South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-10-20
How the Death-Rate from
Organic Diseases Is Increasing.

II would then follow that even though many
OF the deadly epidemic and endemic diseases
have been conquered. others will arise as they
find weaker organisms upon which to fasten
themselves and indeed. that the constitutional
diseases will tell more heavily in mortality
10 Il possible that old diseases, formerly
takIna few victims, may become deadly when
they shall one day attack this coming race OF
weakened constitutional Is II possible that
bacteria that have glided hsrmlessly through
the centuries may at last find human constl
tutIons they can break down? Is II altogether
faneIfuI TO suggest that nameess bacteria, de-
structIve deadly Of incaIcuIabIe VoracIty, may
lie In wait In the blood, in air, In foodsT
Wolves follow The herd, waiting for weakened
and starved salnnaIs to lag behind. May "ot
seethlnu sS~aros ef unknown bacteria hover
over the roar guard of humanity waiting for
Its constitutes 20 weaken, when they will
pounee upon u and destroy7
VIII then . new plague glide into our nves'
Will science stand helpless and dumb before
the beadlons temper of the new terror? Will
nbvs,cians stare stupidity at the black thor
oughfare OF death3
As vet predictions premature. Some
facts however, indicate tendency.
R,oun endemic causes in 1909 was only 5sI
ror cent as hizh as in 1900. Science prides
itself on this vast reduction in epidemic NOR
,a1tv This is a great step for nine years Of
work During that same period. however,
h,,a science and sanitation humbled epidem-
as death from diseases of the circulatory sys-
tom rose over 20 per cent. These are consti'
tutionaJ disorders that know no cure Death
from, childbirth Increased 10 per cent IN THIS
g,Ifo oF tut ipTta al
1,aatness in the women. Death from diseases
- the locomOtor system increased nearly 50
oa- cent Death from malformations rose over
20 Der cent What is this but constitutional
deterioration! -.
s-or, heart disease in the United States In
tbess nine years rose nearly II per cent This
en- Incursble constitutional disease. The
death rate rose over Il per cent nom cancer
-, averdreaded and as yet incurable disease.
:, ross nearly u per cent in scarlet fever bac-
te-ial disease not yet conquered. 1t rose over
- ner cent in appendicitis. IL rose over per
cent in apOplexy. before whlcn PHYSICIANS are
- bslpless Ii bounded 43h per cent in
suicides II reached an increase OF ssh per
coDt in bronchO-pneumOE!a In diseases OF the
s~reries the mortality figures made the aston
ishing increase Of 22S per cent in these nine
years -,.,. -, .,,.
Saath rates from diseases OF the digestive and
respiratory systems as well, as from diseases
OF all organs most auected by lack OF exercise
nd other evils attending the congested COndi-
&C., OF close communal life. The United States
-nnortality statistics OF 1909 give the following
IDterestiug contrast between rural and city
deaths in these respects:
pEATH RATE PER 100000 POPULATION IN UNITED
STATES.
Gle. B H9 Tf5p!
Diseases cf respiratory system. .SO2.6 1871
Diseases OF digestive system. .26l.o 1871
B~ghts disease ..t..-.-..-... .41O-E ooS
Tuberculosis OF the lungs. .ZO41 15SO
Dfphtheria and Group. ......-.... 6Z4 200
Totals ................ s'V.0
Il viii be seen that the death rate from these
particular FIVE causes was 90 per cent moro IN
the cities than in the rural districts
Organic heart disease. too, shows us great
esr increase in the larger cities. In Albany
n Y, this disease claims as high as go per
sons annually out Of 100000 ~ populauoh.
while IA 1901 II carried OF but $50 out or the
same number OF population. IN Omaha Neo'
the annual death rate from heart disease has
au but doubled since 1901 In Memphis. Tenn
II has increased 90 per cent and IN the otheF
cities Of the country the increase has been