Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-05-19
DECREASE SHOWN
IN JERSEY AND
LOCAL MORTALITY
Census Gives State Drop OF
11.2 Per Cent. and New
ark %.

WASHINGTON, May 1e.-The
death rate of the registration area
of the United States in 1918 was al
per 1000 estimated population, ac-
cording to a statement made public
by Director William J. Harris, of the
Bureau of the Census, Department of
Commerce. This statement was pre-
pared under the supervision of Dr.
Cressy L. Wilbur. of the division OF
vital statistics. This figure of 14.1 as
the death rate for 1918 was based on
500 S2S deaths returned from "a re-
gistration states, the District of Co
lumbia, and Al cities in nonregistra-
ton states. The total population in
cluded in the registration areas re-
porting is 1929, 164, or 65.1 per cent.
of the estimated population OF the
United States. While the figures are
not complete for the entire country,
they serve as an index to the general
sanitary condition of the United
States. Virginia is included for the
first time in the national vital statis-
tics, as the result of the passage OF
a registration law in that state in
1912, and the Bureau of the Census
Is actively cooperating with officials
in other states so that the entire
country may be included in the area
having effective registration at the
earliest possible date.
The death rate for 1918 Gal per
1 .OO0) slightly exceeded that for 1912,
which was 1879, but was less than
that for 1911, which was 14.2. 1t also
is markedly lower than the average
rate for the 5-year period 1901 1905,
which was 1872. The decrease in the
=, &c m n
to a reduction of about l death In
every 8, during the interval of 10
years. Allowing for changes made in
the registration area during this
time (much new territory has been
added, when comparison is made of
the rates shown for 1918 and for 1901
to 1905, with the same group of re-
gtstration states, there Is still con-
siderable decrease shown 0.5 per
cent?. If the same death rate had
prevailed in the registration area in
1913 as prevailed in the annual aver
age for the years 1901-1905, there
would have been 1,025446 deaths re-
corded Instead of S90,S23, an excess
of 134,623 over the number recorded
in 1913. In the original group of re-
gistration states as constituted in
1901 1905, the population of which Is
about one-fourth of the total popula
ton of the United States, the reduc-
ton in mortality would have been
equivalent to saving of 30,546 lives
in 1913 that would have been lost if
the former re- .e of mortality had con-
tinued.
The report will state that changes
in the age and sex constitution of
the population must be considered be-
fore the exact extent and nature of
the lower general mortality can be
understood, but it is certain that
many thousands of lives are now pro-
longed that would have persisted only
u few years ago. The widespread
awakening of the people throughout
the United States to the support of
public health authorities is already
bearing fruit in the way of a lower
death rate.
Among the states for which the
death rates for 1901 to 1905 are given,
the largest percentage of decrease
followed by New York (12.3), New
Jersey DID, and Massachusetts
(9.6). Slightly increased death rates
for 1913 are shown for Michigan (4.5),
New Hampshire 80, Indiana (0.S).
These increases may be due in some
cases to increased accuracy of regis
tration of deaths during 1918 as COM
pared with the earlier period.
Among the cities of 100000 popula-
ton and over, the variation shown
in the death rates covers a wide
range. In general the tendency seems
to be lower mortality. The follow
ing cities show a reduction of 20
per cent, or more from 1901-1905 to
1913, or an average of per cent. or
more for each year of the past de-
cade.
New York, PAT; Jersey City, 244;
Newark, N. j., 90; San Francisco,
21.7; Lowell, Mass, 21.3; Spokane,
Wash, 21.2; Denver, Colo, 203; and
Paterson, N j., 20.1.