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APPENDIX 111. ExTEACTS FBOM THE EEPOET ON BATES OF MoETALITY AND SICKNESS FOE THE YeAES 1878-87 of the Independent Oedek of Rechabites, Salfobd Unity, by Francis G. P. Neison E.1.A., E.S.S. The following facts are gathered in connection with the branches of the Order from which sickness and mortality returns were received: — Number of members in the tents Ist January, 1878 ... ... ... 6,748 Per cent. Of these members, during ten years, 1878-87, were sick 3,725, or 55-2 not sick 2,453, „ 36-4 died 570, „ 8-4 Number of members who became free, 1878-87 ... ... ... ... 30,216 Of these, during the ten years, were sick ... ... 12,001, or 39-7 not sick ... ... 17,745, „ 58-7 died ... ... 470, „ 1-6 Total number of members who came under observation ... 36,964 Number of members who withdrew, 1878-87 ... ... ... ...12,955 Of these, during the ten years, had been sick ... 3,930, or 30-3 not been sick ... 9,025, „ 69-7 Number of members who died ... ... ... ... ... 1,040 Of these during the ten years bad been sick ... 877, or 84-3 „ „ not been sick ... 163, „ 15-7 Total ceased to be members ... ... ... ... 13,995 Difference, or number of members in the tents 31st December, 1887 ... 22,969 Total weeks of sickness paid for in respect of all above members, ten years Weeks. Days. (1878-87) ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 180,210 1 Of this amount, for members who died ... ... ... ... 33,155 3 „ remainder ... ... ... ... ... 147,054 4 Thus, of the members in the order at the Ist January, 1878, embraced in this investigation more than one-half of them whilst under observation during the next ten years had occasion to claim sickness-pay, and 8 per cent, died during the same period. Compared with the figures for the entrants during the decenniad 1878-87 these proportions of sickness-claimants and deaths appear high, but the age-distribution of the members in the two groups, and the period for which they were at risk, would vary materially, and mainly account for this difference. The fact that as regards the withdrawing members only 30 per cent, of them had at any time received sick-pay is a feature which should not escape attention, and suggests that, as concerns this section of members, a selection against the society continues for some years after the members' admission. Apparently those members whose health is below par, if the sickness-claims are an indication in this respect, constitute precisely that class of the assured among whom withdrawals are at a minimum. This is what might be expected, for naturally those persons who have brought home to them in illness the manifold advantage of being enabled to draw an allowance during incapacity for labour would be uncommonly careful not to forfeit, through carelessness, such a boon. . . The final summation shows that as regards— Members not sick— Entered society before Ist January, 1878, and still a member 31st Dec, 1887 1,118 1878-87, and still a member 31st December, 1887 ... ... 10,055 „ before Ist January, 1878, and left society before 31st Dec, 1887 1,335 1878-87, and left society before 31st December, 1887 ... 7,690 Total ... ... ... ... ... ... 20,198 Members sick— Entered society before Ist January, 1878, and still a member 31st Dec, 1887 2,825 1878-87, and still a member 31st December, 1887 ... ... 8,971 „ before Ist January, 1878, and left society before 31st Dec, 1887 900 1878-87, and left society before 31st December, 1887 ... 3,030 Total ... ... ... ... ... .. 15,726 Members died— Entered society before Ist January, 1878, and made no sick-claim ... .... 69 „ 1878-87, and made no sick-claim ... ... ... 94 „ before Ist January, 1878, and received sickness-allowance ... 501 „ 1878-87, and received sickness-allowance ... ... ... 376 1,040 Here, again, some interesting results are disclosed as regards the selection against the society, which is apparently more or less always going on—in other words, in process of time a society accumulates a more than average share of inferior lives, the more healthy members of the assured gradually allowing their membership to lapse. Thus, examination of the statistics above given shows that for " members not sick" who were connected with the society at the Ist January, 1878, more than 54 per cent, dropped their membership within the next ten years, whereas, turning to