The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-11-22
THE BIRTH AND
DEATH RATESOF
FLORIDA CITIES
STATE HEALTH BOARD ISSUES
AN INTERESTING BULLETIN
COVERING THE STATES VITAL
STATISTICAL RECORD.

y
births and deaths in the Florida Re
gistration Cities is now issued and
gives the figures for the full six
months from % of the 90.
Il Miami and Fort Myers have, since
the publication Of the taibuIation of the
first quarter, passed the Model Or
dinance and collected reports which
will be given in the next tab11latien.
Live Oak has lately passed the or
/ dfnance and resumed collections which
had ceased with the first quarter,
and Lake City has also passed on or
| dinance and inaugurated the work.
| With the exception of Kfssimrnee,
| Mariana, Palatka and West Tampa,
all of the 29 cities now require by or
dinance the prompt filing of complete
and accurate certificates Of births and
deaths and the essential requisite Of
are being urged to make their ordin-
ances uniform with the requirements
OF the others and viii, no doubt, soon
do so.
| Population.
| The figures given are the estimates
| for the n1idyear of 1914 based upon
the L. S. Census returns Of 1900 and
1910
Several Of the cities have made local
eensuses lately, notably Miami, show
ing 1892 and Mariana 2,99s. These
are widely variant from the 1914 es-
1 Inmates, but for the sake of compare
=, son, both with each other and with
] cities in other states, the uniform
! standard OF the L. S. Census must be
used for comparable statistics. Ac-
curate intereensal snurnsrations would
be Of great value, but until such can
be had the Bureau of the Census es-
| Inmates will be used.
| At least one Of these cities, Marian.
ma, and without DOUBT others have en-
| larged their corporate limits since the
! Census OF 1910 and so increased their
population. Without a very careful
| survey and computation in each case
| it would be impossible to include these
increases in the 1914 estimates And
| it should be remembered that any in
creases in population figures will re-
duce rates and in those cities where
collections are under go per cent. ac-
curate the deficiencies IN the rates
shown would be accumulated.
In the next tabulation, which will
include the third quarter, it is hoped
to give the estimated proportional pop
uIation of white and coIored in each
city, with birth and death rates for
each.
Accuracy of Reports.
Taking the rninirnuns Of Is per / 900
per annun1 for deaths and births re-
spectively, an inspection of the birth
and death rates in the present tabula-
ton will tend to indicate the. complete
ness Of collections in each city.
In q number these clearly show that
the accuracy is below 80 per cent.
Where this is the case in deaths, Reg
istrars are warned that their work
should be brought up to standard; and
municipal officials, and all interested
in each city with rates, birth as well
as death, below the assumed mini
NUNS, are urged to see their ordin
ances are enforced and collections
made complete.
When rates are given for white and
colored separately, these will show, not
so much the true rates, as the proba-
BILE point of the deficiencies in regis
tration.
Death Rates.
The four larger cities, where the
mortality records are no DOUBT prac-
tically accurate, each show death
rates in excess Of the minimum of Is
Their differences of from II to 90 are
doubtless most largely due to their
varying proportions of negroes: when
published the white and co1ored death |
rates Of these and other cities, with |
equally complete registration, should |
give an index OF the health conditions |
and work In each.
Certain other cities show rates con-
siderably above 20 per 1000. This is
probably caused by deaths Of non
residents and until careful distinction
can be made Of these, those commune
ties with large numbers Of winter
visitors will show to disadvantage
When the tabulation of the third quar-
ter is issued, a showing of the deaths
from April to September. both inclu-
sive, will largely avoid this source of
Of the presumably resident deaths,
both white and colored.
Births,
The great variations In the birth
rates, even between cities where COL
lections are probably ratrly accurate,
are Of interest. Low rates, toelow 20,
without doubt indicate only that regis
tration is incomplete, but In cities with
high rates the differences can probably
only be explained by varying proper
tons Of races. white, negro and other,
and their racial differences in fertility.
This matter Of normal birth rates is
Of great interest and of utmost i'm
portance TO the future Of the State and
the nation, and il is hoped birth regis
tration can be made accurate in all
Florida cities TO allow safe conclusions
10 be drawn from their data,
The primary inportapcA however,
Of birth registration from a health
standpoint, is its use in the fight to
reduce infant mortality and sickness.
All should be interested and active in
helping in every way this great con-
movement
The SpaaIIar EIorida M,.airin.I;4;as