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MORTALITY.
139
The mortality, according to age, for Sweden, can be studied ever since
the year 1750. A very brief summary of the results of such an
examination is given in Table 27.
The decline of mortality, viewed from the other side, naturally brings
with it an increase in the length of life. According to the Swedish tables
of mortality, the Expectation of life for a new-born child is, in this
country:
Years Both sexes Men Women
1755—1775 ..............35-20 years 33-00 years 36-60 years
1816—1840 ..............41-43 , 39-50 > 43-56 »
1861—1870 ..............44-58 . 42-80 > 46-40 >
1881—1890 ..............50-02 48-55 . 51-47 >
1891—1900 ............52-30 » 50-94 . 53-63 >
1901—1910 •............55-77 . 54-53 » 56-98 >
The average length of life has thus increased since the 18th century
from 35 to 55 years. This fact alone is sufficient to show the complate
revolution effected during the 19th century in almost every condition of
human life. According to the conditions of mortality 1891—1900,1 the
mean length of life is now, in Sweden. 52-30 years, in Norway, 52-22, in
Denmark, 51-75, in England, 46-00, in Belgium, 47-12, in the Netherlands,
47-80, in Finland, 44-30, in France, 47-44 years. In the rural districts
of Sweden, according to calculations for the decade 1891—1900, the
average length of life reaches 53-55 years, but in the towns only about 47-32.
The average length of life for the men in the rural districts was 52-77
and in the towns only 43-93, for the women in the country districts 54-35,
and in the towns 50-43.
Finally, a few details may be copied from the copious Swedish mortality
statistics.
In the rural districts, the mortality for all ages has sunk, if we compare
the periods 1816—40 and 1901—10, from 22"26 %. to li’89%,; for the towns
the decrease has been from 34-44 %, to 14*96 The figures for the towns
were, then, during the former period, 55% higher than those for the rural
districts, but during the latter period, nearly the same — a striking testimony
to the improved sanitary conditions and communal administration of the towns in
general. The higher figures, which still generally distinguish the towns from
the rural districts, are due almost entirely to the higher death-rate amongst
children of tender years — especially those of illegitimate birth — and amongst
middle-aged men. Among married women, also, the death-rate is somewhat
higher in the towns.
For the years 1901—10 the mortality in the first year of life amounted
to 85 per thousand of live-born childern. For rural districts the figures were
80 %,; for towns, 101; for the län of Värmland, only 64 for that of
Jönköping, 65; Skaraborg, 66^» and so on. The figures were highest for the läns
of Västernorrland and Norrbotten (104 and 109 respectively) and the city of
Stockholm (120). We may recall that the average figure for Western Europe
1 For a few of the countries in question, the period of investigation does not exactly
coincide with this decade.
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