The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1919-12-24

ticeable Decrease as Compared
With 1e16-Next to Influenza High
est Death Rate From Epidemic Dis
ease Was Diphtheria.
| The census bureaus annual com.
pllation of mortality statistics for the
| NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. area in continental
United States shows 1,06S,932 deaths
as having occurred in this area in
1917, representing a rate of 14.2 per
1000 of population.
OF deaths, nearly one-third were
| due to three cauSes-heart disease,
pneumonia and tuberculosis-and near
iy another third resulted from the fol-
lowing nine causes: Bright's disease
and nephritis, apoplexy, cancer, diar-
rhoea and enteritis, arterial diseases,
Influenza, diabetes, diphtheria and
bronchitis. The death-registration
area of the United States in 1917 com
Drised 81 states, the district of Co.
.umbia and AZ cities in non-registra-
lion states, with total estimated pop
alation of 75,000,000, or about 70 per
cent of the estimated population of the
United States.
Fewer Die of Heart Disease.
The deaths from heart disease Tor
yanic diseases of the heart and endo-
,arditis) numbers 1887. or 1882 per
100000 population. The death rate
from this cause shows a noticeable de-
crease as compared with 1916, when it
was 1894 per 100000. There have
been fluctuations from year to year,
out in general there has been marked
for which the annual mortality statis-
les were published, when the rate for
leart disease was only 1881 per 100-
200.
Pneumonia (including broncho-pneu-
monia) was responsible for 112,SS1
1eaths, or 1903 per 100000. This rate,
although much lower than that for
1900 1S05) or for several succeeding
years, is higher than that for any year
Turing the period 190S-1916 The low
est recorded rate for pneumonia was
l27 per 100000 in 1914. The mortal
ty from this disease has fluctuated
considerably from year to year since
1900, the general tendency having
oeen downward until 1914 and upward
rom 1914 to 1917.
tuberculosis in It's various forms
.aused 110,2S5 deaths, of which 97,047
we're due to tuberculosis of the lungs.
rhe death rate from all forms of tu-
oerculosis was 1864 per 100000, and
rom tuberculosis of the lungs 1889.
The rate from tuberculosis Of all forms
declined continuously from 2007 per
100000 in 1904 to 141.6 per 100000
n 1916, the decrease amounting to
nearly 30 per cent; but for 1917 an in
,rease is shown. Until 1912 more
leaths were due to tuberculosis than
% any other single cause, but in that
year and during the period 1914-1917
ess than that from heart diseases, and
n 1917 it fell below that from pneu-
nonia also.
Cancer Fatalities Greater.
Cancer and other malignant tumors
,aused 81 ,452 deaths, of which number
g, Alb, or SO per cent, resulted from
lancer of the stomach and liver. The
ate from cancer has risen from 63
,er 100000 in 1900 to SIG in 1917.
The increase has not been cOntinu-
JUS, there having been three years
906, 1911 and 1917-which showed |
leclnes as compared with the years
preceding. The decrease |
n 1917, as compared with 1916, how.
yer, was very slight-from S1.S to |
'1.6. It should be borne in mind that |
It least a part of the increase in the |
leath rate from cancer may be appar-
mt rather than real, being due to
,reater degree of accuracy in diagnor
is and to greater care on the part of
physicians in making reports to regis
ration officials.
Influenza was responsible for 1924
eaths, or 17.2 per 100000. This rate
$ the highest shown for any epidemic
isease in 1917, but is much lower than
he corresponding one for the preced-
ng year, 264 per 100000. The infiu-
MA rate, which fiuctuates greatly, was
ighest in 1901, when it stood at 1922,
han in any subsequent year prior to
he occurrence of the recent epidemic.
Next to that for influenza, the high
st rate appearing for any epidemic
isease in 1917 was for diptheria, 14.5
er 100000, representing 12,453 deaths.
he rate from this disease was some
that higher in 1917 than In the preced-
ng year, when it stood at 145 per
10000.
Bronchitis caused 1891 deaths, or
6.3 per 100000. This rate is lower
han that for any preceding year ex-
ept 1916, when it was 1850. The pro-
OPTIONAL decline from 1900, for which
ear the bronchitis rate was 45.7, to
DIT, amounting to GA per cent, was
reater than that shown for any other
nportant cause of death.
Typhoid Fever resulted in 1918
eaths, or 1874 per 100000. The NOR
ility rate from this cause also has
1own a remarkable reduction since