Salt Lake Tribune | 1919-06-13 | Page 6 | The "Flu" Toll

THE "FLU" TOLL. An echo of the late pandemic of influenza in-fluenza is heard in the reports submitted sub-mitted at the recent annual convention of the Actuarial Society of America, This organization represents the principal prin-cipal life insurance companies of North America and South America. Statistics showed that in the United States there was an annual death rate of 1.4 per thousand of population and iii Canada IS. 9. Losses to insurance companies because of the world-wide character of tho malady were shown to be largo and affected near and far countries similarly. Thus, it was stated that insurance companies in South America paid out $7,500,000 in excess of their normal expected and anticipated antici-pated losses. In tho United States, it was estimated, insurance companies paid out more than $150,000,000 above the amount they ordinarily would have paid on death claims. The disease made its first appearance on the Atlantic seaboard, especially in Boston, during the first week in September. Sep-tember. It spread from east to west, and affected the mortality in various cities differently. On tho eastern coast it took a virulent form, but burned 'itself 'it-self out quickly. As it moved westward, west-ward, the epidemics seemed less rapid in development, but of longer duration. A peculiarity noted was that in some cities its almost total disappearance followed quickly upon a violcnr"f lare-up." lare-up." According to figures compiled by the insurance experts, New England was I iiit hardest, having an annual death; irate of 21.3 per thousand population. Tho middle Atlantic states were next, with 20.(5, and other parts of the country coun-try suffered as follows: West south central states, 1S.S; east south central states, 15.2; east north central states, 13.4; Pacific states, 13.2; west north central states, 12.8; mountain states, U.S. From this it will be noted that the disease claimed fewer victims, relatively, rela-tively, in that group of states which includes in-cludes Utah than it did in any other group or combination of groups in tho whole nation. It is a point worth bearing bear-ing in mind. A rather surprising bit of information was given at the convention respecting the recrudescence of the influenza. It was stated that the disease, was by no means new, but had occurred and recurred re-curred for hundreds of years. Prior to 1573 ninety-two outbreaks similar to the one last year had been historically recorded. The first authentic one swept the British Isles in 1510. In recent re-cent times there have been serious spreads in 1S0-100, 1S00-1801, 1S01-102 1S01-102 and 101S-I010. It will be observed that the outbreak last preceding the one of last year covered a period of four winters. It is earnestly to be hoped that medical science will find a means of successfully combating the malady, if it reappears next winter, so that another an-other four year visitation will not occur.