New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-30
CENSUS STATISTICS.

IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LATEST REPORTS-INTERESr-
ING TABLES PREPARED BY EMINENT MEN
EFFECT OF HEAT AND MOISTURE UPON CERTAIN
prsEAsEs-LIFE AND DEATH RATES.
IFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEI
WASHINGTON, April 27.-The second volume
OF the Ninth Census Report containing the vital sta
tstcs of the United States distributed to members
OF Congress Just before the close OF the late session. VI
its general tables embracing the statistics OF deaths
births sex and age, TO which have been added tables
showing the number and distribution OF blind, dear anu
dumb insane and idioc persons In the United sta'c
very little need DO said Inc prehinin"'
volume. published year ago OF mo-
proved TO those interested in such STATISTICS
how successfully Gen Walker and his efficient assistant
Col Harrington have performed their difficult TASK oi
compiling classifying, and tabulating the 0verwhenh
ing food OF figures collected by the assistant marsnaS
aud of putting them before the people In such 10TH q.
TO make them at the same time valuable 10 inc stuu
OF science and ineligible to the ordinary reauer iu
general tables are full compact, easily referred TO- VIII"
the totals in the first volume printed az the Top au
in the column where they are first TO eaten inc
eye; and supplemented by seVerai 'a'uaoo 'p''''
tables deduoed fromlthe general ones.
NEW AND IMPORTANT FEATURES IN THE REPORT
In determining the different technical questions that
constantly arose, especially in the treatment vi N
statistics and in his efforts 10 popuarize what "ouu
otherwise have conveyed little meaning 10 the noJ
of persons into whose hands the book u likely W i
Gen Walker ayailed himself OF the advice ana assist
ance ~ men who had given the subjects the most careful
study Prof Joseph Henry has brought the records OIL
the Smithsonian Institution. gathered during the st
twenty wears from which to construct Temperature anu
Rain Charts. which, when compared with others pre-,
pared in the Census Bureau show the erect Oh neat n
moisture upon each Of the four great groups OF Diseases
H. Consumption. 2. Malaria. 3. Typhus' yphoiu' anu
epterie feyers Darrhea, dysentery ana enterltlsJ'
a 40, nf
tured by Gen. Walkers charts Prois' Gui1ot hu
shott together contribute containing the most
complete and accurate series Of elevations YET pfepreu'
and MI f. b. Elliott, chief CLERK OF the bureau OIL "a"
tiscs has prepared life tables based on the census
OF 1870 beside correcting by the most advanced mathe
NAUTICAL processes manifest omissions oil inc census
marshals. Gen. Walker has thus not only produced
document OF greater value than the corresponding
volume of any previous census. and as accurate ana
compee az the imperfect machinery Of the Census act
nermitted il 20 be- but has also brought within the com
prehenson OF every one many OF the most important
facts shown by the oasus but which would be under
stood from tho figures themselves by very few.
LIRETABLEs.
The rapidly increasing interest IN life insurance makes
Il very desirable that the deathrate of the country,
from which feabes must be computed should be ascer-
tanned with absolute precision IL Is source OF regret
that the last not furnish the necessary data
for this purpose The for this is easily explained
In the report The law required the return OF all
deaths occurring families from June 1862 to May 81
1870 The enumeration began June l. 1870, and did not
close until about Jan. l, 1911 In many cases from
wear TO s months elapsed after the close OF the census
year. and from one 10 two years and half after the
death to be reported before the census marshas called
for the information. Nothing would be more natural
than for heads of families to forget that death occur
ring two years before took place within the census year
In numerous other classes persons died out OF families
or the death itself broke up and scattered the
family leaving no to report it. Gen. Walker, In a
note on this subject expresses the opinion that the
act of the country never be ascertaned
without a national scheme Of registration stringenty
enforced by penalties Of the States already have
system of registering births, deaths, and marriages,
and in utilizing statistics, 1t has been found
necessary compare the returns OF the marshas with
the reports these registrations in order TO determine
how nearly the former are. That comparison
shows that taking three censuses the marsha failed
10 report about cent OF the true number OF deaths
Mr. Elliott in constructing fe-tabe from the census
of 1870 therefore assumed that there has been
deficit of Al per cent in the return OF deaths, ana the
result of his computations, compared with those based
ON former statistics, and which have been generally
accepted may by an examination OF the two fol-
lowing tables: ,, $500
liable Proportions born and surr'ring certain ages