Vital Statistics

Dr. Ifenry 15. Baker, Secretary of the state Board of Real tb, senda ua the seventh annual, registration report ir Lhe vital ataüstics of Michigan, being the record of births, marriages and deaths for the year 1878. Ft s a handsome volume of some :7o pages, and lontaina numerous statistical tables, diagrama and oompilationa of facts n1lative fco bii' tli ratea, death rates, prevalent diseases, etc We give a few of tlie more Important summartea and conclusions dxawn trom them. liiitriis The total nnmber of births rctumed In 1878 34,604, against 27,998 in 1872, and 25,095 in 1871. The total nnmber of marriagea retiirned was 10,574 in 1878, against l0,53fl iu 1S72, and 10,528 in 1871. The total Qumber of deaths returned in 1878 was 14,258, against 13,371 in 1872 and 9,728 in 1871. The compiler shows the births and deaths by months and quartera as they ara returned and equalized foromissions in theenumerafcion. The basis for these correetïons is the facts developed by a comparison of the United States census lor 1870 witli the returns made by the supervisors of the various townships. No correction for marriages lias been l'onnd excepting to add to the nuinber lii'st retnrned those in subaequent returns. M.MillIACKS. The whole nnmber of marriagea in Michigan as retnrned in 187:1 was li.."74, against 1O,5:J the year previous. There is great uniformlty in tlie marriages by months in the se v eral .-. cus, aince the compilation af these statistics began, t He largest number being in the last three inoiitlis of the year. In every year there is a very notieeable excess of marriages in .luly over those in Jnne and August. In 187:: tliere were : boys and 124 girls under lawful age joined in marriage by ministers and justices of the peace. Dr. Baker calis attention to the factthatin 1878 "The Fonrth-of-.Jnly marriages were more numerous than usual," and make Juk lirst in order of the months as to number of marriages. The greatest marriage rate among niales was f rom 21 to 25 years, and among females at the age of 1!. The greate.st disparity between the ages of any coupleat marriage was 59 years. The partid resided in Jackson. DEATHS. The whole number of deaths fot 1878 returned at 14,258, an ncresseof 886 over tlie previous year. The greatest number of deaths in each year witli one exception in 1871, occurred in August. Thé least number of deaths occurin January, June and December. '■Wie study of the death rate n eonnection witli meteorológica] data shows that the temperature has a very important bearing on the total number of deaths. In January, February, and March, 187:!, the death-rate was unusually large, and the average temperature during those months and the preceding month of December was unusually cold. The evidence seems to show that any considerable and continuec! change trom the avei'age temperature for a given season of tlie year, whicli is also a change in one direction from the average annual temperature, tends to increase the death-rate. About 41 per cent of the deaths in 188:', were of ehildren under live years of age. VATAT, D1SEASKS. Áccording to the returns the two classes of causes that are most affected by the conditions of the year are zymotic and local üiseases. The tirst mentioned are particularly fatal in the hot months and the local in the spring. The ClaSS.yiIlOlIC tmJudun IhconnM. Dicable diseases and the local diseases include infiammation of the lungs, brain diseases, etc. The compiler had made live groups of causes of death, uamely from discases of the lungs 2,511. bowels 2,121, brain 2,:;:iö, heart 402, and throat 4:i4 deaths. The 15 principal causes of death were as follow.s: ('onsumption 1,447, intlaniination of the lungs 70, typhoid fever 877, scailet fever 578, oíd age 428, spinal fever 428. diarrhoa 388, inllammation of the brain 883, dysentery 319, heart disease .'515, cholera infantum 806, inllainmation of the bowels 285. childbirth 254, measles 244, dropsy 24l'. There were 145 deaths from cerebro-spinal meningitis in 187:1 - a greater number than in any preceding year. The compiler connects this directly with the terribly cold winter of 1S73, and believes that cold and the reaetion therefrom are the most important causes of this disease. PREVENTABLK DISKASES. Dr. Baker believes that a very large proportion of the 7ü(i deaths from intlammation of the lungs inight have been prevented by the exercise of prudence in avoiding exposure to cold dry air, especially of children, - a little over ?( per cent of the deaths being children under tive years of age. There is strong evidence (and the compiler gives it ashis opinión) that the principal causes of pneumonía are cold dry air, containing an excess of ozone with a less than average atmospheiïc pressure, or increased pressure in theblood vessels. ('onsumption is studied with relation to othw diseases, its relation to sex, age, conjugal condition, and occupation. The deaths from all causes are studied by occupations, giving the average ages of all over 20 years old. The average age of all sucli persons was 50.17 years. Tlie reported uneinployed liveto the greatest average age, IÍ2.Í4 years; culti vators of tlie earth, 57.21 ; professional men, .".1.01, and the lowest were seafaring men, 88,56 years.