25 



the fourth, and 34 in the fifth. It is during the second and 

 third periods that the great bulk of people die, between the 

 ages of 15 and 45, more than twice as many as during all the 

 other periods put together. It seems that having escaped the 

 trying years of infancy, as development proceeds from 4 to 5, 

 from 5 to 10, from 10 to 15, from 15 to 20, so the deaths in- 

 crease ; that is to say, the nearer maturity is approached the 

 greater does the liability become. It is between 15 and 20 

 years that full growth is in a large proportion of cases 

 attained, hence we find that here the mortality almost arrives 

 at its maximum ; but not quite. It is not until from 20 to 25 

 that this is reached. Prom this period until 40 there is very 

 little fall, the deaths remain nearly the same ; but after this, 

 during the decline of life, down to extreme years, the mortality 

 most markedly diminishes ; so that from a glance at the table 

 of absolute deaths we might conclude that as development 

 proceeds the deaths from phthisis increase, when full maturity 

 is attained the deaths are most numerous, while the period of 

 prime continues the deathrate remains almost unchanged ; and 

 when degeneration sets in and progresses then comes a decline 

 in the deaths. 



If we examine separately the statistics of the two sexes, we 

 shall find this statement curiously confirmed ; for since women 

 develop more rapjdly than men, and come to maturity sooner, 

 we should expect to find the deaths from phthisis increasing 

 earlier and increasing more quickly among females than among 

 males. And such is the case. From 4 years to 5 five males 

 die and four females ; from 5 to 10 seven males and six females ; 

 that is during the period of life at which the development of 

 both sexes is about the same, the deaths from this disease are 

 about equal. But from 10 years to 15 only 11 males die 

 and 28 females — between twice and three times as many ; from 

 15 to 20, 45 males and 75 females ; combining the figures from 

 10 to 20 years, 56 males die and 103 females, or nearly twice 

 as many women as men. This more rapid attainment of 

 maturity by females is quite commonly recognised, and is so 

 markedly coincident with the rapid increase in the mortality 

 of consumption as to present itself very prominently • in the 

 relation of cause. Nor is this a seeming coincidence from the 

 table of the absolute mortality. It may be traced quite as 

 markedly when we draw up a table showing the proportion 

 which the deaths from phthisis at the various ages bear to the 

 populations at those ages, according to the census of 1876. 

 For instance, we see at once the great disparity between the 

 deathrate 1"022 of 15 to 20 years for both sexes, and 0'284 of 

 10 to 15 ; and the increase of 0'284 from 10 to 15 over 0"084 

 of 5 to 10 years. So also we cannot but be struck with the 



