11
Euamination of this table shows that there has been a general steady increase
in the total ,number of deaths recorded from 1848 to 1896, with certain
sharp fluctuations in 1864-1865 and 1877-1878. From 1896 to 1900 there was a
sudden rise and then a more graduallfall with slight fluctuations. and from 1907
onwards the total mortality has shown a more sudden drop. Enquiry shows that
in the past a sudden rise in the total number of deaths in Bombay City was co-
incident with the occurrence of scarcity in certain of the rural districts. This
was the case in 1854, 1863-1866, 1875 -1878, 1896-1901 and more recently
in 1906. At these periods the city population was augmented by large numbers
of people seeking employment or relief. The occurrence of acute famine in
1877 and again in 1893-1901 led to the influx of enormous numbers of
destitute refugees whose presence served to swell the total mortality to most
alarming proportions. Plague was first recognized in 1896 and the epidemic,
which broke out that year and every year since, has raised the total mortality
of the City considerably.
31. Seasonal Mortality.--Until about 16 years ago the deaths occurring
in the City were almost equally distributed between the dry and wet seasons, as
shown by the following table, but since 1895 an excess of deaths has taken
place in the, period from. December to May.
Year. Total deaths in year. Deaths in six months June to November. Percentage. Deaths in six months December to May. Percentage.

1863
18,696
9,649
51.56
9,047
48.33
1864*
25,015
10,680
42.89
14,335
57.31
1865*
28,631
10,572
36.93
18,053
63.07
1866*
16,865
7,002
41.52
9,863
58.48
1857
15,500
7,024
45.32
8,476
54.68
1868
15,702
7,595
48.37
8,107
51.63
1869
17,713
7,963
44.95
9,750
55.04
1870
14,888
7,266
48.80
7,622
51.20
1871
1872
1873
1874
1875
18,734
8.553
45.65
10,181
54.35
1876
20,783
8,707
41.89
12,076
58.11
1877
33,511
15765
47.04
17,746
52.96
1878
26,999
13,461
49.86
13,538
50.11
1879
22,527
10,832
48.08
11,635
51.92
1880
21,146
9,467
44177
11,679
55.23
1881
21,856
10,899
49.87
10,957
50.13
1882
20,468
9,368
45.77
11,100
54.23
1883
23,530
11,113
47.23
12,417
52.77
1884
22,542
11,154
49.48
11,388
50.52
1885
21,850
10,551
48.29
11,299
51.51
1886
20,074
9,896
49.30
11,178
50.70
1887
20,513
10,340
50.41
10,173
49.59
1888
1889
23,048
13,250
57.49
9,798
42.51
1890
20,231
9,271
45.83
10,960
51.17
1891
23,501
11,725
49. 89
11,776
50.11
1892
26,178
12,280
46. 91
13,898
53.09
1893
22,802
11,075
48. 57
11,727
51.43
1894
26,908
13,456
50.01
13,452
49.99
1895
24,655
11,413
46.29
13,242
53.71
1896
33,050
15,174
45.91
17,876
54.09
1897
47,475
18,478
38.92
28,997
6108
1898
51,617
16,642
32.24
31,975
67.76
1899
56,434
16,989
30.10
39,445
69.90
1900
79,350
28,851
36.36
50,499
63.64
1901
59,945
20,365
33.97
39,580
66.03
1902
43,414
17,513
36.17
30,901
63.83
1903
50,513
14,349
28.41
36,161
71.59
1904
42,676
15,859
37.16
26,819
62.84
1905
47,762
14,871
31.14
32,801
68.86
1906
52,874
20,611
38.98
32,23
61.01
1007
38,687
16,422
42.45
22,265
57.55
1908
38,271
15,485
40.39
22,813
59.61
1909
34,878
14,334
41.10
20,544
58.90
1910
34,933
15,914
45.56
19,019
54.44