Evening journal., 1915-04-20
PRINCIPAL Cause
OF DEATH IN U. 5.
tuberculosis, Heart Disease
and Pneumonia Claim
the Most Victims
DEATH RATE IS
MATERIALLY LOWER

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL !
WASHINGTON. April 20. The iat-
est report on mortality in the regis
tration area of the United States, re-
latinc To the calendar year 1913, re-
Gently issued by the bureau of the
census. Department of Commerce, con-
tsins some interesting and significant
figures with reference TO the princl-
pal causes of death In this country.
More than 0nc-hall of all the deaths
in the registration area which IN
1918 contained about SO per cent. OF
the total population O ftho United
States were due 10 nine causes. Iu-
berculosis. heart diseases. pneumonia,
Blights disease and nophritis, diar-
rhea and entcritis. cancer. apopleXy
diphthcria and Group and typhoid
fever. The first three of these mala-
dies alone we're responsible for more
than 30 per cent of the total mortal
iiy reported for that year.
The death rate from these nine
causes combined i'm 1913 was SlOf
per 100000 population This is "A ma
ferial decrease from the correspond
ing rate in 1900 -9374 per 100000
when the Census Bureau made It's
FIRST annual collection of mortality
statistics The number of deaths re-
sulting from these causes, however,
formed somewhat greater proper
tion of the total reported mortality In
1918 than in l900--57 per cent in the
later year as compared with SO per
cent IN the earlier
Tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis i'm it's various forms
claimed 9342l victims in 1913, of
which number SO.Sl2 died from tuhcr-
culosis of the lungs tincluding acute
military tuberculosisl With improve
ed sanitation and with better nudcr-
standing of the laws of health and
the Importance of pure air, however,
inc white plague is rapidly hecom-
ing less serious menace 10 health
and happiness In only nine years
from 1904 TO 19l3-tno mortality rate
from tuberculosis IN ali It's forms
fell from 200.7 10 1876 per 100000.
the decline being continuous from
year to year Prior to 1904 the rate
had huctuated. starting at 20i.9 in
1900
satisfactory comparison Of differ
ent sections of the country with re-
spect 10 the prevalence of tuhcrculo-
sis is impossible. since the only south
ern States embraced I'm the registra-
tlon area are Maryland. Virginia and
Kentucky. together with the North
Carolina municipalities which had H.
600 or more inhabitants in 1900. and
number Of northern and western
States are not included. I'm general,
however il may be said that tn NOR
tality due 10 this disease is somewhat
higher among whites in the South
-. Il
times as high among negroes as among
whites. The far northern States OF
Maine. New Hampshire Vermont,
Michigan. Wisconsin. Minnesota, Mon
tana and Washington show white
mortality rates from tuberculosis
which were decidedly lower than The
average for the entire registration
area. pennsylvania's rate was also
low. On the other hand. the rate i'm
utah--whose southern boundary lies
in nearly the same latitude as that
of Virginia lis away below that of
any other State being only about one
third as high as the rate for the en-
tire registration area. The mortality
rate among the white population from
tuberculosis of the lungs throughout
the entire registration area in 1918
was 1851 per 100000. The CORE
spending rates for tho States just
named are as follows: Utah. 81,
Washington, 716; Michigan. ISL;
Montana. 1913; Wisconsin. S34; Min
nesota. SAG: Vermont SS.5: Pennsyl-
vana, 97.3; New Hampshire. 9SS.
The death rates from tuberculosis
of the lungs are ahnormally high
among the white population i'm both
California and Colorado-l675 and
1872 per 100000. respe,ttvcly- be-
cause of the fact that many consump-
tives from other parts of the country
are attracted to these States by rea.
son of their exceptionally favorable
climatic conditions.
comparison of the mortality
among whites from tuberculosis oil
the lungs in urban and rural districts
brings ont very -cnsideras'c d.f
ference in favor OF Inc latter. the rates
IN 1913 being 1919 for cities oi lN
0un and over, taken as a whole. ant
1O0.N for places 9, less than ~ GOA
The deaths from heart disease Cor
ganic diseases OF the heart and endo
carditis) in the registration area n
1913 numbered 93.142 or l47.1 per 100.
Geo. While the mortality rate for ia
berculosis has been declining from