The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-07-15
Cause Ope-Third Of Ken
lucky Deaths.
BIRTH RATE OF STATE DOUBLE
That Of Mortality-Tubercu.
losis Leads Among the
Destr0yers.
REPORT OF DIR. w. l.. HEIZER

Frankfort, KY, July 13.-Of 91,-
359 deaths occurring in Kentucky
during the three years preceding
January 1, 1914, 1892, or more
than one in every three, were caus-
ed by preventable diseases. and of
the latter, tuberculosis caused one
in every three. Kentucky's death
rate from tuberculosis during the
three years was SO for the 10000
of population above the average of
all the States keeping a record of vi
tai statistics.
DIR. W. l.. Heller, State Registrar
of Vital Statistics, in his invoice of
health conditions" for the three
years, says this is the first time in
its history that the Kentucky State
Board of Health has the actual facts
before it.
What might be done in the way d
cutting down the economic waste of
unnecessary deaths and in increas-
ing the efficiency of the citizenship
by regular inspection of schools and
the physical examination of school
children and related activities by
local health officers, devoting their
entire time and energy to conserv-
ing the public health under the di-
rection of the State Board, is argued
i'm Lott In, hA nnx-t ,,.s.. \,
facts disclosed by the analysis of the
vital statistics as a basis. The re-
port soon to be issued from the
press Is prepared in a form to adj
dress itself to the popular mind and
shows that the State Board of
Health is not cropping in the dark,
but has laid hold of the essentials
of palpably serious problem.
Death Rate For State.
The death rate for the State per
100000 of population for 1913 was
,330.S, exclusive of stillbirths. Tu-
berculosis took 2OO.9 in the 1907
600, typhoid fever 42.1 and whoop-
ing cough. the scourge of child
hood, 24.3.
Grouping the population in
groups of 100000, in each group,
SG.4 persons died by violence last
year
The birth rate doubled the death |
rate. being 27.1S in every 1000 of |
population, to 1881 deaths; but !
more than of the deaths in each |
l .000 of population could have been |
prevented. There We're $40 births
and 81 ,093 deaths in 1913. Harlan
county led in the birth rate, having
IA births to the 1000 of popula-
ton. Breathitt county had the low !
est death rate, SIS to the 900 of
population. The death rate in JEFF
ferson county was 1862, or 4,535,
and the birth rate 1924, or 1915.
rhe death rate in Franklin was
l5.41, or 1927, and the birth rate !
20.49. or 435. The death rate in
Fayette was 21.07, or l,044 and the
birth rate 17.16 or $50.
Fayette had the lowest birth rate
md the highest death rate.
Preventable Diseases.
The rate of deaths from preventa-
de diseases runs so remarkably ev-
IN throughout all the counties as to
,orroborate DR.. Heizer's argument
n favor of an always on duty"
health officer for each county. and
apparently not a single county es-
aped its share of the 4y4 deaths
aused by cerebro-spinal meningitis.
The total number of deaths re-
,orted in the State varies little for
zach of the three years, 30,407 in
81. 29,S59 In 1912 and 31,O93 in
.913. tuberculosis of the lungs
receded in the percentage
olumn, accounting for 4,625 in
81, 4,259 In 1912 and 4.026 in
913. Other forms of tuberculosis
ccounted for 66S deaths in 1911,
81 in 1912 and 656 in 1913. In
81 there were AZ in each 100
aused by preventable diseases, 3S
d 'al2 and 4 in 1913.
Following general tables. COM
the entire State, coun-
les are grouped geographically and
hen the report from each county Is
nalyzed as to the causes of death.