Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-15
WHITE PLAGUE CENSUS
Pamphlet of Statistics for Tu-
bercuIosis Congress.
GREATEST CAUSE OF DEATH
Presidents Figures of 200,0 900 Year.
ly Approximately Accurate.
MORTALITY AMONG NEGROES
Death Rate in Washington Is 1886
White and 448 Colored-Statis-
tics of Registration Area.
AMONG NEGROES

The census exhibit at the interna tional
congress on tuberculosis. 10 he held in
Washington from September Il to October
T.. emphasizes the necessity for more COM
plete collection of vital statistics in this
countrya necessity that the Congress
of the United States has already called
to the attention Of state legislatures by
joint resolution.
Census compilations of mortality do not
cover the entire United States. but only
the registration area Colo
RADIO. Connecticut, District of Columbia.
Maine. Maryland. Massachusetts. Michi-
gan, New Hampshire. New Jersey, New
York. Pennsylvania, Rhode Island. south
Dakota and Vermont and seventy-six cit
| les in non-registration states. Neverthe-
| less they form the only source of general
information in regard to the actual preva-
lence of tuberculosis In the United States.
A series Of diagrams has been construct
| ed by the bureau of the census for ire
congress, drawn on a large scale ana
based upon advance figures from the
| forthcoming census mortality report TOR
| 1907, the annual reports from 1900 to 1910,
and upon twelfth census data Compare
| sons are made with statistics of foreign
! countries and between those of the white
| and the colored inhabitants of the United
States. Other diagrams indicate the rela-
| ton between occupation and the preFd-
| lence Of tuberculosis.
| DR.. Cressy L. Wilbur chief statistician
| for vital statistics. bureau of the census,
| has prepared a pamphlet for the congress
presenting an analysis OF the most recent
official figures and urging the necessity
| for more effective system of reg1stra-
| ton of vital statistics in the United
| States.
tuberculosis Death Rates.
| X
persons died from various forms of tu-
| berculosis.
According to an estimate for the entire
area OF the United States. founded on
these figures, the statement of President
Roosevelt. in his letter accepting the
presidency Of the international congress.
| th1t 2CO.ot0 persons die every year from
| tuberculosis is reasonable
| OF the 1860 deaths from tuberculosis
in the registration area, 66.3'4 died from
| tuberculosis of the lungs. $50 from tuber
culosis of the larynx. 1852 from tuber
culosis meningitis. 2.629 from abdominal
| tuberculosis. 594 from Potts disease, s.
! from tuberculosis abscess. 269 from white
| swelling. 713 from tuberculosis of other
organs and 1,2H from general tubercu-
| loSiS.
In the registration area in 1907 the
death rate from all forms of the disease
was 1886 per 100000 population. Tuber-
The ratios of other important causes of
death were as follows: All forms Of
pneumonia. 9.S per cent; heart disease,
SO per cent; diarrhea and enteritis II
per cent; violence, 7.6 per cent; Brights
disease. 81 per cent: apopIexy. 4.6 per
cent; cancer. A. per cent; typhoid fever
Is per cent; meningitis. 1.6 per cent;
diphtheria and Group. 1.o per cent: paraly-
sis, IL per cent; convulsiOns, I per cent;
cirrhosis Of liver. per cent; whooping
cough. 4 per cent.
This shows the supreme significance of
tuberculosis as cause of death in COM
parison with all other diseases.
High Mortality Among Negroes.
Maryland is the only registration state
having a sufficient proportion Of negro
population to render the comp ara tive sta
tistics of the white and colored popula-
ton from tuberculosis of special value.
The figures indicate that the negro death
rate from tuberculosis of the lungs Is
markedly higher than the death rate of
the white race not only in cities. but in
rural districts.
In Maryland the death rate per 100 900
for the rural population was 1860 for the
white population aud 30 > for the negroes
1t is probable the negro mortality was
understated on account of defective regis
trat:on in rural districts having a large
negro population.
For certain registration cities the rates
were as follows:
Washington. u. c.. 1a.6 for white, 1880
for colored.
Louisville Ky. 1910 for white. 1881 for
colored.
New Orleans. La. g for white, 1850
OR colcred.
Baltimore. Md. 1872, for white. 1857 for
coored.
Kansas City. Mo-. 1898 for white. 673S
for colored.
Memphis Penn. 1888 for white o497
for co!ored