The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-22
CANCER RATE is INCREASING
Diseases of Kidneys Also Show
Tendency to Climb.
Measles Take Many; Accidents
FeWeSt on the Records.

Washington, d. c.. Jan. 22.-Ac-
cording to a preliminary announce
ment with reference to mortality in
1914, issued by Director Sam. L.
Rogers, of the bureau of census. de-
partment of commerce, and compiled
by Mr.. Richard c. Lappin, chief sta
tistician for vital statistics, more than
80 per cent of the S9s,059 deaths re-
ported for that year in the ''registra-
zion area" which contained about
two-thirds of the population of the
entire United States, were due to three
causes-heart diseases, tuberculosis,
and pneumonia-and more than so
per cent to eleven cause.-the three
just named, together with Bright's
p disease and nephritis, cancer, diarrhea
and enteritis, apoplexy, arterial dis
eases, diphtheria, diabetes and typhoid
fever.
The deaths from heart diseases Cor
Ranic diseases of the heart and endo-
carditis) in the registration area in
1914 numbered 1854, or 1903 per
100000 population. The death or
mortality rate from this cause shows
marked increase as compared with
1900, when it was only 1881 per 100,-
900.
t. b. A Close Second.
Tuberculosis in its various forms
claimed 96,9O3 victims in 1914, of
which number 1886 died from tuber-
culosis of the lungs Including acute
military tuberculosis). As result
of a more general understanding of
tho laws of health, the importance of
fresh air. etc, due in part, no doubt,
to the efforts of the various societies
for the prevention of tuberculosis,
there has been a most marked and
gratifying decrease during recent
wears in the mortality from this
scourge of civilization. In only a de-
cade-from 1904 to 1914-the death
rate from tuberculosis in all its forms
fell from 200.7 TO 1863 per 100000,
the decline being continuous from
year to year. This is drop OF more
than rs per cent.
Pneumonia (including bronchO-
pneumonia was responsible Tor S"'eO+
deaths in the registration area in
1914, or 1877 per 00,00O-the lowest
rate on record. The mortality rate
from this disease, like that from tu-
berculosis, has shown marked de-
cline since 1900, when it was 1903 per
100000.
Tho only remaining death rate
higher than 100 per 100000 in 1914
was that for Bright's disease and acute
nephritis, 1924. The total number OF
deaths due to these maladies in 1914
was 67545, more than nine-tenths OF
which were caused by Bright's disease
and the remainder by acute nephritis.
The mortality from these two causes
increased from SO per 100000 in 1900
to 1884 in 1905, since which year II
Cancer Deaths Increase.
Next in order of deadliness come
cancer and other malignant tumors
which filled 52,420 graves in 1914. or
these deaths, 1889, or almost SS per
cent, resulted from cancers of the
stomach and liver. The death rate
from cancer has risen from SO per
100000 in 1900 to 1914 in 1914. The
increase has been almost continuous.
there having been but two years
1906 and 1911-which showed a de-
cline as compared with the years I'M
mediately preceding. 1t is possible
that at least a part of this indicated
" agnoses and greater care on the part
of physicians in making reports to
registration officials.
Diarrhea and enteritis caused ST.
407 deaths in 1914, or 1914 per 1907
900. This rate shows marked fall
ing off as compared with the rate for
the preceding year, 90.2, and very
pronounced decline as compared with
that for 1900, which was 1892. Near
ly five-sixths of the total number of
deaths charged to these causes in 1914
were of infants under years of age.
ApopleXy was the cause of 1,272
deaths, or 77.7 per 100000. The rate
from this rnalady has increased grad
ually, with occasional slight declines,
since 1900, when it stood at SIS.
Arterial diseases of various kinds
atheroma, aneurism, etc.-caused TO-
044 deaths, or 22.S per 100000, in
the registration area.
Typhoid Drops Fast.
No epidemic disease produced a
death rate as high as Is per 100000
in 1914. The fatal cases of diph-
iberia and croup-which are classed
together in the statistics, but practi-
cally all of which are of diphtheria-
numbered 11,7S6. or 17.9 per 100000
in that year, the rate having faller
from 1913 in 1900. This decline OF
nearly SO per cent is relatively great
er than thar shown by any other i'm
portant cause of death.
Dial etes was the cause of 10, 66f
deaths, d 1872 per 100000. The rate
from this disease has risen almos
continuously from year to year since