>Now living fisher/hunter/gatherers in Kitava, Trobriands inform us that
>people die from infections, parasites, falling down from palm trees,
>fighting over preserves and women, the odd case of drowning and childbirth.

Actually, death in childbirth is one of the most common causes of death
among hunter/gatherers.  I can't cite their source (it's on my home computer
if it was included in the document), but I put that out in one of my press
kits for Drs. Eades.  It's especially fasinating when you look at the math.
Let's say there's a tribe in which three women died in childbirth (all
20-something), five infants and one old, old man of plain ol' old age.
Average it out, and people seem to be dying horribly early.  Not
quiiiiiiiite an accurate look at things.

Dori Zook
Denver, CO

_________________________________________________________________
The new MSN 8: smart spam protection and 2 months FREE*
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail