140 



Euge7ie Rollin Corson 



as a higher death rate. Man has no such compensator}^ proli- 

 ficness to meet a higher death rate as exists perhaps in some 

 lower forms of life. 



Consumption heads the list of the causes of death. Its im- 

 portance becomes apparent when it is recognized that about 

 one-sixth of all deaths are due to this disease. Of its greater 

 fatality among the negroes there can be no question, and in 

 our southern cities where the two elements come together in 

 large numbers, the mortality among the colored about 

 doubles that of the whites. 



The following table shows the mortality in our city from 1884 

 to i8q2 inclusive : 



I have not thought it necessary to estimate the deaths per 

 1000 of population, for the exact population is an uncertain 

 element, and all figures must be onlj' an approximation at 

 the best. It will be amply sufficient for our purpose if these 

 figures are viewed in a population where the whites are some- 

 what in excess. 



A careful examination of the various board of health re- 

 ports of our different southern cities and states will all show 

 a remarkable uniformity on this point. To give an3'thing 

 like a full report on this subject from our different cities 

 would swell this paper far beyond its proper limits, and I 

 shall merely state that having examined the reports from 

 Charleston, Richmond, New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville, 

 Chattanooga, Knoxville, Columbus, Atlanta, and Mobile, I 

 find that they tally well with our own tables. 



The Tenth Census states : 



" The total number of deaths reported as due to consump- 

 tion during the census year was 91,270, being the greatest 



