Mb. Watt (m the Vital Statistics of five large Towns of Scotland. 121 



corresponding with those formerly brought forward, for an average of 

 years. We may take small-pox, as an example : — 



Proportion of deaths, under 5 years') 

 of age, caused by small-pox, to > 

 the whole deaths by that disease, J 

 Do. do. — under 20 years. 

 Do. do. — 20 years and upwards. 



In Eoinburgd, 



During an 



average of years. 



Per cent. 



82-68 



95-23 

 4-76 



In Glasgow, 



During 1842. 



Per cent. 



82-33 



96-70 

 3-29 



So far as has yet been proved, the results for a series of former 

 years, for Glasgow, and those for 1842 are also very nearly the same, 

 more especially in the case of measles. 



It is not the least remarkable of the results exhibited in relation to 

 the Vital Statistics of Scotch towns, that the proportions of deaths 

 at various ages, caused by the diseases classed under the head of 

 bowel complaint, are nearly the same, more especially in Edinburgh 

 and Perth, notwithstanding the inaccuracies which may be expected 

 to arise from the present mode of registering these complaints. 



The following is the annual average proportion which the deaths by 

 bowel complaint, at different ages, bear to the whole annual average 

 deaths by that complaint, in different towns, and also to the population. 



It will be observed, from the above Table, that the proportions for 

 Glasgow and Dundee are not quite so close to each other as those for 

 Edinburgh and Perth. In the prosecution of this subject, as I have 

 observed elsewhere, it may bo found that these differences arise from 

 the peculiar habits or condition of the people, together with the local 

 circumstances of towns. In the meantime, however, a considerable 

 portion of the differences in these results may safely be attributed to 

 inaccuracies in the registration of the disease. 



I am the more particular in directing attention to the operation of 

 these laws, which appear to govern the amount of mortality at differ- 

 ent ages by the several diseases, as they have hitherto escaped observa- 

 tion ; and the examples thus brought forward seem to warrant the 



