Carbonic Acid and Ammonia. 259 



transferred into another jar, (which was very easy to do, by pro- 

 tecting the hands with thick leather gloves), was again con- 

 densed, without any gaseous residue, and this equally, whether 

 previously heated to 140°, 160°, or 170.° 

 Malta, May Sih, 1833. 



STATISTIC VIEWS OF THE MORTALITY IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES^ 

 IN EUROPE. 



In considering how limited and few the differences are which 

 exist among the nations of Europe, either in their physical or 

 moral order, it appears at first sight that the laws to which the 

 duration of human life are subjected, cannot experience any very 

 great variations even in the most distant countries. It would be 

 erroneous, however, to believe that it is so ; for in the group of 

 European nations who live under the same zone, and whose 

 primitive features are gradually effaced by civilization, mortality 

 experiences as long a series of different terms as in regions in- 

 habited by different races of men, and situated in climates the 

 most opposite to each other. 



The causes which affect the movements of the population in 

 Europe, have even a more powerful influence on mortality than 

 on reproduction or births. The greatest is nearly twice as great 

 as that of the least fecundity ; whilst, in many districts, the an- 

 nual amount of deaths is generally three times as much as that 

 to which it is limited in some others in proportion to the whole 

 population. 



In truth, the most accurate statistical returns which have been 

 drawn up prove, that mortality is reduced in various countries 

 to such a point, that it does not exceed one death in 59 inha- 

 bitants ; whereas in many others, it increases annually to one 

 twenty-second part of the population, and still more immensely 

 in times of distress. 



On searching in official documents for the number of deaths 

 for several of the latter years, in the principal European states, 

 it is found, that the difference of their mortality compared with 

 their population is as follows : 



