National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-10-26
THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
T4RLED OPERATIONS OF THE SEC
REFARY'S OFFICE.

THE CHART OF MORTALITY-HOw 1T is
MADE UsEFUL-THE PHYSICIANS Reg
TsTER-yELUE OF VITAL STATISTICS
THE PHYSICIANS TO THE POOR.
1t is so seldom elaborate reference is made to
the operations Of the Board of HeaIth-to the
progress it is making in scientific research for the
present and prospective beneft Of the commu-
nity-thata want is really supplied when informa-
ton concerning the Board Of Health is printed,
1t is quite probasIe that Washington has the
great sanitary advantage Of having the most
efficient, capable, vigilant and economical Board
Of Health in the United States, and as the boards
Of other cities are copying some Of its excellent
provisions, eur own people e0ght to be entirely
familiar with them. This paper proposes pre-
sentatlOn only of one or two prominent features
IN the secretary's office, Dr.. D. W. Bliss; the
correspondence and administration Of the presi-
dents office, DR.. @. O. Coz; the multifsrious and
important affairs under the control Of the health
oficer, DIR. P. T. Keene; the methodical and exact
supervision of accounts, expenditures, bills, &c,
by the treasurer, Mr.. Marbury, and the special
duties assigned to DR.. Verdi and Prof Langston-
each afford ample scope for special papers, and
will receive attention
THE CHART,oF MORTALITY.
One of the most useful and best planned devices
ever known for keeping a record Of daily deaths,
together with those of the barometer and Their
mOmeter, consists Ofa chart. square in form, and
resembling q fine check. Its borders are filed
with figures and abreviations. Two sets of lines
are drawn across the chart, enc Indicating at its
dotted points the exact state of the weather for
each day, the barometer, Thermometer, relative
humidity, and the direction and velocity Of the
wind. The other set of lines mark at their dotted
points the number of deaths each day and by the
colOrs of the lines the classes of diseases These
dotted lines are SO arranged as to go much
farther, and tell OF the daily increase and diminu
ton of deaths, and the abatement or rise of dis
eases, and they are all SO combined that in the
record Of the weather its influence on the death
rate can be exactly measured. Still another
dotted line separates the death rates Of the white
and cOlOred population. This chart affords ma
nation; and besides, it must become to the
physician as valuable a guide in conducting
patients to the port Of health as the mariner
fnds his in safely conducting over the cruel and
deceitful ocean the argoses of commerce. With
this mortality chart the physician can penetrate
the secret chambers from whence disease, in all
its horrible and pestilential forms, issues, and
ward it of. 1t forms a complete system OF
cautionary signals, and will be all powerful in
giving the alarm and preventing sickness
thereby. 1t is now the mission Of the thinking,
advanced CONSERVATION Of the public health to d.
vine the causes Of disease and remove the causes,
rather than to cure a disease. In the one ease a
physician is beneftlng a single patient, and in
the other preserving the health Of the whole COM
munity.
Then there is in the secretarys Office an i'm
mense book, more than yard square, which has
been ruled and arranged for the record Of a con-
solidated mortuary report Of all the principal
cities of the world. This is accomplished by an
exchange with other boards, the weekly and
monthly reports Of our own, and by it, In the
annual report Of our own board, the percentage
OF deaths in Washington can be compared with
other large cities.
THE PHYSICIANS REGISTER.
At first there was some opposition on the part
OF resident physicians in compliance with the law
requiring all regularly licensed physicians to reg
lister their names in the secretary's Office and to
report deaths and births. The first regulations
on the other hand were not entirely perfect, and
in some degree open to the objections urged, es-
birth, even if bed side and confidential secrets
were made public thereby-as they might in q
case Of bastardy. Conferences were held, harmo-
nious conclusions were arrived at, and the result
is that the register now discloses the autographs
signatures of two hundred and tWenty-one regu-
larly licensed physicians with the number Of their
residences, names of medical schools from which
they graduated, and the date of their license to
practice, which is invariably and only given by
the medical society. NO physician can collect mis-
by this society. Blank books in the form Of check
books, containing blank forms and stubs attached,
for the record of deaths and births are furnished
each registered physician, and as occasion re-
quires heihls the blank and sends it to the Office
where a complete and imperishable record is
made; and the same rules apply to marriage
Those practicing midwifery are also under the
cOgniZance of the board, and are compelled to
make full returns Of births in their charge.
The great importance of this record of the col
lection Of vital statistics is seen in the fact that
transcript from the books Of the Board of Health
concerning a marriage, birth or death becomes
legal evidence in any court in any civilized cOun-
try of the world. In this regard one can hardly
measure the value Of these regulations Of the
Board Of Health. If their records are legal tesla
mentaTy evidence, and il has already been de-
cided by the English judiciary that they are, the
immense advantage Of them is apparent. Ten
years hence, If the system continues, person de-
string the information can step into the Board Of
Health rooms and Immediately learn the names
of the children born in Washington to-day, the
names Of their fathers and mothers their nativity
and the dates of birth. The same information can
be had in regard to deaths and marriages, and
that there may be no mistakes made in the matter
Of original entries perfect system Of tests by
comparison is in constant use.
The reader, now comprehending the full
thought, will see that these new rules and regu-
property as we'll as life, and that In the settle
ment Of estates, the probate Of wills, the determI
nation Of legal ages the conveyance of deeds, the
true selection of lawful heirs &C., &C., they will
be OF priceless value, and save litigation.
THE PHYSICIANS TO THE POOR.
Complaint has been made by the ignorant be-
fore now that the Board of Health is an eXtraYa-
CANT concern, and wasteful of the peoples money.
single fact in regard TO the new regulations for
the physicians to the poor" happily denies such
a charge, and proves that 1t is a direct adjunct
in keeping down the amount of taxation. Last
year It cost the District in the Yicinage OF 26 900
for this service, and 1t was most imperfectly
and unsatisfactory performed. The COmmis-
siOners Of the District turned the matter over TO
the bOdIu Ol h6AlIH, WIN agreed IAhL the WOTk
should be we'll executed for IS 900 per annum, in
GLIDING medicines and all. The District was
divided into eight sanitary divisions, and physi-
clan appointed for each one. The board deter
mined sick pauper to be one who is a resident Of
the District, and permanently or temporarily
without the means Of support
The applicant must satisfy the attending ply
stefan that proper case for charity exists. Then
by rule all apothecaries are to charge only eigh-
teen cents for a prescription, whatever 1t may
be, but in making them the physicians have
printed rules from the board in regard to size and
amounts. A complete record of all who receive
assistance is kept, and the system is now in such
admirable working order that great good Is re-
sulting from it, and It is believed that the $500
will be amply sufficient. These are some Of the
salient features Of q single branch of the opera
tiOns OF the Board of Health, but they cons pic
uOusly demonstrate their intrinsic worth and
their great advantages to the community.