No. 4.] HEALTH ON THE FARM. 71 



of registration States was 12.7 per thousand. These data, 

 extending over a period of four years, clearly show that the 

 farmer and the dweller in the small city or town has a better 

 chance for life than the inhabitant of large cities. 



In a comparison of the States themselves the data show that 

 the highest death rate in the registration States was that for 

 New Hampshire, namely, 17.1 per thousand, followed by 

 North Carolina, with 16.8 per thousand, and Maryland with 

 16.2 per thousand. The lowest death rate in the registration 

 States was that of Washington, namely, 8.5 per thousand. 

 The next lowest were those of Minnesota, 10.4 per thousand, 

 and Utah, 11 per thousand. We must not fall into the error 

 of supposing that the gross death rate is a measure of the real 

 health of the community. In new States where large numbers 

 of grown-up immigrants are collected the death rates are lower 

 than in the older States where there is a preponderance of 

 children. It is a sad fact to realize that the greatest death 

 rate is among the youngest of our race, namely, infants under 

 one year of age. 



In regard to Massachusetts, with which State we are now 

 particularly interested, it is shown that the death rate for 

 1913 was 15 per thousand, which same rate obtained in 1912, 

 while in 1911 it was 15.3 per thousand, and in 1910, 16 per 

 thousand. Going now to the States where registration was 

 established prior to 1900, namely, Kentucky, Indiana, Maine, 

 Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New 

 York, Rhode Island and Vermont, we have an opportunity 

 of comparing the respective death rates of the rural and urban 

 populations over areas which have long practiced the system 

 of registration. The data which have been collected on this 

 point are found in the following table : — 



