The Colorado statesman., 1917-06-02
PHTHISIS LABOR'S FOE
Causes Large Percentage of
Deaths Among Male Workers.
Uncle Sans Statistics Show Most Fa-
taIities Among Women Due to
Organic Diseases of Heart.

Based upon 94269 deaths of male
and 102, ,4G7 deaths of female industrial
policyholders. fifteen years of age and
over, as recorded in 1911, 1912 and 1913
by one life insurance company, tuber-
culosis caused the death of 20.5 per
cent of the former and IA per cent
of the latter, while organic diseases of
the heart We're responsible for II per
cent of the deaths of males and 14.S
per cent of the deaths of females. The
average age of men dying from tuber-
culosis was 37.1 years and Of women,
81 years. OF males the lowest aver
age age at death, 81 Il years, was among
those who died from typhoid fever, and
of females the lowest average age ut
death, % years, was among those who
died at childbirth. By occupation, the
lowest average age at death was 3G.3
years among bookkeepers and office as
sistants and the highest average age
was 5S.5 years among farmers and
farm laborers.
These facts are brought out in
bulletin entitled cause of Death, by
Occupation" a study made by Louis
i. Dublin, and recently issued by Uncle
Sans bureau of labor statistics.
tuberculosis was responsible for the
largest number of deaths among clerks,
bookkeepers and office assistants, 30
per cent; compositors and printers,
34.1 per cent gas filters and steam fit
ters BIG per cent; longshoremen and
stevedores, 29.2 per cent; teamsters,
drivers and chauffeurs, 2S.2 per cent;
saloonkeepers and bartenders, 26 per
cent; machinists, % per cent; cigar
makers and tobacco workers, 24.1 per
cent; textile mill workers, % per cent;
iron molders, 21.9 per cent; painters,
paperhangers and varnishers, 21.9 per
cent; masons and bricklayers, 10 per
cent; bakers, 1873 per cent; laborers,
164 per cent blacksmiths. Ia per cent.
Accidental violence was responsible for
the largest number of deaths anaong
railway enginemen and trainmen. 1913
per cent; railway track and yard work
ers, 20.S per cent; and coal miners,
2O4 per cent; while the largest num-
ber of farmers and farm laborers, 1874
per cent died from organic diseases of
the heart, due to the facts that the
prevalence of these diseases increases
with age and that the average age at
death of those in this group is higher
than any other group.
Similarly, among women the largest
number of housewives and housekeep-
ers, 1872 per cent, died from organic
diseases of the heart for the same rea-
son stated above, while tuberculosis
took the largest proportion of clerks,
off
per cent; clerks and saleswomen, 3S.7
per cent; textile mill workers, 35.5 per
cent; dressmakers and garment work
ers, 27.S per cent; and domestic serv-
ants, 159 per cent. The average age at
death was 26.1 years among clerks,
bookkeepers and Office assistants, and
53.3 years among housewives and
housekeepers.
The statistics indicate that respira-
tory diseases are prominent where the
Industrial worker is exposed to colds,
drafts and dampness, as among masons
and bricklayers, or to violent changes
of temperature, as among teamsters,
drivers and chauffeurs. Organic dis
eases of the heart have high proper
tional frequency in cases where the
work is heavy and the cardiac powers
are overtaxed as among iron molders.
Suicide is frequent where depressing
influences are present as among bakers
and cigar makers. Typhoid fever is
high where questionable water sup
plies are used, as among enginemen
and trainmen, farmers, iron molders
and laborerS.