Medicine: 8.9

Except for its epidemic of influenza, a great number of Negro deaths and an appalling homicide figure, 1923 would have been the best health year in U. S. history.

The 15,000,000 industrial policy holders of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. (Haley Fiske, president) provide significant statistics. Their deathrate:

1911 .12.5 1913 .12.0 1917 .11.6 1919 .10.6 1921 .8.7 1922 . 8.8 1923 . 8.9 The homicide and manslaughter figures continue to terrify American sociologists. 1923, next to 1917, was the worst to date. It is largely due to the colored folk, but even white...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!