Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-09-27
physical Advantages of the Jews.

Physical Advantages of the Jews.
From the London Medical Times and Gazette.
July10.
NJ. Legoyt terminates with the follow
ing conclusions an elaborate paper
which he recently read at the Paris Sta.
tistical Society, on "Certair Biostatic
Immunities of the Jewish Race in Eu.
rope"
1.-The facts which are here collected,
and which are nearly all derived from
official sources, are almost unanimous in
dem Estrating that the Jewish race is
distinguished from the other European
races in biostatic point of view, by the
following phenomena:
l. Its general fecundity is less.
3 So it is, at least as general rule,
with regard to its legitimate fecundity.
g. 1t is especially so in relation to its
natural or llegitimate fecundity.
4. In an equal number of births, there
are fewer children born dead, which in.
dicates that the Jewish woman passes
through her period of CESSATION more
fsvorably than the Christian woman.
But the most remarkable privilege
of the Jews is, without contradiction,
their relative low mortality, and that even
when they are members of the lowest
classes of society. This lesser mortality
is not land we cannot too much insist on
this point) the natural consequence of a
lesser fecundity, as, with an equal num-
Der of births, they count fewer deaths,
and that by calculating on HALEY
method--that is, in supposing the births
equal to the deaths (taking place at the
same ages)-it is found that they have a
mean and probable life which is longer
than that of the antocthonic races. IL
would not be correct to say that this diff
ference in mortality is due to a large
relative preponderance of adults, since
in Prussia, which is the only country in
which this portion of the population has
been enumerated by age, there is found
to be greater number of children in ii
than in the Catholic and Evangelical
population.
6. We have, moreover, seen that, as a
consequence of this characteristic phys-
cal aptitude, the Jewish race becomes &C.
climatzed everywhere, and propagaes
itself under every latitude.
I. Finally, we have shown that the
Jews are possessed of special aptitude
enabling them to struggle against imper-
feet media, and protecting them against
contagious diseases"
After discussing the various explana-
tious of these immunities offered by diff
ferent observers, M. Legoyt states that he
believes the greater longevity of this
race may be explained by the following
considerations:
81. The Jews marry earlier than the
Christians, and thus derive at an earlier
age the advantages which statistics show
are incidental to the married state. Still,
from their well-known prudence and CIR
cuuspection, it is not to be supposed that
they enter upon this until prepared to
meet its exigencies. Among them, hssty
and rash marriages, which are alike
hurtful to the health of parents and chill
dren, are rare.
~. The fecundity being less, they can
pay much more attention to the preser-
walton of their children.
"3. By the reason of the small number
of illegitimate children they have, they
escape the exceptional mortality which
sweeps away such children.
"A. The Jew does not pursue any call
ing which demands very hard labor. he
is neither an agricultur;st, a laborer, me-
chanic, sailor nor miner. Before all
things he is the shopkeeper, merchant,
banker, artist, saUant man OF letters or
public functiousry.
rs. The Mosaic law contains ordi-
nances which, before purely hygienic,
must exercise a favorable influence on
the health-e q, the verification of the
condition of slaughtered animals, the
frequency of sblution, the practice of
circumcision, and the periodical separa
ton of the wife from the husband.
&c. The strength of the family feeling
among the Jews. 1t is only when abso-
lutely impossible, and without distinc
ton Of rank, that Jewish woman does
not suckle her child. The children, too,
are the objects of incesssnt aud the most
yieilant care, which indeed is returned
by the respect and solicitude which these
manifest for their parents, especially
when aged or infrm. This IS probably
one cause of the rarity Of suicide among
the Jews,
~. The sobriety OF the Jews Is ineon-
testible.
IS. Throughout the entire Jewish
community, a warm feeling of charity
for the INDECENT and miserable prevails.
80. The religious jew is remarkable
for bis serenity of mind, and his deep
seated faith in Providence and the high
destinies Of his race. The constancy,
the pereanite Of the Jewish temperament,
is well reflected in his religious faith,
which has remained immovable for so
many years.
"l0. The morality Of the Jews, as de-
duced from criminal statistics, seems to
be real, and is only an indication Of those
regular habits of life which exercise so
great an influence on the duration Of
life."