In many, the very word “statistics” rouses a feeling of distinct repugnance or distrust. Repugnance, because not a few people dislike this method of expressing information, which indeed is not to be wondered at, bearing in mind that the study of statistics is now a science in itself, and requires considerable training to appreciate. Distrust, because it must be confessed that deplorably misleading statistics have been frequently and unblushingly set forth; this being either the result of ignorance of certain statistical laws and fallacies, or owing to a proneness possessed by some to be carried away by an apparently happy “working hypothesis,” and to then endeavour to make statistics support their theory.