The difficulty of obtaining reliable reports in the way now prescribed by statute, may be seen by the statement of a single fact-one of several that occurred last year. An undertaker belonging to a neighboring city reported the death of a child as follows:-" Julia -, aged 5 mos. 16 days, daughter of Richard and Alice, died of Inflammation of the Lungs, buried at Cambridge," &c. Two days afterwards, another out of town undertaker reported that "John, aged 6 mos., son of Richard and Alice, died of Dropsy in the Head,buried at Dorchester," &c. The two reports referred to the same child, and the explanation is:-The first undertaker was engaged to inter the child at Cambridge, and he reported it as above stated. Subsequently, the father changed his mind in reference to the place of burial, and the report of the other undertaker was the result. The difference in the two reports in regard to the sex, and cause of death of the child, was doubtless owing to the unintelligent sources of their information. Sometimes returns very gravely state, that A or B died of "fits." Investigation has shown that said "fits" were delirium tremens, convulsions, or apoplexy. No amount of guessing, certainly, could determine which it should be. It will thus be seen, that statistics "coming in such a questionable shape," must necessarily be more or less unreliable. It is hoped, therefore, that the City Council will deem the subject a matter worthy of consideration, and adopt some method by which the defect may be remedied. The Tables herewith submitted, show that 4,441 persons died in the City of Boston during the year 1854; an increase of mortality over that of the preceding year of only 157. Deducting from this number all that died from external causes, such as casualties &c., which amounted to 180, there remain but 4,261 that died from disease alone. The aggregate ages of those that died, amount to 93,303 years, averaging 21 years to each individual. The number of males that died is 2,294. Their aggregate ages amount to 45,816 years, averaging 19.97 years to each. The number of females that died is 2,147. Their aggregate ages amount to 47,487 years, averaging 22.11 years to each, and showing a difference in their favor over the males of about two years. During the year there died 601 married males, being 26.19 per cent. of all the males that died; and 84 widowers, being 3.66 per cent. Of married females, 528 are reported, being 24.59 per cent. of the whole number of females that died; and 258 widows, being a little more than 3 to 1 over the number of males of the same condition, and comprising 12 per cent. of the whole number of females that died. Seventy-eight colored persons are reported as having died; their united ages amount to 1,857 years, averaging 25 years to each person, being a difference in their favor of nearly 4 years each over the whites. The aggregate ages of the colored males amount to 882 years, averaging 21 years to each, being one year in their favor over the white males. The united ages of the colored females amount to 975 years, averaging 27 years to each person, and being years in favor of colored over white females. 5 Of colored males under one year, four are reported; colored females, 6. From 1 to 5, 14 males, and 7 females. But 4 colored persons are reported to have died of cholera; 2 males, and 2 females. The deaths in the various districts are as follows: It will be remembered that districts 1 and 3 embrace the North end, and the neighborhood of Sea, Cove, and Broad Streets, and the locality known as "Fort Hill," places that contain the great bulk of our foreign-born population. A comparison of the deaths with the births, for the last five years, according to the above districts, may be of interest to consider in this connection: Districts. 1850. 1851. 1852. 1853. 1854. 1850. 1851. 1852. 1853. 1854. 5279 5338 5308 5596 5688 3667 3855 3736 4284 4441 It will thus be seen, that since 1850 the excess of births over deaths has been gradually diminishing. In 1850, the excess was 1,612; in 1851, it was 1,483; in 1852, it was 1,572; in 1853, it had decreased to 1,312; and in 1854 it was reduced to 1,247. |