The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-06-28
DOCS 0IalrImony Conduee 20 LON
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Does MaIrImony COnduee 10 Lon
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From the Philadelphia Ledger.
Statistics, moralities and sentiment
have all been brought forward in dis
cussing the question as to the compare
tive health, happiness and duration of
Iife,of the married and unmarried. The
verdict must be considered as given in
favor OF the married, but with reser-
walton that the advantages are not
equally enjoyed by the two sexes. AS
far as regards the people of Scotland,
the question seems to pe conclusively
answered in paper read some months
agoby DIR. James Stark before the Royal
Society of Edinburgh. BE begins by
the remark, that nine years. average
of the deaths in Scotland shows a high
er ratio of deaths among males than
among females at all ages, except in the
early period of life, from ten to fifteen
years.
A more important inquiry, however,
Is the effect of marriage on male and
female life. An interesting answer 20
this question is brought by a table pre-
pared by DIR. Stark. 1t shows that at
every age, from 20 TO 25 years, the death
rate of the married men Is much small
er than that of the unmarried. After
the S5th year of life, the numbers are
too small to justify any comparison.
It appears from this table that out OF
100 900 unmarried men between % and
25 years of age, 1,174 died during the
wear 1853; but that out of a like number
of married men, only 597 died, or just
half the number. In other words, be-
tween the age of 20 and 25 years, the
death-rate Of bachelors was exactly
double that of married men,
AS the age increases, the difference
between the death-rates of the married
and unmarried decreases; but the de-
crease is slow and regular, showing a
marked difference in favor of the mar
ried men at every fve-year period Of
life. Thus, at the age of % to 30 years,
when the number OF married and un-
married men in Scotland is nearly
equal, of every 1000 bachelors, 1859
died during the year; but In an equal
number of unmarried men only 300
died. a similar difference, though in
less degree, Is found in favor OF mar
ried men during every five year period,
even TO that between so and IS years Of
age, Here, then, we have the remaFk-
able fact proved from the statistics OF
whole country, that the influence of
marriage on duration Of life of the male
Is Of the most potent kind; that, in fact,
the bachelor life Is much more destruc-
tive TO the male sex than the most un-,
wholesome of trades, or than a resi-.
dence In a crowded locality where there
is not the most distant attempt at sani-
tary arrapgements OF any kind. Reck-
onine from the twentieth year Of life,
the mean age at death of married men
was 59x years, whereas the mean age
at death of bachelors was only 40yeaES,
showing chance Of 195z years longer
life to the former oyer the latter OF these
In comparing the mortality of the
married and the unmarried women, it
was found thatthe differences Is tridfng,
for while, during the three periods OF
lie, Is to %, 20to 25 and % to 80 years,
the married died In n higher proportion,
It was the reverse during the next two
periods OF life, or from 30 to 3d. and
from S5 to 40 years, during period In
which nearly half OF their children are
born. From the 18Th year fife 70 old
age, or 70 years, married women die In
smaller Proportions than the nnmA-
ried. 9 ? - -, !. T.. ~ Il
we leAvsit 10 the thoughtful reader
to Judge how far an expIanatiun OF the
longer lie of married men, as class
may be explained by the growth OF
more regular habits, the practice OF
greater thrift and economy, and all the
Influences of homes Of their own.