The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-09-12
MAY BECOME EXTINCT.
The Deaths Among Aegross Considerably
Exceed the Births Each Year.
SOME CAREFULLY PREPARED STATISTICS
Tho Race Nny DIo Out I'm "a Century
IL tho Present Death Rntc Con.
finu"s-Huiattoes rs u Ruie Not n
Healthy People Interesting re.
port OF DIR. Coffin. OF Ixnnsns.
Galveston News.)

Sntistlcians. scientists and sociolo-
slsts ha%e for a number Of years de-
CARED that the negro race in America
lis diminishing In numbers. This state
mcnt ls based upon the mortality reports
OF large cities. and recent statistical pub
iiortions from Southern writer's declare
mat aae negro problem will settle Itself
by the extinction of the race from nat
ural causes within q century. However
true this may be. the reports of the
health department OF Kansas City show
some remarkable facts which have their
weight upon this subject
Dr. G. o. Coffin. city physician and
head of the Kansas City health depart
ment. has just published a pamphlet
containing all of the statistics of that
department for the fiscal year ending
April 10. 1897. The first copy OF the
book came from the press yesterday
The table of moltality statistics show
that there were born In Kansas City dur
Ing the year 2.431 persons. OF these
2,25l were white and 200 black The
deaahs numbered 1873, Of which 1850
were white and 1928 black. Here is the
remarkable feature of these figures:
While 6Sl more white persons were born
than died during the year. there were
l23 more deaths than births among the
negroes. When 1t Is seen that the negro
population Is 10 per- cent. of the whole
population. these facts and figures are
rendered even more remarkable. They
certainly present an opportunity for
matchmaking and those Interested in
statistics.
In explaining his report yesterday, DR..
Coffin called attention to these figures.
L have noticed this In the monthly
mortuary report for years." said he.
and have given the subject some
thought and attention. 1t scarcely ever
happens that the deaths among negroes
does not exceed the bi:ths for any month
in the year. When first noticed this
was inclined to discredit the reports; l
thought we might not be getting all the
birth returns from the negro populatio
but on looking into It I found THAT the re-
ports were generally correct. Later my
attention was called to tht same thing
hn the moi-,uary reports of the Southern
cities. and then read statistical articles
bearing directly upon the point"
TO what do you attribute the differ
ence in the ratio of deaths among
white and negroes?"
Well. In the fist place, tuberculosis
causes tht greatest number of death
among the negroes. A remarka BILE per-
centase of them have this disease"
Is miscegenation responsible for the
falling off Of births among the negroes"
Certainly 1t Is. The mula ttoes are
not healthy class of people. The mix
tuie of the race Is attended with disease.
1t Is upon the same broad principal of
nature that the violation of natural
law Is attended With Srievous conse-
quences. The fact presented by the
mortuary statistics wherever there are
many negroes present a wide field for
soclologists. 1t would doubtless take
, century for the negro race to become en-
tinct In America, but the figures show
that change is surely working"
Another feature of the mortuary sta
tistics in DR.. Comn's book Is tho low
death rate among the whole populatlon
or Kansas City. It shows that the dea tn
rate of Kansas City-lO.70 per 1000 popu-
lation-is lower than that Of any other
city OF similar popula lion except Den
yer. The death rate is based upon
population Of $4,000 and Is small frac-
ion over per cent. per year.
y table of mo:-tuary statlatics contain
ed In the report stands as follows: Mem
pills. 2i.ol per 900 inhabitants; New Ha-
ven, 2o.ls: baltimore. 1860: Cambridge.
Mass. 1873; Reading. Pa. 1873: Dayton,
O.. 1907; Kansas City. 1910, Denver, Col,
1O.4S.
The report goes into the minutes de-
ta1ls concerning the causes of death and
all matters pertaining to the health Of
the city. 1T IS shown that deaths from
choierh infantum are growing fewer
each yeaE-; In 1893 sevcnty-four children
died from this cause, In 1894 the number
was reduced TO thirty mine. the la ct year
only fifteen deaths from cholera infan-
tum were reported.
DR.. Coffin declares that this Is due to
the stringent pure milk laws. The milk
inspection department was started in
1884 and the deaths among infants has
continued to become fewer each year
(rrno fnt-f 49,.
zymotic causes resulted from diphthcria
the number being fifty-siX. or the D:in-
cipal causes Of death lG9 died Of pneumo-
MIA, which exceeds any other disease.
Other diseases of n pulmonary character
including tuberculosis. caused pa
deaths. a large proportion of which were
negroes.