1665 JOHN GRAUNT ON THE BILLS OF MORTALITY THE BEGINNINGS OF THE SCIENCE OF SOCIAL STATISTICS 005. GRAUNT, John. Natural and Political observations mentioned in a following index, and made upon the Bills of Mortality. With reference to the Government, Religion, Trade, Growth, Air, Diseases, and the several changes of the said City. The fourth impression. Oxford. Printed by William Hall, for John Martyr, and James Allestry, Printers to the Royal Society. 1665. 8vo. Imprimatur leaf. [30],205,[1]p. Folding tables. Rebound in full speckled calf, a.e.g. Slight traces of damp in the inner margins of some gatherings but a very nice copy. WING G 1601. GOLDSMITHS 1757. (The third edition). GOLDSMITHS 1155 (The third edition.) EINAUDI has the fifth edition. KEYNES 72. John Graunt, (1620-1674) shopkeeper of London., had for several years paid close attention to the bills of mortality. In 1662 the results of his studies first appeared. On the strength of this he was later elected a member of the Royal Society. The Observations laid the foundation of the science subsequently called "Political Arithmetic" by Sir William Petty. After Graunt's death the text was edited by Sir William Petty which lead to an erroneous belief that he was in fact its author. According to Henry Higgs in Palgrave's dictionary of political economy 1925, John Graunt was "one of the earliest English writers to perceive the importance of vital statistics, and deduce from them by scientific methods propositions with regard to the social and economic condition of the country." In Chapter III Graunt noting that A "vast number of Beggars, swarming up and down this City do all live, and seem to be most healthy, and strong" proposes the introduction of compulsory state provision which would also enable some control and limitation to be imposed on their disorder and "debauchery". Graunt deals in detail with the information available concerning the causes of death among the people of London (including infant mortality), noting that few appear to have died of actual starvation.