Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-12-04
Vital Statistics
Report for 1910.

An advance summary 81 Census Bul~
letin 112, which contains the pretimi-
nary results of the compilation of NOR
tality statistics fer the year 1910, WAS
issued to-day by Director Durand, of
the Bureau of the Census. Department
of Commerce and Labor. The bulletin
was prepared by DR. Greasy l.. Wilbur,
chief statistician for vital statistics in
tie Census Bureau.
The returns relate TO the Census Blu
reau's death registration area, which
included for the year 1910 an estimat
ed mid-year population of s3,S43,S 500
persons or 5S.3 per cent. of the total
population of continental United
States. This area comprises certain
entire states and also certain cities in
other states. From this area the Cen
sus Bureau received transcripts Of
SU4.4l2 deaths, exclusive of stillbirths.
corresponding to "a death rate of Is per
l 900 population This rate, although
slightly higher than that for the pre-
ceiling year. IA, is Il low one. and rep
rpsents very favorable condition of
the public health.
Advance Mortality information.
The forthcoming bulletin will give
advance information in regard to the
mortality statistics compiled each year
for the registration area. The rates
given are general rates computed from
the number of the population and the
number of deaths without allowance
for the fact that in different commun-
tiles the proportion of persons of the
several age groups may vary. This i'm
poses some caution in comparisons of
different places. especially when the
observed variation between rates is
very small.
The year 1909 was one of remarkably
low mortality, and the slight increase
for 1910 does not indicate necessarily
more unfavorable sanitary conditions.
1t is pointed out that the registration
area has been subject to considerable
change. involving Il arrangement of
the areas of the main subdivisions OF
which il is composed, so that exact
comparisons relating TO the same reg
istration territory can not be made. 1t
is stated further that until the regis
tration area shall embrace the entire
population of the United States the
rates from year to year will undoubt-
erlv be subject to more or less incom-
NehNNAt1i'iA
fectiYe registration.
The close relation that has fer some
Years existed between the general
death rate of the registration area of
the United States and that of England
and Wales is referred TO. For the year
1908 the figures were slightly higher
for the United States. AS, against AZ
for England and Wales, while for 1909
the English rate, 14.5, exceeded very
slightly that of the registration area.
IA; but for 1910 the English rate, 49,.
which is the lowest ever registered for
that country, IS lower than the Amer
lean .ate, i. and nearly as low as the
rate sheWn for the rural part of the
registration states Id.
Death Rates of Registration States.
Based on the number of deaths from
all causes, exclusive Of Stillbirths, Il
general death rate Of III per LON pop
! ulation is shown FOR the year 1910 for
all the states which are wholly includ-
| cd in the registration area dneluding
also North Carolina where rural dis
| tricts are not reperted), while in 1909
tie rate was slightly less. H..
In comparing the rates between diff
ferent states two things must be borne
in mind First. the population of the
states compared is not necessarily
identical with respect to the proper
tons of younger and of older persons;
ard. second. the registration of deaths
is not always as complete in one state
as in another. For the older registra-
ton states, and especially for such as
Connecticut Massachusetts,, and Rhode
Island. the registration Of deaths prob
ably may be taken as substantially
complete. States are included in the
registration area when it is believed
that the actual registration covers 40
per cent. of all deaths. With varying
degrees of accuracy in the returns
comparisons can only be made with
caution
Rate Variation.
The variation in the general rates
among the several states is not very
great. ranging from 10 per 1000 for
Washington the lowest, to ia for
New Hampshire, the highest In 1909
the death rate for Washington was 9.S
and for New Hampshire it was 16.9,
there being thus slight increase in
1910 over the previous year While the
QedlH rate per i,uuu pDpuldllpu III
North Carolina, 1871, was actually
greater than for New Hampshire this
figure includes only municipalities hay
ing population of 1000 or over in 1900.
In 1909 North Carolina was a nonreg-
istration state.
Colorado is the only registration
state reporting a decrease in the death
rate per LOCO population. In 1909 the