378 Scientific hitelligence. — Statistics. 



25. Concerning the' Probability of Human Life in Glasgow. 

 By James Cleland, LL. D. — That Glasgow is a place of ave- 

 rage health for statistical purposes may be inferred from the 

 daily state of the weather, which I published in 1831, by which 

 it appeared that the average quantity of rain which fell yearly 

 during thirty years preceding that period, amounted to rather 

 less than 23 inches. But more particularly, the degree of health 

 may be known, and tables formed for ascertaining the probabi- 

 lity of human life, from a series of the mortality bills, where 

 the age of the living and that of persons who have died are nar- 

 rated, in connexion with the population, and a table of longevity 

 for Scotland, which I prepared in 1821, by which it appeared, 

 that, on an average of all the counties of Scotland, there was 

 one person eighty years of age for every 143iVo °f *^'^^ popula- 

 tion ; while, in the county of Lanark, with a population of 

 316,790, including 263,046 who live in towns, viz. in Glasgow 

 202,426, and in other towns 60,620, there was one such person 

 for every 169iVi5» shewing a degree of health in the population 

 of Glasgow nearly equal to that of the \vhole of Scotland. The 

 following results have reference to Glasgow, and its suburbs 

 which partake of a mercantile and manufacturing population, or 

 something between Liverpool and Manchester, the town popu- 

 lation being 198,518, and the rural 3908. In 1831, the popu- 

 lation was found to be 202,426, the burials 6185, and the rate 

 of mortality consequently 39ioo- '^^e births being 6868, there 

 is one birth for every 29jVo persons. The number of marriages 

 being 1919, there is 3/5% births to each marriage, and one mar- 

 riage for every lOS^Vo persons. The number of families being 

 41,965, there are 4)^%% persons to each family. It is very satis- 

 factory to know, that with the same machinery in 1821, the 

 population being 147,043, the burials 3686, the rate of morta- 

 lity was 39jVoj oJ*? in other words, as near as may be to the 

 mortality in 1831. By reference to the bills of mortahty be- 

 tween the years 1821 and 1831, similar results will be found. 

 It appears from all the authentic bills of mortality I have ever 

 seen, that there are more males born than females ; but, taking 

 the population above fifteen years, the number of females pre- 

 ponderates. The following results for Glasgow are derived 

 from the census of 1831 — 



