508 Transactions.— Miscellaneous. 
Experts in social science aver that the death-rate of large classes in 
Europe is attributable to their being habitually underfed. The enormously 
high death-rate of those earning the lowest wages (such as workers in silk 
earning only 2s. 74d. a week; kid glovers, 2s. 2d.; stocking weavers, 
2s. 64d.; needlewomen, 2s. 7d.), proves that long-continued semi-star- 
vation is an important factor in increasing the death-rate. In France 
among the rich 68 per 1,000 of all deaths were due to tubercular 
diseases, but amongst the poor and underfed the rate rose to 280 
in 1,000. 
(6.) Large Proportion engaged in Agriculture. 
This means that an unusually large portion of our people lead healthy 
out-door lives, breathe fresh clear air, live all their days in the freely-blowing 
breezes and bask in the strength-giving sunshine. We have no huge cities 
with dense overcrowding ; our largest towns have a population living com- 
paratively far apart. We have no dark dens, no life-destroying alleys ; our 
streets are wide. 
(7.) Sparsity of Population. 
The scattered condition of the people, noticeable not only among the 
agriculturalists but also in the towns. The absence of that constant over- 
crowding so fatal among older civilizations, which leads to the chronic ill- - 
health of the poor in large European cities and to the rapid spread of all 
infectious and contagious diseases and conduces so powerfully to that chief 
scourge of our race, viz., phthisis. Children in our towns look nearly as 
healthy as those in the country. 
(8.) Paucity of Manufactures. 
With the increase of ‘local industries” there must inevitably be an 
increase in the death-rate. Not to quote such vivid cases as phosphorus 
poisoning and necrosis among matchmakers; or Sheffield grinders’ 
phthisis ; or arsenical or copper poisoning; or woolsorters’ disease; or 
brassfounders’ ague ; or, flinteutters’ or needleworkers’ or filemakers’ chest 
disease, and a host besides, the rise of manufactures must cause many 
deaths. Contrast the pallid wan faces, the bowed heads, the feeble sickly 
look of the crowds of factory hands in Great Britain, with the healthy look 
of our town dwellers. Or come nearer home, to Melbourne, and no one 
can question the depressing effect of manufactures on the people. Apart 
too from this widespread deterioration of the race there is always a certain 
percentage of deaths due to factory accidents. The absence of manufac- 
tures shows itself in a lessened death-rate. 
(9.) Small Amount of Mining. 
As mining developes, so will chest diseases multiply. Coalminers in 
England suffer terribly from bronchitis, phthisis, pneumonia, and other 
