The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-02-05
COUNTRY'S DEATH
RECORD FOR 1918
The Death Rate Was 1870 Per One
Thousands, Which Is the Highest
Rate on Record.

The census bureau annual compila
alton of mortality statistics for the
death registration area in continental
United States, representing rate OF
1870 per 1000 population, was the high
est rate on record IN the census bureau
due to the influenza epidemic.
OF the total deaths 477,467 or over
80 per cent, were due to influenza and
pneumonia TALL forms), 3,s0,9o6 having
occurred in thu last four months OF
the year during the influenza epidemic,
The rate for influenza and pneumonia
TALL forms) is 5s3,2 per 100000. Infiu-
enza caused 244,6sl deaths and pneu-
monia tal forms) 232,7s6, showing
rates of 2os.o and 2s4.3 per 100000,
respectively, these being the highest
rates which have ever appeared Tor
these causes. The rate in 1917 for in
fluenza was l7.2 and for pneumonia tall
formsI was l49s In fact, the differ
ence (4l6.2 per 100000 population be-
tween the 1917 and 1913 rates CORES
ponds with the excess mortality which
occurred in the last four months Of the
year from the influenza epidemic.
The next most important causes Of
death were organic diseases OF the
heart. tuberculosis (all formsl, acute
nephritis and Bright's disease, and can
Ger, which together were responsible
for 39l ,39l deaths, or nearly ~ per cent
Of the total number
The death registration area in 1918
comprised 80 states, the District OF Co
lumbia, and ~ registration cities in
non-registration states, with a total
estimated population OF sl,S6s,l04, or
IT'S per cent of the estimated popula-
ton of the United States. The terri
tory of Hawaii is now a part of the
registration area, but the figures given
in this summary relate only to CONT
mental United States.
The deaths from organic diseases 81
the heart numbered l24.66s, or 1928
per 100000 population. The death rate
from this cause Shows slight de
crease as compared with 1917, when it
was 1882 per 100000. There have been
fluctuations from year to year, but IN
general there has been marked IN
crease since 1900, the earliest year for
which annual mortality statistics were
published, when the rate for organic
diseases of the heart was H. per l00,-
900 population,
Tuberculosis In its various forms
caused l22.040 deaths, OF which l0s,-
365 were due to tuberculosis OF the
lungs. The death rate from all forms
of tuberculosis was l49.l per 100000,
and from tuberculosis of the lungs,
1924. The rate from tuberculosis OF
all forms declined continuously from
269.7 per 100000 in 1904 to tl5l.6 in
1915. the decrease amounting to near
" 80 per cent; but for 1917 and 1918
increases are shown. the 1918 rate be
ing somewhat higher than the rate for
1917. when it was 1864 Until 1912
more deaths were due TO tuberculosis
than TO any other single cause. but in
that year and during the period Of
lg14.loIS the mortality from tnber-
culosis was less than that from heart
diseases.
Brights disease and acute nephrftis
caused 7g,343 deaths. or o6.9 pei l00.,
600. This il noticeable decrease az
compared with 1917 when the rate was
1914 per 100000
Cancer and other malignant tumors
were responsible for $3.50 deaths, OF
which number 247s3. or nearly 80 per
cent. resulted from cancer of the stoin-
ach and liver The rate t10lsl Is de-
crease from 1917, when it was sl.6.
With the exceptions of the years 1906,
1907. 1911. 1917 and 1918, there has
been continuous increase in the death
rates from those diseases.
Apoplexy was the cause Of 64,a0i
deaths. or 7a3 per 100000. This rate,
too. declined. having been for 1917,
$50.
Diarrhea and cntYitis caused 6o,l0e
deaths. or 72.2 per 100000. decrease
from the rate (l90l for 1917. More
than four-ii fths Of the total deaths
charged to those causes in 1918 were
of infants under two years Of age.
Arterial disease OF various kinds
atheroma, aneurism, etc. resulted in
1907 deaths, or 23.2 per 100000, which