Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-08-10
MORE BOYS BORN THAN elRLa
-D n Rauheri Professor Of Anatom,

lDlrr AZ Rauher. Professor OF Anatomy.
a. Russfa.l IS
ss p remarkable phenomenon that
altho In the civilized parts Of the world
the women outnumber the men, there
are actually more boys born than girls.
Carefully gathered statistics from differ
ent countries, compiled by German sta
tisticians, have established this beyond
dispute. According to the figures of the
most reliable statistics the distribution
of the sexes in premature births is as
1853 boys to 100 girls. In cases of still
births the boys soutnumber the girls at
the ratio OF $50 to 100. AS to normal and
living children born there are 105 boys
born to every 100 girls. That original
numerical preponderance of the male
children is rapidly decreased, however.
During the first year of life itsinks from
8 to lie per cent. During the following
years the percentage steadily slowly de-
clines until, between the fifteenth and
twentieth years, there is numerical
eqaulity between the two sexes. After
that the proportion becomes gradually
reversed in favor of the female sex. The
numerical preponderance of the women
continues to increase in proportion to
age.
The fact that more boys are born than
girls is phenomenon based upon hered-
ity and one of natures measures for the
preservation of the species. In prehis-
toric times, when the struggle for ex-
istence was Infinitely more fierce than
now, those families or hordes had the
most favorable chance to maintain
their superiority over others and thus
ynra hot. ;e<a 60
ivored by the creates, NUMBER of male
children, because that meant steady
increase of fighting power.
The change in the numerical proper
ton of the two sexes, from an original
preponderance Of the males to slight
preponderance of the females must not
be considered normal. 1t is brought
about by pathological influences of the.
general conditions of the present time.
Neglect in the treatment OF infants, the
enormous consumption of boys and men
by hard and killing work, wars, emigra-
tion to unwholesome climates, the de-
crease in the number of marriages.,
abuse of alcohol. and specific diseases
are the principal reasons for the unfa-
Norable shifting of the numerical pro-
portion between males and females
To restore the normal proportion be-
tween the sexes it is necessary to coun-
teract all those unfavorable influences
mentioned. One of the most important
hregulatives would be the reformation of
the sexual life upon the basis of monog-
amy. Biologically as we'll as statistical
ly monogamy is the only correct and
logical condition. Every male individual
has the duty to become married. BY the
abolition of the pernicios bachelordom
the numerical balance of the sexes
would soon be restored. Not only would
1T lead to an ideal state in which every
woman would be provided with hug
band, but many of the dangerous evils
growing out of the unrestrained free
dom of bachelor life would be greatly
diminished, tho perhaps never entirely
eradicated. 1t is the duty of the state
to enact Wise and suitable laws for the
improvement of the existing relations
between the sexes. Marriage should be
made the duty of every individual, and
those refusing to conform with the com
pulsory marriage laws should be Sc
verely taxed and punished Commits
sions for the preservation of morality
and for the suppression of diseases and
alcoholism should be appointed and
given ample power to enforce the laws.
These suggestions may seem utopian
and impracticable, but no one acquaint-
ed with the existing conditions can deny
that rigorous measures must be taken to
remedy the present numerical inequality
between the two sexes