An Ageing England In his report for 1935, published last
week, Sir Arthur MacNalty, Chief Medical Officer of Health, draws atten- tion especially to the changing age-composition of the population. Since the beginning of the century the proportion of persons under 25 years of age has fallen by nearly 25 per cent. In 1901, 501 persons out of every 1,000 were under 25, in 1935 only 388 per 1,000, and the rate of decline in the under-25 age-group has since 1931 been double what it was in the previous 30 years. The change is due to the combination of the lowered birth-rate with the lowered general death-rate ; it is likely to continue, and Sir -Arthur points out that if it does it will necessitate changes in the organisation and aims of our medical services. Knowledge of the nature. , and effects, of which this is only one, of population changes is comparatively. recent ; but their importance is now recognised. They will form the subject of a short series of articles, which will begin in next week's Spectator, reviewing the general conclusions and specula- tions as to the future, to which recent researches point. Of particular importance perhaps is the relation between changes in population and the general econothic and soCial structure of the country ; Sir Arthur's report shows, in one particular field, how soon that may be of .immediate practical significance,
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