88 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [Vov. VIII. 
think that government provides the pensions, whereas when we presently 
come to examine German practice we shall see that all the state pays is a 
small subvention. The third method is a frank dependence upon various 
forms of municipal and private charity, which happily always have been 
and will be supplemental to the others. It does not seem to me at all des- 
tructive of a man’s self-respect if, after a life spent in hard work and in 
rearing a respectable family, he has at the end to accept the ministrations 
of good Samaritans, paying himself or by his relatives whatever he may 
be able, however little. 
As in the duration of life there are general laws of mortality from which 
there is no escaping, so in sickness the laws are definite and strict. 
First Law. First, I place this, that after our constitutions have 
set,” say at a little over twenty-five years of age, the annual percentage 
of sickness steadily rises. In other words, we become increasingly liable to 
illness. The percentage of those who made sick claims during each year 
among the 673,394 persons above mentioned was :— 
ae 
Aces ef Clams Ages. pclae Ages of Claw 
10) 1X0) HC) So sioigiar 28 .66 AOLOMAR Caio 2540 65) tor6or cn «sb Anan 
BO Nana Antes ois ioe sts 24.45 AS enrdQes. stt\e\|) 27400 7O aT Asie -:ehcl 4 OOROG) 
PIG Wn IZ ON has ore Shes 23.49 B Om VG Ascites ss |) B2O 051 TS, Tce seal wes 
ROU ees Ae siveiee 23.62 See ng Ose ee meals ae7.O ico yin acsY Inert woceisy2 tS 
BS tats Oasis ai cists 24.08 COMMO4E hab 63 ORor SS mip sretereeee 94.01 
SECOND Law. A second law is that with increasing age, illness becomes 
more lasting. In other words, we lose our recuperative powers, and the 
constitutional weakness we inherit becomes more burdensome, or the ailment 
developed in us grows more serious. This is shewn by the average number 
of weeks of sickness claim made by the same body of contributors, which 
was — 
see Ghee Ages. ase Ages ees 
TO (LOMO Ee tesuereits 3.20 AQ LOVAA seratel-t 6.22 G5 COlOO si pe1e etal ee 
ZO BAS tomate 3.67 AIRE RAG Ye decg ei Ye 7.34 7 Ol npAneele elo fois |e LOATAL 
25 A 2Oms a lateitre 4.07 SONS Arctrsi. + o/s WOME TS iwi gore eisye lee S Ase 
SON SA Lei eie see 4.51 55 gSOr.- 2 ce Od ley witeyenpoada oll Sy) ac 
SSMS) tag. oe 5-25 GO sNOFs. eye oa ROA: 85 Mpte roves 38.87 
Thus while in youth good health is the rule, and disease is quickly 
thrown off, we are forcibly reminded of the Scriptural admonition that after 
three-score years and ten life is vanity and vexation. Individuals may 
escape with scarcely a day’s illness until over four-score, but on the average 
there is a steady progression in misery from this cause. 
—* 
