flax mills, 5.09 days; in the cotton mills at Glasgow, 5.06 days; among the East India Company servants, 5.04 days; among laborers in the dock-yards, 5.38 days; in the Lancashire cotton mills, 5.35 days; and for those under 16, 3.14 days.

From M'Culloch's Statistics' we compile the following table, to show the average number of days of sickness per annum, at different ages, suffered by each operative employed in the factories in Lancashire and Glasgow:

Days of sickness per annum to every Days of sickness per annum to every person employed.

person sick.

Males.

Females. Males. Females. Males. Females. Males. Females.

the

From this table it appears that, at the ages 15 to 20, every male operative in Lancashire sustains, on the average, 4.42 days of sickness annually, and every female, 5.56; in Glasgow, males 5.52 days, and females, 6.38 days; and that the average length of sick time that every male who is sick will be, in Lancashire, 16.43 days, and every female, 12.63 days; and in Glasgow, the males, 17.14 days, and the females, 15.54 days. An inspection of the table will show a difference in the amount of sickness in the two places, in other ages.

The most reliable works which exhibit the probable annual sickness which a laboring man will sustain through life, are,1. A Report of the Highland Society, by Charles Oliphant, Esq. This able work was published in 1824, and was the first publication of the kind. It was prepared from returns of 79 Friendly Societies, in 16 counties of Scotland, made from

1 See the valuable article on Vital Statistics, Vol. II, pp. 521-590; 2d edition, 1839: written by William Farr, Esq., now Superintendent of Abstracts in the Registrar-General's office.

records kept between 1750 and 1821, and related to 104,218 members.-2. A Treatise on Friendly Societies, by Charles Ansell, Esq., Actuary to the Atlas Assurance Company; published in 1835, under the superintendence of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. This work was drawn up from returns of Friendly Societies in most of the counties of England, and related to 24,323 members, during five years, 1823 to 1827 inclusive.-And 3. Contributions to Vital Statistics, by F. G. P. Neison, Esq., Actuary to the Medical Invalid and General Life Office, published in 1846. This work was prepared from the returns of the Friendly Societies in England and Scotland, relating to the five years, 1836 to 1840.

From these works we have compiled the following table, to show the number of days of sickness which each person, on the average, sustains annually, at each age, from 20 to 70 years:

appears from this table that the average number of days' sickness per annum, which each person in these societies suf

fered at the age of 21, was, according to Oliphant, 4.025 days; according to Ansell, 5.460 days; and according to Neison, 5.917 days. At the age of 60 it is, respectively, 16.422, 22.044, and 29.159. There is considerable discrepancy in these results, probably arising from the different methods of observation, or the different circumstances of the persons observed, or from an increase of sickness in the latter over the former periods, as we have before intimated, (pp. 103-106.)

We also compile from the deductions in Mr. Neison's work, (p. 105,) the following table, to present other views of the relations of sickness :

By this table it appears that, on the average, at the age of 45 to 50, in each 100 members, 24.6 (omitting other fractions) attacks of sickness will take place, or that number of members will be sick every year; that the length of the sickness of each one who is sick will be 47.9 days; that in every 100 who are sick, 5.1 will die; and that the length of sick time which will be suffered by all will be 132.7 weeks, or 2 years, 200 days. It also appears, from the age of 15 upwards, the amount of sickness will be found to increase in regular and uninterrupted series. While 26.96 days of sickness are suffered in a year

by

each person sick, at the period from 20 to 25, 169.55 days are suffered at the period 65 to 70. The relative chances, also, of being sick at the two periods of life, 20 to 25, and 65 to 70, are in the ratio of 22 to 46; while the mortality at the same period is in the ratio of 3 to 9 among those actually sick. At the period of 30 to 35, for every 2 years and 83 days' sickness there is one death; at 10 to 15, 8 years and 3 days; and at 65 to 70, 4 years and 310 days: or, in other words, a greater amount of sickness in proportion to the deaths is suffered in youth and old age, or at those periods of life in which the least vital force exists, than in the middle ages, when a greater degree of vitality is enjoyed.

