The Supplement to the fifty-fifth annual report of the Registrar-General for England, issued early in 1898, contains a mass of statistical material bearing on the mortality among persons engaged in various occupations, much more important and complete than any previously available. The principal object of the following Paper, is to examine the information therein contained bearing on the mortality in certain hazardous or unhealthy occupations, with a view to obtaining some guidance in fixing the extra premiums which should be charged for insurances on the lives of persons engaged in these occupations. In some cases, the information obtained from the Supplement to the fifty-fifth report has been supplemented from other official sources.

For the purpose of comparing the mortality of persons in different occupations, Dr. Tatham, the Superintendent of Statistics at the General Register Office, has, following his predecessor, Dr. Ogle, made use of the method of ‘comparative mortality figures.’