224 Report S.A.A. Advancement of Science. 



Of individual diseases, by far the greatest number of deaths is 

 due to consumption. This dread malady is decidedly on the increase 

 amongst the negroes of America, while amongst the whites it is 

 steadily decreasing. Even under ideal hygienic conditions the negro 

 shows an increasing tendency toward consumption. Let me give 

 some figures for three American cities bearing on this point, taken 

 from the census of 1890 : — 



Mortality from Consumption (per 100,000). 



New Orleans, La 335 whites 686 blacks. 



Washington, D.C. 245 ,, 592 ,, 



St. Louis, Missouri 160 ,, 606 ,, 



The figures from St. Louis are very remarkable. They show 

 how well the white inhabitants stand the cold winters of this severe 

 climate, so far as consumption is concerned, and how disastrous the 

 effect is on the black race. 



The religious life of the negro in America is an interesting aspect 

 of the subject. His religion is greatly coloured by his African 

 origin. As a rule, religion and morality are two distinct things with 

 the black people. When I was a boy, I remember well how the 

 white folk would guard their hen roosts and water melon patches, 

 whenever there was a big negro revival on. It was not uncommon 

 to hear of a convert to the Coloured Baptist Church stealing a new 

 suit to be baptised in. 



But the negro is very religious even when immoral. It is 

 generally of an emotional nature, and only those denominations, like 

 the Baptist and Methodist, where shouting, mourning, and ducking, 

 and all other such ceremonies are in use, can boast a large member- 

 ship amongst the negroes. Such denominations as the Presbyterian 

 have an insignificant following. At their meetings the observer notes 

 the hypnotic influence of the preacher and shouters on the congrega- 

 tion. Long before the service is finished, a number of the negroes 

 are completely hypnotized. They readily respond to the suggestion 

 of the speaker, and see all kinds of visions, which they sometimes 

 describe at the top of their voices. 



There is little of the moral imperative in the negro's religion. 

 In fact, one of the saddest aspects of the subject is the immorality, 

 and especially the unchastity, of the race. Education of the negro 

 has not improved his moral tone. Recent reports of the United 

 States census returns show that in the case of the district around 

 Litwalton, Virginia, the younger generation of negroes possessed more 

 property and " book learning " than their fathers. But in respect 

 for the rights of others, in manners, and in character, the younger 

 generation are distinctly degenerates. In many cases education has 

 elevated the individual, but the moral tone of the negro race to-day 

 is lower than it was before emancipation. Take the returns from 

 the city of Washington, where the negro has greater opportunities 

 for advancement, and less excuse for the infringement of the moral 

 law than anvwhere else in the world. What do we find? In 1879 



