Salt Lake Telegram | 1941-03-14 | Page 8 | Health in Utah Reported Good

I HEAL HEALTH IN UTAH UT AM REPORTED GOOD I are among the healthiest health health- i est persons in the nation while the per capita cost of the states state's I health program is far below the average for the United States Dr I William M. M McKay acting state j health commissioner reported I Friday Surveying disease and morI mortality mortality mor mor- figures for the state from I 1906 to date Dr McKay pointed I a marked improvement in health I conditions and a remarkable decrease decrease decrease de de- de- de crease in the fatality toll Among the records established by the state in 1940 are For the first time in history the state had no deaths from diphtheria Pulmonary tuberculosis death rate established an time all-time low record of per population For all forms of tuberculosis Utah's death rate was only per Only 15 cases of smallpox were reported during the year lowest number on record Pneumonia death rate of per is the lowest in his his- tory During 1940 outbreaks of influenza influenza influenza enza and measles reached epidemic epidemic epidemic epi epi- demic proportions while preventable preventable preventable prevent prevent- able diseases including dIphtheria diphtheria diphtheria theria typhoid fever and smallpox smallpox smallpox small small- pox declined from the 1939 totals Only 26 cases of diphtheria were reported during 1940 a very encouraging situation when one looks back to 1926 during which 1271 cases were reported with 66 deaths Dr McKay said Greatest Greatest Greatest Great Great- est death toll was in 1907 with fatalities Five deaths in 62 cases of in infantile infantile infantile in- in paralysis occurred in 1940 In 1939 there were cases and seven deaths A toll of 22 deaths in 1927 marked a peak for this disease in Utah During 1940 there were cases of influenza resulting in deaths This was the greatest toll since the World war No 1 epidemic In 1918 influenza caused 1718 deaths out of cases I With increase of influenza it would be logical to expect an increased toll from pneumonia but this was not the case Dr McKay reported The 1940 toll tollof tollof tollof of deaths in cases was nine less than in 1939 when of cases resulted in death