664 



ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1910. 



this epidemic in itself, like other epidemics, such as the plague and 

 cholera, must decrease after a certain lapse of time. 



If this Avere its natural course then the decrease would proceed 

 everywhere in a uniform manner. But this is by no means the case. 



Table 3. — Mortality from consumption in Massachusetts, Japan, Great Britain, 



and Nonvay. 



m lii x\ u $k i^^ % ^^ ^u 







3i> 



[nna^Mtm^ WMtn^l^ 



- A 



\ 





In most countries, it is true, the curve descends, but there are others 

 in which it rises. It will be seen by consulting Table 3 that England, 

 Scotland, and the American State of ]\Iassachusetts (chosen because 

 its statistics reach far enough back) have a decreasing death rate 

 from consumption, while in Ireland, Norway, and Japan it is increas- 



