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13
In the Table XIII. I have calculated the per centage of mortality for each sort of
occupation mentioned for seven years. To obtain it for one average year then you
have only to divide each number by seven. I may premise further, that for males
of all classes indiscriminately over 20 years of age, our 7 years' death-rate (1858—64)
was 11,088 per 10,000, or 1584 per 10,000 per annum. For females over 20 years
our death-rate for the same period was 9,049 per 100,000, or 1,292 per 10,000 per
annum. But it is scarcely fair to compare the business death-rates given in the
tables with these numbers, inasmuch as the persons following them, after a certain
time, if they survive, commonly retire into private life, and their former business is
only occasionally mentioned in the mortality schedules. The proper comparison would
be between the business death-rate and the death-rate of persons indiscriminately
between the working ages of life. I must further state that, in consequence of this irregularity
in the returns of death, I have excluded from my calculation of business deathrate
all those deaths of persons who are said to have " formerly" followed any
occupation. The same exclusion is made in the calculation of the expectation of
life, but in giving the ages at death I have counted in all deaths without exclusion.
a. MALES.
1. Publicans, Beerhouse-keepers, &c., stand highest with us in their rate of
mortality. For the seven years it was 1,575 per 10,000, or 225 per 10,000 per
annum. In England generally, their death-rate in 1851 was 308'4 ; so that somehow
this class of persons with us, although their death-rate is very high, are better off
than elsewhere. It is, however, one of the most fatal occupations with us, as it is
throughout the kingdom. I find that at 20 years of age their expectation of life
with us is 26 years. Tho expectation of life at 20 years of males generally, according
to the English life table, is 40 years. In this respect they stand fourth in our list
for short lives. Were it not that many persons only enter upon this occupation
later in life than upon others, it is probable that, in accordance with their deathrate,
they would stand much higher. In respect to this class, the Registrar-General
properly remarks, " Many higlily-respectable'men of the class lead regular lives, and
• are of steady habits ; but others, exposed by their business to unusual temptations,
live intemperately, and enjoy less quiet at night than the rest of the community.
They are exposed also to zymotic diseases by intercourse with large numbers of
people."* The largest number with us die between 40 and 50 years of age. The
diseases of which they chiefly die correspond with the Register-General's observation
as to the probable cause of their high mortality. A very disproportionately
large number die from gout, dropsy, kidney and liver disease, and also from diseases
of the nervous system, apoplexy, and paralysis, the latter deaths being out of all
proportion to the deaths from heart diseases. Our publicans, too, show the largest
number of deaths from delirium tremens.
2. Labourers stand second on our list for high death-rate, viz.: 1,299 per 10,000
for seven years, or 185 per annum. In early death they stand sixth, their expectation
of life at 20 years old being 28 years. For England generally, the death-rate in 1851
* Annual Report of the Registrar-General for 1851, p. xxi.