An earlier calculation of the number of children in every
marriage in the various countries shows that Norway stands well
in this respect, the average number of children by a marriage in
our country being 4.70; in Holland, where the number is greatest, it
is 4.88, and in France there is a minimum of 3.46.
DEATHS.
When, in spite of the very large amount of emigration during
the last half century, the Norwegian nation has still been able to
show such a rapid growth as it has done, this has its explanation,
as will appear from what has been already said, not in any
specially large number of births, but in an unusually low death-
rate among the population,
The number of deaths varies far more from year to year than
the annual number of births. For the last, few years, the figures
are as follows for Norway: in 1893, 32,915 deaths, in 1894, 34,355,
in 1895, 32,189, in 1896,31,5 i4.-Bthus showing a difference, between
1894 and 1896, of between 8 and 9 per cent.
Considered in relation to the population of the country, there
were in the years 1881—1890, as in the preceding io years, 1.70
deaths in every 100 inhabitants. If this rate of mortality be
compared with the conditions in this country some time ago, there
will be found a regular decrease in the mortality since the
twenties, the death-rate falling from 1.98 per cent during the years
^35, to 1.91, 1.83, 1.80 and 1.75 per cent successively during
the following periods of ten years. During the years 1890 1892,
the rate of mortality showed some increase, but has since again
shown a decrease, the year 1896 presenting the unusually low
death-rate of 1.62,per cent.
This steady decrease in the mortality bears witness to the
growing culture and prosperity of the population, as also to the
progress of the science of medicine during the century just expiring.
The death-rate is more favourable in Norway than in any
other country in Europe, with the exception of Sweden, that
country being able of recent years, to show just as low a death-
rate. The average death-rate for most European’countries during
the years 1881*1890 was 2.77 per cent -(during the years
1801—1820, 3.15 per cent). I t was highest WSi 3.45 per cent J§§
in Russia.
As is the case in almost all other countries, so it is in Norway,
that the general per cent a g e o f deaths is not equally large for
men and women, but considerably smaller for the latter. B odio
has calculated how the matter stands in the various countries for
the years 1890—1893 (or thereabouts), and has found the following
coefficients of mortality :
For Men " For Women
Norway . . . . 1.83 per cent 1.65 per cent
Sweden . . . 1.78 « « 1.67
England . . . 2.06 « . , « . 1.7.8 « «
Germany , . . 2.50 « 7 f |i 2.25 « «
France . . . 2.36 ' « « 2.16 « .
For every 100 men that died in Norway, there were 91 women,
iti Sweden 91, in England 89, in Germany 90, and in France 92.
In Ireland the number is about equal for the two sexes, while on
the other hand, Saxony shows a proportion of 100 to 86. Thus
in the case of Norway, the proportion is neither specially favourable
nor specially unfavourable.
In Norway, as in almost all other countries, the mortality is
less in the country than in the towns, and less in the small towns
than in the larger ones.
The classification of thè deaths according to age is of great
importance. There is considerable difference in this respect between
the various countries, although one and the same law holds good
for all of them, viz. great mortality in infancy, then a decrease
until the later years of childhood, and afterwards a more or less
steady increase up to the more advanced ages. To demonstrate
this proportion in Norway, the following table is given, showing
the number of deaths per 1000 of each age-class. For the sake
of comparison, the corresponding figures are added for Western
Europe, for Bavaria, which is remarkable for its great mortality,
and for France (after Bomo’s calculations). (See table, page 116.)
The low. death-rate our country shows for the first 5 years is
here evident, although both France and Bavaria, in the succeeding
groups of 5 years, present a much more favourable proportion of
deaths than Norway, a proportion which continues, in the case of
Bavaria, up to the age of 30. The mortality in the more advanced
ages also, is again considerably less with us than in the above-
named countries. Thus, while the strength of the Norwegian