The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1913-06-07
DISEASE AND ACCIDENT.
es-Democrat:

DISEASE AND ACCIDENT.
Times Democrat:
| The Census Bureau has just publish.
ed it's report on the mortality Of this
country. 1t is of universal interest and
very opportune, as showing what prog
ress has been made in reducing the
death rate by better sanitation, and by
the organization of special commits
sions to investigate and deal with dis
eases like tuberculosis, typhoid, etc.
The report is not as full and complete
as it ought to be. In Europe full vital
statistics are collected for all the civil
liked countries, whereas in America
1.-The registered area"-that Is, the
States and cities making full and accu.
rate returns-cov only half the pop
ulation, for many of the States collect
no vital.statistics whatever.
Louisiana, we are sorry to say, Is one
OF the delinquents. Full returns of
births and deaths are made for New
Orleans, but for none of the other six
ty-two parishes. The Board Of Health
requires it, and has been trying to en-
force the rule, but so far with little
success, mainly because the country
doctors will give but little assistance.
The result is unfortunate. for 1t pre-
vents Louisiana from showing the
world how great has been the improve.
ment of its public health during the
last two decades, because Of better
sanitation
According to the census returns the
deaths from tuberculosis during the
year were nearly one-eighth OF the to-
tai mortality. 1t is gratifying to know
that there has been a decline In the
deaths from this, the most fatal of all
diseases, both in the aggregate and
proportionately, but the decrease is
very small and not at all In line with
our fond hopes a few years ago, when
it was predicted that we would be able
to completely exterminate the white
plague within fifteen or twenty years.
The campaign against typhoid has
been more successful, but whether the
improvement is due to the use Of the
lanti-typhoid serum, or to the better
knowledge of hygiene, and the adop-
ton of better sanitary methods lis not
clearly determined. AS it is, typhoid
is now responsible for but little over
I per cent OF the mortality.
1t will surprise many to learn that
among children's diseases whooping
cough is causing more deaths than
measles, and measles more than scar
latina. The three together kill nearly
twice as many as typhoid.
Generally there has been great i'm.
provement in respect to deaths from
disease, but the mortality from homi-
cides, suicides and accidents is going
UP with rapidity that is startling. no
less than 1922 persons killing them
selves last year, an increase of IL per
cent over the previous year. The epi-
demic is worse in California and San
Francisco leads that State, suicide
standing next to tuberculosis as the
most frequent form of death in the Pa
cific city. The deaths from violence
number $3.50, five times as many as
from typhoid, and of these 76.2 per
cent were from accidents, 151 per cent
suicides, 81 per cent homicides. More
people commit suicide, more are muir
dered and more are killed by accident
In this country than in any other. What
we save in human life by sanitary and
other preventive measures we largely
lose through neglect, carelessness, the
non-enforcement of protective laws and
the accomplishment of murderers and
homicides. Some Of the Legislatures
recognize this point Of weakness, as is
seen by recent legislation to lessen the
number of preventable accidents, to
better safeguard travel by rail. and
water, and to render loss of life from
fires in mines and factories less fire..
quent and less destructive; but 1t is
quite evident from this big total that
the laws are not sufficient protection,
nor as general as they should be.
DRAG THE ROADS.
When tho cp,i1oc oFo n,;nc o--z~.