The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1909-10-28
Civilized World Reaches the
Period Of Lowest Death
Rate Known.


WASHINGTON. D. C.. Oct. 90
THE civilized world has indeed ar.
rived at an era of low mortality"
/, This conclusion Is stated In Census
Bureau Bulletin 1o4, on mortality sta
tlstics for 1908. prepared by DIR. Greasy
a.. Wilbur chief statisticlan for vital
statistics under Director Durand who
has transmitted 1t to Secretary Nagle
OF the Department of Commerce and
Labor.
| The death rate of the registration
states in 1908 was 1873 per / 1000 OF
population which was slightly lower
than that for the entire registration
area. 1874 per 1000, and It is the
lowest on record. DIR. Wilbur states 1t
is probably tho lowest death rate that
has ever occurred in the United States.
Tho cath rate OF the rural portions
of these states was still lower, being
only "a per 1000, while that OF the
urban population was 16.5 per 1000:
the latter including all cities having
population of 5000 or more inhabi-
tants in 1900, and being, as usual.
somewhat greater than he rural rate.
Such rates would have seemed quite
out of the question few years ago.
Epsland's Death Rate
The death rate of England and
Wales for 1908 was only 14.7 per T.
600 of population, and of London for
the same year 1873 per 1000. For
each year since 1893 the death rate OF
England and Wales has been less than
10 per thousand, with the exception I
the year 1904 for which year ii was
1872 per 1000, while no rate as low
has been recorded for any previous
years of registration.
The early publication of the data
relating to the mortality of the year
1908 for the Registration area of the
United States was only made possible
by the increased promptness OF the re-
turns from the state and city offices,
most of which now mako monthly re-
ports.
The registration area embraces the
registration states and separate regis
tration cities in non-registration states
accepted by the Census Bureau as
having approximately complete regis
traions of deaths based upon the re-
quirement Of compulsory burial per-
mits. For the year 1908, the registra-
tion states We're: California, Colorado.
Connecticut Indiana, Maine, Mary
land, Massachusetts, Michigan, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
Dakota. Vermont, Washington and
Wisconsin.
Over Half the Population.
The District of Columbia and seven
cy4four registration cities in non-reg-
istration states. together with the reg
istration states mentioned, made up
the aggregate registration area for
1908, whose total estimated popula-
tlon for the year was 45,OgS.7 or
over one-half GELS per cent? of the
total estimated population of the con-
tincntal United States, which was &c.
- ,noo -, ~ - Wv
az ~ ~ nas sun iuf'ief increased
,, "s pese u .ne 'popu,a.ion re-
acres may be included for the calen-
dar year 1910. for which direct COM
PARSONS of the mortality statistics
can be made with the population
enumerated by the Thirteenth Census.
nv 'o'al na ,nno Oh deaths returned
lol .ne year i'Vs IRON lne aseregate
.es's'r'''ion area was o'i'o1a' for
lae pfeeeu'ns sear 'he NUMBER OF
" ., was 70 os''o"s' OF oh,s e''4o less
.nan ti'e i'Ve returns, at.housh me
res,ssras,on area ior i'os was IN
creased by washington ana Wiscon-
SIN The year 1908 was one of re-
markaniy low mortality throughout
.he United states so iar as can 9pe de-.
termined from the available resistra-
tiOn records and was rnnrlkpI Inv n