232

THE LANCET.

London, Saturday, May 9, 1840.

SUGGESTIONS FOR MODELLING THE

SIR HENRY PARNELL has given notice of

his intention to submit very shortly to theHouse of Commons the Bill for enumeratingthe Population in 1841. The census has

been taken four times since 1801 ; and fourActs of Parliament have been created for

the purpose. The present Bill would passmerely as a matter of course, if the science ofvital statistics had not made great progresswithin the last ten years; and if it had not

been well established by the writings of ED-

MONDS, MILNE, and others, that the censushas hitherto been crudely conceived, and

imperfectly carried out, in this country.We need not say one word on the im-

portance of this great national undertaking.Its direct connection with the higher andmore exact departments of medical scienceis evident ; and it is not a little flatteringto the medical profession that Dr. HEYS-

HAM, a member of our body, set the first

example of a correct census. Dr. HEYS-

HAM enumerated the ages of the populationof Carlisle in 1780 ; and in 1787 he pro-

cured returns of the ages of the dying, andof the diseases in the nine intervening

years ; and thus laid the basis of the Car-

lisle Table, which, in Mr. MILNE’S hands,became so justly celebrated all over Eu-

rope. The Carlisle Table superseded theerroneous Tables which had been previouslyemployed; and it is used in a consider-

able number of the Assurance Offices,in which millions of English money, andthe hopes of so many English fami-

lies, are vested. None but the observa-

tions on the Swedish population could be

compared in accuracy with the censuses ofDr. HEYSHAM; for on no other Tables coulda Table of mortality be framed, on justprinciples. The registration of deaths un-der the Registration Act, and a good cen-us, will furnish the fundamental data of

all the more important problems in vital

statistics.

The Population Acts of this country havebeen intituled—"Acts for takinganaceount" of the Population of Great Britain, and of the Increase or Diminution thereof." The

title expresses in general terms the objectof the British census, which is intended to

ascertain, at decennial intervals, the num-

ber, the sex, the age, the occupation, andother circumstances of the population-soas to show the progress of the national

resources, the distribution of our industry,and, in connection with the births and

deaths, the health and the increase, or thedecline, of the people of this kingdom.

In taking the census, three points presentthemselves for consideration : the facts

which the census shall embrace ; the modein which the facts shall be recorded and

classifies ; and the agents, or the machinery,by which the census shall be effected.The census of 1831 exhibited the following

facts :-1. The area in acres of the several

parishes, &c.-2. The number of houses—

(a) Inhabited. (b) Building, (c) Unin.

habited.-3. The number of families.-4.

The number of families-(a) Employed inagriculture. (b) Chiefly employed in trade,manufactures, and handicraft. (c) All

other families.-5. The number of persons

of males and of females. 6. The number of

males twenty years of age, and their occupa-tions, specifying whether they were engagedin agriculture, and (a) employing labourers;(b) not employing labourers ; (e) labourersemployed; or (d) employed in manufacture,(e) in retail trade, or handicraft; (f) capital.ists, professional, or other educated men;(g) labourers employed in labour, not agri-cultural ; (h) other males twenty years of

age, excepting servants; (i) male servants,twenty years of age; lk)male servants, undertwenty years of age; and (1) female servants.The abstracts exhibiting these particulars

contained twenty-three columns of figures,of which fourteen, besides Tables, referredexclusively to the occupations of the people.The inquiry into the occupations is believed

233CENSUS OF POPULATION FOR 1841.

to have failed; and it led to no satisfactoryresults.

The ages of the population were not enu-merated in 1831 ; but in 1821 the followingdirection was addressed to the overseers :-41 If you are of opinion that, in making the" preceding inquiries (as to the number

" of families and of persons), the ages of the"several individuals can be obtained in a" manner satisfactory to yourself, and not" inconvenient to the parties, be pleased tostate the number of persons who are underfive years of age, of those between five and iten years of age," &c. &c. The ages of

10,530,671 persons were returned : the en-tire population in 1821 amounted to

11,978,875.The return of ages, when it was left op-

tional with the overseers, and the partiesenumerated, succeeded ; it is the basis of

all the more important calculations in vitalstatistics and political arithmetic ; it is

therefore evident that the ages should be

enumerated, and the specification of ages,in quinquennial periods of life, may be re-garded as indispensable.The number of each sex will be ascer-

tained.

