1903

[CG6468]

The year is 1903, one hundred and one years ago... what a  difference a century makes. Here are the U.S.  statistics for 1903....

The average life expectancy in the US was forty-seven.

Only 14 Percent of the homes in the US had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars.

There were only 8,000 cars in the US and only 144 miles of paved roads.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California. With a mere 1.4 million residents, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.

The average wage in the US was 22 cents an hour.

The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births in the US took place at home.

Ninety percent of all US physicians had no college education. Instead, they attended medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and by the government as "substandard."

Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen. Coffee cost fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

Canada passed a law prohibiting poor people from entering the country for any reason.

The five leading causes of death in the US were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars. Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska hadn't been admitted to the Union yet.

The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was 30.

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented.

There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

One in ten US adults couldn't read or write. Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at corner drugstores. According to one pharmacist, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and the bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."

Eighteen percent of households in the US had at least one full-time servant or domestic.

There were only about 230 reported murders in the entire US.

Just think what it will be like in another 108 years. It boggles the mind.

Just imagine dieing of Diarrhea!

[MrsSmith]

Just imagine dieing of Diarrhea!

Hate to break it to you, but a lot of people still die from diarrhea. 

E. Coli Infection

Symptoms E. coli O157:H7 infection.

Most people with the infection will have:

    * Severe stomach cramps and stomach tenderness.
    * Diarrhea, watery at first, but often becoming very bloody.
    * Nausea and vomiting.

We know know a lot more about the causes, but it still kills people every year.

[CG6468]

Hate to break it to you, but a lot of people still die from diarrhea. 
We know know a lot more about the causes, but it still kills people every year.

I know, but is it one of the top causes of death in this country?

[MrsSmith]

I know, but is it one of the top causes of death in this country?

No, it's not one of the top causes anymore...which is a huge part of the longer life expectancy.  So many babies and little children died of things like this, and of the diseases that we now avoid through immunization. 

If you look at the e. coli "epidemic" in Germany right now, you can see how serious it still is, even with all our advances in the last century.

Top 10 Causes of Death - US

   1. Diseases of Heart 28.5%
   2. Malignant Neoplasms (cancer) 22.8%
   3. Cerebrovascular Diseases (stroke) 6.7%
   4. Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases 5.1%
   5. Accidents 4.4%
          * Motor Vehicle Traffic Accidents (41% of all accidents)
          * Poisoning (16% of all accidents)
          * Fall (15% of all accidents)
   6. Diabetes Mellitus 3.0%
   7. Influenza and Pneumonia 2.7%
   8. Alzheimer's Disease 2.4%
   9. Nephritis, Nephrotic Syndrome and Nephrosis (kidney diseases) 1.7%
  10. Septicemia (blood poisoning) 1.4%

[FreeBorn]

My Grandmother was born in 1903. I loved her stories about the "horse and buggy days". She never did drive a car in her entire life. (not all that uncommon, actually).

[marv]

1903 was just about 10 years before my Dad, as a teen, painted the first coat of green paint on the bear cages at the Swope Park Zoo in Kansas City. Then, in the late '40s, he was the sole support of our family of 6, on $2400/yr.

Times sure have changed..........

[RightCoast]

And if barack is reelected 2015 will give us:

The average life expectancy in the US is forty-seven.

Only 14 Percent of the homes in the US will be owned.

Only 8 percent of the homes will have a telephone.

A three-minute call from Denver to New York City will cost eleven dollars.

There are only 8,000 gasoline cars in the US and only 144 miles of non-toll roads.

The maximum speed limit in most cities is 35 mph.

Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, Texas and Tennessee have succeeded.

California sank into the Pacific Ocean.

The tallest structure in the US is a mosque.

The average non-union wage in the US is 12.00 dollars an hour.

The average union wage in the US is 125.00 dollars an hour.

The average US worker makes between $200 and $400 per year, after taxes.

A competent accountant can expect to be jailed for making a mistake on someone's taxes.

More than 95 percent of all births in the US take place at home.

Ninety percent of all US physicians have no college education. Instead, they attended government re-education medical schools.

Sugar costs four dollars an once. Eggs are fourteen dollars a half-dozen. Coffee is illegal.

Most women only wash their hair once a month and use borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

Canada passed a law prohibiting American people from entering the country for any reason.

The five leading causes of death in the US were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The American flag has 57 stars. Because barack said so.

The population of Las Vegas, Nevada is 30.

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea have been outlawed.

There is no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

One in ten US adults can't read or write. Only 6 percent of all Americans will graduate from high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine are all available over the counter at corner drugstores. According to one pharmacist, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and the bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."

There are only about 230 reported murders an hour in the entire US.

[FreeBorn]

And if barack is reelected 2015 will give us:

  Blindfolded 1,000 yard bullseye right there, folks! ^5

[Celtic Rose]

No, it's not one of the top causes anymore...which is a huge part of the longer life expectancy.  So many babies and little children died of things like this, and of the diseases that we now avoid through immunization. 

If you look at the e. coli "epidemic" in Germany right now, you can see how serious it still is, even with all our advances in the last century.

It is still one of the leading causes of death in children under the age of five in developing countries. 

[CG6468]

But this thread refers to US statistics.

[MrsSmith]

It is still one of the leading causes of death in children under the age of five in developing countries. 

Yeah.  Terribly sad.  Little kids get sick from so many things, and in those countries both water and food carry some real nasties.  There are entire missions set up around drilling wells for clean water.