These are some of the interesting results of the investigations made in England and Scotland, relating to sickness. How far they are applicable to this country we have not the means of knowing accurately. Some have supposed that the proportion of sickness to health is greater in Massachusetts than in England, but others are of a different opinion. The observations already made are too limited and imperfect to found thereon any correct opinion.' If the rule of doubling the annual mor

For some estimates on this subject, see Shattuck's Census and Statistics of Boston, pp. 173-176. Dr. Jarvis (Communications, Mass. Medical Society, Vol. VIII, p. 50) says:"There are no data to determine the amount of sickness in New England. Some of the Health Insurance Companies here made up their rates of premiums according to those of the English Benefit Societies, but these have been found, on trial, too low. Probably there is more sickness here than in England, and some of these companies have been paying out benefits' more than they received in premiums. The Boston Journal of 30th July, 1849, says Yesterday the last of the four companies remaining in operation, chartered in 1847,-viz., the Massachusetts Health Insurance Company,-voted to discontinue farther business, and close up its affairs. The Lowell and Worcester institutions decided on this course about a year ago. During the last six months, the Essex Company has been winding up, and paying from 20 to 30 cents on a dollar.'

The Siloam Lodge of Odd Fellows, in Boston, found the same result and difficulty, and lately voted not to pay for the first week of any case of sickness, but for all afterwards, and charge the same premiums as before. The average number of the members of the Siloam Lodge, for the years 1844, 45, 46, and '47, was 549. The average time of sickness of all, in each year, for which benefit money' was paid, was 4654 weeks. Average sickness, for each member drawing 'benefit money,' was 5.9 days in each year."

Dr. Lyman has furnished us with the following abstract of the records of the Massachusetts Health Insurance Company, relating to those policies only which had expired :—

4.05

According to this statement, 188 of 761, or 24.70 per cent. of the members insured were

sick; and the length of sick time was 31.7 days to each.

tality per cent. be applied to obtain the rate of sickness, it will appear that 5.06 per cent. of the population, or 5,787 persons of both sexes, have on the average been constantly sick, in Boston, for the last nine years. By the same rule, in a country town of an average healthy standard, containing 2,000 inhabitants, 60 will constantly be sick. This seems a large proportion or amount of sickness, but it may nevertheless be true, where those in infancy and old age are included.

This subject is of vast consequence. It would be extremely interesting and useful to know the amount of sickness in the families, and among persons of the various professions and occupations, the farmers, the mechanics, the manufacturers, and others,—and how far it differs in different places and under different circumstances. All the facts and arguments generally used in favor of a sanitary survey, may be applied to show the utility and importance of this branch of the subject. To obtain the facts, some simple plan is needed, which may easily and without much labor be carried into operation; and such a plan we have given in the appendix.

XXVI. WE RECOMMEND that measures be taken to ascertain the amount of sickness suffered, among the scholars who attend the public schools and other seminaries of learning in the Commonwealth.

It has recently been recommended that the science of physi ology be taught in the public schools; and the recommendation should be universally approved and carried into effect as soon as persons can be found capable of teaching it.' Sanitary science is intimately connected with physiology, and deserves equal and even greater commendation as a branch of education. Every child should be taught, early in life, that, to preserve his own life and his own health and the lives and health of others, is one of his most important and constantly abiding duties. By obeying certain laws, or performing certain

24, 1850:

The following are the provisions of an act relating to public hygiene, passed April SECT. 1. Physiology and hygiene shall hereafter be taught in all the public schools of this Commonwealth, in all cases in which the school committee shall deem it expedient. SECT. 2. All school teachers shall hereafter be examined in their knowledge of the ele mentary principles of physiology and hygiene, and their ability to give instructions in the

same.

SECT. 3. This act shall take effect on and after the first day of October, one thousand eight hundred fifty-one.