The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-11-19
Story of the Death Rates
Conquest of tuberculosis Goes On, Cancer Figures
Are Pulling Few Die Of Old Age
By JACQUES W. REDwAY. F.R.cs.

NeW England States. where Il ranges
from 99.7 TO 1875. figures which are IN
strong contrast with those Of th~ South
ern States. whore the rates are about
one-half as great. In South Carolina
the rate is only 32.s. In Nortu Carolina
within few years the rate mas dropped
from 59.47to 89.5. and In no state south
OF the fortieth parallel, Maryland ex-
cepted. is the rate materially higher
THAI 5e.
Inc cities present, pussling statistics
Thus San Francisco. next to the highest
IN the list. has rate Of 1912, and Oak
land. rife shot distant across tn. bay.
has rate Of 9s.7. Los Angeles, famous
for Its good sanitation. ie high In the
list at 1859. Within its political limits
Boston has a rate Of 1903: Cambridge
Is far ahead. with figures at 1874. Ak
ron. Ohio. Is at the bottom OF the list
al 400. Cincinnati Ii we'll toward the
top at 1915 AT Trenton, N. j.. the rate
ls 1853. al Albany IT is la. When the
cause or causes OF these differences has
been explained huma nifty will be well
along In the knowledge of the etioloey
Of cancer.
Color Is factor In cancer. In general
the mortality among negroes le a little
more than two-thirds that among whites.
Thus In South Carolina the rate among
negroes Is 25.S. among whites &o.9. All
these figures suggest certain conclusions !;
they likewise present the possibility OF
various AltnNnations: but they do not
solve the problem.
Ono might ask II the character of the
food is a factor, Perhaps. but IL is
hardly conceivable that this would ex-
plain the difference between the rates
OF san Francisco and Oakland or Of
Boston and Cambridge Patholoetsts
have long suspected that the character
OF the food might explain the nature
and origin Of cancer. and although one
theory after another has proved unten-
able research In this direction Ia
abuadantly justifable.
There Is also the possibility that coil
character and content may be a factor.
This might explain the difference be-
tween the rates of Albany and Trenton,
and between localities in the giaciated
and the sedentary soils. But Il would
not explain the difference between the
rates OF Maryland and Virginia. mat
ter OF 3S points Inasmuch as cancer is
most prevalent after the age OF as. It
follows that age distribution will be
factor In determining the death rate.
Sex also is factor: the proportion of
deaths male and female is 5s to AZ.
These facts In part explain the high
rates In the Northeastern States
Brght's disease Is fourth in the NOR
tally list. From the beginning OF the
century to 1917 the rate Increased stead
lily to a possible peak OF 1873; since
that time II has fallen to Ss4. In
nearly half the States the rate of 1917
has been maintained or has increased.
On the whole. the rate ls now lower
than for many years. Physicians have
suspected that more wholesome and
reasonable diet resulting from war reg
ulations explains the cause of the lower
rate.
Pneumonia has been with us from
the beginning. The years of influenza
prevalence excepted. the rate has
changed little. The rate OF 1874 has
increased about four points In ten years
1t Is highest In Pennsylvania and Della
ware 1t is lowest In Florida and Min
nesota. The range among States is
from 70 to 1917: among cities II Is
from SAL In Los Angeles to 341.s In
Pittsburgh. Two features are worth
notice.: The rate In cities Is about 60
per cent greater than In rural com
munities the rate among negroes is 60
per cent. greater than among whites.
Apoplexy. sixth In the list of mortal
ailments. with a rate OF 500. has shown
great increase in ten years. II is
slightly more prevalent in rural than in
urban communities II Is about twice as
fatal among whites as among negroes.
Deaths from violence number 1856.
OF which 62.492 are noted as accidental
leaving pretty large remainder due
to homicide and suicide campaign
or safety first has not been without its
results. for in ten years the rate de-
creased from 1862 to ss.s. This. how
ever. does not apply to motor car kill
ings. which have Increased by leaps and
bounds
AS a rule the highest death rate oc-
ours I'm January The year 1922 Will
be an exception. The years 1920 and
1921 were also exceptions In these
years the death toll was materially
higher in February. In each year the
rate OF the lowest month. usually a
midsummer month. is less than half
that Of the highest winter month An
examination of the figures shows that
in 1922 the high February rate was
due to pneumonia and Influenza.
Within the registration area the death
toll OF 1920 was 1.l42.55s. or this num-
Der only l2.459 died Of old age One
fact, therefore, Ia obvious Very few
people die from the only cause which
lie not preventable they kill themselves.
possibly. by their own indIscreuons.