Stanley H. Schuman

Patterns of urban heat-wave deaths and implications for prevention: Data from New York and St. Louis during July, 1966

Abstract Patterns of urban heat wave deaths in New York and St. Louis during July 1966 indicate not only the impact of environmental stress on heat-susceptible segments of the population but provide clues to the possible prevention of such deaths. While mortality from all causes increased by 36% in New York and by 56% in St. Louis certain subgroups were at substantially higher risk (persons over age 65; censustract residents with low income, crowding, or poor housing; those with hypertensive, arteriosclerotic, cardiovascular, or other circulatory disease, diabetes, or chronic respiratory disease). The oppressiveness of heat waves in cities is emphasized by increased rates of homicide and by clashes with police in the streets. On the brighter side, pediatric deaths were controlled during heat episodes in both cities, suggesting that medical, social, and environmental measures can intervene. Unless the general approach to urban heat waves becomes prospective rather than retrospective, one can anticipate episodes of excess mortality during the summers of the 1970s with a human cost of about 136 excess deaths per million per week of heat stress.

Febrile Convulsions in Families Findings in an Epidemiologic Survey

In a well-studied community of 3,953 individuals under 20 years of age, 142 or 3.6 per cent had a history of one or more proven febrile seizures. Certain families are more FC-prone. An unexpectedly strong relationship was found between children with febrile convulsions and sibs with mental retardation.

Surveillance of fatal motor vehicle accidents in Michigan, involving young drivers, utilizing time-series analysis of police records

EPIDEMIOLOGIC SURVEILLANCE TECHNIQUES WERE APPLIED TO THE FATAL MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT RECORDS OF THE MICHIGAN STATE POLICE FOR THE YEARS 1961-68. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE WAS TO DEVELOP A BASELINE OF EXPECTED RATES FOR SEVERAL RECENT YEARS AGAINST WHICH INCOMING REPORTS CAN BE PLOTTED WEEKLY TO IMPROVE POLICE SURVEILLANCE AND TO PROVIDE CLUES FOR PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND OBJECTIVE EVALUATION. A TIME-SERIES GRAPH OF 3 YEAR, 3 WEEK MOVING MEANS WAS PLOTTED FROM THE NUMBERS (OR RATES) OF DRIVERS INVOLVED IN FATAL MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS WITH AN ESTIMATED 97.5 PERCENT UPPER CONFICENCE BAND. ACUTE EFFECTS (AS HOLIDAYS AND WEEKENDS) ARE SMOOTHED BUT SUSTAINED PEAKS ARE CLEARLY INDICATED. THUS, FOR DRIVERS OF ALL AGES, SIGNIFICANT SUMMER AND FALL INCREASES IN ACCIDENT SUGGEST INCREASES IN MILES DRIVEN AND PERHAPS MORE LONG DISTANCE TRIPS. RATES OF FATAL ACCIDENT INVOLVEMENT INDICATE A PIVOTAL ROLE OF DANGEROUS YOUNG DRIVERS, AGED 18-19 IN 1968 COMPARED TO 1967, AND A 3 YEAR PLOT (1964-65-66) INDICATES A SIGNIFICANT SPRING UPSWING IN TEENAGE FATAL CRASHES IN APRIL-MAY-JUNE, SUGGESTING A SPECIFIC SEASONAL TARGET FOR POLICE-AND-EDUCATIONAL COUNTERMEASURES IN MICHIGAN FOR 1970. /AA&P/

Accident Prevention as the "New Frontier"

a way as to de-emphasize in their minds those hostile acts taught as laudatory in time of war. Appropriate consideration should be given to programs for re-learning of these personnel prior to their return to civilian life. Such programs if found effective should be required by all military forces as a prerequisite for separation from the service.