scarlet fever, 34 from whooping cough, 13 from diphtheria, and 9 from the diarrhoeas of childhood. Compared with the returns for the previous week, deaths from measles are 25 more, from whooping cough 14 more, from diphtheria 7 more, from scarlet fever 2 more, and from enteric fever 1 more, while those from the diarrhoeas of childhood are 5 fewer.

"Deaths from influenza numbered 379. They are 227 more than in the previous week.

"Deaths from respiratory diseases numbered 681. They are 310 more than in the previous week.

"Deaths of children of less than one year old numbered 344, and those of persons of sixty-five and upward 497. The former are 133 more than in the previous week, and 203 more than in the corresponding week of last year. The latter are 152 more than in the previous week, and 271 more than in the corresponding week of last year."

DEATH RATES IN A GROUP OF INSURED PERSONS.

COMPARISON OF DEATH RATES FOR PRINCIPAL CAUSES, 1911-1921, AND NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, 1921.

The following statements and tables are taken from the Statistical Bulletin of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. for January, 1922: The death rate for 1921 among nearly 14,000,000 industrial policyholders of the company in the United States and Canada was 853.8 per 100,000, the lowest rate recorded in the history of the company. It is 13.7 per cent lower than the rate for 1920, namely, 989.4 per 100,000, which was the lowest recorded up to that time. The 1921 death rate is 31.9 per cent lower than that for 1911. Using absolute figures representing deaths instead of rates, the low mortality record for 1921 means that 18,661 fewer deaths occurred among the policyholders during 1921 than would have occurred had the rate for 1920 prevailed, and 54,942 fewer deaths than would have occurred if the 1911 rate had obtained.

The annual death rate in this selected group, from 1911 to 1920, has varied between 74 and 87 per cent of the rate in the registration area of the United States.

Marked declines in the mortality from tuberculosis, pneumonia, and influenza were, as in 1920, a large factor in the improvement noted in the total mortality. In a period of 11 years the death rate for tuberculosis has been almost cut in half. There were also declines in mortality from Bright's disease and organic heart disease.

Death

rates per 100,000 lives exposed, for principal causes, 1911 to 1921.

[Industrial department, Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.]

Cause of death.

1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912

1911

All causes of death. 853.8 989. 41,063. 01, 559. 21, 161. 11, 168. 11, 130. 91, 152. 81, 199. 41, 201. 21, 253.0

0.5261.9 267.4

287.5

Retro for 1921 were classified in accordance with the requirements of the third decennial revision of Monal Let of Causes of Sickness and Death. Nineteen hundred and twenty-one death rates *Not available. disional estimate of lives exposed to risk.

The death rate for December, 1921, shows a slight increase over that for November, the increase being due to higher mortality from respiratory conditions and important organic diseases. The rate was lower, however, for December, 1921, than for the same month of

1920.

Death rates (annual basis) for principal causes per 100,000 lives exposed, November and December, 1921, and December and year, 1920.

DEATHS DURING WEEK ENDED FEB. 4, 1922.

Summary of information received by telegraph from industrial insurance companies for week ended Feb. 4, 1922, and corresponding week, 1921. (From the Weekly Health Index, Feb. 7, 1922, issued by the Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce.)

Death claims per 1,000 policies in force, annual rate.....

9, 346

8, 621

Deaths from all causes in certain large cities of the United States during the week ended Feb. 4, 1922, infant mortality, annual death rate, and comparison with corresponding week of 1921. (From the Weekly Health Index, Feb. 7, 1922, issued by the Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce.)

.

Annual rate per 1,000 population.

Dealander 1 year per 1,000 births-based on deaths under 1 year for the week and estimated births

lottesleft blank are not in the registration area for births.

Enumerated population Jan. 1, 1920.

PREVALENCE OF DISEASE.

No health department, State or local, can effectively prevent or control disease without knowledge of when, where, and under what conditions cases are occurring.

UNITED STATES.

CURRENT STATE SUMMARIES.

Telegraphic Reports for Week Ended Feb. 11, 1922.

These reports are preliminary, and the figures are subject to change when later returns are received by the State health officers.