Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Deaf-mutism / by Holger Mygind. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.
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![6o*9 and 66-6, these two countries representing the two extremes. A comparison between Table II. and Schmalz' survey [70, p. 69a] proves that the numerical superiority of male deaf-mutes was greater formerly than at present, Schmalz having found 74 female deaf-mutes to every 100 males, more recent calcu- lations giving 83 females per 100 males. This seems to point to a lesser frequency of deaf-mutism among males at present, or to a greater frequency among females—perhaps to both. In Denmark, the male deaf-mute rate has remained almost stationary from 1855-1885, while the female deaf-mute rate has in- creased steadily and considerably [Mygind, 200, p. 380]. There is a circumstance which must be taken into consideration before any other when seeking for the cause of this numerical superiority among male deaf- mutes. I mean the well-known fact that a greater number of males are born than females, and that this numerical superiority holds good for a considerable time, often into the second decade of life. It is, therefore, natural that there should be a greater number of male children born deaf than female, also that a greater number of boys than girls become deaf and dumb through acquired deafness. On the other hand, we can but suppose that the greater mortahty to which male individuals are exposed would also influence the deaf-mute population. It is, however, possible that such is not the case ; it has at least been proved in Norway [Uchermann, 203, p. 98], and in Denmark [Mygind, 200, p. 391], that the mortahty among adult female deaf-mutes in the](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21709968_0038.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
