Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-07
Imporrnnt stntIrlIcs.

The Eighteenth Registration Report Of Massachu-
setts containing the official enumeration of the mar
riages, births and deaths in that State during the
year 1859, has recently been issued from the Office
Of the Secretary of State, and is a most impor-
tant document. From it the following facts are
CLEANED:
In 1859 the number of children born alive was
35 422. The number of persons married was % ESQ,
and 20976 died while the population varied during
the twelvemonth but little frorz one and quarter
millions. The actual population, according 10 the
United States census, is l,23l SIS, showing IN
in the last five years Of 80 1885, equal to S152
per cent-just one-haf the rate Of increase during
the five years preceding 1855 The excess Of regis
tered births registered deaths during the last
five years amounted to 54,3l6, showing that 3.422
per cent of the increase in population is due to that
cause and the remaining 6578 per cent Of increase
is to be accounted for BY the excess Of emigration
over immigration. This calculation is based upon
the assumption that all the births and deaths which
actually occurred in the State were recorded, bzt
"mueh labor and reflection has given evidence indi-
eating that not far from one ser OF the births and
one sixth of the deaths escape regSstration.S
The number of births in the lat ten years except
ing 1853 has annually increased. The higher per-
eentage of births is in the metropolitan districts Of
the State andi the lowest in the western. The
proportional number Of births in the last nIns
years, Is5l-59, in Massachusetts,, was 2sS Zone in
35) in every 10 600 inhabitants; in England in ten
years. 1883, il 338 Zone in 30) in every TO-
600 persons living and in Scotland in the four
years 1869, il 337 Zone in 30) in every To-
600 persons living. In every 10000 persons living
in the respective localities the number Of register
ed births in 1859 were: in Massachusetts,, zS2 in
England 349 and in Scotland 81; from which
we see that there is large percentage in favor Of
England and Scotland, but il can hardly be possible
that these figures show te exact state Of the case
and il viii undoubtedly be found, hereafter, when
the system Of registration shall be more conplete,
that in this particular community Is not far be-
hind the older countries The birth is not uniform
throughout the year, it being found that nineteen
births are registered against seventeen in the first
half while In England and Scotland the reverse is
the case. In 1859 the number Of males bern was
Is l06, the number of females II lS2, and in IC2
cases the sex was not stated the proportion Of
males to females was log to 100, and this excess IS
accounted for by the reason among others. Of the
excess Of age in the male parents. In 1883, I59T3
persons were born Of American pare1tage, and
5,67s Of for foreign psrentage; I160 had Ameri-
can fathers and foreign mothers lI46 had foreign
fathers and American mothe. o and in 1865 cases
the parentage is not stated.
From the statement it will be seen that the in
crease among the foreign population is not much
less than that among the native born. The number
Of plurality cases was 7i6, including one case OF
triplets in Essex county and one in Norfolk county.
The iegitimate births were 237 and the native pop
ulation are responsible for the largest number.
The number Of marriages registered was II AS,
which is 948 more than IN 1858.
For obvious reasons, the rates Of marriage are
higher In densely populated cities than in sparsely
settled country districts. Suffolk county presents
the highest marriage rate which is one in " per-
sons living, and Hampshire the lowest which Is one
in Isl persons living. OF the males who were mar
ried 195 under 20 years Of age, and Of the fe
males 2474. OF 9572 bachelors, 96 in 100 married
maids, and Of 1o,2S9 maids, SO in 100 were united
to bachelors OF 1044 widows AZ we're chosen bv
bachelors, 602 became the wives Of those who had
been husbands before One nan aged 81 married
girl only IL years OF age, So fifth marriarel
maid of 49, . bachelor under 50 maid over 10.
vidower over 20 8 widow under Is. 470 girls were
married before they were Is years Old one Of whom
was ONLY IL years, Of 13 Of IA, AZ Of Is I2g Of
Is, and 2s5 Of II years 4,00l American horn rer-
sons married and 8 Isl foreign born OF these a5l
of each class intermarried.
The number Of deaths was 20, ,S76, and there were
739 still births. During the last five Years the ate
of mortality has been gradually diminishing thourb
il il impossible to compute the precise degree and
so long the present manifest defects in regstra
ton continue, great difficulty viii be found 10 deter
mining the direction in which we are moving in re-
gard TO vitality and mortality. The eitv corumupi-
ties taken together presents higher rate Of rnorta-
y than the rest Of the State and the contrast in the
rates o5 morteny IN city and country is most strk
lng and Is owing not SO much 20 the unusual preYR
ience OF any epidemic, as 70 the lack Of sanitary
on the part Of municipal authorities and
individuals. Seventeen deaths in thousand i q
standard, and any deaths in a people exceeding
seventeen in one thousand annually unnatural
deaths. Bat in the city Of Springfield, with an
average Of II in 1000 during the I've years 1851
It increased to nearly % IN 1855 ard z53 IN 1917
The causes Of death are divided into hve classes
Most of the diseases mentioned, except consumPuon'
are more fatal to males thzn females Dysen-
terry has been diminishing since 1855; Dlplnef'a
new epidemic caused 80 deaths 10 1877 - =
essss sn tSs averas snnual number Of deaths IN
MasSscb,,sstt. IN The fve yes Is54-59 was 46Il.
or ss5 in each 10 900 persons living IN E1yAnd me
average is 2ss IN 1o0oe 90 tE We ana sns Z 3
~ W.. :. - 49,, .rsous die Of consumption in kA-
- ss-s e q Massachusetts, from the same cause
f aSsnss deaths the largest number haE been
sa,ssd bv drowning; in 1858 there were - suicides,
b,cS il but one more than IN 1875.