The variation—from month to month—of the proportion of deaths to the
whole number of living is singular and interesting. It supports the
theory I have advanced above, as the following facts taken from the
official report, will show:
In April one in every sixteen died.
In May one in every twenty-six died.
In June one in every twenty-two died.
In July one in every eighteen died.
In August one in eleven died.
In September one in every three died.
In October one in every two died.
In November one in every three died.
Does the reader fully understand that in September one-third of those
in the pen died, that in October one-half of the remainder perished,
and in November one-third of those who still survived, died? Let him
pause for a moment and read this over carefully again, because its
startling magnitude will hardly dawn upon him at first reading. It
is true that the fearful disproportionate mortality of those months
was largely due to the fact that it was mostly the sick that remained
behind, but even this diminishes but little the frightfulness of the
showing. Did anyone ever hear of an epidemic so fatal that one-third
of those attacked by it in one month died; one-half of the remnant
the next month, and one-third of the feeble remainder the next month?
If he did his reading has been much more extensive than mine.
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