A. O. POWYS 
277 
there is such correlation, for it can scarcely be regarded as fortuitous that high birth- 
rates are associated with high mortalities and low birthrates with low mortalities. 
Althougli a higher rate of mortality might probably have been anticipated where 
the births are numerous, yet I think the high mortality is more the cause than 
the effect of the high birthrate. Now according to the English and Australian 
statistics of those infants who die under 12 months of age 50 per cent, die within 
3 months of birth, and 70 per cent, within 6 months. If infants be reared in the 
natural way (which is a fairly general practice in Australia) an almost complete 
check is given to further conception until the completion of the period of lactation. 
Therefore where the mortality is heavy, even though the children have been 
naturally fed (falling as we have seen heaviest in the first few months of life) the 
impediment to further conception is removed. Where artificial feeding is resorted 
to of course there is no obstacle to immediate conception. Therefore in countries 
or communities in which artificial feeding may be the rule but where through 
ignorance or carelessness, or a like indifference to the production of life as to its 
subsequent preservation prevail, a high mortality and a high birthrate should be 
expected ; as also in those countries where artificial feeding is the general practice. 
Thus we find that in Sweden, where it is stated* that almost every child is nursed 
by its own mother, both the infantile mortality and the birthrate are the lowest in 
Europe (except the birthrates in France and Ireland — both of which are abnormal). 
The same authority asserts that in Lower Bavaria where natural nursing has 
become the exception the infantile mortality reaches the extraordinary high 
proportion of 50 per cent. 
The following table shows the birthrates and infantile mortalities in various 
countries so far as I liave been able to obtain them. France and Ireland have 
been intentionally omitted — the former because the low birthrate (associated with 
high mortality) is well known to be due to restrictive measures, and the latter 
because the low birthrate (associated in this case with low mortality) is due to the 
constant emigration of adults of reproductive ages. Russia has also been omitted 
in consequence of the want of reliable figures, but it is generally understood that 
both the birthrate and infantile mortality are the highest in the civilized world : 
Country 
Birthrate 
Infantile 
Mortality 
Country 
Birthrate 
Infantile 
Mortality 
Saxony . . . 
39-9 
28-3 
Japan 
29-8 
15-2 
Hungary . . . 
38-9 
25-6 
Scotland ... 
29-8 
12-2 
Bavaria ... 
37-0 
27-9 
England and Wales 
29-0 
15-7 
Austria . . . 
37-0 
24-7 
j Belgium 
28-9 
16-3 
Prussia . . . 
36-4 
20-8 
Switzerland 
28-6 
15-9 
Italv 
33-5 
19-0 
Australia ... 
27-1 
11-0 
Holland ... 
32-0 
17-5 
j Sweden 
26-8 
10-7 
Norway ... 
.30-2 
9-6 
New Zealand 
25-7 
8-1 
Denmark . 
29-9 
13-6 
* Hugh K. Jones, M.A., M.D., B.Sc., Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, March 1894. 
