Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 November 1897 — FEW BIRTHS REPORTED. [ARTICLE]

FEW BIRTHS REPORTED.

State Boa ml of Health Unable to Oct Satisfactory Statistics. For the year ending Oct. 31,1897, there was reported to the State Board of Health by the county boards of health: Total number of deaths.lß,244 Total number of birth5.....32,274 Total number of marriages .20,419 According to the reports the mortality of the following diseases was: Diphtheria 943 Pulmonary phthisisl,974 Pneumonia ~'j. 1,181 Scarlet fever 55 Typhoid fever 655 Measles 92 “Counting the population of Indiana at 2,250,000, the death rate from the above reported figures would be 7.21 per 1,000 of population, a figure certainly one-half too low, for the rate cannot be less than 15 per 1,000, more likely 17 or 18 per cent,” says the report. “Even the number of births and marriages arc not accurate, the former being probably onetenth greater than reported, and the deficiency in the latter is unknown. The question, Why is this so? is most pertinent. One county, Parke, has made no report for the year, and for the last quarter no reports have been received from Lake, Scott and Warren counties. “The incompleteness of the statistics is increased by the further fact that many physicians refuse or neglect to report deaths and cases of contagious diseases to the county or other health officers. “In regard to the reported figures, if we accept the estimate that the reports are deficient by 50 per cent, the corrected figures would be: Total deaths 32,488 Diphtheria deaths 1,888 Consumption deaths 3,948 Pneumonia deaths 2,362 Scarlet fever deaths HO Typhoid fever deaths 1,310 Measles 184 “In 1890 the United States census enumerators reported 24,180 deaths as having occurred in Indiana. The population of the State at the same census was reported as 2,192,404. This gives a death rate of 11.03 per 1,000, which was unquestionably below the truth. In 1880 the census enumerators reported 31,213 deaths, or 15.78 per 1,000 of population. The average death rate for the whole United States in 1880 was 18 per 1,000. It is impossible from Indiana’s vital statistics to calculate the true death rate, and the expectation of life at each age in each sex. We do know, however, when certain diseases have prevailed, but no comparison can be made between different localities in this regard. Accepting the deaths from consumption to be 3,948, twice the number actually reported, then out of every 1,000 deaths in Indiana during the year ending Oct. 31, 1897, 121 are to be attributed to this disease. The corresponding figure in the whole United States in 1890 was 121.5. It therefore appears that as far as this disease is concerned we are no worse off than other States. The same method of calculation applied to typhoid fever shows 40.3 deaths out of every 1,000 deaths. The corresponding figure for the whole United States in 1890 was 32.2. This difference does not speak well for Indiana, for typhoid fever is a filth disease. A proper up-to-date health law is badly needed.”