View report page

74
Information respecting the present healthfulness or otherwise of the clerk's
occupation can only be deduced—apart from limited statistics obtained as a result of
special enquiries—from the reports of the Registrar-General, the last of which dealing
with this subject is the decennial supplement of 1901-2-3.
In general terms the position is as follows:—
"Up to the age of 55 years the mortality of commercial clerks does not differ
greatly from that of occupied and retired males generally, whilst at subsequent ages their
mortality is considerably less than that standard. Below the age of 25 years, commercial
clerks are subject to a lower rate of mortality than are railway clerks and officials. From
25—65 years their mortality is higher than in that occupation, whilst at ages above 65 the
advantage reverts to commercial clerks. Their comparative mortality figure is much higher
than that of the similar class on the railway, the figures being 911 and 776 respectively
as against 1,004, the standard figure for occupied and retired males in the aggregate."
This decline has apparently been progressive since the 1860 period, and has taken
place at a more rapid rate than has the decline among occupied males in general. The
decline is equally well seen if the mortality is divided into the two age periods 25—45
and 45—65. The comparison is set out in the following table:—

The decline in mortality among commercial clerks in the decennial periods 1890-2
and 1900-2 in respect of all causes and certain selected diseases is seen in the following
table, and for comparative purposes the figures are given relating to "all occupied
males," "occupied males in London," "railway officers and clerks," and "occupied
males in agricultural districts."

This table shows that commercial clerks have a lower mortality figure from "all
causes" than occupied males in England and Wales and London, but a higher one than
those in agricultural districts or than railway clerks. The mortality figure for