Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1908-03-21
TUCSON DEATH
RATE NEEDS
EXPLAINING
Although Government Statistics
Show II To Be High, Analysis
Shows City To Be Very
HealthfuI for Normal People

TUCSON, March 20.-one feature
OF especial importance In the deyel-
opment OF this city as an attractive
winter resort Is the exploitation OF
the fact that It is one Of the health
lest places In the entire country, and
that there is not a single city OF It's
size which can be shown TO have as
small degree of mortality, all
things considered. as does the Old
Pueblo.
Unfortunately, the bare govern
ment statistics show that, based on
the population Of the city, and with,
out any explanation, there is an ex-
tremely high death rate here. AT
first glance that looks like a handi-
cap 10 the city, but on little thought
and investigation, IL is shown that
on the contrary, II is due to a com
bination OF circumstances that sup
port any contention that may be
made as TO the healthfulness Of the
city,
In an endeavor TO secure sufficient
data 20 uphold this statement a re
porter for the Star yesterday called
upon DR.. Crepin, the health officer
OF the city, and asked him TO ex-
plain the occasion for such a high
death rate and also TO give his opin-
ion as 10 the mortality status OF the
city. In reply DR.. Crepin said
Il think that the chamber Of com
merce and all other civic institutions
are perfectly safe in making the dec
laration that there is no healthier
town in the world than is Tucson, in
spite OF the fact that specifically it
has a high death rate. The greater
number of the people whom we are
seeking to attract here by our cli1s.
ate are Americans from the east and
north. and they can easily be con-
WINGED of that fact.
Here the doctor brought out of
his official records a mass of papers
and proceeded TO go through them
for data After exhibiting a great
pile OF burials and other permits in
connection with the dead, he con-
tinued: "Here are 100 death rec
ords. OF them taken at random as
they are, you see that there are Al
deaths from lung trouble, 81 deaths
of Mexicans, and the remainder
deaths of American residents of the
city. That means that the death
rate of the American population,
they being subject to the same
racial influences as the visitors we
seek. is about six TO the hundred, a
remarkably small percentage, and
one that l do not believe any other
city can boast.
Furthermore, of the Al deaths
from tubercular troubles, you viii
see that all but one of them are
transients and that they came here
after they had been suffering for
long time, and were shipped TO
their homes, after having really new
er been residents. OF this city at all,
This cuts even the total death rate
in hall.
"The bigger proportion of the NOR
tality. as you observe. is among tue
Mexicans and poorer half of the citS
Many of them, more than so per
cent. are babies. They die from in
anition and lack of proper care. and
are not to be charged up TO the death
rate of the city in all fairness. Nor
taIity is higher among the poems be-
cause of their lack OF personal hab-
| its, contributory to health OF TO
fighting disease when it puts in an
| appearance bCSdhSS VI 1eASn VI pASH
| food and because they seldom call in
physician until after the case is
practically hopeless.
Zone hardly ever hears of the
death of a bona-fide American resi-
| dent of Tucson. You can count on
the fingers Of one hand all the
deaths of Tucsonians from ordinary
diseases that have occurred within
your memory of the last twelve
months. Tucson is as healthy as any
place in America and has been so In
spite of the lack of proper sewage
facilities for years. With the put
| ting in of the water works the death
rate among the resident Americans
will become practically nil. 1t
seems to me that the idea Of the
Star that it Is fact should be adj
vertised, is a good one, and 1t GER
tainly can be backed up by the fig'
ures of the city that, eliminating the
transient conlsumrtives and the
poems, there is practically no death
at all In the city"