There’s news in statistics – and those included in a report for 1975 by the Utah State Division of Health, Bureau of Health Statistics, contain much of interest as well as some facts to think about. For example: In the year covered by the report there were 14,915 marriages compared with 6,131 divorces and annulments – a 2.43 ratio. Utah’s population as of July 1, 1975 was shown at 1,203,000. it hasn’t been too many years since population hit the million mark. Projections indicate a continued uptrend and on an accelerated basis. Live births during the year numbered 31,677, with a birth rate per 1000 population at 26.3. Births out of wedlock were listed at 1,349. e infant deaths numbered 415 or 13.1 per 1000 live births. This was the first time since .1968 that the infant death rate showed an increase. Deahts totaled 7,519 or 6.3 per 1000 populations. Heart disease was the number one killer. Deaths from this cause numbered 2464 or 32.8 per cent of the total. Malignant neoplasms (cancer) amounted to the second biggest cause of death, accounting for 1,169 or 15.5 per cent. Next as a leading cause of death was cerebrovascualr disease, 9.6 per cent, with accidents fourth at 8.1 per cent. Accidental deaths numbered 606. There were 165 suicides. What messages can be drawn from these statistics? It depends upon individual application, of course. But it would seem there’s food for thought in the report and something to be gained through awareness of the statistics cited.