Benefit or Friendly Societies. 289 



signed by the representatives of from 40 to 50 societies, which shews that the 

 number giving returns was a very small proportion."—" Do you apprehend 

 that there are any other means by which more extensive information, with re- 

 spect to the Scottish societies, might be obtained at present with respect to 

 Scotland ? I do not think that there is ; for it was not, I am persuaded, so 

 much from the want of inclination that the number of returns was limited, as 

 from the want of ability. Returns could only be made where the society 

 clerk, or some of the members, had a taste for research and calculation, and 

 the moment that societies come to keep their" records in a proper way, there 

 will be no difficulty, I apprehend, in getting information. The Highland So- 

 ciety are endeavouring to induce them to keep their books in a more cor- 

 rect form, by offering premiums to the schoolmasters of Scotland to assist the 

 Friendly Societies, by framing and teaching systems of book-keeping adapted 

 for these institutions ; and it is contemplated, in the course of a few years, 

 their books will be so arranged as to afford readily every desirable informa- 

 tion. If further returns are then called for, I am satisfied they will be given 

 willingly to any extent that may be required. There is a change of feeling 

 taking place, and the reserve which formerly prevailed, as to affording infor- 

 mation, is wearing fast away." — " Has the average sickness in the Scottish^ so- 

 cieties, been compared with any statement that may be depended upon of sick- 

 ness in England, or elsewhere ? So far as my information extends, no in- 

 quiry as to the average rate of sickness, with reference to the age of indivi- 

 duals, had been instituted any where, previous to that by the Highland So- 

 ciety of Scotland."— " Except the statement given by Dr Price, which pro- 

 ceeded upon supposition, I do not know any statement that has been given of 

 sickness, with which the results of the Highland Society's inquiry can be com- 

 pared."— Pages 74, 76, 80. 



Several other gentlemen and managers of Friendly Societies were examin- 

 ed, but as their opinions, and the various institutions to which they referred, 

 were all founded on Dr Price's rate of sickness, it would be superfluous 

 to enter farther into detail. We shall, however, give the concluding deposi- 

 tion of a gentleman already frequently noticed, and the substance of certain 

 documents therein referred to. 



June 17. — " John Finlaison, Esq. again farther examined. Have you, 

 since you were last liere, provided the proposed Form of Return to be made 

 by Friendly Societies ? I have, and beg leave to give it in amended, contain- 

 ing the additional information which the Committee desired — Have you any 

 thing further to add to the Committee ? Having now been examined before 

 the Committee several times, on the subject of sickness, I beg to observe, that 

 I have devoted very particular attention, and have gone through a great deal 

 of investigation, to ascertain whether sickness, throughout the whole or any 

 part of human life, follows a constant law ; and the result of those inquiries 

 has been, that I must modify, in a very great degree, the opinions which I 

 originally delivered. I am now strongly inclined to think, that the recurrence 

 of sickness is constant to a much greater degree than was hitherto supposed ; 

 and I am supported in that opinion, no less by the facts and reasoning con- 

 tained in the memoir which I have this day submitted, than by an extraordi- 

 nary result, deduced from a work published by Sir Gilbert Blane in 1822, on 

 the diseases in London, in which I find a remarkable consistency in the pro- 

 portion between sickness and death. Now, as the rate of mortality is known, 

 the rate of sickness, if the average time that each person were sick be 

 computed, is also known. Thus, in Sir Gilbert Blane's book it appears, page 

 152, that, in the course of his private practice, he had 3,816 cases, which gave 

 382 deaths, which I infer was among the higher classes ; whereas in his hospi- 

 tal practice at St Thomas's, comprehending entirely the lower orders, and 

 certainly the severest kinds of sickness, he had 2,406 males, out of whom 239 

 died, and 1429 females, out of whom 135 died ; so that it appears, that out of 

 10,000 patients, 1001 of the upper classes died, and 993 males, and 944 females, 

 which I think a very surprising coincidence ; and which farther demonstrates 



JULY SEPTEMBER 1827. T 



