FAMINE, a dire want of food affecting considerable numbers of people at the same time. Irregular rainfalls in tropical climates, imperfect methods of irrigation, or the too ex clusive dependence of the mass of the people on a single article of food which happens to fail, are among the commonest causes of famines. In the early and mediaeval ages they were frrqucnt. The year 879 was one of uni versal suffering from lack of food. The famine of 1125 diminished the population of Germany one-half. All through the Middle Ages public opinion upheld the city authorities in driving out of the gates the neediest inhabitants and letting them perish. In a famine which devastated Hungary in 1505 parents who killed and ate their children were not punished. It was after a famine of 1586 that the poor law in Eng land had its beginning. As late as the middle of the 17th century famines were a common affliction in Europe and even in the 18th cen tury they still occurred. The last time a period of had harvests was designated as a famine in Germany was in 1817. The rapidity of modern communication and transport has made severe famine almost impossible in western or cen tral Europe or North America.. In Ireland, famines more or less serious have at various times prevailed owing to failure of the potato crop. In 1846 the dearth was so great that f10,000,000 sterling were voted by Parliament for relief of the sufferers. India has long been subject to great famines, and the gwernment's budget makes annual provision against such need. Under the rule of the English, the popu lation has greatly increased, and as the ma jority of people live from hand to mouth in ordinary times, the slightest failure in the rice crop causes the famine point to be immedi ately reached. In 1769-70 as many as 3,000,000
perished; in 1865-66 about 1,500,000, and in 1877 about 500,000. The authorities grappled very successfully with the famines of 1896-97 and 1899-1901 which extended over large areas, yet there was great loss of life. The recent famine in India cost the government in 1900-01 $250, 000,000, of which amount $501100,000 was ex pended in direct relief. Much help was sent from other countries, including very large con tributions from the United States. In 1870-72 Persia lost 1,500,000 inhabitants, a quarter of the whole population. In China 9,500,000 are said to have perished in 1877-78 from famine. In the northern provinces of Shensi, Shansi and Honan, with a population of 56,000,000, dur ing the years following 1877 it was reckoned that between 4,000,000 and 6,000,000 people per ished, and famine visited the empire in 1903. In the famine of 1891-92 in Russia it was esti mated that in 18 provinces 27,000,000 of inhabit ants were affected. Although many of the causes of famine are beyond human control, it is probable that the extension of sound agri cultural knowledge and the adoption of a more rational system as regards the kinds and quan tities of crops grown will in the future render famine almost unknown in most countries.