| Of the above men, died of hæmaturic fever | 9 |
| Of the above men, died of malarial | 19 |
| Of the above men, died of dysentery | 2 |
| Of the above men, died of other diseases | 6 |
| Died in a London Hospital from cancerous growth in the stomach | 1 |
| Died in England from embolism (clot in the blood-vessels of the brain) | 1 |
| —— | |
| Total | 38 |
During recent years we have found it advisable for men to remain out only for a first term of two years instead of three years, and afterwards four years instead of five years as formerly.
During the same period 79 ladies have joined the Mission. Of these:
| Died | 19 |
| Left as widows | 11 |
| Left for personal health | 11 |
| Left for husband’s health | 4 |
| — | |
| 45 | |
| Still in active service | 34 |
| — | |
| Total | 79 |
| Died during the first year on the Congo | 5 |
| Died during the second year on the Congo | 1 |
| Died during the third year on the Congo | 2 |
| Died during the fourth year on the Congo | 5 |
| Died during the sixth year on the Congo | 1 |
| Died during the eighth year on the Congo | 2 |
| Died during the eleventh year on the Congo | 1 |
| Died during the fourteenth year on the Congo | 1 |
| Died during the twenty-sixth year on the Congo | 1 |
| — | |
| 19 |
| Of the above ladies, died of hæmaturic fever | 5 |
| Of the above ladies, died of malarial fever | 7 |
| Of the above ladies, died of puerperal fever | 3 |
| Of the above ladies, died of meningitis | 1 |
| Of the above ladies, died of abscess on the liver | 1 |
| Died from typhoid fever at Eastbourne | 1 |
| Died from some brain trouble in America | 1 |
| — | |
| 19 |
During the first years of our Mission we lost the most of our men through bad houses, poor food, and ignorance of the proper treatment of fevers, etc. From 1878 to 1890 we lost in twelve years 20 men by death; but during the twenty years from 1891 to 1911 we have lost 18 men, although we have had in the field on active service twice, and sometimes thrice, as many men as in the earlier twelve years. The first years cost us most dearly while we were buying our experience. I might say that we are total abstainers, but are willing to take alcohol medicinally; and the smokers and non-smokers are about equally divided. Every man and woman must undergo a very strict and careful medical examination before being accepted by the Committee of the Society.
It will be seen that the first year of a man’s life on the Congo is the most crucial one, and the next trying year is the third, i.e. at the beginning and end of a man’s first term of service. We have altered the first term to two years. In the case of the ladies the first year and the fourth are the crucial ones. The ladies’ first term of service has always been two years, then one year at home. The figures point to the early months of the first and second terms as being most fatal. It will be noticed that the ladies have stood the climate better than the men; but they have never roughed it as the men, nor do they ever have to expose themselves in doing the kind of work that necessarily falls to the men—looking after building, transport, etc.