Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-10-30
MAY AND JUNE
MOR0SE MONTHS
STATE HEALTH BOARD REPORIS
EXCESS OF SUICIDES IN EARLY
MONTHS OF YEAR.
CARE OF INFANTS A PROBLEM.
Death Rate Among Infants Is the High
est in Northern Part of State
Lack Medical Attention
TUBERCULOSIS FATAL TO MANY.

MADISON, WIS, OCL. ZO.--L Opecldl'I
"A greater number of persons IN WIS
| consin commit suicide during the months
| of May and June than at any other time
during the year. This is but one OF the
interesting facts disclosed by the WORK
of the state board of health and vital
statistics, and which will be embodied ID
a report to be published soon. The re-
ports for the last few years bear out
this statement, and lead to many con-
| lectures as to why the death rate from
suicide should be greater during these
months.
Among the theories advanced is that
of DR.. &. S. Hayes of Eau Clare, VINO
ascribes it to physiological reasons. VI
| tally, he claims, is at a lower eDo at
| this time of the year, and with the gen
eral physical sluggiskness incident to tn
close of the indoor months, there Is
mental depression produced by the more
or less sedentary habits of the winter
months, is, he believes, a large factor IN
| bringing about the large death rate from
| suicide.
| 122 Are Drowned.
Other opinions, too, are advanced,
but the fact remains that the months
of May and June produce the maxi
| mum number Of suicides. These sta
tistics come under the general classi-
fcation of deaths from violence,
which records also show that 122
deaths for one quarter have resulted
: from drowning alone. These occurred
! during the summer months when the risk
/ is greater, owing to the fact that people
| go upon the water more than at any 9th
er time during the year.
Another conclusion reached is that
deaths from infantile diseases seems to
| be higher in the northern sections of the
state than in other sections. This is I'M
doubtedly true to the fact that less medi-
| cal attention can be received in the
northern section. There are fewer doc
tors: also the people do not seem to be
as we'll educated regarding the most SAM
tary methods of feeding children.
! There is a great need for a campaign
| of education as to the best methods of
| feeding infants; also for better sanitation
in caring for milk fed to infants. This
| is especially needed now when the num-
| Der of artifcally-fed babies is on the in
| crease.
Deaths Reach 6279.
During the months Of July, August and
! September 6279 deaths were reported to
the state authorities by the local reg
| istrars Of towns, villages and cities
| This is exclusive of 367 still-births, and
| corresponds to an annual death rate Of
| 1913 per thousand estimated population.
Important causes of death were pull
culosis, IS; typoid fever, 70; diptheria,
whlooping cough, 20; pneumonia, 217;
diarrhoea and enteritis, $40; meningitis,
1870; puerperal septicaemia, %; cancer,
346; violence $40 and stiIl-births, 3G7
hot boc
decline in the number of deaths from
typhoid fever for the months of July,
| August and September as compared with
the months of April, May and June,
which report. Is sufficient proof that
greater care is being exercised in safe
guarding water and milk supplies from
any possible pollution. At this season
of the year when the ground water is
low, the death rate from typhoid fever
usually reaches it's maximum. An ex-
animation, of mortality and morbidity
statistics by months proves conclusively
that the seasonable variation of the dis
ease should be carefully considered. 1t
is claimed that the maximum of typhoid
| mortality corresponds almost exactly to
the ground water level.
The very large increase in the num-
Der of deaths from diarrhoea and en-
teritis under two years Of age should
convince the most skeptical that there is
an urgent need for more scientific infor-
nation regarding the care of infants
during the hot weather months. Com
pairing the total deaths from diarrhoea
and enteritis with the total deaths from
all causes we find the rate highest in the
| northern section Of the state where it is
shown that II per cent. Of the total
deaths reported were caused by this
| most easily prevented disease.
Rate High in North.
Considering deaths from diarrhoea and
enteritis per 10000 population, the rate
IN the northern section is found to be
25 in the central section 2, and in 1.-THE
southern section %. The large increase
in the number of deaths from violence
is ocasioned by the unusual number of
deaths from drowning.
OF the 459 deaths from violence, in adj
dition to the 122 deaths from accidental
drowning, Is resulted from suicide; SO
were caused by railroad accidents: "a
were due to burns and wounds; 10 from
homicide; IL from street cars: + from
poisoning and 4 from lightning
In the northern section of the state
there were % deaths from violence per
section the rate was 1.8 and In the
southern section 10. For each 1000 peo
| pie living in the state during the months
of July, August and September, % per.
| sons died from tuberculosis; % from
diarrhoea and enteritis; s from menin.
gifts; 1.5 from cancer and 2 from ' VIC.
lence. Eight per cent of the total deaths
were from tuberculosis; "a from nnen.
monia;. 8 per cent. from diarrhoea and
enteritis; 2.S per cent. from meningitis:
90 per cent from cancer and 7.3 Der
cent from violence poA
Classifying deaths by age groups, we
ma that 1910 were deaths among per
sons under / year of age. At the aons
of to 4, inclusive, sos deaths were re-
ported, and at the age Of IS and over
1889 persons died