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Congratulations Marjorie, on a job well done. I think the first important fact you discovered is that the 'Conventional Wisdom' i.e You can't die from PD, is incorrect. In 1990 7,254 people found that to be true. Secondly, I agree with Kees. The percentage of black PD deaths to white PD deaths is grossly out of proportion. Is any one aware of any study comparing these statistics?? If nothing else, you've given us a lot too think about. Joe Young [log in to unmask] PA, former home of 431 of the unfortunates On Sun, 15 Dec 1996, Marjorie Moorefield <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >All Races and All Sexes: for the year 1990. >Parkinson's Disease (332): 7,254 > Paralysis agitans (332.0) 7,251 > Secondary Parkinsonism (332.1) 3 >(numbers after causes of death are category numbers of the Ninth >Revision International Classification of Diseases, 1975). > > >Definitation of Paralysis agitans: >A disease of middle and late life producing a picture of rigid tremulousness, >progressive in its course and marked by weakness, delay of vouluntary >motion, a peculiar festinating gait, and muscular contraction, causing >peculiar and characteristic positions of the limbs and head. While movement >is slow, there is no true paralysis. The face appears expressionless, there >is a general flexion attitude, the balance tends to be lost ( in a forward >direction). Sometimes occurs following encephalitis lethargica; at other >times is due to an unknown cause. SYN: palsy, shaking; Parkinson's >disease. >(copied directly from " Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary" >Edition 16, page 1322). > >SECONDARY PARKINSONISM results from the loss of or interference >with the action of dopamine within the basal ganglia, due to idiopathic >degenerative disease, drugs, or exogenous toxins. >(copied directly from "The Merck Manual", 15th. edition page 1422). > >CAUSE OF DEATH: > Cause-of-death classification--Since 1949, cause-of-death >statistics have been based on the underlying cause of death, >which is defined as "(a) the disease or injury which initiated the >train of events leading directly to death, or (b) the circumstances >of the accident or violence which produced the fatal injury" > >(Copied directly from "VITAL STATISTICS OF THE UNITED STATES" >1990-Volume II-Mortality >Part A > >Published by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE >PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE >Centers for Disease Control and Prevention >National Center for Health Statistics > > >Marjorie Moorefield >just another librarian >(with PD) > >