Evening star., 1934-07-06
BABY DEATH RATE
HERE HELD HIGHER
THAN IN 38STATES
Census Bureau Figures Also
Show Births Exceed All
but 10 CommonWealthS.
BIRTHS IN U. S. REVEALED
AS LOWEST ON RECORD
DR.. Fowler Attributes Averages
to Capitals Large Colored
Population.

Washington's infant mortality rate
is higher than that for 38 of the 48
States and is much higher than the
average for the country as a whole.
Likewise the birth rate exceeds all
but 10 States and is higher than the
average for the entire country.
In stillbirths, the District of Co
lumbia ranks eighth with an average
above that for the whole country.
Figures made public yesterday by
the Census Bureau, described as pro
visional," show that in 1888 the birth
rate in the United States was the low
est recorded since such statistics have
been tabuiated.
The birth rate for the United States
was 1874 per 1000 population. In
Washington the rate was 20l.
The infant mortality rate for the
whole country was 58.2 per 1000 live
births and in Washington 1t was 67.2.
The rate of stillbirths for the Ma
ton was 81 per 100 live births and
in the District was "A.
FOWlcT EISuTcS DlSdsTcc.
Although no official explanation
was given by the Census Bureau for
the high figures in the District, DR..
w. c. Fowler, city health officer, at
tributed the averages to Washington s
large colored population.
DR.. Fowler cited figures from his
own records which disagree slightly
with the Census Bureau and show
Washington to have a lower rate
than the Federal agency announced.
His figures on infant mortality put
the rate at 65.3 for 900 live births
Divided between white and colored
population, the health officers figures
show rate of only 474 per 1000
among the white population. but a
rate of 9e7 for the colored residents
in 1888.
The report pointed out that the
infant mortality rates were highest
in New Mexico with 1912 and Ari-
zona with 1114. where there is a
large nomadic Indian and Mexican
population. The next highest rates
are found in South Carolina, Louisi-
ana. Georgia, Colorado, Tennessee,
Texas, Virginia and West Virginia
With one exception these States have
large colored populations.
2,064,944 Births in U. s.
In stillbirths the trend is similar.
the largest rates being found in Ala
bama, Florida. Georgia, Louisiana,
Maryland. Mississippi and South
Carolina. in all of which the rate
is higher than in the District of
Columbia.
Total figures for the United States
were 2,064,944 births, l20,199 deaths
of infants under one year Of age,
and 1881 stillbirths. These figures
placed the rates 1874 in 1888 as COM
pared to ia in 1892. For infant
mortality the rate increased for 57.6
in 1882 to 582 last year. Stillbirths
dropped from 3.8 to 81.
Corresponding figures for the Dis
tricT we're 1852 births. $3.50 infant
deaths and 433 still births. The
changes in rates were pol in 1898.
against 20.6 in 1882. For infant deaths
the rate dropped from 72.9 in 1892 to
67.2 in 1888. Still births, however, in
creased from 4.3 to ~.
New York Heads List.
New York. Pennsylvania, Texas and
Illinois had the largest number of
births. respectively, as follows-187,-
139. 157,046, 107,924 and 106,86l.
The States with the highest rates
per 1000 population. however, were
New Mexico, 267: North Carolina and
Utah, each 229; South Carolina, 22.7:
Mississippi. 2l.6; Alabama, 21.1, and
Virginia, 2l-all Southern States ex-
cept Utah and all largely rural The
lowest birth rates were for Oregon,
1872. and California, 1874
The 1888 report was the first to be
made for the entire United States.
When the Census Bureau began COL
lecting such figures, in 1915, only 10
States and the District were included.
Gradually other States we're added
until last year, when Texas came in,
the entire Nation was included.