282 Mr W. Fraser on the History and Constitution of 



By the results here deduced from actual experience, it appears 

 that there is a considerable diiFerence in the lower ages between 

 this rate and that assumed by Dr Price, his being greater in 

 every period except the two last. It here also appears, that 

 from SO to 50 years of age, sickness gradually increases with 

 the advance of life, in the ratio of nearly one-tenth part of a 

 week for every five years of age, but that after 50 it increases 

 more rapidly ; for, while the annual sickness between 30 and 40 

 years of age is only about five days, and between 40 and 50 little 

 more than a week, — from 50 to 60 it is doubled, being nearly 

 two weeks, and above 70 upwards of sixteen weeks. This rate 

 of sickness no doubt varied very materially in different societies, 

 being above this average in some and below it in others ; but 

 such discrepancies were seldom found, except in cases where the 

 number of members was too small to afford a range for a fair 

 average. Something, however, may have depended upon the 

 occupations in which the members were engaged, and whether 

 situated in the country or in towns. 



It is likewise to be observed, that the above is only the annual 

 rate of sickness to an individual, as experienced by societies on an 

 average of each ten years ; and consequently, when exhibited for 

 each particular year of age, it must be somewhat less in the first, 

 and more in the concluding, years of the decade. Thus, the ave- 

 rage sickness in the 60th year of age will be only S weeks 2 

 days, but in the 70th, 10 weeks 5 days. In order, therefore, to 

 exhibit the whole range of sickness more correctly, and to found 

 a basis for accurate computation, it became necessary to calcu- 

 late two sickness tables, upon a graduated scale, from 20 to 70 

 years of age. The one of these tables is " with reference to 

 an individual,^'' or " exhibiting the quantum of sickness which 

 an individual, on an average, experiences each year from 20 to 

 70 years of age ;'"' and the other is " with reference to a society, 

 exhibiting the law of sickness, as affected by the law of mortali- 

 ty, from 20 to 70 years of age ; or the quantum of sickness 

 which takes place each year from 20 to 70 years of age among 

 1005 persons, all commencing the 21st year of their age at 

 the same time, the number of persons decreasing according to the 

 law of mortality, and the quantum of sickness increasing accord- 

 ing to the law of sickness ; — all shewn in weeks and decimals of 

 a week.'"* These two tables we shall here combine, adding the 



