The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-06-24
HEART DISEASE
IS GAINING GROUND ON CONSUME
 TION AS CAUSE OF DEATH.
Mortality from Consumption the Great est In Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey and in
 the Cities.
Washington Special :.

Washington Special.
 The Census Bureau has just pub lished report presenting mortality statistics for the years 1900 to 1904, In communities which preserve death records. The area in 1904 included ten States and 334 cities. The States are Connecticut, Indiana, Maine. Massa- chusetts, Michigan. New Hampshire New Jersey, Rhode Island and Yer mont. These States and cities had in 1904 population of 32.ss6.sss. two- fifths of the population of the United States.
 The number of deaths reported in 1900 was 53e.939 and the death rate per 1000 of population was 17.6. In 1901 the rate declined to 16.6 and in 1902 to Is. The rate increased in 1903 to 16.1, and in 1904 to 16.7. The average rate for the five years was 16.6, lower than in England and Wales. Scotland, Ire land, Germany. Belgium. Switzerland, Spain and Italy and higher than in Norway and Sweden.
 The average death rate was lowest In Indiana and Michigan. the only reg stra ton States west of the Aiieghenies and highest in the District of Coium- hia and Rhode Island. The average rate was IT.S in cities of 5000 or more and 14.S in rural districts. Rhode Is- land Is the only State in which the rate
 
 the cities. But in Massachusetts, Con- necticut and New Hampshire the urban rate exceeded the rural by less than 1 per 1000.
 The excess was greatest in New Ter. sey. New York and Maine The ave. rage rate was lowest in St. Joseph Mo. T.6); Owosso. Mich. (i0.1); Lin. eoin, Neb- (io.4). and St. Paul. Minn. (10.5), and the highest in Charleston g. C., (3i.s); Wilmington. N. C., (2s2) and Jacksonville. Flya., (2&l).
 Increastng Rnd Decreasing Causes.
 Causes of death with increasing rates for the five years were herat disease. nephritis and Brights disease, apaplexy, cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes and appendicitis. Causes with decreasing rates were old age. bronchitis. convulsions, paralysis and peEitonitis.
 Tuberculosis and pneumonia were by far the leading causes of death. The average annual mortality from con- sumption wat 172.6 per 100, 900 of pop ulation. The rate has shown a marked decline since 1890. when 1t was 245.4. This indicates that the war against the white plague Is meeting with success. The mortality from this disease in the registration area in the United States is lower than in Ireland, Germany Nor than in England and Wales. Scotland. the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy.
 Of the whole number Of deaths from tuberculosis of the lungs 53.6 per cent. occurred between the ages of 20 and 40. The mapority of the deaths wer among males, the proportion being 539 males to 461 females. The number of deahts was greatest in March and April and least in September.
 The mortality from tuberculosis of the lungs was much greater in the cities than in the rural districts Tak- ing each registration State as a unit, the mortality from this disease was highest In Rhode Island. New York and New Jersey; and lowest in Michigan. Vermont and New Hampshire. Ex- cluding Denver the rates were highest In New Orleans. San Francisco. Wash ington, Newark, Jersey City, Balti- more and Cincinnati; and lowest in St. Joseph (Mo) Scranton, Omaha. De- troit St Paul, Buffalo, and Minneapolis.
 Pneumonia Among Infants.
 Pneumonia was second among the principal causes of death, the average annual rate being 1s49 per 1Oo, ,00O Of The death rate from this disease is considerably greater than in England and Wales and Scotland.