TRANSACTIONS OP THE SECTIONS. 97 



The ages of the 1141 deaths from consumption were, — 

 Ages. Deaths. 



15 and under 20 195 195 



20 ... 25 2431 rm 



25 ... 30 260 j MA 



30 ... 35 223 \ 4 4fi 



35 ... 40 220/**° 



A table compiled by Sir James Clarke from certain mortality returns of Berlin, 

 Chester, Carlisle, Paris, Edinburgh, Nottingham and Philadelphia, gave the follow- 

 ing proportions : — 



Ages. Deaths. 



15 and under 20 99 in every 1000 



20 ... 30 285 



30 ... 40 248 



From these and other facts omitted in this abstract Mr. Noble drew the conclusion, 

 that manufacturing habits do not exert any unusual influence in the production or 

 premature development of pulmonary consumption. 



On Vital Statistics, with remarks on the Influence which tJie Atmosphere exerts 

 over the rate of Mortality. By Dr. Ashton. 



After noticing that a great diminution in the rate of mortality had taken place in 

 Europe within the last fifty years, Dr. Ashton called attention to the fact, that, not- 

 withstanding the large town population, the average mortality of England and Wales 

 was much lower than that of most other countries in Europe. He then showed the 

 importance of proper ventilation in dwelling-houses, and the evils arising from a 

 want thereof. 



On the Destitution and Mortality of some of the great Towns of Scotland. 

 By Dr. Alison. 



Dr. Alison, in confirmation of statements made by him at the Meeting of the Asso- 

 ciation at Glasgow, stated, that in the early part of last winter it appeared that 

 at Edinburgh 21,600 persons, in a population of 137,200 (excluding the garrison of 

 the castle), were in a state of utter destitution, and were recommended for gratui- 

 tous relief to a committee appointed to distribute a charitable fund raised by sub- 

 scription on the birth of the Prince of Wales. In addition to these, 5000 more, 

 who were not so miserably destitute, were recommended for relief in the way of 

 provisions and fuel at a reduced price. To the 21,600 are to be added the inhabit- 

 ants of the three workhouses and of the House of Refuge, making a total of above 

 23,000 persons out of 137,200, or 16*8 per cent., who during at least a part of the 

 year " of necessity must live by alms." Of this number not above 7000 are admitted 

 as paupers to legal relief, so that 16,000, or 11-6 per cent, of the population, during 

 part of the year have no lawful means of subsistence. 



In the several epidemics which had taken place in England since the English 

 Registration Act came into force, he could not find that the annual mortality in any 

 of the towns had ever exceeded I in 30. In Glasgow the mortality had reached this 

 amount on an average of five years ; and in 1837 it had been 1 in 24, exceeding that 

 recorded in any year in Liverpool by 25 per cent. _ . 



Dr. Alison stated that in a communication made by him to the London Statistical 

 Society as to the mortality at Edinburgh and Dundee, there had been an error for 

 want of the proper deduction for still-born children, but that after making that de- 

 duction, the mortality at Dundee in 1836 (the worst year of epidemic fever there), 

 appeared to be 1 in 30-1, equal to the highest recorded at Liverpool, a town nearly 

 four times larger; and the mortality in Edinburgh in 1837 appeared to be 1 in 27*4, 

 exceeding the highest recorded in Liverpool by nearly 10 per cent., and the highest 

 recorded in London by 19 per cent. 



With respect to the greater liability of the Scotch towns to suffer from contagious 

 fever, Dr. Alison stated that the highest mortality from that cause recorded in En- 

 gland was 77 per cent, of the whole mortality, and that only in London and Man- 



184,2. H 



