Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1902-12-26
CURIOUS FACTS IN
VITAL STATISTICS

D6dtu luOutuS dIC DA0i Ch eshS
April for adults and July and August
for children under five years OF age
according to the statistics of the
Twelfth census. The mortality il
greatest for both males and females
during these periods.
The shealth months for both adults
and children are October and Novem
Der, when mortality is at a minimum
Vital statistics show in practically
every instance the greatest mortality
among the males, evidence, the scien
fists assert, that the males are becom-
ing weaker physically and more sus-
ceptible to disease and death, while
the females are growing stronger and
are constitutlonally better equipped
to battle for life.
In the children's class, known techni,
cally as the group "underHfive years of
age, the percentage of deaths per
100 600 of population was in July, when
the figures show males 675.9, females
sos, and in August males 583 Z. fe
males 5l25, and was lowest in October.
males $50 6, females 300.4. and Novem-
Der, males 334.9, females 2e0.3.
MARCH MOST FATAL MONTH.
Between five and fifty-nine years the
rates for both males and females were
highest in March, males 100 s, females
81. Z, and in April, males 98.4, females
IS 6, and were lowest in June, males
794, females 634, and in September,
males 70 5, females 81 9.
All the figures show March to be the
most fatal month OF. the year.
Suicide is most prevalent during
April, May, August and January. The
proportion OF suicide has been great
est during the last decade on the. Paci-
fic coast, where the deaths were 1876
per 900 of population, with the South
Atlantic coast, including New York,
ranking fourth with a percentage OF
81. In States where suicides were re-
corded by the registration method the
death rate from this cause was the
highest in Maine, 10 8, New 7 York 1916.
Connecticut 10 5, and lowest in Michi-
gan, New Jersey and Rhode Island
with 81 each.
The total number of deaths reported
as due to suicide in the Z United States
during the censns year was 5,49S, OF
which 4,3I3 were males and 1885 We're
females. The proportion OF deaths
from this cause in 1000 deaths from all
known causes was 5.5, while in 1890 it
was but 4 5.
Shooting was by far the most pop
ular method of ending life with poison
and drowning in the order named.
The percentage of suicides was high
est among those whose mothers were
born in France, with Germany and
Russia Poland second and third. The
death rate from suicide of those whose
mothers were born in the United
States was much.Iower than in other
countries.
Suicide is on the increase, especially
among the married males. The death
rate of married males, from fifteen to
forty four years of age, was greater
than in unmarried males. After forty
five years of age the rate was much
greater among the unmarried males.
In females, unmarried, between forty
five and sixty-four OF age. the rate OF
dsath from suicide was greater than
of those married or widowed.
Males between the ages OF thirty five
and thirty nine years were In the ma
jority of those who committed suicide
during the census year of 1900, while
among women the greatest number
who killed themselves were between
twenty and twenty-four years old.
Suicide is decreasing amoug the
Younger generation. In cities April
and May are the months selected by
greater percentage of the persons to
kill themselves, while in the rural dis
tricts May and July are generally
chosen.