increased in various proportions in each country; and the decrease in the causes of mortality appears to have been followed by an increase of the average age of the living, of particular classes at the least, sufficient to present an increase, though a dreadfully slow one, in the average age of the adults living. The increase of the proportion of adults may be represented as follows:—

England. Ireland. Scotland.
1821 1841 1821 1841 1821 1841
Percentage of Population of 15 Years and under 39·09 36·07 41·06 40·44 41·0 36·4
Over 15 Years 60·91 63·93 58·94 59·56 59·0 63·6
  Yrs. M. Yrs. M. Yrs. M. Yrs. M. Yrs. M. Yrs. M.
Average age of each living individual 25·3 26·7 2·37 24·0 25·1 25·9

In abundance of employment, in high wages, and the chief circumstances commonly reputed as elements of prosperity of the labouring classes, the city of New York is deemed pre-eminent. I have been favoured with a copy of “The Annual Report of the Interments in the City and County of New York for the Year 1842,” presented to the Common Council by Dr. John Griscom, the city inspector, in which it may be seen how little those circumstances have hitherto preserved large masses of people from physical depression. He has stepped out of the routine to examine on the spot the circumstances attendant on the mortality which the figures represent. He finds that upwards of 33,000 of the population of that city live in cellars, courts, and alleys, of which 6618 are dwellers in cellars. “Many,” he states, “of these back places are so constructed as to cut off all circulation of air, the line of houses being across the entrance, forming a cul de sac, while those in which the line is parallel with, and at one side of the entrance, are rather more favourably situated, but still excluded from any general visitation of air in currents. As to the influence of these localities upon the health and lives of the inmates, there is, and can be, no dispute; but few are aware of the dreadful extent of the disease and suffering to be found in them. In the damp, dark, and chilly cellars, fevers, rheumatism, contagious and inflammatory disorders, affections of the lungs, skin, and eyes, and numerous others, are rife, and too often successfully combat the skill of the physician and the benevolence of strangers.

“I speak now of the influence of the locality merely. The degraded habits of life, the filth, the degenerate morals, the confined and crowded apartments, and insufficient food, of those who live in more elevated rooms, comparatively beyond the reach of the exhalations of the soil, engender a different train of diseases, sufficiently distressing to contemplate, but the addition to all these causes of the foul influences of the incessant moisture and more confined air of under-ground rooms, is productive of evils which humanity cannot regard without shuddering.”

He gives instances where the cellar population had been ravaged by fever whilst the population occupying the upper apartments of the same houses were untouched. In respect to the condition of these places, he cites the testimony of a physician, who states that, “frequently in searching for a patient living in the same cellar, my attention has been attracted to the place by a peculiar and nauseous effluvium issuing from the door indicative of the nature and condition of the inmates.” A main cause of this is the filthy external state of the dwellings and defective street cleansing, and defective supplies of water, which, except that no provision is made for laying it on the houses of the poorer classes, is now about to be remedied by a superior public provision.

Years. Months.
The average age of the white population living in New York, according to the census, is 23 3
But the average age of all who die there is only 20 0

Or an excess of deaths over the ages of the living of more than three years and three months; denoting, if the like excess prevailed from year to year, an increasing pressure of the causes of mortality. If the mortality be the same from year to year the chances of life would appear to be lower in New York than in Dublin, where, according to the data given by the Census Commissioners, it would appear to be 25 years 6 months.

In America little attention and labour appear to have been bestowed in any of the rural districts on general land drainage. Yet nature inflicts terrible punishment for the neglect of the appointed and visible warnings and actual premonitory scourges, amongst which are the mosquitoes and the tribes of insects that only breed in stagnant water and live in its noxious exhalations. The cleansing and the general sanitary condition of the American towns appear to be lower than in England or Scotland, whilst the heat there at times is greater and decomposition more active; pestilence in the shape of yellow fever, ague, and influenza is there more rife, the deaths in proportion to the population more numerous, and the average age of death (so far as there is information) amongst the resident population much lower.

