PUBLICANS AND LONGEVITY.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 91, 28 June 1879, Page 2

PUBLICANS AND LONGEVITY.

"Writing of some occupations which, from their excessive rate of mortality, .scorn to cull for an increase of premium in the oust; of proposals for assurance on the lives of those engaged in thcui, tlio Australasian Insurance and Banking Keend, for March, lias the following: — " The occupation of publican demands first notice, as holding the lowost place in the scale of longevity. How it holds this place cannot bo better told than in the wo-ds of Dr. Richardson, of Loudon, who has made a special study of the'subject. Ho says :—' The most startling isn't of all in reference to occupation and health is that which is told of the innkeepers and publicans, This class of the community is really at the lowest of the vital scale. The cause, unhappily Is not difficult todiscovor. There is nothing in the occupation of innkeepor, as an occupation, which out account for unhealthiuoKs on ordinary grounds of labour. It is not an occupation which exposes those who till it to physical, danger, us the work of the miner and engine-driver does. It is not an occupation which makes great demands on the physical organism, like that of the blacksmith or ropemaker. It is not an occupation which leads men into solemn charges and responsibilities, like those of the physician, soliciloi, „r clergyman. It is not an occupation which brings those whu follow it to the miseries of wuul

:l iid starvation. WliV, then, is it the <> ■< (iji.iti.in most nearly allicil to death I Tile answer is simply told. The oecup ation of tlie uue most nearly allied to alcohol. This agent of death, which diffuse* danger, more or less, amount all dosses of workers in our part of tin) garden of life, tempts most rapidly into destruction those who are the dis-' peusere of it.' Dr. Richardson's statement is borne out by the figures of the Ihij'sUll flnnnnil »f England. In his fourteenth anmiut report, he gave a table shewing tbo mortality per cent in various distinctly defined occupations for the year 1 S.">l, -at liie bottom of vhieu table the clan of inu-keepcrs appeared with a much larger mortality to its credit than any of the others. Similar observations were made by him as to the deaths, in 1801 and IS7I, and, on both of these occasions ■us on the iirst, the highest rate of mortality was found among publicans The mean mortality for tlwj wholo of England and Wales was li per cent, -while it was i"< per cent, in the case •of wine ami spiiit merchants, 2'sfl for publicans, and as high as to 2 7 for hotelkeopcra. Little wonder that us•curauce otfieeiß should look with some I degree of hesitation and doubt oil proposals for assurance on this class of lives. The experience of tho .Scottish Amicable Society during 50 year*, IU2G-187C, shewed a mortality of publicans 50 per eent. iu excels of the •other classes of assured lives, hearing out that an extra premium of XI ]K-r cunt is necessary to cover the risk on this class of proposers."