THE CAUSES OF DEATH 



107 



(c) deaths from a variety of causes which are statisti- 

 cally lumped together and cannot be disentangled. Ac- 

 cidental and homicidal deaths find no place in a biologi- 



TABLE 7 



Showing the Relative Importance of Different Organ Systems in 



Human Mortality 



cal classification of mortality. A man organically sound 

 in every respect may be instantly killed by being struck 

 by a railroad train or an automobile. The best possible 

 case that could be made out for a biological factor in such 

 deaths would be that contributory carelessness or negli- 

 gence, which is a factor in some portion of accidental 

 deaths, bespeaks a small but definite organic mental in- 

 feriority or weakness, and that, -therefore, accidental 

 deaths should be charged against the nervous system. 

 This, however, is obviously not sound. For, in the first 

 place, in many accidents there is no factor of contributory 