Years. Months.
The average age of the whole of the living population in America, so far as it can be deduced from the returns at the periods given in the census, is only 22 2

Notwithstanding the earlier marriages, and the extent of emigration, and the general increase of the population, the whole circumstances appear to me to prove this to be the case of a population depressed to this low age chiefly by the greater proportionate pressure of the causes of disease and premature mortality. The proportionate numbers at each interval of age in every 10,000 of the two populations are as follows:—

United States of America. England and Wales.
Under 5 years 1744 1324
5 and under 10 1417 1197
10 and under 15 1210 1089
15 and under 20 1091 997
20 and under 30 1816 1780
30 and under 40 1160 1289
40 and under 50 732 959
50 and under 60 436 645
60 and under 70 245 440
70 and under 80 113 216
80 and under 90 32 59
90 and upwards 4 5
 
  10,000 10,000
 
Average age of all the living 22 years 2 months 26 years 7 months.

Here it may be observed, that whilst in England there are 5025 persons between 15 and 50 who have 3610 children or persons under 15; in America there are 4789 persons living between 15 and 50 years of age who have 4371 children dependent upon them. In England there are in every ten thousand persons 1365 who have obtained above 50 years’ experience; in America there are only 830.

The moral consequences of the predominance of the young and passionate in the American community are attested by observers to be such as have already been described in the General Sanitary Report as characteristic of those crowded, filthy, and badly administered districts in England where the average duration of life is short, the proportion of the very young great, and the adult generation transient.

The difference does not arise solely from the greater proportion of children arising from a greater increase of population, though that is to some extent consistent with what has been proved to be the effect of a severe general mortality; the effects of the common cause of depression is observable at each interval of age: the adult population in America is younger than in England, and if the causes of early death were to remain the same, it may be confidently predicted that the American population would remain young for centuries.

Years. Months.
The average age of all alive above 15 in America is 33 6
The average age of all alive above 15 years in England and Wales is 37 5
The average age of all above 20 years in America is 37 7
In the whole of England the average of all above 20 years is 41 1

The difference at the different stages of age appear also to prevail in proportion to the different pressure of the causes of disease and mortality in different districts in England: e. g. In the town parishes of Middlesex the average age of the living above 15 years is 35 years and 10 months; but in Hereford it is 39 years and 2 months. In Middlesex the average age of the adult population, that is of all above 20 years, is 38 years and 8 months; whilst in Hereford it is 42 years and 1 month.

The comparative amount of disease and death elsewhere it need scarcely be said, in no way affects the positive amount of evil in this country, or dispenses with the duty of adopting such practical measures as may be preventive of a single one of the cases of preventable deaths which abound in masses in the large districts having the least unfavourable averages.

The instances have been adduced to exemplify the suggestions of amendment in the mode of measuring the amount and influence of mortality, and more especially to show the importance of giving the average age as well as the numbers of deaths and the average age of the living in each class of the community.

The subsequent district returns and the notes extracted from the reports made by the local registrars to the Registrar-General, in corroboration of the General Sanitary Report, will show the immense importance to the community of the facts that require investigation. It cannot be too urgently repeated that it is only by examinations, case by case, and on the spot, that the facts from which sound principles may be correctly distinguished. They can only be well classed for general conclusions and public use by persons who have large numbers brought before their actual view and consideration, and who have thus brought before them impressively the common circumstances for discrimination, which no hearsay, no ordinary written information will present to their attention. The attainment of this immensely important public service might properly have been submitted as a principal instead of a collateral object, to the improvement of the practice of interment, for the appointment of such a small well qualified agency as that proposed, § 225, of some five or six trustworthy officers of public health for each million of a town population with the requisite powers and responsibilities for ascertaining the actual amount of the preventible causes of death, and informing the local officers and the public of what is to be done for their removal.

The districts are placed in the order of the average age of death of the whole population during the year 1839, commencing with the highest average.

