Life and Death

The headwaters of U. S. population arose in 1924. The dam that holds them held tighter than before. Last week, the Census Bureau reported an increase in the birth rate of 2% (to 22.5 per 1,000) ; the death rate fell off .5% (to 11.9 per 1,000).

The greatest number of cradles per family was set rocking in the rural districts of North Carolina-31.9 babies per 1,000. Rural Montana had the fewest-only 14.9 per 1,000 but there the death rate was very low, only 7.8 per 1,000.

Deaths of persons under one year of age decreased in the entire registration area from 77.7 per 1,000 in 1923 to 71.9 in 1924.