SECTION VIII COMPARISON OF DEGENERATIVE TENDENCIES AMONG NATIONS
Reading edition
DEATH RATE PER 1,000 OF POPULATION BY AGE PERIODS IN THE UNITED STATES
[R]
AND IN VARIOUS EUROPEAN COUNTRIES.
[S]
Ages U. S. Reg. Area 1900 P’sons Prussia 1900–01 France 1899–1902 Italy 1899–1902 Sweden 1891–00
Males Fem. Males Fem. Males Fem. Males Fem.
Under 1 165.4 221.8 189.4 ... ... 174.8 158.3 ... 101.6
1 46.6 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
2 20.5 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
3 13.2 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
4 9.4 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Under 5 52.1 24.3 23.4 56.9 48.5 38.4 39.8 ... 36.9
5–9 5.2 4.9 5.1 4.6 4.6 6.1 6.7 ... 5.9
10–14 3.3 2.7 3.0 2.9 3.5 3.2 3.8 ... 3.6
15–19 5.2 4.2 3.7 4.9 5.2 4.6 5.4 4.6 4.7
20–24 7.5 5.8 4.7 7.8 6.4 6.8 7.0 6.7 5.7
25–29 8.6 5.8 6.0 8.0 8.0 6.7 7.6 6.6 6.1
30–34 9.4 6.7 6.7 8.5 7.8 6.7 7.9 6.7 6.5
35–39 11.0 9.0 7.8 10.5 8.8 7.5 8.6 7.6 7.2
40–44 12.2 12.1 8.6 12.7 9.7 9.3 9.1 8.8 7.9
45–49 15.2 15.9 10.0 15.1 10.9 11.4 9.6 10.7 8.6
50–54 19.1 21.2 13.8 19.1 14.5 15.7 12.9 13.7 10.9
55–59 26.3 28.3 20.4 26.6 20.5 21.0 17.7 18.6 14.3
60–64 35.1 39.5 31.4 37.4 30.5 33.5 30.9 26.1 21.3
65–69 52.2 57.8 50.3 54.5 47.1 50.2 48.8 39.5 33.8
70–74 75.2 87.0 78.9 86.9 77.7 85.4 87.4 62.0 54.8
75–79 110.5 132.5 125.3 130.7 120.6 134.3 138.5 101.3 90.1
80–84 165.8 199.3 186.6 ... ... 214.5 215.6 ... ...
85–89 241.3 283.6 271.4 221.9 219.8 317.1 307.3 197.8 179.6
90–94 339.2 395.2 345.6 ... ... ... ... ... ...
95–over 418.9 404.8 402.1 ... ... 391.7 369.1 ... ...
Note: In 1900 or thereabouts, the death rates at the middle ages of life were heavier in the United States than in Prussia, France, Italy, and Sweden. Since then the death rates in the United States at these ages have grown even greater.
In the foreign countries the death rate by persons can be approximated by adding the rates for males and females of same age and dividing by two.
ENGLAND AND WALES
Annual Standardized Death Rates, Death Rates at Twelve Groups of Ages, and Infant Mortality, 1841–1910.
[T]
Year All Ages (Stand- ard- ized) Deaths per 1,000 Persons at Subjoined Ages
0–5 5–10 10–15 15–20 20–25 25–30 35–45 45–55 55–65 65–75 75–85 85 and up- wards Deaths of Infants under 1 yr. of Age per 1,000 Births
1841–45 20.6 63.7 8.7 5.0 7.2 8.8 9.7 12.1 16.1 28.7 62.0 137.1 295.3 148
1846–50 22.4 68.7 9.4 5.6 7.7 9.8 10.9 13.6 18.1 31.4 65.9 145.8 306.6 157
1851–55 21.7 68.9 8.6 5.2 7.4 9.0 10.1 12.7 17.2 29.6 62.9 143.2 299.5 156
1856–60 20.7 66.9 8.3 4.7 6.7 8.3 9.4 12.0 16.1 28.4 60.9 136.6 293.4 152
1861–65 21.4 69.1 8.4 4.7 6.6 8.4 9.8 12.6 17.1 30.2 62.4 139.1 298.8 151
1866–70 21.2 68.1 7.6 4.3 6.2 8.0 9.9 12.9 17.6 30.6 63.2 141.7 294.3 157
1871–75 20.9 64.9 6.9 4.0 5.8 7.7 9.6 13.1 18.0 31.6 65.3 141.6 305.2 153
1876–80 19.8 61.9 6.1 3.5 4.9 6.5 8.4 12.3 17.5 31.6 64.7 142.9 311.5 145
1881–85 18.7 56.6 5.7 3.2 4.6 6.0 8.0 11.8 17.2 31.0 63.5 136.1 277.7 139
1886–90 18.5 56.9 4.9 2.8 4.1 5.3 7.2 11.1 17.1 31.8 66.3 139.0 290.3 143
1891–95 18.5 57.8 4.6 2.6 4.0 5.0 6.8 11.0 17.3 32.5 67.3 140.8 274.1 151
1896–1900 17.6 57.6 4.1 2.4 3.5 4.5 6.0 10.1 16.2 30.5 64.1 133.6 267.5 156
1901–05 16.0 50.2 3.7 2.2 3.1 4.0 5.4 8.9 14.9 28.7 59.4 127.3 258.6 138
1906–10 14.4 41.7 3.4 2.0 2.9 3.6 4.8 7.8 13.7 27.5 58.1 127.0 262.4 117
Note improvement since 1890 in death rate at every age period of life.
