THE PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF MAN. 
On comparing ttiis Table with Dr Heysliam’s, showing the mortality 
at Carlisle, or with the returns of the Registry Commission for the king- 
dom of Sweden, we find that the inhabitants of London are, with the 
sole exception of the centenaries, subject to a greater mortality than 
the residenters in small towns, villages, or the open country. This arises 
chiefly from the vices, unhealthy occupations, sedentary habits, and the 
want of cleanliness, so remarkable among the lower classes of the people, 
who in all large cities form the great mass of the population. 
The apparent difference is, however, greatly diminished, if we make 
allowance for the circumstance, that the hospitals are almost always 
established in towns, and many of the sick brought to them from the 
lai 
country. Out of 21,000 deaths recorded in Paris, nearly 7000 took place 
at the hospitals. Although the inhabitants of the country enjoy a purer 
air, a more sober and regular life, it cannot be denied that rural employ- 
ments subject them to many hardships, so that it may be fairly ques- 
tioned whether the real disadvantages of cities are so great as a compa- 
rison of Tables of Mortality would indicate. 
From the Returns obtained in the whole kingdom of Sweden and Fin- 
land, by the Tabell-vcrket, or Registry Commission, during the 50 years 
preceding 1805, the expectation of human life was found to vary as in the 
following Table : — 
The ExpKCTATtoN of Homan Life, 
Deduced from the Observed Mortality in Sweden and Finland, during the 50 years from 1755 to 1805. 
At Birth, 
36.64 years. 
Age 25 
35.46 years. 
Age SO 
18.71 years. 
Age 75 
5.95 years 
Age 5 
48.24 . 
30 
32.00 . 
55 
15.66 . 
80 
4.43 , 
10 
46.28 . 
35 
28.64 . 
60 
12.69 . 
85 
3.43 . 
15 
42.69 . 
40 
25.20 . 
65 
10.07 . 
90 
2.48 . 
20 
38.98 . 
45 
21.98 . 
70 
7.74 . 
These investigations were commenced under the direction of M. War- 
pentin, and continued by MM. Nicander and Leyonmarck. 
We here see that the probable expectation of the life of an Infant just 
born, is rather more than that of a person aged 25 years ; that the best 
period of life is midway between the ages of 5 and 10, and that the value 
of life does not diminish in the direct ratio of the years which gradually roll 
away, a circumstance not usually attended to by ordinary calculators. 
Although the expectation of human life diminishes with increasing years, 
it always decreases in a smaller ratio. Thus, at 65 years of age, the ex- 
pectation of life is 10 years, while at 75 it is still 6 years. The proba- 
bilities of death during these 10 years being already decided and con- 
certed into certainty, the remaining probabilities after 75 can alone affect 
the result. 
We are still in want of accurate returns of the Mortality prevalent at 
the several ages over the entire Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 
In this respect, the government of Sweden has set an example to the rest 
of Europe, well worthy of imitation. 
In the absence of more accurate Observations, Dr Thomas Young 
formed a hypothetical Table of all the observations made in Great Bri. 
tain previous to the year 1824 j but, from the influence of the London 
Bills of Mortality, and the want of returns from other parts of the king, 
dom, the mortality of this country would appear by his Table to be very 
considerably greater than that of Sweden and Finland. However, until 
some system of observations, embracing the entire kingdom, is set on foot 
by our government, we must remain in comparative ignorance of the pro- 
babilities of life at the several ages as far as regards our own country. 
The Expectation of Human Life, 
According to tlx Mean of all the Observations in Great Britain, previous to the year 1824. 
Age. 
Years. 
Age. 
Years. 
Age. 
Years 
Age. 
Years. 
Age. 
Yeari. 
Age. 
Years. 
Age. 
Yeirs. 
Age. 
Yeirj. 
AtBirth. 
