New-York tribune., 1908-01-01
DEATH RATE GREATER
CITY'S HEALTH IN 1907.
Heart Disease Shoocs Biggest L"
cre0sc-Record Birth Rate.

rba Health Department got out yesterday us
figures for the last year. They were not favor'
able but as embodied in the report given 10
DR. Thomas Darlington they tell the story Oh
the years health.
There were 792O5 deaths recorded in the year
1907 giving a death rate of 1888 IN l'Ooo' as
compared with IS 203 deaths and a rate of 1880
in LOCO In 1906. This increase OF 3,CO2 deaths
can be accounted for in great measure by the
increase in population which would account
T,r 254s The diseases showing increases were
tyuhoid fever, scarlet fever. whoopinS cough IN
fuenza tuberculosis Of the lungs, cancer or
Ranic heart disease. lobar pneumonia and
broncho pneumonia. diarThoeal diseases aho
deaths from accident.
The principal causes OF death showing de-
creases were measles, diphtherta ana Group
cefebro- spinal meningitis, apoplexy' acute
bronchitis, Bright's disease and nephritis' olo
aea and suicide The greatest increase IN
deaths from any one particular disease was
that Of 1850 from organic heart disease 1n7
total number OF deaths attributed TO this cause
was 1927 This great increase caused the oeatn
rate to Jump up one-haf Of one point a lhoU-
sand If this increase were excluded the deatn
rate for the year would be the lowest Since ti4e
formation Of the greater city.
The number Of deaths OF children under nve
years OF age was 25.7Ss. an increase Of twenty
over last year. the death rate OF this age group
being therefore. lower than the previous year
Between the ages of FIVE and sixty-hve years
the number of deaths reported was 41.4S5. shoW~
ing an increase Of 1853 deaths over the same
age groups In 1905. Deaths of persons stxty-hVe
wears old and over showed an increase OF 1921
over last years figures. There were 1854 men
and boys and 1864 women ard girls who cied
in the year. The deaths among negroes num-
: bered 2l4s and among Cinnamon 7S.
/ There were I22.636 births reported in the year
lust closed as against Hip reported in 1906.
, The rate for 1907 was 2sl5 a thousand OF the
! population. a gain OF 1.24 points. This Is q
! greater gain than any reported since the es-
/ tabIishment of the law in 1841 requiring that
/ births be recorded in the Department or Health.
/ This is far above that Of the city Of London,
/ and is 40 per cent over that Of the city OF
! Paris For every two births in the city OF
| Paris there are three reported in New York.
! The marriages reported in 1907 amounted TO
i 5l,097 giving a marriage rate of 1872 thou
sand, as against 1885 marriages a rate OF
| 64, reported in 1906.
The furry in Wall Street. therefore. had no
, influence on the marriage rate. Young couples
| disregarded the drop in stocks. closing Of trust
! companies and general agonies Of those who
/ had unlimited property values. They just went
| ahead and got married.
DR. Guilfoy said yesterday that the grip was
| responsible for increase in the number OF
| deaths Of 4S2 That number. ne said. did not
actually represent the deaths grip was respon-
| sible for. The increase in pneumonia deaths
| was S42 largely due to grip, and of heart dis
! ease. 1908 also due to grip. But taking the
year all in all the death rate was said to be
! low.