THE PROGRESS OF THE WORKING-CLASSES. 33 



As already anticipated, however, the conclusion thus ari-ived at 

 only carries us part of the way. Assuming it to have been shown 

 that the masses have more money than they had fifty years ago, and 

 that the prices of the chief articles they consume are cheaper rather 

 than dearer, the question remains whether the condition of tlie masses 

 has in fact been improved. Tiiis can only be shown indirectly by 

 statistics of different kinds, which justify conclusions as to the con- 

 dition of the people to whom they apply. To such statistics I propose 

 now to draw your attention for a moment. I need hardly say that 

 any evidence they contain as to the condition of the people having 

 actually improved corroborates what has been already said as to 

 their having had the means of improvement in their hands. The 

 evidence is cumulative, a point of material importance in all such 

 inquiries. 



The first and the most important statistics on this head are those 

 relating to the length of life among the masses of the nation. Do the 

 people live longer than they did ? Here I need not detain you. A 

 vei'y effective answer was supplied last session by Mr. Humphi'eys, in 

 his able paper on " The Recent Decline in the English Death-Rate." * 

 Mr. Humphreys there showed conclusively that the decline in the 

 death-rate in the last five years, 1876-'80, as compared with the rates 

 on which Dr. Farr's English " Life Table " was based — rates obtained 

 in the years 1838-'54 — amounted to from 28 to 32 per cent in males 

 at each quinquenniad of the twenty years from five to twenty-five, 

 and in females at each quinquenniad from five to thirty-five to between 

 24 and 35 per cent ; and that the effect of this decline in the death- 

 rate is to raise the mean duration of life among males from 39'9 to 

 41 "9 years, a gain of two years in the average duration of life, and 

 among females from 41*9 to 45'3 years, a gain of nearly three and 

 a half years in the average duration of life. Mr. Humphreys also 

 showed that by far the larger proportion of the increased duration 

 of human life in England is lived at useful ages, and not at the de- 

 pendent ages of either childhood or old age. This little statement is 

 absolutely conclusive on the subject ; but we are apt to overlook how 

 much the figures mean. No such change could take place without 

 a great increase in the vitality of the people. Not only have fewer 

 died, but the masses who have lived must have been healthier, and 



£45. In 1830 many of the patients provided themselves with tea and sugar. Under the 

 head 'Drugs' is included the cost of leeches; in 1846 14,800 leeches were used, at a cost 

 of £143; in 1880 only 425, costing £1 16s. In 1833 another hospital, treating double 

 the number of patients, used 48,900 leeches, but in 1880 only 250. 



" These items show the great advantage of the reduction of price in some articles of 

 diet, and the great extra expenditure now necessary for the treatment of hospital patients, 

 depending on the greater call for additional ' staff,' more especially for nursing, and an 

 altered mode of treatment of accidents and operations, as also the greater amount of 

 stimulants now exhibited, etc." 



* See Statistical Society's " Journal," vol. xlvi, p. 195, etc. 



VOL. XXV. — 3 



