The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-10-02
State Report Shows Higher
Death Rate Last Spring
Than in Five Years.
MANY DIE FROM MENINGITIS
Report of State Board of Health Shows
That Pneumonia Claimed Most Vic
times During the Quarter with Pull
monary tuberculosis Close Second.

During the months of April, May and
June, 1918, 7,215 deaths were reported
by the various local registrars through
out the state. This is exclusive of 38S
still births and corresponds to an an
nual death rate Of 11.9 per thousand
estimated population. Comparing this
rate with the rate Of ia per thousand
for 1908, rate of 1872 per thousand
for 1909, rate Of 11.6 per thousand
for 1910, rate of III per thousand
for 1911 and rate of lis per thousand
for 1912, it is evident that the rate for
the months of April, May and June,
1913, is higher than the average for the
We preceding years except the rate for
1909.
There is practically no increase in
the number Of deaths from the various
communicable diseases with the excep-
tion of other forms of tuberculosis,
diphtheria and meningitis. The increase
for each of these diseases is only slight
and cannot account for the very appre-
ciable increase in the total number of
deaths reported as compared with pre-
vious years.
For the second quarter of 1912, we
received reports at the state Office of
1919 deaths, exclusive Of still births.
Comparing the total deaths reported for
the second quarter of 1913 with SINH
lar report for 1912, it is shown that
there is an increase of 1876 in the mum,
Der Of deaths reported for the months
of April, May and June, 1913. We de-
sire in this connection to call attention
to the large increase in the number Of
deaths from violence. This classified
tion includes deaths from heat prostra-
tion and sunstroke. The actual num-
Der of deaths reported from these two
causes is not excessive, but this does
not take into account the large number
of cases where the extreme heat during
the month of June was a contributory
or principal cause of death, but was
not SO stated by the attending physician
or coroner in case the person died sud
denly without medical attention. The
excessive heat during the month of
June is accountable, in our opinion, for
q large part of the increase in the
number of deaths reported.
Considering the deaths reported by
age groups the statistical table found
on the following page shows that there
is decline of four in the number Of
deaths among children under one year
age; a decrease of twenty-five in the
age group from one to four; and de-
crease Of twenty-one in the age group
Of sixty-f and over, as compared with
the mortality by age groups for 1912.
The fact that there is an actual de-
cline in the number of deaths reported
among children under one year Of age
is a good indication that the educa-
tional campaign for the proper care Of
infants and young children has been
!! productive. of much good. Under con
ditions as they have existed in the
past it was only reasonable to expect
very large increase in the number of
deaths, particularly among children I'M
der one year of age, due to the hot
weather conditions.
Important causes Of death with the
number of deaths from each disease are
as follows: Pulmonary tuberculosis,
$50; other tuberculosis, 147; typhoid
fever, SO; diphtheria, s.; scarlet fever,
So; measles, 81; whooping- cough, So;
pneumonia, 675; diarrhea, enteritis I'M
der two years, 142; meningitis, 129; in
fluenza, 20; puerperal septieemia, 81;
cancer, 1872; violence, 473; and still
births, 3Ss.
| Comparing the number of deaths
from certain diseases for the months
Of April, May and June, 1913, with a
similar report for 1912, we find that
there is a decrease in the number Of
deaths from certain diseases as follows:
Pulmonary tuberculosis 20; typhoid fe-
yer, q; scarlet fever, 20; whooping-
cough, 81; pneumonia, %; diarrhsa, en-
teritis under tow years, II; influence,
2; and still-births, IT,
There was an increase in the number
of deaths from the following diseases:
Other forms of tuberculosis, 81; diph-
liberia, 10; measles, /; meningitis, A;
puerperal septicemia, Is; cancer, 20;
and violence, 40.
The northern section of the state has
a death rate for this period of 1O.1 per
thousand estimated population, while
] the rate for the central counties is 1872.