District. Class. Number of Deaths of each Class. Deaths from Epidemic. Average Age at Death of all who die above 21. Average Age at Death, including Children. Years’ Average premature loss of Life by Proportionate Number of Deaths to Population. Excess in Number of Deaths above a Healthy standard.
Adults. Children under 10. Total. Deaths above Age of 21. Deaths of all Classes.
  No. No. No. No. Years. Years. Years. Years. No. No.
Greenwich. Population 80,811. Gentry 62 18 80 9 62 48   }    
Tradesmen 150 97 247 42 54 31 8 8 }    
Artisans, &c. 947 414 1,361 227 56 36 6 3 } 1 in 39 159
Undescribed 141 110 251 35 58 30 4 9 }    
Paupers 109 21 130 17 62 52   }    
Totals and 1,409 660 2,069 330            
Averages.         57 36 5 3    
    No. of Births 1,780 Age of Living 28 Births 1 in 45  
Camberwell. Population, 39,867. Gentry 58 23 81 11 58 38 4 1 }    
Tradesmen 111 86 197 35 54 28 8 11 }    
Artisans, &c. 137 134 271 54 51 26 11 13 } 1 in 51 100
Undescribed 98 37 135 13 61 42 1 }    
Paupers 92 6 98 7 62 56   }    
Totals and 496 286 782 117            
Averages.         57 34 5 5    
    No. of Births 709 Age of Living 27·5 Births 1 in 44  
Hackney. Population 42,274. Gentry 50 11 61 6 61 47 1 }    
Tradesmen 134 94 228 21 52 29 10 10 }    
Artisans, &c. 117 120 237 35 55 27 7 12 } 1 in 56 155[47]
Undescribed 80 102 182 36 60 25 2 14 }    
Paupers 46 4 50 1 67 61   }    
Totals and 427 331 758 99            
Averages.         57 31 5 8    
    No. of Births 995 Age of Living 26·10 Births 1 in 42  
St. George. Hanover Square. Population 66,433. Gentry 110 28 138 12 59 45 2 }    
Tradesmen 112 79 191 23 50 29 12 10 }    
Artisans, &c. 528 344 872 130 47 27 15 12 } 1 in 501 272[48]
Undescribed 18 17 35 3 61 32 1 7 }    
Paupers 77 12 89 8 59 51 3 }    
Totals and 845 480 1,325 176            
Averages.         50 31 12 8    
    No. of Births 1,260 Age of Living 28·3 Births 1 in 53  
Rotherhithe. Population 13,916. Gentry 6   6 1 57 49 5 }    
Tradesmen 12 2 14 2 50 40 12 }    
Artisans, &c. 70 14 84 2 51 40 11 } 1 in 41 79[49]
Undescribed 78 121 199 50 52 19 10 20 }    
Paupers 33 5 38 3 68 56   }    
Totals and 199 142 341 58            
Averages         54 30 8 9    
    No. of Births 385 Age of Living 26·7 Births 1 in 36  
St. Olave. Population 18,427. Gentry 4   4   64     }    
Tradesmen 55 46 101 24 48 25 14 14 }    
Artisans, &c. 603 215 818 107 43 30 19 9 } 1 in 19 229[50]
Undescribed 5 14 19 7 50 16 12 23 }    
Paupers 47 4 51 8 59 54 3 }    
Totals and 714 279 993 146            
Averages         45 30 17 9    
    No. of Births 519 Age of Living 27·0 Births 1 in 36  
Kensington, (including Chelsea). Population 114,952. Gentry 193 50 243 17 60 45 2 }    
Tradesmen 204 120 324 33 50 30 12 9 }    
Artisans, &c. 559 619 1,178 223 53 24 9 15 } 1 in 51 582[51]
Undescribed 202 181 383 47 58 30 4 9 }    
Paupers 106 36 142 24 61 44 1 }    
Totals and 1,264 1,006 2,270 344            
Averages         55 29 7 10    
    No. of Births 2,782 Age of Living 27·5 Births 1 in 41  
Islington. Population 55,720. Gentry 83 35 118 11 61 42 1 }    
