British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 703

CHAPTER XVI.

166. It is also of interest in this analysis to note the growth in the numbers of Palestinian doctors, dentists, pharmacists and midwives during the same period. While up to 1939 it is practicable only to give figures in respect of Palestinians, i.e. by country of origin, the bulk of these, particularly in the earlier years, are Palestinian Arabs. Since 1939 the figures refer to Moslem and Christian practitioners, the bulk being Arabs.

Table 7.
Doctors Dentists Pbnrmacista Midwives
•---- ----
1921 68 15 33 13
1928 158 47 59 119
1935 220 62 113 229
1939 257 48 109 267
1942 256 48 117 271
1944 272 54 126 297
(c) DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES.

167. The improvement effected in the general health is but one illustration of improvements which have been effected since 1920. The broader demographic changes are now. discussed.

Vital statistics in Palestine have been compiled, until 1944, by religion (Moslem, Jews, Christians, Others) and not by "race" (Arabs, Jews, Others). No data are therefore available for "Arabs". However, since the great majority of the Arabs are Moslems, the picture of demography of Moslems in Palestine given in following sections is fairly representative of Arab demography in Palestine. No data on Christians are given here, since "Christians" are a mixed group, which includes together with Christian Arabs various non-Arab minority groups (British, Armenians, Greeks and other Europeans), whose demographic conditions are very different from those of Arabs.

Nomads are not included in population stat1stics given here, since no data on vital occurrences are available for that group of the population.

International comparisons are based mainly on the data published in the Statistical Yearbook of the League of Nations.

168. Marriage. Statistical inquiries done in other countries have proved that there is a marked correlation between economic conditions and nuptiality rates, marriages being more frequent in times of prosperity and less frequent in time of crisis. In a community such as that of the Moslems of Palestine, where marriage involves the payment of a substantial sum from the bridegroom to

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