The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-01-18
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BIRTHS AND DEATHS.

In the recently established birth
registration area of the United States
comprising the six New England
states, New York, Pennsylvania.
Michigan, Minnesota, and the District
OF Columbia, with an estimated popu-
lation of 31,150,000 representing 81
per cent of the total for the United
States-776,304 infants were born
alive in 1915, representing q birth rate
of 249 per 1000 of population. For
every state in the registration area
and for most of the cities there was
a substantial excess OF births over
deaths, but this excess was most pro-
nounced in those localities in which
the proportion of foreign population is
largest. The majority rate of infants
under / year of age averaged 100 per
1000 births, ranging from 70 in Min
nesota to 100 in Rhode Island, and,
among places having $4,000 inhabi-
tants or more, from 81 in Brookline
and Maiden, Mass, to 1876 in Shenan-
doah, Pa. These are among the signi-
ficant facts presented in preliminary
statement just made public by Direc-
tor Sam l.. Rogers of the Bureau of
the Census, Department of Commerce.
The cities showing the highest five
birth rates are Detroit, Mich, 37.9;
Chicopee, Mass, 37.6; Niagara Falls,
N. Y, 37.5; New Britain, Conn, 1854;
and Chelsea, Mass, 34.5. the death
rates for these cities-15.7, 14.7, 16,
II, and 1913, spectively-were, with
the single exception of that for New
Britain, higher than the average for
the birth-registration area but were
far below the maximum death rate
shown for any city in the area-21.7,
for Norristown, Pa.
The lowest five birth rates appear
for Brookline, Mass, 12.7; York, Pa,
j17.5; Kalamazoo, Mich, 1872; Kings
ton, N. Y. 1875; and Troy, N. Y, 1876.
The death rates for the first-named
two places weer lower than the aV-
Crage for the registration area, and
those for the first named three were
lower than the corresponding birth
rates; but for Kingston and Troy the
death rates-1S.6 and 1917 respective
Ily-exceeded the birth rates.
The relation between the birth rate
and the constitution of the population
in respect of race and nativity is of
great interest. For the six cities in
the registration area in which the
colored population at the last census
either numbered more than 10000 or
represented more than 10 per cent of
the total, separate figures are given
fol the white and colored races; and
il all but one of these cities-Wash-
ington, d. C.-the birth rates shown
for the colored population were lower
than those for the whites. 1t is prob
able, however, that tie registration of
births is less nearly complete among
colored than among white persons,
and that therefore the rates shown
for the former class are too low. The
death rates are higher, and in many
cases much higher than those for the
whites.
The birth statistics do not of course
show the number of children per fam
lily, but some indication of the fecun-
dity of the native and foreign ele-
ments of the population may be OBJ
tanned from comparison between
the proportion which the number of
foreign parents formed of the total
number of white parents to whom
children were born in 1915 and the
pI oportion which foreign-born persons
represented of the total white popu-
lation in 1910. From such compari-
son it appears that far more births
occur annually to foreign-born par
ents. In connection approximately 80
per cent of the white population in
1910 was of foreign birth, but nearly
So per cent of the white parents to
whom children were born in 1915
were reported as native of foreign
countries.
The rate of infant mortality-tha
is, the number of deaths of infants
under year of age per 1000 born
Of particular interest. This
rate, for the registration area as
whole, was 100 in 1915. This is prac-
tically equivalent to saying thai of
every ten infants born alive one died
before reaching the age of / year.
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