Tradesmen 151 121 272 43 50 26 12 13 }    
Artisans, &c. 177 260 437 108 47 19 15 20 } 1 in 55 261
Undescribed 106 27 133 9 61 46 1 }    
Paupers 49 10 59 3 60 49 2 }    
Totals and 566 453 1,019 174            
Averages         54 29 8 10    
    No. of Births 1,177 Age of Living 26·11 Births 1 in 47    
St. Martin in the Fields. Population 25,195. Gentry 23 4 27 2 57 46 3 }    
Tradesmen 60 47 107 22 45 24 17 15 }    
Artisans, &c. 165 137 302 82 48 26 14 13 } 1 in 36 200
Undescribed 89 112 201 42 51 21 11 18 }    
Paupers 68 4 72 4 65 60   }    
Totals and 405 304 709 152            
Averages         52 28 10 11    
    No. of Births 601 Age of Living 28·4 Births 1 in 4  
Poplar. Population 31,091. Gentry 16 7 23 2 61 43 1 }    
Tradesmen 44 40 84 18 51 26 11 13 }    
Artisans, &c. 235 240 475 80 53 25 9 14 } 1 in 47 186
Undescribed 19 10 29 2 63 36   3 }    
Paupers 45 3 48 2 64 53   }    
Totals and 359 300 659 104            
Averages         55 28 7 11    
    No. of Births 1,106 Age of Living 25·10 Births 1 in 28  
Marylebone. Population 137,955. Gentry 156 40 196 20 59 46 3 }    
Tradesmen 198 172 370 57 51 27 11 12 }    
Artisans, &c. 682 759 1,441 251 48 23 14 16 } 1 in 45 857[52]
Undescribed 347 324 671 104 54 27 8 12 }    
Paupers 288 73 361 61 54 42 8 }    
Totals and 1,671 668 3,039 493            
Averages         52 28 10 11    
    No. of Births 3,511 Age of Living 27·9 Births 1 in 39  
Stepney. Population 90,657. Gentry 64 9 73 3 65 56   }    
Tradesmen 169 104 273 47 53 31 9 8 }    
Artisans, &c. 568 591 1,159 247 48 23 14 16 } 1 in 41 620[53]
Undescribed 203 274 477 101 56 22 6 17 }    
Paupers 189 28 217 28 63 54   }    
Totals and 1,193 1,006 2,199 426            
Averages         53 28 9 11    
    No. of Births 2,502 Age of Living 26·6 Births 1 in 36  
St. Mary, Newington. Population 54,607. Gentry 79 13 92 6 62 50   }    
Tradesmen 75 64 139 23 50 26 12 13 }    
Artisans, &c. 325 420 745 162 52 22 10 17 } 1 in 46 338
Undescribed 75 76 151 31 59 30 3 9 }    
Paupers 64 6 70 1 60 55 2 }    
Totals and 618 579 1,197 223            
Averages         55 28 7 11    
    No. of Births 1,620 Age of Living 26·8 Births 1 in 34  
St. Pancras. Population 129,711. Gentry 151 49 200 15 61 45 1 }    
Tradesmen 349 286 635 108 50 27 12 12 }    
Artisans, &c. 622 674 1,296 287 47 22 15 17 } 1 in 43 934[54]
Undescribed 269 354 623 199 55 23 7 16 }    
Paupers 232 49 281 47 61 50 1 }    
Totals and 1,623 1,412 3,035 656            
Averages         53 27 9 12    
    No. of Births 3,264 Age of Living 26·10 Births 1 in 46  
West London. Population 33,629. Gentry 12 4 16 2 58 38 4 1 }    
Tradesmen 83 103 186 41 49 22 13 17 }    
Artisans, &c. 393 381 774 186 46 22 16 17 } 1 in 27 337[55]
Undescribed 149 17 166 23 47 38 15 1 }    
Paupers 99 16 115 26 64 55   }    
Totals and 736 521 1,257 278            
Averages         49 27 13 12    
    No. of Births 698 Age of Living 27·7 Births 1 in 48  
Whitechapel. Population 71,758. Gentry 17 4 21 58 47 4   }    
Tradesmen 142 130 272 42 50 26 12 13 }    
Artisans, &c. 741 637 1,378 261 48 25 14 14 } 1 in 31 768[56]
