SIXTY-THIRD REGISTRATION REPORT. (1904.) The following observations upon the statistics of the Births, Marriages and Deaths registered in Massachusetts in the year 1904, together with some comments upon the statistics of Divorce and the Returns of the Medical Examiners, are intended to set forth the principal points of interest derived from a study of the figures and to furnish some comparisons between the statistics of the year 1904 and those of other years, and to render these statistics of "practical utility" within the meaning of the statute providing for the preparation of this report. As has been the custom since the year 1891, such tables as depend for their value on an absolute accuracy as to the number of the population are not published in this year's report, as they can be prepared only on the basis of a population ascertained by the census, State or National, and should be published only when such accurate data are available. In the preparation of the report for the year 1904, as in all non-census years, the percentages have been based on a number of the population which was estimated by taking the geometrical progression between the number given in the last census and that of the preceding census; but the result of such a method, although approximating as nearly as possible the number of the population, has been found to vary very materially from the exact number, and so far to impair the value of many tables that the publication of such tables, as above stated, has been omitted in the reports for non-census years. A publication of tables of statistics in regard to illegitimate births would be practically a violation of the law. As was intimated in the report for the year 1900 would be the case, the nosology, which had been in use for more than 66 half a century, having been found inadequate and not up to date," was abandoned, and practically that used in the preparation of the tables of vital statistics by the government at Washington substituted in the report for 1901. The variations are slight and not of consequence; for instance, small-pox is still classed under the heading "variola." This change to the so-called Bertillon system or modification thereof facilitates the comparison of the statistics of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with those of the national government, and those of foreign countries, as well as those of most of the other States of the Union having registration. This change may temporarily render comparison between the statistics of this State tabulated in the various years since the beginning of registration a matter of difficulty, or at least inconvenience; but a beginning had to be made at some time, and the year 1901 seemed a favorable time, and the results apparently justify the change. Moreover, any one who has carefully studied the figures in Table 2 of the "Observations" must have been impressed with the great variations in the statements of the number of the population for individual years, as given in the various reports. According to these statements there were years when the population apparently suffered a decrease, a condition manifestly absurd. In view of this fact, the whole of Table 2 was revised for the report for 1901, a labor of no mean magnitude; and both the estimates of the number of the population and the percentages based thereon were in many instances changed, with the belief that now the table is far more accurate than it was until the report for 1901. The tables of statistics in regard to Divorce, which were formerly a source of trouble because of inaccuracies, are now believed to be entirely correct. As in previous reports, so also in the report for this year, the editor is indebted to numerous foreign publications and to the works of some American writers, to whom acknowledgment will be made at the appropriate places. It is obvious that in the construction of so many tables of figures there may occur between the maker and the printer errors, chiefly trivial and of no account in effect; but it may be said, in justice to the present editor, that since the very earliest reports issued under his management the whole matter of the "Observations" has been reviewed, revised and carefully constructed or reconstructed where necessary by one whose chief occupation is the preparation of reports of vital statistics, a gentleman well known in the world of statistics, a man on whom the government at Washington has relied every year for careful and scientific work. The editor desires to acknowledge his indebtedness to the same gentleman for his most valuable assistance in the preparation of the report for the year 1904. |