New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-02-15
Providence render our rulers wise and avert this dread
disaster to q smiling land
CITY ITEMS.

uv.,ru or THE INSTRUMENTATION the hve
aeks including the month of January, and ending on
Monday February 4, 1856 persons died in New-lork
according 10 the reports of the City Inspector This Is
an average of 397 each week, and 81 each day. AS
compared with the corresponding period of last year.
there is gratifying improvement. The NUMBER laSl
wear was 425 or 439 than during the last month";
showing an average decrease Of 80 each week OF the
present year.
Ofthe 1856 persons who died last month, ,O52 were
males, and 93i were females. Only u were colored.
There were 1906 born in the United States, and 6SO
born In foreign countries or Of unknown birth place.
II shoud not be forgotten that large portion of those
born in this country children of foreigners, and
under the same sanitary and social influences as their
parents. If the City Inspector would give us the
parentage Of those who die, should be enabled to
Judge something of the comparative mortality OF the
different nationalities which make up our city.
OF the whole number last month, 002, or 5O.4 per
cent lnore than half were under years Of age and
1872 or nearly one-fourth Of the whole number were
under one year. This does not include the still bon
Such figures are powerful sermons in behalf OF sani-
tary reform. The chieren of our city may well ex-
claim, in the language Of the old epitaph:
"Ewere so QUICKLY done for.
Prey what we begun for y
The contrast in mortality between the first and second
five years of life is remarkable. Of the 1856 deaths
which we are considering, OG2 died between birth and
five years of age, and So only between five and ten
years. There were only 296 who reached the age oil
50 years and upward The deaths from contagious and
infectious zymotic) diseases 493, about one
fourth Of the whole. OF these Group numbered 6O
victims; dphthera Go; fevers AS puerperal fever,
%; hopping cough 49, measles, 25j scarlatna, 1872
smallpox and varioloid 49, The percentage from
zymot;c diseases is large and does not indicate hatte
ing condition of the public health. The deaths from
smallpox are entirely unnecessary, and there 10 good
reason 10 believe in fact there is positive evidence to
prove, that the deaths from other zynotic diseases
would be largely reduced if the rules of sanitary science
were properly observed by the people. lR persons
died during the last FIVE weeks from inflammation
and congestion Of the nngs-an average Of 81
each week. II is probable that two-thirds Of these
were young children, killed by the csreessness snor
ance, poverty, or neglect of their parents.
An average Of co persons have died each week from
consumption, and 81 each week from commissions
There were in five weeks II deaths from cancer, 80
from diseases of the heart 67 from violent causes and
26 from apopexy.
A comparison with the deaths in Philadelphia and
Boston, may serve to give better idea of our own
mortality. During the five weeks named, the number
of deaths was as follows In New-York, 1886; in
Philadelphia, 1876; Boston, 3i5. New-York shows
decrease Of 1885, Philadelphia increase OF 1874, and
Boston decrease of 50, compared with the corre-
speeding period in 1860. The proportion of deaths to
population according to the Of 1860 during the
last five weeks was as follows: New-York, one death
in 40; Philadelphia, death in 49,; and Boston,
one death in SIS This is the proportion excluding,
the stilbon. The proportion of deaths under five
years of age to the whole mortality, was as follows;
NewYork 50 per cent; Philadelphia, al per cent,
and Boston 1873 per cent The per censage from
zymotic diseases was follows: NewYork, 2i.S per
cent Philadelphia, 29.5 per cent BostOn, 1874 per
cent II would seem from this that Philadelphia issuf-
erng the present time more from contagious infec-
tons, and epidemic diseases, than either New-York or
Boston The number of deaths from few prominent
diseases, during the five weeks was Ne follows: