The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1909-12-10
STATE is HEAlTHFUl
Census Bureau Bulletin Gives State
Lowest Death Rate

Pierre-SOuth Dakota is the most
healthful state in the union according
to a bulletin on mortality statistics
which the census bureau has just is
sued. The government statistics
show that South Dakota had the low
est death rate of the seventeen repre-
sentative states from which mOrtallty
repots wer obtained last year, ard
that South Dakota also led with the
lowest rate OF deaths due to tubercu-
losis, cancer and suicide. three Of the
principal cause of fatalities in this
country.
South Dakota reported 4,946 deaths
during 1908. This gave that state the
remarkable low death rate of only
l0.1 to every 1000 inhabitants. Wis
consin was the only state to approach
this record with its death rate OF H..
per / 1000 Colorado and California
much famed as health resorts, had
death rates of II and 1S.4 per loco,
respectively Other states in the list
chosen by the census bureau to repre-
sent the mortality Of the entire coun-
try which also were surpassed by
South Dakota in healthfulness were
Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Mary
land, Massachusetts, Michigan, New
Hampshire New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island YER
mont and Washington.
Besides showing the lowest death
rate due to suicides South Dakota was
also the only state in the entire list
TO record a decrease Of suicides dur
ing the year. In 1907, South Dakota
had 6S suicides, while last year the
number recorded was 49, a decrease
from 143 to 101 per 100000 of the
states population. California topped
the suicide column with a death rate
of 45.1 per 100000 due to that cause.
Washington state record next with
suicide rate Of "a per 100000. The
death rate of the entire registration
area of seventeen states due to sui
cides, was 1873 per 10000 population
again indicating that the contentment
of the people of South Dakota Is far
greater that that Of those In many
other states.
due to tuberculosis than to any other
one cause, the total fatalities from
this disease in 1908 being 497 for that
state 429 Of which were caused by
tuberculosis of the lungs. But even
with this number Of tuberculosis VIC
tins. South Dakota had the lowest
death rate for that disease Of the en-
tire registration area SOu,h Dakota
death rate per 900 population due
to tuberculosis was 102, Colorado had
a death rate of 3007 per 100 900 and
California 2712 from tuberculosis;
Michigan nearly equalled South Da-
kota's record with tuberculosis death
rate of 1925 per 100000.
The cancer death rate of South Da-
kota last year was 462 per 100000
population as compared with 1912 for
California 964 for Maine, 922 for YER
mont and 627 for Colorado, south
Dakota deaths. due to cancer during
year, numbered 225
kOta last year was 46 trOdarth TT
Of the 4,946 deaths registered in
South Dakota during the year, 1880
were children under five years Of age.
The next largest number Of deaths in
the state for any five year period was
that of persons between 70 and Is
would seem to indicate that South Da-
kotans generally live to a good, old
age. Further correlation Of this
statement is shown by the fact that
S5S Of the 1856 death (deducting chill
dren under five years, occurred after
the persons had passed the 70-year
mark. Fifty-two of these had lived
more than 80 years and 13 came with
in five years of reaching the century
mark.
December seems to be the healthiest
month in the year in South Dakota
for the 326 deaths of that month num-
bered the least. January was the most
fatal of all the months with death
list Of 531. March coming second
with sos deaths.