On the causes of death in the Scottish Widows' Fund Life Assurance Society : from 1st January 1860 to 31st December 1866 / by James Begbie.

Date:
1868
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the causes of death in the Scottish Widows' Fund Life Assurance Society : from 1st January 1860 to 31st December 1866 / by James Begbie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    Age at Deatli. From all Causes. From Consumption. Ratio per cent. Between 20 and 30, „ 30 „ 40 „ 40 „ 50, „ 50 „ 60, ,, 60 „ 70, 41 139 241 350 338 289 13 26 25 21 11 31.70 18.70 10 37 6.oo 3.25 O.oo 1398 96 6.87 Of these ninety-six deceased, it was known of ten that, before acceptance, they had each lost a father or mother by Consump- tion ; of eight, that they had each lost a brother or sister; and of six, that they had each lost an uncle or aunt by the same disease. In several cases cousins had been affected; and in one instance a wife had died of the disease. In fifteen other instances a suspicion attached, either personally or relatively, to the insured. An attack of Haemoptysis at some distant period, an acknowledged susceptibility to cold, or the marks of a strumous habit, Avere overcome by the otherAvise healthy appearance and soundness on examination; while the circumstance of a mother dying after Childbirth, or a brother or sister of tubercular Disease of the Bowels or Brain, or of Hip Disease, or White Swelling of the Knee-joint, was not permitted to outweigh the good points in the individual himself or his family history. An instructive lesson is to be learned from these facts. In nine instances only was an increased rate of premium paid as a small protection against so much loss to the Society. Of eleven who effected insurance after 45 years of age and died of Consumption, one surAdved his acceptance 20 years; tAvo 18 years each; one 14 ; one 13 ; one 11; tAvo 8 ; one 6 ; one 5 ; and one 1J years. Our Tables again show, that neither in the case of an early in- surance, nor of one effected in later years, did any of the consump- tive risks attain their expectation period. Besides these ninety-six deaths from Consumption, Ave have to record forty-three from Pneumonia, chiefly of acute character, and thirty-one from other Disease of the Lungs of chronic nature. The former having an average expectation of 27 years, had an average actual endurance of 15 years 1 month; the latter having A 3