The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1916-12-14
Causes of Death

What diseases are most fatal III
the United States?
Some interesting information on
the subject is furnished in the pre-
liminary report on vital statistics
recently published by the Census
Bureau at Washington, which re-
port covers the Registration A
rea" of this country. The facts
concerning health matters in this
area, which includes about two
thirds Of the population of the en-
tire country, ARE compiled from the
reports of health boards and Of
ficials in various sections of the
country who are able to convince
the Census Bureau that their re-
ports are within a small percent
age of accuracy. They cover the
number and causes of death, the
prevalence of different diseases,
the number of births and other
facts of value to students of health
and sanitation.
Although but a small portion of
Florida a few cities which in
clude less than half of the popu-
lation of the state is embraced
in the Registration Area, it is
quite probable that the facts Civ
en- are approximately correct for
the entire state as indicating the
averages for the entire country as
well as for the great southern pen
insula.
OF the 909,155 deaths in this
area in 1915, nearly one-third were
due to three diseases-heart dis
eases, tuberculosis and pneumo-
MIA, and one third to Bright's dis
ease and nephritis, cancer, Apo
plexy, diarrhea, and enteritis, ar
terial diseases, diabetes, influenza,
diphtheria and typhoid fever.
Heart diseases, including organ
ic diseases and endocarditis, were
most exacting in their toll, caus-
ing 105, 200 deaths. tuberculosis
was second in its number of vic
tins 98,194 of them and &c.
900 died from tuberculosis of the
lungs. But these figures show
gratifying success in the efforts to
control the diseases, which declin-
ed from death rate in 1904 of
20O.7 per 100000, to 1853 in 1915,
decrease of more than one7quart-
err. Yet the disease caused more
deaths than any other, excepting
heart diseases, and almost double
the number resulting from all ex-
ternal causes combined --acci-
dents, homicides and suicides.
Pneumonia was the third in the
list, with 1926 deaths, giving a
death rate per 100000 OF 1927.
The lowest rate on the records of
the Department from this cause
was 1877 per 100000 in 1914. The
fluctuations of this rate have been
marked, but a noticeable decline
has been maintained since the year
1900.
Other diseases follow in the or
der of their fatalities, the number
of deaths and the rate per 1OO,-
600 being given for each. Bright S
disease and acute nephritis, TO-
500, rate 104.7; cancer and other
malignant tumors, 50, 584, rates 81
/. OF these, about four of each
ten deaths were caused by cancer
of the stomach and liver. The
records show an almost unbroken
increase in the number of deaths
from this cause since 1900. APP
poplexy, 53,397 deaths, rate 1913.
This disease also has showed in
crease in its fatalities since 1900.
Diarrhea and enteritis, 1925
death rates TIT. Almost five
Sixths of these deaths were Of
children under two years of age.
Arterial diseases caused 1865
deaths, with a rate of 1913. Dia-
betes, Hts deaths, rates 1T
The numbers of deaths from this
cause have shown remarkable in
crease during the last fifteen
years. Influenza, 10,76S deaths,
rate Is. Diphtheria and Group,
which are classed together in the
department statistics, claimed 49,
$40 victims with a rate of 1871.
The decline in this rate since 1900
has been more than one-half -
greater than that of any other i'm
portant death-causing disease, ex-
cepting typhoid fever.
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