The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-07-24

record health year. while the Janu- ary-June death rate in 1o42 for 67 large cities declined as compared with 1o4i.
 Among the insured men, women and children, new low death rates for the first half of 1042 were estab- lished for nine diseases-scarle fever, whooping cough, diptheria, infiuenza-with a rate little more than half of what 1t was at its previous low in 103G-pneumonia, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, appendi- citis and puerperal diseases.
 Pointing out that the accident situation is of special interest this year because of the opposing fac- tors influencing it," the statistici- ans say: Increased industrial activ- ity has resulted in @ greater num- Der of occupational fatalities. At the same time, the government s restrictions on the use of cars have reduced the number of motc" ve- hicle accidents. The June ra e for motor vehicle accidents is almost one-third lower than last years. For the first six months of 1042 the rate was 6.2 per cent below that of l041. T he rate of all forms of acci- dents for the first half year exceeds that of the corresponding period of last year by AZ per cent, which, in view of all the facts, Is a favorable showing"
 Heart Diseases
 One of the favorable items In the half-year mortality record among the insured group was the slight decline in the rate for the cardio- vascular-renal diseases, or diseases of the heart, arteries and kidneys, which usually show at least slight rise. Of these diseases, cerebral hemorrhage, chronic nephritis, and chronic heart disease had lower death rates than in 194l, and chronic nephritis reached new low figure for the first half year period. Only one of this group-diseases of the coronary arteries-failed to show drop in mortality. The mor- tality rotes for cancer and diabetes also showed slight decline for the half year as compared with the cor responding period of 1941.
 Referring to the diseases for which new low death rates were established during the first half of this year, the statisticians say:
 Perhaps the most significant is the record established for influenza and pneumonia. The combined rate is down 25 per cent since 194l. The marked decline in mortality for in- fluenza in single year is, of course, of no particular importance consid- ering the fact that 1041 was an in- fluenza year. It Is significant, how ever, that the influenza mortality this year is little more than one- half what 1t was at its previous low in 1888. The drop in the pneu- monia rate is even more important. It continues the downward trend which was inaugurated with the widespread use of serum and the sulfa drugs in the treatment of this disease. For example, for the 10 years prior to 1888, pneumnia mor- tality, though fluctuating widely ccording to the prevalence of in- fluenza, never fell below 79 per 100,- 900. Then in 1888 the pneumonia death rate dropped to 660 per 10o,- 600, in 1899 to CO.'S, in 1040 to All and in 1941 to 40.9. The improve ment in 1942 brought the rate among the Industrial policyholders down to 35.6 per 100000 for the first six months of the year."
 Appendicitis, for which a new low death rate for the period was estab- lished during the first half of the year by the insured group, is an- other disease, the statisticians point out, which has benefited from the sulfa drugs.