Mr. Worcester on Longevity. 37 
could not be without making the chance of living to that period in 
Connecticut nearly a certainty. Dr. Dwight founds his estimate 
on the proportional difference in the ages of the inhabitants, without 
regard to the fact that this difference is affected by a differ- 
ence in the ratio of increase. He also makes an allowance in 
favour of Connecticut on account of emigration; whereas the 
effect of emigration is the opposite of what is assumed. His 
calculation likewise implies, contrary to all experience, that the 
mortality of females is equal to that of males. 
Dr. Williams, in his ‘¢ History of Vermont,” after giving a table 
exhibiting a comparative view of the inhabitants under and above 
16 years of age, of the Northern, Middle, and Southern States, 
according to the census of 1790, makes the following remarks. 
** From this result it should seem that the Middle and Northern 
States are the most favourable to longevity and the preservation 
of life; and that the Southern States are most favourable to ra- 
pidity of production and increase. Whether these circumstances 
will not balance each other, and produce an equality in the period 
of doubling, cannot be determined without further observations.”’ 
These remarks are evidently made with but a very limited view 
of the subject. Ifthe ages of the inhabitants, as given by the 
census, were a criterion, by which, without reference to any other 
circumstance, we could determine the comparative healthiness of 
the climate of the several states, or the chance of living to advanced 
age, Indiana would rank much lower, in this respect, than Geor- 
gia, or than any other state exhibited in the preceding tables. Of 
the inhabitants of Indiana only 83; in 100 are of the age of 45 
and upwards; while in Connecticut 17-4, that is, more than twice 
as many are of this age. ‘This difference is not to be ascribed 
chiefly to difference of climate, but to the fact that Indiana 
