Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-01

also the relative Of deaths Of the colcred
population gr atty diminished
All these facts exhibit 10 US = most important
heid OF labor in the District OF coinmss, cali
Ing tor h the cooperative efforts OF the human
iisrAn and ssuitsrian. that out OF this crude
ei' mebt OF our population may he formed
degree fsanitsry Improvements insured ~ 81 all
arrstiy eouduce 10 the common good.
tMfR"vkD sAsIrAsY cosDirIos Oh wAsHiSG-
On referring TO the record of registered
deaths Tor 1872, tor nine months ending April
50, which covered the period Of the report of
Hea'bS 10 the present Board of Health for lss2.
we hnd that the total numb Der reported from al
causes was .95i, and for the same period during
the present year. l15i. showing sdecresee OF 300
deaths, notwithstanding the prevalence OF cpl
cemic small poS, an estm sted increase OF 8 600
in the Population OF the District OF Columbia
shu much more ierfect repatriation OF deaths
Tor the latter period
This decrease will be found, on reference to
the table OF clsssin cation OF diseases, to be
largely in deaths from zymotic disc ases which
is msnifes'ly due to the better sanitary condi-
ton OF the Districr, eQuent upon the lab lrs
o. the Board OF Health and the sdvsnced con-
dition of the grand improvements under the
auspices OF the Board OF Public Works.
The total number of deaths FOR the twelve
months ending September 81, ISIS, from all
Causes, Wa 2 3T0 or IL IS per thousand, with an
estimated population of lS5 .O00-sdding ten per
cent, the estimated number of deaths not
ported to the Board Of Health. gives .. COZ
deaths. or 1881 for every rhaus and vi the asti-
IN 1t. q y plstion, which ~ believed to be the
full rate 81 mortality OF the District OF COlu N
hs, and compares fsvnrsbly with any city of its
poPu alton in the Unit d ; Jates.
III lssiicati0n Of diseases is similar To
that adopted by the Board of Health OF the
city of New York, and is believed TO be the
best.
Itwill be observed that under Glass; ono
cause of death assigned there were - regis
tered, which is another evidence of tue TIRE
SpOnsible manner In which reports Of deaths
made 10 the Board, and the unreliable chs
racter Of information obtained from such i'm
perfect statistics.
II will be observed on examining table No l.
that the more prominent diseases, the causes
OF death during the past seventeen months
we're small poN, phthisis. and cholera infsntum,
and that the number of deaths from these three
causes we're something more than 3S per cent
of the total mortality from all causes.
THE Epidemic OF SMALLPOX
which ragged in the District during the past two
years, and Its final suppression, eSemplifv. un-
mistakahly, the effect of health regulations
and their enforcement. All ordinary means,
even thorough general vaccination, failed 70
accomplish the object until strict isolation was
instituted by the health officer whose efficient
labOrs in this direction efiectually sub iued the
disease within period OF forty-nine days, by
means of arbitrary removals to hospital, and
thorough and complete isolation.
THE CAUSES OF THE GREAT MORTALITY AMONG
THE CoLORED POPULATION,
shown in the comparative linear representation
OF mortality, and the elaborate table accom-
panying the report of the health officer, are
found in their habits of Iife aggregation in ill.,
ventilated apartments, deficient and unwhole-
some food, and other causes to which have
allnded In former portion of this report.
The DeXt most prominent cause OF death is
PHTHIsIs PULMONALIs,
and we find hisdisease rapidly increasing in the
District. owing mainly, It is believed, to the
| of our resident population. / refer 20 those
persons employed in the Government Depart
| ments. Clerical work, constant confinement to
| labor at a desk, in ill-yentilated apartments
with little or no exercise in the open air, tends
always TO depress the vital forces, and the first
| TO suffer is the function of digestion. Dyspep-
STA soon leads TO lesion of the lung tissues, and
| especially so in subjects predspOsed to mals-
| dies of this character. It is to be hoped that
the attention of the authorities will at early
day be called to the subject of OvercrO Sding
and deficient ventilation in the Department
buildings, that this prolific cause of the excess
OF deaths from this fatal malay may be mate
| rally modified.
| THK NUMBER OF DEATHS PROM CHOLERA
INFANUM,
| which disease invariably prevails in all our
| large cities during the summer months. WAS
materially decreased during the year 1888, when
| compared with those of the year 1872. Owing
| to the very imperfect registration of deaths in
| 1872 we are unable to give perfectly correct
percentage, but II IL estimated TO be at least
thirty per cent.
| Ii is gratifying TO notice that the percentage
, Of deaths from diarrhga and dysentery are Tar
| below the average of those from the same luses
in other cities OF equal or even less population
CORoNER's REPORT.
Sec. Is of " An act prescribing the duties of
4
| approved August %, 1871. requires the coroner
| OF the District to " make a monthly report to
| the Board of Health OF the number of iu9uests
| held by him during the month last past before
| said report, with a full description, as tar as
| may be, OF the age and sex Of persons color an 4
| nationality, the cause snd mode OF their deslh
aud sncn other particulars as may be necess iry
| TO thelr ldentlncation, in case of strangers and
unknown persons" Table No. 9 OF this report
| exhibits " classification of causes of de an -
eertlhed to by that Jealous and efficient on ;er,
] menths ending September so, 1873.
Total deaths, from all causes certified nv tba
coroner, two hundred and forty-pIne' Caig or
10 per cent 81 entire registered mortality.
| There were IL suicides and 80 homlcides lin
| Guiding IL infanticides, } and there have bean
JUDICIAL executions,iv George W. Jenkins,
1 Barney Wood, Charles johnson, aud Thorn As
| Wright. Three were colored and one white.
Of the thirty still births reported as aving been
4 p" foHnd under suspicious circumstances, many
IL not all, may be attributed to the application
1 OF artificial means to superinduce untimely
| There have been no convictions for infauticide
| a fact which would seem to indicate either a
defect in the laws applicable TO such cases, or
| an indisposition on the part OF the authorities
| to ferret out and bring to punishment this rap
| idly-increasiDg class of child-murderers.
The deaths from other causes, certified by the
coroner, have been referred to in another part
of this report.
1t affords me great pleasure to return thanks
10 coroner Patterson for the prompt and cOur-
teous manner in which he has responded to all
requests for service or information emanating
from this office. and for the many valuable sug-
gestions have received from him, from time to
time.
In conclusion, may congratulate the Board
of Health and the public upon
THE GREATLY DECREASED DEATa-RATR OF THE
DISTRICT,
when compared with former years, and
the prospect of still greater reduction
as the public improvements progress to
completion, the continued vigorous en-
forcement of the ordinances and regulations
of the Board of Health, and the efficiency of
their sanitary officers, more nearly approach
that degree Of perfection in their work which
they are constantly lsboring to accomplish.