Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-13
VITAL STATISTICS.
Comparative Reports Of New Eng
land States Have Been Compiled.
Copies Of The Report Being Sent to CITY
Clerks Throughout Maine.

statistics of the New England states, ;
statement of the marriages, divorces
births and deaths, in each of the 81,
states.
Ihe work has been compiled under tn,
direction of the secretaries of the stat,
boards of health Of the states, its objec
being to present in condensed form tn,
vital statistics of the New England states
as whole, which might secure bette
ana more uniform methods of the presen
tation of material collected in the regstra
ton returns. The stimulation of atten
ton to this important branch of publ,
work in other states, where registration
has hitherto been neglected
In New England the importance of reg
istration OF vital statistics has beer
acknowledged from the earliest periods
OF the existence Of the colonies, a law
having been enacted in 1859, in the Mass
achusetts colony, providing for the keep
ing of a record 'of every marriage birth
and death of every person within tho
jurisdiction. This was followed soor
aftcrward Q64D by similar legislation il
Connecticut.
1t was not until 1912 that any pub
lishcd report embracing these points was
made AT any time previous to 1894 tn,
f,rrh 1 o.
have been impossible, in consequence OF
the fact that no compilation of the vital
statistics Of Maine was made until 1894.
when the first registration report of that
state for the year 1892 was issued.
The importance of the subject of vital
statistics as the basis or ground work of
public hygiene is universally acknowl-
edged
1t is proposed to issue this summary at
intervals Of about five years the second
issue to embrace the statistics for 1895,
since, in portion OF New England 1.-TWO
states embracing half the population) an
intermediate census is taken, once in five
years
That the thorough and careful admins
tration Of such affairs, in such important
matters as the introduction of pure water
supplies, and efficient sewerage systems,
the management and control of infectious
diseases, the supervision of public institu-
tions, the inspection of food, etc, has a
perceptible effect upon the vital statistics
of municipalities has been fully demon
stratcd, both in Europe and America, and
we may add, in the distant cities of
British India.
Regarding the estimated population of
the New England states for 1892, the
report states that Maine contains about
Is per cent, New Hampshire, 8; Yer
mont, 7; Massachusetts AGO; Rhode
Island. 7.30; and Connecticut, 16.
The annual rate of growth of each state
(geometric, } and that of the total popula-
ton for the period 1880 to 1890, inclusive,
is expressed by the following figures
Maine .001S New Hampshire, .00S2
Vermont, 10000; Massachusetts, .o230
Rhode Island, .0225; Connecticut, 01S3-;
New England, .0l60.
The report states as regards sexes that
the most uniform distribution was in
Maine in 1880, when there were 1000
males to 1908 females. In 1890, there
were only 9S7 females to 1000 males For
New England, at that time there were
1882 females to 1000 males showing that
Maine is not up to the average of New
England in its number of the gcntlcr sex.
Density of the population usually bears
quite a definite relation to the condition
of the people, and especially manifests its
influence in the death rate. The popula-
tion of New England exhibits extreme
variations of density, from the sparsely
settled Aroostook region of Maine to the
denscly populated wards of the large
cities.
The population of Maine in 1890, shows
that there are about % persons to tho
square mile; in New Hampshire, Al; Yer
mont, SO; Massachusetts, 27s; Rhode
Island. 3iS; Connecticut, 1854. From tins
it is seen that Maine is the least, anc
Rhode Island the most populous Ih'
average for New England is about 70.
The marriage, birth and death rates
the New England states are presented To-
tbe wears 1891, and 1892. BY this table i
| appears that the marriage rate OF New
ENGLAND, as whole, for the year lo9'
his. per 1000) was greater than that o
any of the transatlantic countries quote'
in the table. the highest of any of theS
countries being that of Hungary, Qs.4
and the lowest, that of Ireland, (93)
The birth rate of New England IN 1873
70. O ner 1000 of the population,) was les
than those of any of the other countrie
except France and Ireland. Hungary ha
i j, birth rate of 4o.3 and France 22l
rho death rate of New England III lSs