FIGURES THAT AFFECT YOUR LIFE.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 11980, 31 January 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

FIGURES THAT AFFECT YOUR LIFE.

An Invaluable Article of Intense Interest. U.0.V.) Science has, in the last century, lengthened the early part of the life of a human being by three and a half years. ~. has shortened the latter part of his life by his tremendous struggle for wealth, position and amusement by two and a half years. Insurance statistics regarding longevity are misleading to those who do not understand them, but they show a great increase in the length of human, life. Thirty years ago it was at once easier and more difficult for a man to get an insurance policy. There was practically no medical examination. An applicant merely appeared before an examining board, and if he looked fairly healthy he was accepted ; if not he was rejected.

A sufierer from a. fatal disease does not always wear the announcement of the fact on his face, and many a bad risk was taken. Nowadays the examination is as severe as it can be.

It is evident how this change in conditions affects longevity tables. The increase shown by those prepared by the insurance companies is due largely to the strict medical examination that is now made a condition of issuing a policy.

On the other hand a policy is now never refused to anyone unless it is pretty certain that death is a matter of a few months, but the conditions are made to fit the case. Usually the insured has to live a certain number of years in order to get the full amount.

The saving in child life in the last halfcentury has been most remarkable. Nowadays a baby has many more chances of living than one born fifty years ago. Consumption still continues the greatest enemy of the human race, but it is decreasing, showing that science is getting the mastery over the .white death. Each year shows, a smaller percentage of deaths from it. In 1873 17 per cent of the total number of deaths were due to consumption. Now only 11 per cent die of it. Cancer seems to be beyond the power of doctors to control, and it is growing more and more commom The statistics of one of the largest insurance companies show that in 1861 twenty-four persons out of every 100,000 died of cancer. In 1891 the number of deaths had doubled—forty-three to be exact.

One of the most interesting things in connection with vital statistics is the close connection between occupations and longevity. This table shows the number of deaths in a thousand of persons engaged in various occupations. The ages of the persons are given for purposes of comparison.

25 35 45 55 65 Physicians 7 15 21 34 112 Teachers •4 7 14 25 98 Musicians 9 18 26 43 89 Domestic servants 6 HO 16 28 89 Commercial travellers 6 13 21 39 106 Bail-way engineers and fire16 •42 153 men 5 7 Trainmen 6 9 17 36 89 Truckmen, etc. 9 17 28 50 145 Watermen, 'bargemen . 10 17 21 44 129 Dock kJbouTers 16 24 41 65 137 Saiioxs . 13 19 28 42 144 Fishermen? 9 HI 19 26 110 Agricultural labourers 5 8 13 25 99 Blowers 11 19 31 54 129 Printers 9 14. 22 43 103 Tailors 7 14 22 38 97 Copper -workers 7 14 25 41 al9 Bricklayers, masons 7 13 2-2 40 108 Carpenters 6 9 17 32 102 Textile -workers 8 12 22 46 139 Coal miners 6 10 19 44 146 General labourers 10 17 28 42 117 Peddlers . 15 24 37 49 89