The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-23

Ihs Board held It's regular weekly session yester-
day. The business transacted was almost wholly of
a routine character.
The following report of the Registrar of Vital sta
tis,cs was read and placed on file
METROPOLITAN BOARD or HEALTH, |
BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS, Dec. 81, 1868.
In the week that ended on Saturday, the 18th INST.
there were 3S5 deaths in New York ana lao in Brook
yn. The increase over the mortality OF the previous
week was 6i IN the 10rmer city and ii in the latter
The mean temperature In the week was 23.37 deg.
Fahrenheit, and the lowest was Is deg. But not-
witlstanding the excessively cold weather the IN
crease that Is noticed in this weeks record OF deaths
does in the list Of lung diseases, but in the
group OF infections by an increase Of scaratna, and
sim more IN the diseases OF tile heart and OF the brain
and nervous system.
The death rate is now equal to 20 in 1000 inhabi
tants yearly Ia each OF these cities. This compares
week OF November lii European cltIes:-I In London
IL was 70 per 1000; in the fourteen chief cities
Great Britain, counted together IL 2S per l.000
in Edinburg, "a; IN Dublin, "a; in Liverpool ST. IN
Glasgow, 50 per 1000, while in Vienna, the third
week In November, the rate was - per LOCO and
In Berlin it was u per 1000 Smallpox prevails in
several of the European cities, ana VIII demand The
continued vigilance of the medical officers Quar-
antine and the emigranJ landing in New York.
The mortality 10y pulmonary diseases, and incu-
siyc OF phthisls and Group, last week amounted TO
III and constituted 3l43 per cent OF the total list
deaths, or out II per cent Of the total mortality In
% this cy nra year 9, e ey aaS s
OF children under five years there died 49, 4a.g3
per cent OF the total list. zynctc or infectious DIS
New York ana % Tor 1871 per cent in Brooklyn.
Scarlatlna is charged with the death OF Is children
child life always threatens the densely packed iaml-
lies OF the tenant houses but the subtlcty OF its
tagious and epidemic principle renders il source
of danger Wherever there are children within its
reach. 1t killed ST. children i'll New York in the
twelve months that ended October l. and III
Brooklyn IL destroyed 402. And this IL but
half the havoc 10 made. for its consequences,
or sequel@, in greater number that survived nave
caused death or permanent Injuries to health. The
CONSCIENTIOUS physician both watches ana breads
the incurs,ons OF scarlatina amolg the families I'M
der his care with anxiees Us great as whea cholera
or smallpox Is threatening. Experience and the.
present state OF medical knowledge teach the duty
of strictly separating the sick OF tins disease, that
no susceptible children SHAH be exposed 10 conta-
gous ,enanations; and In popnons towns and cities
this Kind OF precaution should be extended 10 the
proper sanitary of all clothing tnat has been
exposed in sick rooms The mysteries OF epidemics
will doubtless continue until the art OF complete
sanitary care becomes universal la Its appllca-
tlon. The duty owe TO our fellow creatures
corning this matter OF preventive measures against
scaratna and all the domestic pestilences that
be spread by contagion leads us TO repeat to-day
the words which We quoted year ago from Sr
James " simpson. the great Edinburp physician
"A rattesnake or tiger escaping from
travelling inenagerie into school fu OF children
would. in All probability. not wound or Kill nearly
so many children a. would boy or girl coming
among them affected with or sui nnperfectly
covered from scarlet fever measles or smallpox.
Most properly the cobra lsnakc) and the tiger--be-
cause they are always dangerous-are always, rs
lar as possible, prohibited from making such vista
tions, ana the infected boy or grl should ba pro-
hbiicd also during the time that they are running
through the courses and conyalosceace OF such con-
tagious diseases, while they exhac from their
bodies 4 virus OF dangerous anu deadly potency.r
IL ~ not known, and until known II cannot he
claimed. that sCaratina can be utterly han-hei 10y
a tue resources OF sanitary sclence but 10 has been
found possible y simple regulation of domestic $50
laon and perfect disnfcction and hvgienic care To
limit or greatly noaiiy the fatal progress Of ,hi infec
tious poison
The cnief other point in the hygienc experience
last week. which needs IT, be noticed In trans mittii9
the record OF TINS bureau, relates to the increased
mortality from sudden and fatal termination OF dis
eases Of the heart and the occurrence Of apopcxy.
The ''cold snap' or the winters onset always pro-
duces this result upon the classes of pcr-
sons who died suddenly last week. There
were sixteen deaths by diseases OF the heart
end great blood vessels and fifteen by apopleXy
aid hemipegia These brain disorders caused
ninety per cent more than their annual weekly
rage ~ deaths. some OF this class Of lives are
Important 10 families and to human affairs that the
prudent medical adviser becomes pub nc benefac-
tor by the timely counsels he gives concerning the
hygtenc regimen OF the chronic sufferer from
Ganic disorders: for events that may not be pre-
vented can often be long postponed. h. HARRIS.
The following are the statistics oil the registration
OF births and marriages In the city or New Yorh IA
the week ending December l9:--
Total number oil births returned by physicians. 2*6
Total number Of stlllbrths returned by phy
Siciu>. %
Total nutober or persons married and legally cer-
tilted by clcrgylnen and magistrates ........ 22s