BY E. M. JOHNSTON, F.L.S. 



15 



the yearly death-rate. This is best appreciated by dividing 

 the ages into three well-marked groups ; the first, 0-6 years, 

 showing the heavy losses at the beginning of life ; the 

 second, 6-60 years, or vigorous period, showing the sudden 

 descent to a minimum, covering the period of youth and middle 

 age ; the third, 60 years and over, or old age period, suddenly 

 curving upwards and marking the maximum of loss occasioned 

 by the natural decay and termination of the more vigorous 

 lives. 



The tables and diagrams give a vivid picture of 

 the broad proportional agreement that exists in different 

 countries as regards the losses of life at the three great age 

 groups. For, notwithstanding the fluctuations caused in 

 different countries, whether due to climate or peculiarities of 

 local condition, there is a wonderful similarity in the propor- 

 tions which different countries yield at each respective age 

 group. 

 'Mhe first ranges between 27"65 and 60'60 per 1,000 living. 

 The second „ „ 6-60 „ 12-66 „ 



The third „ „ 4918 „ 7039 „ „ 



The mean of each age group shows the relative proportion 

 still more clearly thus : — 



0-5 years' age group yields 42'16 deaths per 1,000 living. 

 5 under 60 years „ „ 773 „ „ 



60 years and over „ „ 61-53 „ „ „ „ 



Thus it appears that there is a very wide difference in the 

 proportion of deaths yielded by each age group, and hence it 

 is that if there be any wide difference in the proportions of 

 the respective groups living in different places, as in young 

 Colonies, the total death-rate would be so much disturbed 

 thereby, that comparisons, so far as they refer to health or 

 sanitary condition, would be erroneous and misleading. 

 That this is to be expected is made still more apparent by 

 contrasting the percentages of ages living with the percen- 

 tages of deaths per year under corresponding age groups. 



AGE GROUPS. 



Age Group. 



1. 0-5 years . . . . 



2. 5-60 years 



3. 60 years and over 



Deaths Per Year. 



Persons Living. F^^ perl.OOO Per- 

 Percenta£?e. ^^^^ ^r'''S withm 



■^ ' same Age Limit. 



Variation. 



13-5 to 17-01 

 77-93 to 83-18 

 1-87 to 804 



Mean J Variation. 



14-63 27-65 to 50-60 



80-62 5-60 to 12-66 



4-75 49-18 to 70-39 



Mean 



4215 



Percentage to 

 Total. 



Variation. 



34-92 to 45-65 

 7-33|28-34to 53-79 

 61-53 6-38 to 36-74 



Mean 



39-69 

 39-80 

 20-51 



A study of the foregoing table reveals that if 1 and 3 

 group, together representing 19-38 -pev cent, of the living 

 population, yield as much as 60-20 percentage of the whole 



