Statistics of grave-yards in Scotland / by John Webster.

  • Webster, John.
Date:
[1855?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Statistics of grave-yards in Scotland / by John Webster. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Dee although called “Taodunum” by the Romans, shelters the place from northerly winds, and so moderates its temperature. Ihe population is about 80,000, of whom many are emplojed in hnen and yarn factories,—the staple manufacture,—in ship kid „ iron founding-, and other dangerous occupations. Hence, altlior 0 favourably situated in some respects, with a southern exposuie, and possessing other satisfactory features, this locality is consideied to a1 certain degree unhealthy; particularly through exhalations arising from “ slit” on its shores near the harbour, which is un- situated “ C6f y7°o Dundee a large proportionate number of gravestones indicated 7 to 80 as very common ages amongst persons here interred; many exceeded 80 to 85; and from that to 90 was not uncommon, exceeoea °u period to 95, several instances were observed; fheTighS Ite /recognised being 97, of which two examples occurred oh ?n a man, the other in a woman. In the new burying- sn-ound in the Western cemetery, and m minor graveyards, the re forded’hes being much of a similar character, did not materially Xr this general inference, arrived at after examining various da a, f f that Dundee holds a high position in the longevity scale, especially when compared with many other sea-port and manu- facturing populatmns^re^ ^ Hndness of Mr. Baxter, town chamberlain, with official returns of all the burials in this town and suburbs during the last twenty-one years, I would also direct atten¬ tion to an analysis of these valuable reports, compiled after some labour * since several very interesting conclusions may be deduced with considerable confidence, which amply illustrate the vital sta- tlSThroughoutPthe period above specified—twenty-one years ending SIst December, 1854—the total interments within the district amounted to 37,500 of all ages, amongst whom nearly one-sixt i, 17-45 per cent, were infants and children not exceeding one )Cc M From Zt period to 5 years, the proportion of burials was 1 q.oA cent Up to 20, the ratio became nearly 10 per cent., hence ’ hoXg thaf, about’ 47 per cent, of the aggregate burials were6 persons^ under their twentieth year. In other words al¬ most half the deaths recorded in Dundee occurred amongst m- div Lai who had not arrived at the period of manhood From that epoch to 50 years, the deaths reported reached nearly 22 per cent Up to 70, the ratio was 14 per cent, lo 80, /Jed 16-16 per cent. ; and as 2310 persons died from the r 70th to their 80th year, it appears that a large Fopoition of dents really attained an advanced age. Between 80 to 90 he total rloa+p„ omoiinted to 814; which indicates that 1 person m eveiy 48tterme°nts recorded, lived beyond the eightieth birthday and unmo mnrh lon«-er. From the last named period to 100 jeais, a. many aS/Mxase? were enumerated; from which it follows, that 1 pci- Q7h