DEATH RATES CLASSIFIED BY SEX, AGE, AND GENERAL NATIVITY, NEW YORK STATE: 1900 AND 1910[U]
MALE
Age Period. Native White. Foreign Born White. Coloured.
1900 Death Rate. 1910 Death Rate. 1900 Death Rate. 1910 Death Rate. 1900 Death Rate. 1910 Death Rate.
All ages 18.6 17.3 20.6 17.0 27.9 26.5
Under 1 180.3 154.9 166.6 104.6 410.5 313.2
1–4 23.0 17.5 31.6 21.7 57.0 46.6
5–9 5.0 4.0 5.3 3.4 11.0 7.4
10–14 3.0 2.3 2.5 2.5 8.1 7.1
15–19 4.6 3.9 4.9 4.3 10.2 11.3
20–24 7.4 5.9 6.8 5.2 13.8 11.2
25–29 9.4 7.5 7.9 5.6 14.0 11.8
30–34 11.3 9.6 9.3 6.9 15.5 19.6
35–39 12.4 12.3 12.2 9.8 15.1 19.8
40–44 13.6 13.7 15.0 13.2 19.3 23.9
45–49 14.7 16.6 19.8 17.7 30.9 28.7
50–54 17.2 19.6 26.0 23.6 32.0 32.4
55–59 22.3 27.0 34.3 35.4 43.8 45.3
60–64 31.0 37.4 43.4 46.9 40.5 57.4
65–69 46.3 53.5 61.9 65.6 72.4 76.5
70–74 67.5 72.3 82.2 85.2 90.2 77.5
75–79 109.4 118.1 119.4 115.7 125.0 130.6
80–84 156.1 163.9 182.4 190.7 163.1 163.5
85–89 243.8 246.0 239.0 243.3 122.8 183.7
90 &over 366.7 394.9 351.0 367.6 280.0 263.2
FEMALE
Age Period. Native White. Foreign Born White. Coloured.
1900 Death Rate. 1910 Death Rate. 1900 Death Rate. 1910 Death Rate. 1900 Death Rate. 1910 Death Rate.
All ages 16.1 14.4 19.7 16.2 24.7 21.7
Under 1 149.7 128.7 160.1 92.0 335.6 265.0
1–4 21.0 16.3 30.5 18.6 49.6 40.1
5–9 4.8 3.8 5.0 3.9 10.1 8.6
10–14 2.9 2.3 2.7 2.4 12.3 7.2
15–19 4.5 3.2 3.6 3.2 8.8 9.7
20–24 6.8 4.9 5.8 4.0 8.8 10.9
25–29 8.1 6.1 7.6 5.3 10.1 10.4
30–34 8.9 7.0 9.3 6.6 12.4 11.4
35–39 9.3 7.7 11.0 7.9 15.1 14.3
40–44 10.1 9.6 13.3 9.9 19.7 20.2
45–49 12.4 11.3 16.9 13.5 19.1 20.8
50–54 14.9 15.0 22.2 19.1 25.4 29.8
55–59 19.4 19.8 31.3 28.8 39.3 36.4
60–64 25.4 27.5 41.7 41.0 52.2 49.8
65–69 38.2 42.7 57.0 59.4 62.0 69.6
70–74 58.7 64.5 83.1 85.2 86.3 49.7
75–79 93.4 96.0 117.5 115.0 110.7 96.0
80–84 148.7 152.7 167.5 170.2 136.8 131.7
85–89 224.2 223.9 246.9 242.1 117.6 175.8
90 & over 326.4 339.0 355.0 348.5 183.3 222.2
The tables on this and the opposite page show the same general trend of mortality in New York State that is exhibited in the Registration States generally and wherever reliable statistics are obtainable. It will be noted, however, that there is little change in the mortality rate among women until age sixty, when a decidedly increased mortality rate is shown comparing 1910 with 1900. It will also be noted that this unfavorable trend in mortality in later life is manifested among native whites, foreign born and colored citizens alike.
COMPARISON OF EXPECTATIONS OF LIFE, NEW YORK CITY, ENGLAND AND WALES, AND LONDON
Males Females Males Females Males Females
At birth 44.55 48.8 51.50 55.35 ... ...
10 46.95 50.4 53.08 55.91 ... ...