Undescribed 116 313 429 107 58 16 4 23 }    
Paupers 166 37 203 38 63 51   }    
Totals and 1,182 1,121 2,303 448            
Averages         51 26 11 13    
    No. of Births 2,103 Age of Living 26·2 Births 1 in 34  
St. James Westminster. Population 37,407. Gentry 27 9 36 1 57 42 5 }    
Tradesmen 68 66 134 23 51 26 11 13 }    
Artisans, &c. 161 190 351 59 46 21 16 18 } 1 in 50 251
Undescribed 52 83 135 28 52 20 10 19 }    
Paupers 81 15 96 7 58 49 4 }    
Totals and 389 363 752 118            
Averages         51 26 11 13    
    No. of Births 844 Age of Living 28·2 Births 1 in 44  
East London. Population 39,655. Gentry 14 3 17   63 50   }    
Tradesmen 134 164 298 76 53 23 9 16 }    
Artisans, &c. 265 391 656 145 51 21 11 18 } 1 in 36 372
Undescribed 36 10 46 1 50 38 12 1 }    
Paupers 87 11 98 18 65 57   }    
Totals and 536 579 1,115 240            
Averages         54 26 8 13    
    No. of Births 1,235 Age of Living 27·0 Births 1 in 32  
Holborn. Population 39,720. Gentry 36 9 45 3 58 47 4 }    
Tradesmen 144 164 308 75 52 24 10 15 }    
Artisans, &c. 231 353 584 149 50 19 12 20 } 1 in 36 367
Undescribed 21 6 27 2 54 41 8 }    
Paupers 105 32 137 35 60 46 2 }    
Totals and 537 564 1,101 254            
Averages         53 26 9 13    
    No. of Births 969 Age of Living 27·2 Births 1 in 41  
Shoreditch. Population 83,552. Gentry 63 23 86 14 65 47   }    
Tradesmen 153 150 303 63 47 23 15 16 }    
Artisans, &c. 498 802 1,300 271 51 19 11 20 } 1 in 38 732[57]
Undescribed 150 75 225 34 57 37 5 2 }    
Paupers 234 49 283 56 57 46 5 }    
Totals and 1,098 1,099 2,197 438            
Averages         54 26 8 13    
    No. of Births 3,058 Age of Living 26 Births 1 in 27  
City London. Population 55,967. Gentry 32 12 44 3 63 43   }    
Tradesmen 247 244 491 84 48 23 14 16 }    
Artisans, &c. 213 270 483 94 50 22 12 17 } 1 in 50 403
Undescribed 77 29 106 15 58 39 4 }    
Paupers               }    
Totals and 569 555 1,124 196            
Averages         51 25 11 14    
    No. of Births 1,210 Age of Living 27·7 Births 1 in 46  
St. John & St. Margaret, Westminster. Population 56,718. Gentry 37 14 51 9 55 42 7 }    
Tradesmen 82 102 184 47 46 20 16 19 }    
Artisans, &c. 458 581 1039 264 48 21 14 18 } 1 in 39 521[58]
Undescribed 38 24 62 9 56 49 6 }    
Paupers 97 19 116 17 57 46 5 }    
Totals and 712 740 1,452 346            
Averages         50 25 12 14    
    No. of Births 1,730 Age of Living 26·11 Births 1 in 33  
St. James, Clerkenwell. Population 56,709. Gentry 52 15 67 8 60 46 2 }    
Tradesmen 99 109 208 50 49 23 13 16 }    
Artisans, &c. 324 533 857 183 50 19 12 20 } 1 in 43 474
Undescribed 82 17 99 6 59 44 3 }    
Paupers 76 14 90 2 60 50 2 }    
Totals and 633 688 1,321 249            
Averages         53 25 9 14    
    No. of Births 1,771 Age of Living 25·11 Births 1 in 32  
St. George in the East. Population 41,351. Gentry 18 3 21   63 54   }    
Tradesmen 66 72 138 29 49 23 13 16 }    
Artisans, &c. 313 481 794 158 46 18 16 12 } 1 in 36 408[59]
Undescribed 62 14 76 3 60 46 2 }    
Paupers 93 14 107 14 61 52 1 }    
