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FITNESS FOR TROPICAL LIFE 



residence in a proscribed area an extra premium should be paid, 

 but that after that period it should be reduced to one-half upon a 

 certificate from the company's medical officer that no permanent 

 injury to health has been incurred, and that the cost of this examina- 

 tion should be paid by the insurer. Further, after ten years' 

 residence the extra premium should be reduced to one-third of the 

 original sum, and after thirteen years no extra premium should 

 be charged, provided always that the necessary certificate was 

 forthcoming. 



He points out that a period of danger is the first year or two after 

 the old tropical resident takes up his permanent abode in the 

 Temperate Zone, and he recommends that an extra premium be 

 charged for these two years. 



The next paper, published by Winter in 1909, we have been 

 unable to peruse in the original, but he apparently lays stress on 

 the first few years of residence in India, on the ground that Euro- 

 peans are very likely to become victims to enteric and similar fevers. 



Caddy in 1912 came to the conclusion that the European does not 

 acclimatize well in the tropics, meaning by this statement that he is 

 unable to rear healthy strong children in India, and that he becomes 

 debilitated by residence there, requiring a change to a temperate 

 climate every four or five years, and that after years of residence 

 he is even more liable to sunstroke than on arrival. 



Out of 1,799 cases he rejected 6 per cent, and loaded 8 per cent., 

 making together 14 per cent., which was caused by inferior physique, 

 obesity, glycosuria, albuminuria, consumption, consumptive family 

 history, bad family history, syphilis, heart disease, sundry diseases 

 (3 "39 cent,), alcoholism. 



With regard to natives desiring insurance, it is true that years 

 ago it was only the Europeanized native who sought after this; but 

 to-day it is different, and even native women of due social standing 

 are allowed assurance, provided that careful inquiries have been 

 made, though years ago such an assurance was never considered. 



Caddy adds to the list of causes of rejection ' elephantiasis,' and 

 he is of the opinion that opium and hemp are very harmful, but that 

 they are not commonly consumed by the insuring classes of India. 



He considers that Rajahs, wealthy landowner Marwaris, or bankers 

 and money-lenders, and petty merchants, are bad lives, while the 

 best native risks are Government servants and native clerks in 

 European offices. 



As a rule the native does not consume alcohol, but if he does he 

 should be regarded an indifferent risk. 



He also states that the native of India is a shorter man than the 

 European, and that height for height he is about the same weight, 

 but he is very subject to glycosuria and to hydrocele. 



The discussion on this paper was interesting, and in our opinion 

 some of his views are open to criticism. 



With regard to life assurance in Egypt, the only publication with 

 which we are acquainted is by Day, who distinguishes four groups of 