30 0 
15 
37.6 
30 
27.8 
44 
20.1 
58 
13.1 
72 
7.2 
80 
3.2 
loo 
2.4 
1 
36.8 
16 
36.8 
31 
27.3 
45 
19.5 
59 
12.6 
73 
6.8 
87 
3.0 
101 
2.1 
2 
40.6 
17 
36.0 
32 
26.7 
46 
19.0 
60 
12.1 
74 
6.5 
83 
2.8 
102 
1.8 
3 
42.5 
18 
35.3 
33 
26.1 
47 
18.5 
61 
11.7 
75 
6.1 
89 
2.6 
103 
1.8 
4 
43.5 
19 
34 6 
34 
25 6 
48 
18.0 
62 
11.2 
76 
5,8 
90 
2.5 
104 
2.4 
5 
43 9 
20 
33.9 
35 
25.0 
49 
17.5 
63 
10.8 
77 
5.5 
91 
2.4 
105 
3.0 
6 
43.8 
21 
33.2 
36 
24.4 
50 
16.9 
64 
10.3 
78 
5.2 
92 
2.5 
106 
3.5 
7 
43 6 
22 
32.5 
37 
23.9 
51 
16.4 
65 
9.9 
79 
4.9 
93 
2.5 
107 
2.8 
8 
43.1 
23 
31.9 
38 
23.3 
52 
15.9 
66 
9.5 
80 
4.6 
94 
2.5 
108 
2.5 
9 
42.6 
24 
31.3 
39 
22.8 
53 
15.4 
67 
9.1 
81 
4.3 
95 
2.7 
109 
2.0 
10 
41.9 
25 
30.7 
40 
22.2 
54 
15.0 
68 
8.7 
82 
4.1 
96 
2.9 
no 
1.5 
II 
41.2 
26 
30.2 
41 
21.7 
55 
14.5 
69 
8.3 
83 
3.9 
97 
2.9 
111 
1.0 
12 
40.5 
27 
29.6 
42 
21 2 
56 
14.0 
70 
7.9 
84 
3.6 
98 
2.9 
112 
0.5 
13 
14 
39.8 
38.3 
28 
29 
29.0 
28.4 
43 
20.6 
57 
13.5 
71 
7.5 
85 
3.4 
99 
3.1 
113 
0.0 
Prom the limited number of survivors who attained the age of 90, the 
'esiilts in the above table above that age cannot be relied on. 
Tile Tables of Observation made at Carlisle by Dr Heysham approach 
''®fy nearly to those procured from the whole kingdom of Sweden, and 
Pfobably represent the average Mortality among the upper and middle 
‘^I'tsses of society more correctly than any other in this country. We 
'here find, out of 10,000 infants at birth, that one-fourth die before they 
®'tain the age of 3 years, and one-third before the age of 6 years. Fur- 
that only one arrives at 
The age of 41 
62 
69 
73 
75 
80 
85 
90 
95 
100 
104 
out of 2 Infants. 
3 ... 
4 ... 
5 ... 
6 ... 
10 ... 
22 ... 
70 ... 
333 ... 
... 1,111 ... 
... 10,000 .. 
mortality observed to prevail among the entir 
civilized countries, varies according to local circumstance: 
31 
population 
more espe- 
cially in respect to their state of peace or war, plenty or scarcity. In 
Sweden and Finland, one male out of 35J, and one female out of 39, died 
annually, during the 20 years preceding 1795. In the whole population 
of England, there died annually in the 10 years preceding 1810 
One out of 43^ males, 
and One out of 48 females. 
Owing to the sudden changes of temperature, the beginnings of spring 
and autumn, about the time of the equinoxes, are the most unfavorable 
periods of tlie year; and in tropical climates, where there are only 
two seasons, the most dangerous periods are about the times when these 
seasons change. 
By Dr Heysham 's Observations at Carlisle, it appeared that the intensity 
of mortality there was least in the month of August for both sexes, and 
at its maximum for females in the month of May; and for males, as well 
as the whole population without distinction of sex, in October. Dr Short’s 
Observations, collected at Derby, Chester, York, Lancaster, and other 
parts of England, indicate that the maximum mortality occurs in April, 
and its minimum in August; so as fully to confirm the popular opinion 
that settled weather is healthy, and frequent transitions unhealthy, espe- 
cially sudden changes from heat to cold, and the contrary — [Milne s Trea- 
tise on the Valuation of Annuities and Assurances.] 
According to the London Bills of Mortality, during the ten years pre- 
ceding 1810, the numbers cut oflTby certain well-known diseases were as 
follows:— Consumption, 43,905; Fevers of all kinds, 16,204; Old Age, 
