John Graunt 1244090 205361935 2008-04-13T17:14:40Z Plindenbaum 2796168 infobox+refs {{Infobox Scientist |name = John Graunt |box_width = |image =Replace_this_image_male.svg |image_width =150px |caption = |birth_date = [[April 24]],[[1620]] |birth_place = [[London]] |death_date = [[April 18]], [[1674]] |death_place = [[London]] |residence = |citizenship = |nationality = [[England]] |ethnicity = |field = [[demography]] |work_institutions = |alma_mater = |doctoral_advisor = |doctoral_students = |known_for = |author_abbrev_bot = |author_abbrev_zoo = |influences = |influenced = |prizes = |religion = |footnotes = |signature = }} '''John Graunt''' ([[April 24]],[[1620]]-[[April 18]], [[1674]]) was one of the first [[demographer]]s, though by profession he was a [[haberdasher]]. Born in [[London]], Graunt, along with [[William Petty]], developed early human statistical and census methods that later provided a framework for modern demography. He is credited with producing the first [[life table]], giving probabilities of survival to each age. Graunt is also considered as one of the first experts in [[Epidemiology]], since his famous book was concerned mostly with public health statistics. His book ''Natural and Political Observations Made upon the Bills of Mortality'' (1662) used analysis of the mortality rolls in early modern [[London]] as [[Charles II of England | Charles II]] and other officials attempted to create a system to warn of the onset and spread of [[bubonic plague]] in the city. Though the system was never truly created, Graunt's work in studying the rolls resulted in the first statistically-based estimation of the population of [[London]]. The erudition of the ''Observations'' led Graunt to the [[Royal Society]], where he presented his work and was subsequently elected a fellow. Graunt died, reportedly of [[jaundice]] and liver disease, in April [[1674]] in [[London]]. {{UK-mathematician-stub}} ==References== For Graunt's place in the history of statistics see * Heyde, C. C. (2001) John Graunt, ''Statisticians of the Centuries'' (ed. C. C. Heyde and E. Seneta) pp. 14-16. New York: Springer. * Hald, A. (1990) A History of Probability and Statistics and their applications before 1750, New York: Wiley. Chapter 7, John Graunt and the Observations upon the Bills of Mortality, 1662. * Hacking, I. (1975) The Emergence of Probability, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press: Chapter 12, Political Arithmetic 1662. For his place in the history of epidemiology see * Morabia, Alfredo. ed. (2004) A History of Epidemiologic Methods and Concepts. Basel, Birkhauser Verlag. Part I. Other references: *{{Citation |id = [[PMID]]:11613877 |url= http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11613877 |last=Kreager |first=P |publication-date=1988 Mar |year=[[1988]] |title=New light on Graunt. |volume=42 |issue=1 |periodical=Population studies |pages=129-40 |doi = 10.1080/0032472031000143156 }} *{{Citation |id = [[PMID]]:11512687 |url= http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11512687 |last=Campbell |first=R B |publication-date=2001 Aug |year=[[2001]] |title=John Graunt, John Arbuthnott, and the human sex ratio. |volume=73 |issue=4 |periodical=Hum. Biol. |pages=605-10 }} *{{Citation |id = [[PMID]]:1090928 |url= http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1090928 |last=Wynder |first=E L |publication-date=1975 Mar |year=[[1975]] |title=A corner of history: John Graunt, 1620-1674, the father of demography. |volume=4 |issue=1 |periodical=Preventive medicine |pages=85-8 }} *{{Citation |id = [[PMID]]:14087990 |url= http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14087990 |last=GLASS |first=D V |publication-date=1963 Dec 10 |year=[[1963]] |title=JOHN GRAUNT AND HIS NATURAL AND POLITICAL OBSERVATIONS. |volume=159 |issue= |periodical=Proc. R. Soc. Lond., B, Biol. Sci. |pages=1-37 }} *{{Citation |id = [[PMID]]:14075439 |url= http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14075439 |last=KARGON |first=R |publication-date=1963 Oct |year=[[1963]] |title=JOHN GRAUNT, FRANCIS BACON, AND THE ROYAL SOCIETY: THE RECEPTION OF STATISTICS. |volume=18 |issue= |periodical=Journal of the history of medicine and allied sciences |pages=337-48 }} *{{Citation |id = [[PMID]]:13928392 |url= http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/13928392 |last=LANCASTER |first=H O |publication-date=1962 Nov 10 |year=[[1962]] |title=An early statistician--John GRAUNT (1620-1674). |volume=49(2) |issue= |periodical=Med. J. Aust. |pages=734-8 }} ==External links== *[http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~stephan/Graunt/graunt.html John Graunt (1620-1674)] Text of the "Observations" and other Graunt materials are available on Ed Stephan's website * [http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~stephan/timeline.demography.html Ed Stephan's Timeline of Demography] Highlights in the history of demography from 3800 BC to 2000 AD {{DEFAULTSORT:Graunt, John}} [[Category:1620 births]] [[Category:1674 deaths]] [[Category:English statisticians]] [[Category:Actuarial science]] [[Category:Fellows of the Royal Society]] [[de:John Graunt]] [[fr:John Graunt]] [[it:John Graunt]] [[he:ג'ון גראונט]] [[pt:John Graunt]]