The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-28
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Springfield, ILL.,, June "a total of SIPS
births occurred in Illinois during the last
year, according to the report of births and
deaths issued by the State Board of Health.
The total number of deaths registered in the
same period was 6l14. This makes the
birth rate in the State 1870 per 1000 and
the death rate 12A per LOCO.
Illinois has adopted the Bertillon classifi-
cation of deaths, along with all other regis
tration States. This method OF registration
is quite complicated, and it was found i'm
possible to require County Clerks to comply
with the law. For this reason Doctor j. A.
Egan secretary of the board. requested the
Clerks to send the original death certificates
to his office instead Of the reports called for.
These certificates were then recorded. under
the direction of the secretary.
The report shows that the greater number
of births in proportion to the population,
was reported from Lawrence County, where
the rate was 31.09 to the LOCO. johnson and
Wabash counties were second and third,
with rates of 2s.62 and 2Sfl. respectively.
The lowest rate is reported from Cass Coun-
ty, where 1t reached only 10 to the LUZ: In
Cook County the rate was 1917 TO the thou
sand.
REPORT IS INCOMPLETE.
1t is known that many physicians and
others fail to report births. and for this rea-
son the figures prepared by the State Board
of Health do not represent the actual Num-
considered satisfactory. however. for the
first year of the registration law.
The ten counties showing the maximum
death rate are as follows:
Massac, 1898: Alexander, 1913; Pulaski,
I1.S5: White; ls.Si; Union. 1921; Morgan,
mon, H.f9: Crawford. H.3O.
The minimum rate Is found in the follow
ing counties:
0gle, 7.ls: Ford. 7.2e: Kendall, $50; Hen
derson 7.6l; Brown, SIS, 10 Daviess, SO;
Tazewell. $40; Jackson. $50; Livingston,
S.67; Woodland. S.72.
The Cook County rate is 1884 to the 1000,
based on an estimated population of 1885,
0s7.
LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH
The ten principal causes of death in the
order OF their Importance are as follows:
tuberculosis. pneumonia. organic heart dis
ease, accidents. kidney disease, gastroen-
teritis in infants. cancer. typhoid, cerebral
congestion and hemorrhase. diphtheria. 20
The statistics show that 6,s6S persons died
of tuberculosis. this number being II: @ per
cent Of all deaths. or in every $50 deaths.
By age the destruction from this disease
was greatest from 20 to 20 years. 5l.2 per
cent of the deaths being reported during
this period; IT is the poinion Of the State
rate from tuberculosis is too low, and that
many deaths reported as pneumonia, bron-
chitis and influenza We're due to tubercu-
Iosis.
These deaths Were reported under the
burial-permit law of 1871. which required
that a permit should be issued before the
body could be inferred. Permits were is
sued only on the presentation of proper
death certificates. The reports. therefore.
should be accurate. 1t is believed by the
State Board of Health that the number Of
deaths is greater than reported Instances
have been cited to the board in which the
issuing officers failed to forward to the
County Clerk the death certificates present.
ed to them. 1t is not known to what ex-
tent this practice has prevailed.
COMPARED WITH OTHER STATES.
comparison with the death rate re-
ported in neighboring States during 1902
will be found of interest. Indiana reports
1879 to the 1000 population. Michigan 12.s.
Minnesota 9.4 and Ohio LBS. Statistics for
Iowa and Wisconsin are not available
The state burial permit law of 1901 has
been repealed. to take effect July next
Under the provisions of law recently
enacted which will be In force on and
after July /, physicians and midwiyes are
required TO report births to the County
Clerks, except in the cities of Chicago and
Peoria, in which reports will be made to