The daily sentinel., 1908-05-15


has come the questionable distinc-
ton of having predominating
cause of death. So far have these
causes been localized that various
cities in the United States can claim
special title for death-causing in
fections. or course New York and
tuberculosis lead all the rest in to-
tails for cities and diseases respec-
lively: New York because it is the
| largest city; tuberculosis, because it
is the greatest cause of death
throughout the country.
Aside from this common scourge
which afflicts, nearly every city has
some one disease to which it seems
to be particularly subject or in which
1t surpasses all others. In general
death census certain diseases have a
well determined standing. Out of
deaths from all causes covered by
the statistics collected it is found
that tuberculosis leads all the rest
with nearly 10000. Next comes
pneumonia in its various forms with
51.S1 deaths, followed by deaths
from heart disease "a general term
numbering 4O,612 deaths from vio-
lence numbering 34,SS6; apoplexy
numbering 22,756; old age 13, 400;
and typhoid fever commonly suppos-
ed 10 De one OF the greatest causes OF
death. with 1O,4S5.
But while these figures apply to
the whole country in general, the
statistics gathered show that certain
states and cities are peculiarly prone
to certain fatal diseases. In fact,
IN many cases the causes of death
are so strikingly local that being
given a death from any particular
cause. the amateur sleuth can pretty
well locate the place in which 1t
occurred
In New York, for example, as
might be expected, disease of the
nervous system account for the great
est number of deaths, tuberculosis.
of course. always excepted. If a
given person dies of nervous COM
, plaint, the chances are stronger that
he was a resident of the Empire
since no other approaches New York
in the number of deaths from this
cause.
In the number of deaths from ty-
phoid fever Pennsylvania leads all
other states with SOS deaths per
100000 of the total. Maryland
comes second with 40.5 per cent. In
mala rial fever, cause of death
which, by the way is steadily on the
decrease, Indiana leads among the
states, while the largest number of
deaths from smallpox occur in Cali
fornia, fact largely due to the in
come rs from the Orient.
NJ asles. a disease generally sup
posed to be peculiar to childhood
claims its greatest number of vic
tins in Pennsylvania, with Connect
icut close second. Scarlet fever, ac-
! n ip IN 1nt
the greatest percentage of deaths in
Colorado, with Rhode Island next.
Maryland contributes the greatest
number of deaths from whooping
cough, the large majority being
among the negroes, with Rhode Is
land second. Deaths from influenza
arc most common in New Jersey, and
those from cancer in California. Sui
eide is responsible for more deaths
in California than in any other state,
with New Jersey and Connecticut fol-
lowing close behind.
In the great majority of the north
ern states negroes furnish almost
twice as high a death rate as whites
from every cause, and in this fact
those who search for a solution of
the negro problem may find the same
answer which has been given to the
Indian question, namely, gradual
elimination.
As between urban and rural life,
the place for those who wish to post
pone death longest from whatever
cause. is without doubt the country.
1t is true that in certain rare forms
of typhus; in whooping cough. meas
les. crop and other diseases peculiar
to ch ildhood, the rural districts show
pre- ponderance of deaths. due to the
fact as shown by the census figures
that there is a much larger proper
tion of children in the country. In
the cities, however, those diseases
suppc sed to be peculiar to advanced
civilization, far outstrip the country
in the number of deaths they cause |
tuberculosis, typhoid, pneumonia.
and cancer are only a few of the ills |
to which flesh is heir to which man
succumbs in greater numbers in the |
great metropolitan. districts.
To the student of the causes of |
death. every case is indicative of To- |
cality. and il is not a difficult Job to |
guess in the average of a large num- |
Der of cases, where the deceps, |
lived. provided the cause of death be |
given. Such facts, for instance, is \
that more persons died last year in |
San Francisco from whooping cough |
than from typhoid, that Chicago is |
the greatest influenza center. that |
New York Is particularly noted for
its deaths from mumps and measles |
the two most deadly "ms''-and |
that n Philadelphia more people die |
of typhoid every year than from any |
other cause-all these enable the
amateur detective of the causes of |
death to locate nretty accuratal,, tbo