On the probable Duration of Human Life. 351 



the mortality, not only in Prussia, but also in Britain, France, 

 and Belgium. 



From these researches he comes to the conclusion, that every- 

 where the mortality is directly proportional to the fecundity of 

 the population. 



This doctrine, if confirmed by future inquiries, may, to a 

 certain extent, reconcile the opinions of Malthus and his oppo- 

 nents, as it shews us that Nature herself tends to remedy the 

 evil of a redundant population. 



Dr Caspar gives a valuable table of the mortality in Berlin, 

 for twelve years, from 1817 to 1829, which comprises nearly 

 70,000 deaths in nearly ^2,000 fiOO inhabitants. 



The following are a few interesting data which are derivable 

 from his researches. 



The longevity of the female, is greater than that of the male 

 sex. 



The age of puberty carries off 8 per cent, more of the female 

 than of the male sex. 



The proportion of deaths of women in labour is 1 in 108. 



It has been an erroneous, although hitherto a very preva- 

 lent notion, that the climacteric age of women has a marked 

 influence in increasing the mortality of the female sex. 



This opinion has been shewn to be incorrect by several sta- 

 tistical writers, and the researches of Dr Caspar confirm the 

 accuracy of their statements. On the whole, therefore, we 

 may asseVt that the longevity of the female is greater than that 

 of the male sex. 



It is also worthy of notice that of still-born infants, there are 

 more of the male than of the female sex. 



Dr Caspar proceeds to shew that the medium or average du- 

 ration of life has increased considerably in most European 

 cities of late years. In London this increase is great, for it 

 would seem that, within the last century, probable life has in- 

 creased by twenty years. 



At Geneva, again, in the 16th century one-half of the in- 

 fants born there died, we are told, before their fifth year ; 

 whereas, in the present day, it would appear that this half 

 reaches nearly 43 years of age. A similar remark may be made 

 as to the increased length of life at Berlin. 



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