In the census of some foreign countries,the number of blind, of deaf and dumb, andof idiots, is distinguished. This is rather a

matter of curiosity than of great practicalutility. A return of the numbers labouringunder sickness, and disabled, either by in-

firmity or disease, in different parts of the

country, would throw much light on thehealth of the population, and on the causes of

disease ; it would furnish invaluable infor-mation to the Friendly Societies, and wouldlead to many important statistical results.The return can be easily procured. We

should therefore recommend that this fact

be specified in the ensuing census.There is a constant immigration of the

country population into the towns-from

different parts of the kingdom to the me.

tropolis, from Ireland and Scotland to

England, &c. Emigration is an exceedinglyimportant event in’ the social economy oi

a country ; and although it has never beeninvestigated in the British census, it appearsto us that the number of the heads of families

born in each district, and the number of

immigrants, strangers or foreigners, may bereadily ascertained, and would form an in-

teresting topic of information.Without entering into further detail, we

may state that the following heads of inquiryshould be kept in view in framing the ab-stracts. All the important facts in the

former censuses have been retained :--_

Area of district.

Number of houses.

(a) Inhabited.(h) Uninhabited.(c) Building.

The number of persons, males and fe-

males.

The ages, 0-1, 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 5-10,10-15, &c., &c., males and females.

The numbers sick (of males and females,at different ages).

The number of indigenous inhabitants.

Occupations (according to some well-de-vised classification.)

We have purposely omitted « families" inthe heads of inquiry. If the populationwere enumerated genealogically, in familiesand tribes, according to their degrees of re-

lationship and affinity, or if the parents,and the number of their children, were speci-fied, the inquiry might not be uninteresting.But this is impracticable ; and, in additionto the number of inhabited houses, it does

not appear that the specification of the fami-lies which, according to the definition in thelast enumeration, comprised "those who

used the same kitchen,"* can answer any eco-i

* Preface to Enum. Abstract, p. 9.-Mr.Rickman has pointed out the vagueness o fthis question. " The question whether asingle person, inhabiting a house solely,or lodging, but not boarding, in anotherman’s house, is to be deemed a family?"This admits only of the unsatisfactory an-swer, that it cannot be otherwise ; " and,by this negative paralogism, is decided inthe affirmative."

234 CENSUS OF BRITISH POPULATION.

nomical, not to say political purpose. More- general principles of the inquiry, we will

over, the relative proportion of " families " first deal with England; and then glance atto persons and houses has been already as- a few of the modifications which circum.

certained. stances may render imperative in other

The census should not be encumbered parts.with any inquiries which are not likely to The census has hitherto been taken bylead to important practical results. the overseers of the poor, and their assist.

The census of 1801 extended to England, ants, who proceeded from house to house,Wales, and Scotland; in 1821 and 1831 it in- recorded the several facts, and at the samecluded Ireland. The census of 1841 should be time made the abstracts in a prepared for.extended to the British Colonies ; and the mula-of which a specimen is given in thesame particulars should be specified with re- Preface to the Population Returns, p. vii.gard to all persons of British origin who are In like manner the Parish Register Ab.

abroad, as in the census at home. It might stracts were made in the first instance bybe enough to ascertain the total number of the clergy.males and females in the respective pro- The abstracts prepared by the overseersvinces of India, under the British dominion, of 10,700 parishes were transmitted to Mr.and in some other parts of the empire. RICKMAN, by whom they were arranged andMeasures may also be taken for obtaining classified. The census commenced on the

an approximation to the number of British 30th day of May, 1831, and the Enume.

subjects in France, and in other countries. ration Abstract was ordered to be printedThe census of 1841 would thus present a on the 14th of February, 1834.

complete account of the population of the The British census has been much more

empire-in Great Britain and Ireland, the accurate than, under the circumstances,North American Colonies, the Mediterra- could have been expected. The abstracts

nean, the West Indies, the West Coast of have been sufficiently simple ; little skill,Africa, the Cape of Good Hope, the East practice, or instruction was required in

Indies, and Australia. their preparation; and a few checks mustThe census of the population in the re- have ensured their accuracy. But, from all

mote colonies would be attended with some we have observed, we are led to cons:derthedifficulties ; but the noble Lord, the Secre- plan of entrusting the reduction of the ab.

