PEDIATRICS Vol. 12 No. 4 October 1953, pp. 443-446
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PUBLIC HEALTH, NURSING AND MEDICAL SOCIAL WORK

VITAL STATISTICS—1952

Editors: MYRON E. WEGMAN, M.D..

THE annual summary charts of essential vital statistics in the U.S.A., based on preliminary estimates, are reprinted below from the Monthly Vital Statistics Report, National Office of Vital Statistics, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. They show, in general, little change from the preceding year, although, in some instances, monthly variations are greater.

Pediatricians turn first to infant mortality as a sensitive index of pediatric and public health progress. Although the total number of infant deaths has increased to 109,000, the rate is essentially unchanged—28.6. Preliminary over-all figures, however, do not show the important variations in mortality by race, by specific age periods of the first year of life or by the chief causes, factors which need to be analyzed in order to interpret infant mortality rates properly. One interesting breakdown is available—that by state and geographic region, presented in the table.

Far less variation is apparent than was true 25 years ago. Only three states—New Mexico, Arizona and South Carolina—have rates over 40, yet in 1936, at the beginning of the most recent generalized national and statewide effort for promotion of child health and prevention of infant mortality, the rates in these states ranged around 100 or more.