588 
“ The diseases of which men die in greater proportion than 
women, thus appear to be those which arise from exposure, bad 
habits, overwork of mind and body, accidents, violent deaths ; while 
the male infant seems to have an unaccountable tendency to fatal 
diseases, which are less destructive in the female child.” 
(The author here introduced a table, showing the causes of death 
in Scotland at different periods of life, under ten years, from all dis- 
eases, in 1856. 
This table showed an excess of male deaths at every period of 
age, and by every one of the diseases specified, viz : — 
Zymotic Class, 
Diseases of Uncertain Seat, 
Tubercular Class, 
Brain — Nervous System, 
Organs of Circulation, 
Respiratory Organs, 
Organs of Digestion, 
Urinary Organs, 
Organs of Generation, 
Organs of Locomotion, 
Skin, &c. 
Malformation, 
Premature Debility, 
Atrophy, 
Age, 
Sudden Deaths, and 
Violent Deaths. 
the total result being 14,053 male deaths to 12,314 female deaths 
under ten years of age.) 
“ The principal diseases which occasion death in children,” Mr 
Thomson continued, “ are zymotic diseases, diseases of respiration 
and digestion, tubercular diseases, and general debility; but there 
seems to be nothing yet known connected with the principal causes 
of death that can account for a greater mortality among male 
children than among female. 
“ On this part of the subject I shall not dwell, the facts are 
sufficient for my purpose in this paper. I have given one table of 
diseases from English observation, and the other from Scotch obser- 
vation, to show the identity of result in both countries.” 
The Emigration of a larger Number of Males than Females , 
and Excess of Male Life in the Colonies. 
“ There is no want of proof under this head but I must endeavour 
to make that proof so conclusive, that there can be no question on the 
point. I shall therefore take my figures entirely from Govern- 
ment sources, and leave them to speak for themselves.” 
(Here Mr Thomson exhibited a table which proved distinctly the 
