Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1875-05-13
VITAL STATISTICS.


men and by the public, the question of
human longevity and vitality assumes
the lea ling place. In spite of the popular
assum ption that the average length of
human life is steadily though slowly in
creasing, this theory is not borne out
by the statements of thoughtful scientific
writer's. On the contrary, those who
have dealt most closely with vital Stats
tics In this country, generally hold that
there has been decline in the health,
fecundity and longevity of the people.
This observation is specially and in a
marked degree true of our great cities.
In Philadelphia, the second city in pop
ulation in the United States, there were
fifty deaths to every one hundred births
in the year 17sO; while in 1870 there were
ninety deaths to every one hundred
births In tine same city, being very nearly
double the proportion of mortality eighty
years ego. From 1906 to 1920 there was
one death to every forty Eight inhabi-
tants In Philadelphia, while from 1861 to
1870 there was one death to every thirty
nine. The average duration of human
life In Philadelphia near the close of the
eighteenth century was about twenty
eight years; now it Is only about 245
years.
The alarming mortality of American
cities is especially marked in the destruc-
ton of young children. In New York,
out of 365,5OS deaths reported during
half century, so per cent. were of chill
dren under five years of age. In Chicago,
from 1843 to 1869, 81 per cent. of the
deaths were of infants under five years;
and In Philadelphia, As per cent. of the
children born did not reach the age of
five years. In the latter city, the statistics
OF forty years ago showed only 80 per
cent. OF the total mortality from children
under five years of age, thus showing
great increase of early deaths.
In Massachusetts, the State Board of
Health reports that the ratio of deaths
under one year of age, to the births, was
1911 per cent. in Boston, but only IL. 80
per cent. In the rural portions of the
State. The mortality of great cities is
found to be, both in this country and in
Europe, more than twice as great as that
of the rural districts; indeed, it is fully
two and half times as great, for the
cities are counted with the country in
those comparisons, thus reducing the
difference in their favor; and moreover,
the mean average age at death in cities is !
falsely increased by the fact of the i'm.
ported population of towns having passed
the most critical period of their lives in |
the country.
DR.. Richard Price, in his annuity |
tables, says the expectation of life of a /
child just born in Shrewsbury is SO
years; in London only Is years. He adds
that while in the country parishes one in
twenty persons. live to be 80 years and !
upward, in London only one in 60
reaches thatage. DR.. Morgan, an emf.
nent English statistcian, gives the
average age of country laborers at death !
as 80 years, but of city mechanics as only
% years.
By the census of 1870, the mean aver
age duration of human life in the United |
States was 39s years; but in New York
and Philadelphia the average term o:
life Is only % years. Taking the country
at large, there is annually one death to
every 1913 inhabitants, but in New York
there is one death to every 1913, and in
Philadelphia one to every 1871 inhabi-
tants.
In 1000 deaths in the country in En-
gland, POP persons reached the age of 20,
while In the crowded city of Liverpool
only 80 attained the same age. According
to tie Registrar General of Great Britain,
abod. one-haf OF all that are born alive
8ie hc.ore the end of the fifth year in
Liverpool; while in the country districts
nearly one-half live to the age of so.
Physicians have carefully computed
that diseases of the nervous system are
five times as fatal In great cities as in
the country; pulmonary diseases twice as
fatal, while the parton of mortality
from diseases of the digestive system is
as y to 1, comparing city with country.
What are the chief causes of this en-
danced mortality among urban popula-
tionsl They may be summed up in the
evils of overcrowding, vitiated air, de-
ficient exercise, late hours. over-stimulus,
and habits of luxury and debauchery.
DIR. Morgan tells us that the deaths ex-
coed the births in London by 10000,
annually, and if the influx of newcomers
did not continually recruit the popula-
ton, the city would rapidly decline, and,
IN cOurca nf time hooD,,,a owx:,~x