There were no deaths from small-pox during the year 1896, nor has there been a case of small-pox in the City since the latter part of September, 1895. The deaths from whooping cough were 158, which shows a decrease of 93 over the number reported in 1895. There was no unusual prevalence of diarrhoeal diseases.

The deaths from children under five years of age were 8,661, which is .72 per cent. of the population, or 36.11 per cent. of the mortality at all periods of life and from all causes. In reviewing the deaths at this period of life for many years past it will be seen that the rate is moderate. This may also be taken as an indication of the general health of the City.

The total number of deaths from all causes was 23,982, a decrease over the preceding year of 185. The deathrate from all causes, based upon a population of 1,188,793 was 20.17 per thousand, or one death in every 49.57 persons living.

The total number of deaths from all causes, exclusive of those by violence, was 22,752, which is equivalent to a death-rate of 19.13 per thousand, or 1 death in each 52.25 of the population. As accidental deaths have no relation to the healthfulness of a locality they should be eliminated in making up the general death-rate.

In the light of this brief resume of the mortality records for the year the conclusion is arrived at that the public health was, for the most part well conserved.

The total number of births reported during the year amounted to 29,753, a decrease of 85, and is equivalent to a rate of 25.02 per 1,000, or, at the rate of 1 birth in each 39.95 persons living. The birth-rate, exclusive of still and premature births, was 23.29 per 1,000, or 1 birth in each 42.93 persons living.

The number of marriages reported during the year was

7,491, or 14,982 persons married. The marriage rate per 1,000 for the year was 12.60, or 1 person married in each 79.34 of the population.

Deaths, exclusive of still and premature births.............. 23,982

Still births..........

Premature births..

Living births.........

All births, including still and premature births.........................

1,263

800

27,690

......

29,753

The following table shows the death-rate, the number of deaths, and the population for each of the past twelve years:

*U. S. Census. Intervening years estimated by ratio of increase between census years 1880-1890.

The total number of inquests held by the Coroner was 2,331. Of this number 1,575 were males, and 756 were females. The number of white persons was 2,108 and the number of colored persons, 223. There were four Mongolians. There were 138 suicides, 46 homicides, 134 deaths by railroad accidents, and 65 deaths by city passenger railway accidents.

The greatest number of deaths referred to any one cause was by burns and scalds, namely, 127. There were 125 deaths due to heart disease, 95 to heat-exhaustion, 94 to apoplexy, 58 to accidental drowning, 29 to accidental suffocation, 2 to sunstroke, and 3 to electric shock.

Most of the deaths by suicide were caused by shooting, being 55 in number; the next in order by hanging, namely, 26. Of the homicides, 10 were due to gun-shot wounds. The following is a tabulated statement of the causes of death as furnished by the Coroner:

The registration of vital statistics has proceeded throughout the year without any special incident. The general index, instituted some years ago, has progressed as rapidly as possible. It will be remembered that there were many years of records which had to be transferred to this index, and until the back years are brought up it will not be possible to discard the old system entirely. When this new system of indexing the records shall have been completed, there will be a great saving of time in ready reference to any record in the office since the year 1860, when the Registration Act first went into force. The difficulty in collecting marriages still exists. It is well known that the law requires marriages to be returned for record to the Orphans' Court, and also to the Registration Division of the Board of Health, and occasionally there is a misunderstanding in one or the other office, and in this way