i86 



UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO STUDIES 



TABLE IV 

 Annual Death Rate from Phthisis (Pulmonary Tuberculosis) per 100,000 Living 



Persons 



Area 



England and Wales 



Scotland 



Ireland 



London 



Paris 



Berlin 



1881-85 



183 

 211 

 208 

 220 

 441 

 332 



123 

 147 

 215 

 165 

 365 

 204 



Percentage 

 of Decrease 

 or Increase 



-32 



-30 



+3 



-25 



-17 



-38 



The lowering of the death rate from consumption in practically 

 all countries and cities is to be ascribed to more sanitary Hving and 

 general increase in wealth and resultant better food. While in many 

 localities pneumonia (another impure-air disease) seems actually 

 on the increase, it is seen that only Ireland, of the countries named, 

 shows any increase of pulmonary consumption. 



Concerning tuberculosis other than pulmonary, the dechne in 

 death rate has been slight, if any. The pulmonary form is alone 

 readily susceptible to cure by hygienic methods. 



Tuberculosis in Relation to Age and Sex. — While the average age 

 at death from all causes changed in the United States (registration 

 area) from 31 years in 1890 to 38 in 1907, the average of those dying 

 from pulmonary tuberculosis was not altered to any appreciable 

 extent. It remained practically constant at about 35 years. From 

 these figures it is apparent that the disease is now killing, as it has 

 done in the past, chiefly those in early manhood and womanhood. 



Unfortunately, rehable statistics are wanting in regard to the 

 other forms of the disease. Since general tuberculosis and tubercu- 

 losis of the intestines attack chiefly the young, it is likely that if 

 these were all included the average age at death would be reduced 

 one or two years. 



For youth and early manhood and womanhood (15 to 29 years of age) nearly 

 a third {33 . 2 per cent) of all deaths are due to tuberculosis in some of its forms. 

 .... For infants and children the percentage is low (according to the returns), 

 being 4 per cent. But many of the deaths from "meningitis," "convxdsions," 



