198 Dr. Watt on the Laws of Mortality at Different Ages. 



Though it appears from these results that the medical practitioner 

 does not possess that indiscriminate command over the life of his 

 patient that has sometimes been ascribed to him, yet it is very 

 apparent that, by judicious treatment, the medical man has much in 

 his power in the way of placing the system of his patient in the most 

 favourable circumstances for resisting the effects of the disease. If 

 the patient, however, has been previously reduced by a scanty or 

 improper diet, it may become difficult, perhaps even impossible, to 

 supply the remedy under such circumstances ; therefore it might be 

 apprehended that even greater variations should occur in these pro- 

 portions than are indicated by the details which have been discussed; 

 but we must bear in mind that the practice of the medical man is not 

 limited to individuals of a particular age, but is extended to whole 

 families ; and in a similar manner, where destitution prevails, it very 

 generally falls upon families at all ages as well as upon particular 

 persons. 



An acquaintance with the laws of mortality which we have now 

 considered, will not only aid us in arriving at a true knowledge of the 

 sanatory condition of towns, and enable us to point out the remedies for 

 excessive mortality, but they will assist us also in guiding the medical 

 practitioner in the proper treatment of his patient. A knowledge of 

 these laws is also necessary for the construction of proper annuity and 

 life assurance tables. Any calculations that are wholly founded on 

 the average of life in other countries must necessarily be more or less 

 fallacious, as it is obvious that the average duration of human life 

 must vary with the diseases which are most prevalent in the country ; 

 and it is well known that many countries, and even many districts, 

 have diseases more or less peculiar to themselves, and differing in 

 their law of mortality. 



17 th January y 1844, — The President in the Chair. 



Mr. John Morgan was admitted a member. On the motion of Mr. 

 Liddell, seconded by Dr. Watt, Mr. William Keddie was appointed 

 Assistant- Secretary. 



A letter was read from the Lords of Her Majesty's Treasury acknow- 

 ledging the receipt of the Society's memorial in favour of complet- 

 ing the Trigonometrical Survey of Scotland, and stating that " the 

 secondary triangulation for the survey of Scotland is in progress in 

 the county of Wigton ; and that instructions have already been given 

 to take the proper measures for ascertaining the legal boundaries, pre- 

 paratory to the introduction of such a force of surveyors as the sum 

 which it will be practicable to allot, in future years, for the operations 

 of the survey in Scotland, out of the amount voted by parliament for 



