Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-26
LOWEST DEATH RATE ON
RECORD FOR THE U. S.
fcontinued Frorn Page 1.l

Continued From Page ID
1908 returns, although the registra-
ton area for 1908 was increased by
Washington and Wisconsin. The year
1909 was one Of remarkably low NOR
tality throughout the United tSates so
far as can be determined from the
available registration records and was
marked by general absence Of severe
epidemics and of unusual mortality
from other causes.
Females contributed a slightly larger
proportion Of the deaths in 1908 than
they did in 1907, but the actual num-
Der of deaths Of males registered for
1908 was less than for 1907. The per-
centage of males was 64.3 and of fe-
males 45.7. The figures for age periods
OF deaths Of infants under 1 year for
1908 but the ratios for each of the in
diVidual years from 1 to are Identical
for 1907 and 1908. A close agreement
appears in the subsequent five year
periods although there was a slight
~ more favorable showing for 1908 for
the age periods from Is to 40 years
Nearly one fifth of all the deaths
that occurred were those Of infants I'M
Ger one year of age and over one
fourth are of children less than five
years of age.
For both 1907 and 1908, 1913 per cent
of all deaths We're those of white per-
sons, which shows the unequal division
Of the registration area in this respect.
Maryland is the only registration state
with considerable proportion (236
Ter cent? Of colored population.
Nearly one-fourth of all deaths reg
islered We're those of persons born
outside of the Unit States. The
states having the largest population Of
a-i1 90 ctr
are DR. Wilbur states the ones In
which it is the most difficult to secure
the passage of effective registration
laws Therefore the actual mortality of
| Americans of native parentage is not
fully represented in the registration
area although over two-thirds of the
| deaths registered were of native born
persons and one-third were of native
| born with native parents.
1t appears that the month of max
imum mortality in 1908 was January
with 67,763 deaths and that of mini
| mum mortality was June with 49,7Ol
| deaths.
The death rates of the individual
/ states vary for the year 1908 from 1874
for california to 10.1 for South Dakota.
| Or. Wilbur points out that the total
| variation is less than that among the
! great towns Of England and that the
range of mortality is not excessive.
| With the exception Of South Dakota,
all the registration states for which
data are presented for more than a
single year. show lower rates for 1908
than 1907, and in several instances the
rates for 1908 were the lowest on
record, at least since fairly accurate
registration has been in effect. For
Massachusetts comparison of the
rates given in the state reports since
1851 shows that, with the single ex-
ception of the rate G6.3) in 1904, the
rate (16.5) in 1908 is tho lowest.
Then follow comparisons of the
death rates of the cities of the Unit
ed States with 100000 population OIL
over in 1900. OF the thirty-five cities
considered a decreased death rate was
shown in 1908 in all but five instances
The remainder of the bulletin is de.
voted to the consideration of causes OF
death, of occupations in relation tt
mortality and contains the officia
English translation of the revised list
of causes of death arranged for use il
mortality tables by internationa
agreement at the second decennial re.
vision in Paris last July.