Average heterozygosities for four communities (Savoonga and Gambell on St Lawrence Island, the King Island community now located in Nome, and Wales) are computed from blood allele frequencies. No significant relationship is found between this measure of heterozygosity and the amount of European admixture calculated from gamma globulin haplotype frequencies, indicating that forces other than European gene flow are affecting relative heterozygosity. However, within the two villages on St Lawrence Island, admixed individuals as a group have significantly higher average heterozygosity than non-admixed individuals. These results suggest that European gene flow significantly increases population heterozygosity when examined from a micro-populational or individual level, but may be obscured by other factors when several different populations are compared. This is probably because inter-village variation in admixture proportions, which range from zero to 8%, is small.

Adult members of a kindred with various cases of Fabry's disease were asked by questionnaire about their attitudes and behaviour towards prospective genetic counselling. All individuals were aware of the fact that the disease occurred in their family and that it is hereditary, but none had a correct understanding of its inheritance. The disease was considered to be severe and the general attitude was that it should be prevented. Elective abortion after prenatal diagnosis was recommended by the majority, but some would prefer to abstain from having children. Prospective counselling was received positively even though it provoked anxiety in some of the counselled persons. The counselling has so far had the result that two heterozygous females asked for prenatal investigation. But when affected male fetuses were detected after prenatal diagnosis abortion was rejected in both cases. The reasons for this were not considered to be typical. It is concluded that prospective genetic counselling for Fabry's disease should be offered to other families, even though it may be expected that some will choose not to prevent further cases.

Mortality differentials among urban residents who were classified by period of residence in a rapidly industrialized city were analysed for those aged 20 and over dying between April 1974 and March 1978. The highest mortality in the male population appeared in the group with under 5 years of residence, and this was attributed to the high age-specific death rates at age 50 and over. In females, a mortality excess conspicuous in those under age 50 was observed in the group with over 20 years of residence. Age-adjusted death rates by leading causes of death differed among the groups by period of residence; the rates from malignant neoplasms and senility for the population with under 5 years of residence were greater in males, but smaller in females than those of the total population. The mortality for the male population with under 5 years of residence was considered to be related to the health of the aged when they migrated.

This paper examines the levels, trends and Kuwaiti–non-Kuwaiti differentials in stillbirth, infant and child mortality rates during the 1957–79 period. The present infant mortality rate (33 per 1000) and its component parts are high in contrast to those in more developed countries. But during the last few decades, the rates showed definite decline. The decline in infant and child mortality was rapid between 1955 and 1970 when the infant death rate was about 100 or more per thousand livebirths, but slowed after the infant mortality rates were brought down to around 50 in 1970. The large scale reduction in mortality since 1950 is closely associated with socioeconomic progress and improvements in standards of living as well as wider availability and better accessibility of health services. Kuwait is still in a position where mortality can be reduced further, provided that investment in health and education continues.

This paper is based on the author's experiences during first, participation in an anthropological study of migrants, particularly Samoan migrants, in New Zealand over a period of 10 years in the late 1960s–mid- 1970s (Pitt & MacPherson, 1975) and secondly, participation over the last 3 years in a World Health Organization programme concerned with promoting the health and welfare of children, many of whom were migrants living in poverty.

Comparison of single women who were initial and repeat abortion seekers revealed that the latter tended to perceive themselves as having a better knowledge of contraception, and to be more regular users of contraceptives. Repeat abortion seekers had more favourable attitudes towards abortion, and were more likely than first-time aborters to have initiated the abortion decision. Initial abortion seekers were somewhat more likely to rate their decision as most difficult. Both groups of single women mentioned similar reasons for wanting an abortion, although initial aborters mentioned somewhat more often the effect of the pregnancy upon career or studies, being unmarried, and disgracing their parents.

Seasonal or monthly fluctuations in suicides and homicides were analysed using US mortality data for the years 1969–78, using periodic regression analysis. The results were generally consistent (year-to-year) over the 10-year period. The pattern for suicide was distinctly seasonal: it was above average all spring and below average all winter. For homicides, the pattern was more monthly, with July–September and December being above average times and January–June being below average.

The method of decomposition is applied to evaluate the role played by fertility and changing nuptiality patterns in the number of legitimate live births in Ireland, 1962–77. In recent years there has been a demographic ‘transformation’ in Ireland with increasing proportions marrying and at younger ages than previously while the crude birth rate has remained one of the highest in Western Europe.