tary for the Colonies, could make such ar- stracts,as well as the registration of the facts,rangements with the Governors and the to the enumerators, as highly objectionable.local authorities as would ensure its suc. In astronomy and meteorology, and every

cess. other science founded upon observation,The census of the Colonial population the simple facts are first registered and are

would furnish the Government with much afterwards collected, classified, and re-

important information: it would show the duced. This course should be pursued in

strength and importance of the provinces the census. The enumerators should regis.and races ; the number of fencible men that ter the facts embraced by the inquiry, in acould be relied upon, or called out as a prescribed form, from which the abstractsmilitia upon emergencies, the mortality of should be made, under proper supervision,different races ; the relative salubrity of the on a well-devised plan, with adequatedifferent climates and localities, under diffe- checks.

rent circumstances. This plan, by the application of the prin-The mode of taking the census, and the ciple of the division of labour, would en-

agency by which it is effected, must undergo cure a greater degree of accuracy, and itcertain modifications in the different di- would have this manifest advantage, thatvisions of the empire. In laying down the the facts registered, and collected in their

235SMALL-POX PREVENTION BILL.

elementary form, would admit of any classi-fication, combination, or tabular arrange-ment that might afterwards be deemed ad-visable. When the abstracts were made bythe overseers, they could only be arrangedin the form originally prescribed. When the

errors of the last census, in the omission of

the ages, and the failure of the return of oc-

cupations, were discovered, they could notbe rectified, as all the original facts were de-

stroyed, if they ever existed in a correct

form.

We shall take an early opportunity of

discussing, in detail, some of the more im-

portant points in the census; and in the ma-

chinery by which it is carried into effect.

The division of the country into districts bythe Registrar-General, and the existence ofa class of officers who are habitually ac-

customed to record similar facts, as well asto communicate with a central office, pre-sent facilities which did not before exist.

SMALL-POX PREVENTION BILL,FRAMED BY MR. WAKLEY.

THE following is a draught ofa Bill which itis probable would have been proposed to theHouse of Commons on Monday evening last,May 4, if the discussion on the Bill which

has been passed by the House of Lords hadtaken place at that time.The motion for going into Committee on

the Lords’ Bill was postponed by Sir JAMESGRAHAM from Monday lastto the llth of May.Additional time, therefore, is afforded for

the consideration of this highly -importantnational question. In inserting the commu-nication of Mr. DODD, of Chichester, Mr.WAKLEY hopes that other practitioners who

may have suggestions to offer on the same

subject, will make them at a sufficientlyearly period to render the facts which theymay contain available in the House of

Commons at the proper period. The mem-

bers of the profession will observe that the"Order for Vaccination" attached to this

Bill has been constructed so as to render it

ffectual, perhaps, for aU the purposes for

which an Act of this kind could be framed.It is, for instance,

1st, An order for the vaccination of theperson requiring that operation.

2nd, It shows the name, age, and re-sidence of the person to be vaccinated, andthe occupation of the parents.

3rd, Who was the vaccinator.4th, When the operation was performed.5th, Whether successfully or not.6th, It contains the testimony of two

witnesses to the correctness of the foregoingstatements.

7th, It becomes, first of all, a voucher thatthe charge for the vaccination is due to theoperator.

8th, And, afterwards, when in the posses-sion of the parochial officer, it is a receipt(or voucher) for the payment of that charge.

9th, Placed on a file, these orders renderunnecessary the trouble of keeping a bookof account, or register, of the vaccinations.

10th, The order affords the opportunityof recording practical remarks on the case,for future collation and use. ’

The free distribution of these Orders

among the medical men of every district of

the kingdom, on the application of the medi-cal practitioners themselves, and the pre-vention, by legal ordinance, of all inocu-

lation for small-pox, will seem to secure,

by the simplest means that can be devised,an effectual machinery for ensuring the

general practice of vaccination throughoutthis country. Such a Bill will not be the

less acceptable to the profession in conse-

quence of its admitting of no interferencewhatever with the proposed arrangements,on the part of the Poor-Law Commissioners.

Respecting the reduction of the vast massof important practical matter which the

occasional contributions of even a few lines,only, from each vaccinator, in the last co-lumn of the · Order," must supply a formavailable for the purposes of science, we shalloffer a few suggestions on another occasion.At present, the proper means do not exist.

The entire medical institutions of the three

kingdoms do not offer to notice one compe-tent, efficient, trustworthy body in whosehands to confide materials of scientific value,the property of the nation, requiring indus-