MORE GIRLS SURVIVE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18202, 25 September 1933, Page 5

MORE GIRLS SURVIVE

SECRET OF NATURE WAR-TIME MARRIAGES SYDNEY, Sept. 10. Nature, defying science .and preserving some of her most intimate secrets from man, alone holds the answer to the <st;ran.ge fact -that for years iu New South Wales there has been on an average 105-6 baby boys born to every 100 baby girls. The phenomenon is not .confined to New South Wales. It. applies throughout the European or western world and, according to Professor Harvey Sutton, Director of the School of Public Health and Tropical Modi-; cine, there is no hard and fast scientific explanation for it. Professor Harvey Sutton explains that, although the odds are on a baby being a male, the death rate of males is distinctly higher in the first few years of life. Thus, more women survive to the adult stage, the result being that although there are more baby boys than girls! in the world, there are slightly; more women of 21 than men pf tluv same age. • j It has been stated, although Pro-' fessor Harvey Sutton does not vouch for any scientific proof, that the birth of male babies increases considerably during times of war or siege. This may be partly explained by the fact that the ratio of masculinity is greater in young mothers. Tlie professor advances the theory that there are many rush marriages, especially of young people, during times of war, hence the predominance of male babies. The death rate of women is greater in Eastern than European countries. This applies particularly .to India, where tho custom of seclusion of .the married woman, is one factor. . 1