Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-20
MAKING Progress N
Committing DISEASE
CENSUS BUREAU FIGURES SHOW
DECREASE IN DEATHS FROM
PREVALENT MALAplEs. 4
ScIENcE MAKING HEApvsAY
IN LIFE. sAvINa WORK
Tubsroulesis, Heart Disease, Pnsu-
monia and Cancer Continue 70
Claim Most vietims-First Thrss
Rssponsibls For More Than 80 Per
Cent Of Total Number Of Deaths.


RssponsIbls For More Than 80 Per
Cent Of Total Number Of Deaths.
Especial Correspondence
Washington, April 20.-Ffgures on
the principal causes Of DEATH" given
out today by the census bureau show
that the white plague" continues to
hold first place as the cause Of mortal
ity in the United States. This is the
scourge, above all others, that afflicts
the country.
On the other hand, it is a fact to
cause qualification that the white
plague" il rapidly becoming less
serious menace. With improved sani-
tation and with better understanding
OF the laws of health and Importance OF
pure air, the disease is causing fewer
deaths.
The data Of the census bureau is
based on reports from what is known
as the registration area, which In 1913
contained about IS per cent Of the total
population Of the United States. More
than half the deaths in the registra-
tion area are found to be due to nine
causes, tuberculosis, heart disease,
pneumonia, Bright's disease and
nephritis, diarrhea and enteritis, can
Ger, apoplexy, diptheria and Group and
typhoid fever. The first three Of these
maladies alone were responsible for
more than 30 per cent Of the total
mortality reported for the calendar
year 1918, for which the figures have
been collected.
In part, abiding to the nine causes
mentioned, the report says:
1.-The death rate from these nine
causes combined in 1913 was 810.4 per
100000 population. This is q material
decrease from the corresponding rate
in 1900 1914 per 100.0o0-when the
Census Bureau made its first annual
collection Of mortality statistics. The
number Of deaths resulting from these
causes, however, formed a somewhat
greater proportion Of the total reported
mortality in 1918 than in 1900-57 per
cent in the later year as compared with
SO per cent in the earlier.
Tubsrcuiosis.
''Tuberculosis In its various forms
claimed 90, AZ victims in 1913, Of which
number 80,S12 died from tuberculosis
of the lungs (including acute military
tuberculosis). With improved santa
ton and with better understanding OF
the laws Of health and the importance
OF pure seAs. however. the white
plague 10 rapidly becoming q less
serious menace to health and happi-
ness. In only nine years--from 1904 to
1913-the mortality rate from tuber-
culosis in all forms fell from 20o.7 to
1915 per 100. 900, the decline being con-
tinuous from year to year. Prior to
1904 the rate had fuctuated. starting
at 201.9 In 1900.
"a satisfactory comparison OF diner-
emit sections Of the country with re-
spect to the prevalence Of tuberculosis
Is Impossible, since the only southern
states embraced In the registration
area are Maryland, Virginia, and Ken
lucky. together with the North Caro-
lima municipalities which had 1000 or
more Inhabitants in 1905, and num-
Der Of northern and western states are
not included In general, however, 1t
may be said that the mortality due to
this disease ii somewhat higher among
whites In the south than in the north.
and IL about three times as high among
negroes as among whites. The far
northern states Of Maine, New Hamp-
shire, Vermont, Michigan, Wisconsin.
Minnesota, Montana, and Washington
all show white mortality rates from
tuberculosis which were decidedly
lower than the average for the entire
registration area. Pennsylvania rate
was also low. On the other hand, the
rate in Utah-whose southern bound
ary lies In nearly the same latitude as
that Of Vtrginia-is away below that
Of any other state, being only about
one-third as high as the rate for the
entire registration area. The mortality
rate among the white population from
tuberculosis Of the lungs thruout the
entire registration area in 1918 was
d15.7 per 100000. The corresponding
rates for the states just named are as
follows: Utah. 81; Washington, 70.6;
Michigan, 75.1; Montana, 1913; Wiscon-
sin, 83.4: Minnesota, $40; Vermont,
s85; Maine, s5.s; Pennsylvania, 9718:
New Hampshire. ss.s.
"The death rates from tuberculosis
Of the lungs are abnormally high
among white population In both Cali
fornia and Colorado LOTS and 1873 per
100. 900, Observation-Disclosures of the
fact that many consumptives from
other parts OF the country are at
tracted to these states by reason Of
their exceptionally favorable climatic
conditions.
= IA comparison Of the mortality
among whites from tuberculosis Of the
lungs In urban and rural districts
brings out q very considerable differ
ence in favor Of tho latter, the rates
In 1S13 being 1885 for cities Of 10000
ana over, taken as q whole and 1888
for places Of less than 10000.
II Heart Dissass.
r s'The deaths from heart disease (or-
Gar,dc diseases OF the heart and endo-
,cardttis) in the registration area in
1918 numbered s3,142, or Hi per 100.-
900. While the mortality rate for tu-
berculosis has been declining from year
TO year, the rate for heart diseases has
been rising. Starting in 1900 at 1881
per 100, 900, as compared with 201.9 for
tubefcuIosis in all it's forms, the death
rate Tor organic heart diseases and en-
docaxditis has huctuated, reaching It's
highest point in recent years. 151.4. in
1907.
pnsumonia.
ssPneumonia in its various forms was
tho cause OF 33.77s death. or 1924 per
100000. IN the registration area during
1918. The death rate from this risease,
like that from tuberculosis, has shown
= marked decline since 1900, when It
was 1903 per 10O, 900. Its fluctuations
tom year to year. however. have been