Totals and 552 584 1,136 204            
Averages         51 25 11 14    
    No. of Births 1,404 Age of Living 26·6 Births 1 in 29  
St. Giles and St. George. Population 54,250. Gentry 66 32 98 15 60 40 2 }    
Tradesmen 119 114 233 44 52 26 10 13 }    
Artisans, &c. 280 584 864 221 51 17 11 22 } 1 in 36 528[60]
Undescribed 42 20 62 9 53 35 9 4 }    
Paupers 208 34 242 53 54 46 8 }    
Totals and 715 784 1,499 342            
Averages         53 25 9 14    
    No. of Births 1,622 Age of Living 27·9 Births 1 in 33  
Strand. Population 43,894. Gentry 47 21 68 8 59 40 3 }    
Tradesmen 129 132 261 58 51 25 11 14 }    
Artisans, &c. 299 382 681 178 48 21 14 18 } 1 in 41 413[61]
Undescribed 26 19 45 4 55 28 7 11 }    
Paupers 15 5 20   65 49        
Totals and 516 559 1075 248            
Averages         51 24 11 15    
    No. of Births 957 Age of Living 27·3 Births 1 in 46  
Lambeth. Population 115,883. Gentry 141 64 205 19 58 37 4 2 }    
Tradesmen 340 452 792 174 50 21 12 18 }    
Artisans, &c. 452 704 1,156 245 49 19 13 20 } 1 in 46 979[62]
Undescribed 113 68 181 27 59 35 3 4 }    
Paupers 173 38 211 37 56 44 6 }    
Totals and 1,219 1,326 2,545 502            
Averages         52 24 10 15    
    No. of Births 3,782 Age of Living 26.2 Births 1 in 31  
St. George, Southwark. Population 46,622. Gentry 32 9 41 5 61 45 1 }    
Tradesmen 66 53 119 18 54 30 8 9 }    
Artisans, &c. 371 591 962 248 53 20 9 19 } 1 in 39 492[63]
Undescribed 35 15 50 10 50 30 12 9 }    
Paupers 22 6 28 2 58 45 4 }    
Totals and 526 674 1,200 283            
Averages         53 23 9 16    
    No. of Births 1,574 Age of Living 26·5 Births 1 in 30  
St. Luke. Population 49,982. Gentry 21 6 27 3 56 38 6 1 }    
Tradesmen 62 52 114 17 49 25 13 14 } 1 in 40 538
Artisans, &c. 391 569 960 306 49 20 13 19 }    
Undescribed 85 49 134 17 58 35 4 4 }    
Paupers               }    
Totals and 559 676 1,235 343            
Averages         50 22 12 17    
    No. of Births 2,271 Age of Living 25·11 Births 1 in 22  
Bermondsey. Population 34,847. Gentry 3 5 8   51 20 11 19 }    
Tradesmen 66 59 125 16 48 25 14 14 }    
Artisans, &c. 202 373 575 144 51 18 11 21 } 1 in 42 364[64]
Undescribed 24 26 50 6 45 21 17 18 }    
Paupers 62 14 76 15 57 47 5 }    
Totals and 357 477 834 181            
Averages         51 22 11 17    
    No. of Births 1,151 Age of Living 24·7 Births 1 in 30  
Bethnal Green. Population 74,087. Gentry 39 11 50 4 61 46   1 }    
Tradesmen 110 136 246 56 53 24 9 15 }    
Artisans, &c. 468 874 1,342 369 51 18 11 21 } 1 in 41 791[65]
Undescribed 69 19 88 6 57 44 5 }    
Paupers 76 19 93 19 65 49   }    
Totals and 762 1,059 1,821 454            
Averages         54 22 8 17    
    No. of Births 2,674 Age of Living 25·2 Births 1 in 28  
St. Savior´s. Population 32,980 Gentry 9 1 10 1 52 47 10 }    
Tradesmen 45 43 88 17 52 26 10 13 }    
Artisans, &c. 250 248 498 93 45 22 17 17 } 1 in 36 422
Undescribed 89 198 287 65 51 15 11 24 }    
Paupers 23 9 32 4 59 40 3 }    
Totals and 416 499 915 180            
Averages         48 21 14 18    
    No. of Births 1,143 Age of Living 27·3 Births 1 in 29