20 38.26 41.7 44.21 47.10 42.35 46.71
30 30.34 33.6 35.81 38.54 33.87 37.94
40 23.34 26.2 27.74 30.30 26.03 29.67
50 17.11 19.1 20.29 22.51 19.09 22.17
60 11.71 12.9 13.78 15.48 13.09 15.39
70 7.66 8.2 8.53 9.58 8.17 9.57
80 4.66 4.9 4.90 5.49 4.79 5.39
90 2.24 2.8 2.87 3.16 2.75 3.10
The above tables show, both among males and females, that the expectation of life is greater at every ago period in England and Wales and in London than in New York.
DEATH RATE PER 1000 IN PRUSSIA BY AGE GROUPS
1875–80 TO 1901–1910
Males Females Males Females Males Females Males Females
1–2 71.8 69.1 70.2 68.0 58.0 55.5 45.3 43.1
2–3 37.1 36.1 36.3 34.6 24.7 23.8 16.5 16.0
3–5 22.2 21.7 20.8 20.7 14.2 13.9 8.9 8.8
5–10 9.3 9.2 8.8 9.0 5.9 6.1 4.2 4.4
10–15 3.9 4.3 3.8 4.3 2.9 3.3 2.4 2.7
15–20 5.1 4.6 4.8 4.5 4.3 3.8 4.0 3.6
20–25 7.7 6.3 7.0 5.8 6.0 5.1 5.2 4.6
25–30 8.6 8.2 7.6 7.5 6.1 6.1 5.3 5.5
30–40 10.9 10.3 10.6 9.7 8.3 7.9 7.0 6.7
40–50 16.7 12.3 16.3 11.7 14.3 10.0 12.5 8.6
50–60 27.6 20.7 26.9 19.8 24.2 17.5 23.5 16.0
60–70 53.0 46.3 51.4 44.8 48.7 42.0 45.5 37.4
70–80 113.3 106.2 110.2 113.9 102.5 97.1 100.6 102.0
80 & over 236.4 227.2 238.2 229.0 233.1 223.3 214.4 202.6
Note that in both sexes there was a steady and substantial decline in the death rate at all age periods of life after 1875.
DEATH RATE PER 1000 IN DENMARK BY AGE GROUPS 1880–1889—1890–1900
Ages 1880–1889 1890–1900
Males Females Males Females
0–5 53.1 46.0 48.5 40.8
5–10 7.2 7.7 5.6 6.0
10–15 4.4 5.6 3.6 4.6
15–20 4.9 5.8 4.5 4.7
20–25 7.0 6.1 6.0 4.9
25–30 6.5 7.4 5.5 5.6
30–35 6.8 7.9 6.1 6.5
35–40 7.8 8.4 7.7 7.5
40–45 9.8 9.3 9.3 8.2
45–50 12.6 10.2 11.6 9.1
50–55 16.8 12.2 15.7 11.8
55–60 22.6 17.0 22.0 16.4
60–65 33.3 26.1 30.7 24.2
65–70 46.9 39.2 44.7 36.7
70–75 70.0 58.3 74.5 65.0
75–80 104.9 92.9 115.0 98.9
80–85 178.7 157.4 169.4 151.6
85–90 246.7 210.9 250.1 226.5
90-over 392.3 350.1 425.6 373.2
Note the improvement in mortality at nearly every age period of life, in both sexes.
Befolkningsforholdene i. Denmark i. 19. Arrhundrede, p. 125. Denmark Statistiske Tabelvaerk, Ser. 5, Litra A. no. 5.
DEATH RATE PER 1000 IN SWEDEN BY AGE GROUPS
[Z]
1801–10 to 1891–00
Ages 0–5 5–10 10–15 15–25 25–35 35–45 45–55 55–65 65 over
Years
1801–10 79.0 12.1 7.2 8.5 11.0 14.9 22.7 40.8 111.4
1811–20 76.0 9.7 5.6 7.2 9.9 14.3 21.0 37.6 102.9
1821–30 63.1 7.6 4.5 6.1 9.4 13.6 20.1 35.4 96.9
1831–40 60.3 7.5 4.7 6.0 9.8 14.3 20.8 35.6 102.1
1841–50 56.8 7.8 4.4 5.5 8.0 12.2 18.1 31.8 97.1
1851–60 60.5 10.9 5.5 6.1 8.4 11.9 17.9 32.1 91.6
1861–70 57.3 9.1 4.4 5.4 7.2 10.1 15.1 28.7 87.2
1871–80 52.3 8.5 4.2 5.3 7.4 9.3 13.1 23.6 79.4
1881–90 43.6 7.7 4.0 5.2 6.6 8.2 11.5 21.1 71.4
1891–00 36.9 6.0 3.6 5.4 6.5 7.8 10.9 19.7 71.3
Note the pronounced fall in the death rate at every age period during the past century.
The Remedies
The remedies, however, are plainly indicated:
Eugenics, to improve the stock.
Periodic physical examinations to detect the earliest signs of disease, and especially infective foci in the head, such as diseased gums, tooth sockets, tonsils, nasal cavities, etc.
The practice of personal hygiene along the lines of ascertained individual needs.
Cancer, another disease heavily on the increase in all civilized countries, may be combated by similar measures.