The morning call., 1892-08-04
BRITISH VITAL STATISTICS.

A preliminary bulletin of the results OF
the census report ON vital statistics.in Great
Britain in 1880 has just been transmitted to
the State Department. From this we learn
that the present population of the United
Kingdom is 81, 4S9. 269 an increase OF nearly
per cent over the preceding year. Or this
total 29,001 ,01S are found in England and
Wales and the remainder in Scotland and
Ireland. The population of the latter island
continues to decrease; il is now given as
4,7l6.9
In England and Scotland the marriage
rate and birth rate are higher than they have
been for fifteen years, while they are both
low for Ireland. In England and Wales the
marriage rate is given as 10 5 and the birth
rate as 800 to 1000 living persons, while in
Ireland the marriage rate is only SO and
the birth rate %. to the 1000 living, the low
est rate yet recorded. Rates are fair
gauge of prosperity. People do not marry
when their circumstances are embarrassed,
and in hard times are not fruitful. The
rule is not absolute. A high marriage rate
and a high birth rate have been noted in
years of poverty IN Germany and ireland,
and in France low marriage rate coupled
with low birth rate have coincided with
general prosperity. But in England gen.
an increase in the number of marriages.
There are nearly million more females
than males in England and Wales and a
slight excess OF females over males in Scot
land, while the sexes are nearly equal in
numbers in Ireland. But the tendency
throughout the kingdom is to late mar
riages. The mean age Of the brides in 1890
was sos years and OF the bridegrooms 2S. %
years. 1t seems that in England girls do
not marry till the first bloom Of youth has
sped.
The British figures show that the bulk of
the men over so are married. By way Of
contrast IL may be noted that the census Of
Austria, which has just been taken. shows
that out of every 1000 males CPS are single
and only $40 married, while ont of every
1000 females 5S7 are married and 329 single.
the discrepancy between the number of
married men and married women being
probably accounted for by some theory
which the census-taker does not take the
trouble to explain.
The death rate in the United Kingdom in
1890 was higher than for several years past.
1t was 1915 in England, 1877 in Scotland and
1872 in Ireland, the male deaths being in ex-
cess OF the female deaths as 1886 compared
with 1000 1t is observed, too. that the ex-
cesSiye mortality of 1890 was chiefly of per-
sons in an advanced age. The statisticians
account for this by the prevalence of the
grippe. which was more fatal among the
old than among the young. As general
rule, the progress of medical science tends
TO prolong life among those who have sur
vived the perils OF childhood When
man escapes the di,eases OF early life the
doctors can generally pull him through to
the normal term of human existence. But
this formula is oYerthr0wn by an epidemic
which attacks organs which are impaired.
The British statjstieian boldly states that
in 1890, 27,074 deaths in the United King
dom were directly or Indirectly due 10
grippe. II certainly was not as fatal as
that in this country. Over half the deaths
in Great Britain are aseribed to local dis
eases" a sixth 10 constitutional maladieS
and an eighth to zymoiic diseases.