The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-10-27
| MINNESOTA is A
HEAL THfUL STATE
But Census Makes Death Rate
of Two Other Cities Lower
Than ST. Paui's
Globe Special Washington Service,
1d17 q Sfreet

Globe Special Washington Service,
14f7 G Street
WASHINGTON, D. C.,Oct. 26-With
two exceptions, ST. Paul is the health
lest city in the United States-or it
was so in 1900. which is the latest year
for which official figures are given.
The census bureau has just completed
its analysis of the census returns so
far as they relate to the vital statistics
of the eountry-that is, the death rate,
expectation of life, etc. The death
rate in ST. Paul in 1899, according to
this authority, was only 81 per LOCO
sof population.
Two cities show a better record. st.
Joseph, Mo-, stands at the head Of the
list of healthy cities, the annual death
rate per 1000 being 81, and Portland,
Or, is second with a rate of 9.5. In
making these comparisons the social
ed registration cities-12S in number
are considered. They are the principal
cities of the country.
Incidentally. it may be remarked
that, according to this analysis of re-
turns by the census bureau, more
hea1thful conditions exist in the Unit
ed States than in any other country on
! EARTH barring Norway, Sweden and
Denmark: and the most healthful part
of the United States is the North
west. In the census year the average
annual death rate in the cities Of the
United States was 17.S per 1000 Of
population. The death rate in Eng
land was 1872; in Germany, 22.1; in
Austria, 25.4, and in Spain it was as
high as 1871. In Norway, however, the
death rate was only 1873 in the year
1890.
National Death Rate Lower
1t is interesting to speculate as to
the cause of the decreased death rate
in the United States since 1S90-for it
has decreased considerably, and the
same is true of nearly every country
in the world. For example, the death
rate in this country in the census year
1890 was 1876 per 1000, as against the
17.S of the census year 1900. Is the
Improvement in conditions due to more
favorable average weather, to better
sanitation TO advanced methods of
medical and surgical treatment, or
what? 1t may be that all of these
factors have influenced the result. but
the conclusion that more favorable
weather conditions are largely re-
spensible for the decreased rate Is
hardly justified. If that were true, one
would have to conclude that the
meteorological conditions throughout
the world have changed radically dur
ing the last ten years and that is hard
ly likely.
The probability is, therefore, that the
decreased death rate is due largely to
improvements in sanitation, and per-
haps not a little to a deeper medical
learning. At any rate, ones chances
of life are better than they were ten
years ago-the average person, and not
particular individuals, being consid-
cred
Rate for Other Minnesota Cities
OF course, climate and weather have
a great influence on health and conse-
quently on the death rate. 1t is brought
out clearly in the census bureaus re-
port that the conditions of health in
Minnesota and other parts of the
Northwest are excellent. The death
rate for Minneapolis in the census year
1900 is given as 10.8 and for Duluth
1872. The figures for Duluth recall
remark which was heard by the writer
on the. occasion of the late President
McKinley'S visit to that city in 1899.
The president made an address to
large crowd of Duluth people, among
whom were maSsed in one body several
thousand school children. Mr.. McKin-
ley expressed privately to a member Of
the local reception committee his sur
prise at the great number of children
He was informed that there were A.
600 school children in Duluth and that
the large ratio of children to the pop
ulation was accounted for by the fact
of cool, dry climate. Infant mortality
is greatest in hot weather, and it was
claimed that Duluth's superior summer
climate was a boon for the children.
The current report of the census bu-
reau shows that the mortality from
such maladies as diphtheria, pneumo-
MIA and typhoid fever is proportionate-
w less in Minnesota cities than in most
other cities of the country.
Walter E. Clark