Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1934-10-19
DEATH RATE OF
DECENERATIVE
DISEASE GROWS

Occupational death rates Dased on
the United States Census have re-
Gently been made available for the
first time. The figures, published by
the National tuberculosis Associa-
ton, represent information collected
in 10 representative states and are
based on 100000 employed men
from Is through Ga years Of age, at
the time of the census count in April,
1880 and $4,000 deaths Of men in
this group during that calendar year.
The death rate for the total group
of employed men was 81 per thous-
and. Unskilled workers are shown by
the study to have the highest NOR
tally rates Of any economic group,
with a death rate of 14.5 from all
causes. In this class are included the
factory workers and laborers, with
rate of ia; draymen and transfers,
with a rate of 15.4 and coal mine oper-
atives with rate of 12.4. The semi
skilled workers stand next in order,
with a mortality rate of 10.1 per
thousand employed in these occupa-
tions. This group includes guards,
watchmen and doorkeepers; the semi
skilled workers in manufacturing; and
beauty shop operators ,all with death
rates above the average for the total
number Of men.
Skilled workers and foremen have,
as a group, death rate of 8.3. Tail
ors, with rate of 1913 have the high
est mortality in this group, while fore
men and overseers in manufacturing,
(6.0), have the lowest.
The death rate for proprietors,
managers and officials was 10. Res
taurant, cafe and lunchroom keepers,
head this group with a mortality of
1913 per thousand. Clerks and kindred
workers had the comparatively low
death rate Of II, with clerical work.
ers, clerks in stores, real estate agents
and statesmen standing in the order
named. Professional men, including
physicians and surgeons, lawyers,
judges and justices and technical en-
gineers had rate of only 81 The
agricultural workers, including farm
ers and farm laborers had the low
est rate of any class considered a
mortality of 6.2 per 1000 employed.
When specific causes Of death are
considered, it may be seen that paint
ers, draymen and teamsters, guards
and watchmen, laborers and factory
workers had very high mortality
from accidents. On the other hand,
policemen, professional men, draymen
and farmers had a comparatively low
accidental death rate. More servants,
draymen and steamsters, metal work.
ers and watchmen die from tubercu-
losis than clerks, proprietors or pro-
fessional men. Attention is called to
the fact that Tuberculosis, which
numerically has declined to a posi-
ton of seventh as a cause of death
in the general population, is shown
here as the second cause of death
among occupied males. The very
high rates from tuberculosis among
cooks, walters and servants in hotels,
restaurants, etc., should be a sign
post to indicate where industrially
tuberculosis program might be most
needed"
In general it may be concluded that
the death rates from tuberculosis,
pneumonia, suicide, accidents and the
important degenerative diseases, which
include heart disease, cancer, neph-
ritis and erebral hemorrhabe, all show
a tendency to increase in the lower
economic lasses. Diabetes is an ex-
ception to this, with the highest death
rates among proprietors, managers
and officials. The group of unskilled
workers has the highest death rates
from each cause of death except dia-
betes, while the lowest death rates
are usually those for agricultural
workers and professional men.