TY  - JOUR
T1  - PRoportion of births to deaths in fiction.
Y1  - 1899/04/22
N1  - 10.1001/jama.1899.02450430038010
JO  - Journal of the American Medical Association
SP  - 884
EP  - 885
VL  - XXXII
IS  - 16
N2  - A most grave and damaging accusation was brought against the great masters of fiction a few weeks ago by the Medical Press and Circular—no less than a charge of seriously misrepresenting one of the most important elements of human welfare, the birth-rate. It was alleged, and what was more, figures were given to prove it, that the average proportion of births to deaths in some forty of our most popular novels, was as one to ninety-six. Well may we exclaim with Prince Hal over Falstaff's tavern-reckoning: "What! but a single pennyworth of bread to this intolerable deal of sack!" In those whose sole profession is to "hold the mirror up to nature" such false drawing is indeed a generous fault. As our contemporary well points out, at this rate the charming world of fiction, those Islands of the Blest to which our tired souls, sick and weary of this
SN  - 0002-9955
M3  - doi: 10.1001/jama.1899.02450430038010
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1899.02450430038010
ER  -