On the causes of death in the Scottish Widows' Fund Life Assurance Society from January 1853 to January 1860 / by James Begbie.

  • Begbie, James Warburton, 1826-1876.
Date:
1860
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the causes of death in the Scottish Widows' Fund Life Assurance Society from January 1853 to January 1860 / by James Begbie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    Brought forward, ix. Diseases of Joints. 1. Kheumatism ; 2. Disease of Joints, 3. Disease of Spine, , x. Diseases of Integumentary System. 1. Carbuncle xi. Violent Death. 1. Suicide 2. Drowning, 3. Accidental Injury, xn. Natural Decay and Old Age. Causes not specified or ascertainable Total,. PERIOD. 184(1-52. 21 1853-9. 6 4 19 29 3 PERIOD. 184G-52. 1853-9. 644 900 4 14 2 o 18 29 21 29 3 690 975 The deaths from all causes combined, during the last seven years, have thus greatly exceeded those of the previous seven years of the Society's experience; but proportionally in a smaller ratio than might have been expected from the constant increase of membership, and the mature age the Society has now attained. I. In regard to the class of Epidemic and Contagious diseases, it will be remarked, that, in point of numbers, there has been a con- siderable diminution in almost all the causes of death which consti- tute the class—namely, from 130 in the former investigation, to 107 in the present; that is, from 18f per cent, to 11 per cent, of the total mortality. Small-pox, Diarrhoea, and Scarlatina, form, however, exceptions,—the former, for the first time since the institution of the Society, taking its place on our mortality tables, and numbering four victims; the latter accounting for five deaths in our present scrutiny, in place of one in the former ; while Diarrhoea rises from three in the former to seven in the last investigation. The last three years have proved a season of high mortality from Small-pox ; and this experience has naturally led to the enforcement of the provisions for vaccination under existing Acts of Parliament. It becomes the duty of all medical men connected with Life Associa