The analysis shows that the upward trend in births between 1962 and 1977 was due to more women marrying than in previous years and marrying at younger ages, but that age-specific birth rates have declined dramatically.

It is postulated that both the increasing nuptiality and the decreasing marital fertility have been occasioned by the increasing use of ‘artificial’ contraception in Ireland.

This study reports the first analysis of mortality differentials in Nepal. Longitudinal survey data collected from four districts indicate infant mortality was lower and child survival higher in the hill than in the plains (Terai) region, but that the differential narrowed between 1975 and 1978. In addition, child survival varied directly with education and landholdings within both regions. Possible explanations for the findings include the presence of vertical and integrated family planning and maternal and child health programmes and differential access to and utilization of health care and health facilities.

This paper assesses the Australian data on the current use of family planning during the 1970s. The problems of comparing the results of various surveys, and of reconciling these results with Department of Health statistics, are discussed. In spite of an unfortunate lack of comparability between the various sources, the switch from oral contraceptives to sterilization is well-marked. Whereas the IUD has maintained its popularity, natural methods are shown to be of declining importance.

This paper describes the fertility, mortality, and marriage patterns of the Hungarian Settlement, Louisiana, USA, immigrant ethnic population and relates these demographic processes to the evolutionary forces of natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow. The results indicate that the maximum opportunity for natural selection decreased over time, and natural selection could have operated in the case of this population at only a very moderate level. The demographic characteristics of this population suggest that genetic drift may be important as an agent of microdifferentiation. Gene flow, however, appears to be the most important evolutionary force in this population. The process, based on the increasing incorporation of non-Hungarians into the gene pool, is causing the breakdown of this ethnic/genetic isolate.

In rural Tanzania, evidence is provided that socioeconomic development is more important in lowering mortality than the provision of health facilities and services. The impact of socioeconomic development on mortality is shown in the study.

This paper reports the first data on historical population structure in white Australians. Vital records and census data from two Tasmanian registration districts, Oatlands and Bothwell, were examined using surname analysis to investigate population structure in the nineteenth century. Both were colonising populations and therefore initially had massive immigration and a very high sex ratio. Inbreeding, as measured by marital isonymy, was relatively high in Oatlands, especially in the context of its short history. Although genetic continuity, measured by surname constancy, was relatively low, a small but distinct core was detectable. Bothwell, the smaller community, exhibited very little inbreeding and, concomitantly, low surname constancy. The coefficient of relationship by isonymy between Oatlands and Bothwell was extremely low. These findings are discussed in the context of the known socio-political history of this region of Tasmania.

John Stuart Mill and Sir Charles Wood are the British thinkers to whom I wish to pay special tribute in this paper. I must begin, however, by recalling that in London 30 years ago, I was accused of propounding a ‘natural law of white minorities’ and of being unduly deterministic in my prediction that the then still proposed Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, to be entrusted mainly to a white minority, could not succeed. It availed little to reply that my hypothesis of ‘Imperial inertia’, as I called it, and my forecast for the Federation, were made in the hope that the Federal constitution and its mode of implementation might be modified before it was imposed in 1953 by the government of the United Kingdom. I also urged that the key concepts ‘partnership’ and ‘trusteeship’ should be closely defined—it will be remembered that the Federation was formally dedicated to interracial partnership—and that careful regard should be given to what I termed ‘external partnership’, ‘internal partnership’, ‘external trusteeship’ and ‘internal trusteeship’, and to the important, dynamic relations between these concepts and policies, relationships which were scarcely recognized.

The population structure of the Toto tribe at Totopara, a small village in West Bengal, District Jalpaiguri, was studied, for since 1951 the Totos have been coming more and more in contact with the outside world and undergoing a process of cultural and developmental change. Demographic data presented include the age-sex structure, marital status, fertility, birth rate, death rate and population growth trends in the pre-contact and contact era. At present the population shows a trend towards increase.

This study, using an undergraduate sample, examines the relationship between ten independent variables and their interactions, on two IQ components and sixteen personality factors. There was a highly significant relationship between both IQ components and subject studied at university, and between the verbal IQ component and birth order. A relationship between smoking habit and personality was also found.