Death Rate for 1913

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 9, 1914

Death Rate for 1913

WE copy from a recent number of the Lutheran the following figures relating to the death rate of the various American cities for the last year:—

According to a bulletin of the Bureau of the Census, the death rate of the registration area of the United States for 1913 was 14.1 per thousand estimated population. In 1912 it was 13.9; in 1911, 14.2. For the years from 1901 to 1905 the average was 16.2; from 1906 to 1910 it was 15.1. We are therefore continuing an improvement, the average for 1911, 1912, and 1913 being 14.06. These are the exact figures as stated in the report of the Census Bureau. What they mean in actual lives is not indicated except by closer analysis. The decrease from 16.2, the average from 1901 to 1905, to 14.1, the average for 1913, amounts to 13 per cent, or a reduction of one death in every eight. If the same rate had prevailed in 1913 as in the period from 1901 to 1905, there would have been 1,025,446 deaths recorded instead of 890,823, an excess of 134,623. The largest percentage of decrease was shown for Rhode Island (15.7), followed by New York (12.3), New Jersey (11.2), and Massachusetts (9.6).

Among the cities of over 100,000 population, Seattle and Spokane lead by far with death rates of only 8.4 and 8.9, respectively. Portland, Oregon, follows, with a rate of 9.5, so that this particular corner of the United States by comparison would seem to be more than holding its own. It seems almost obvious that location, climate, and character of population are responsible for this low rate. Minneapolis and St. Paul, as usual, contest for next place with 11.6 and 11, Oakland and Milwaukee following with 12.5 and 12.7. The highest rates occur in Memphis, Tenn., 20.8; Richmond, Va., 20.4; New Orleans, 19.9; Albany, N. Y., 19.8; Baltimore, 18.5; Nashville, Tenn., 17.8; Birmingham, Ala., 17.4; Atlanta, Ga., 17.4, and Washington, D. C., 17.3.