Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-08-26


Reporter.-What do you regard as the great
est drawback to the improvements Of the Dis
trict as contemplated by you?
Governor S.-The existence here OF q certain
class who may properly be called croskers, who
can never see any good in any progressive i'm
provement, and to whom the present deprea-
sicn Of all our material interests is chiefly at
tributable.
Mortality tn Washington.
INTERVENING FAUrs IN REGARD TO The CAUSE
OF DISEASE.
Since the system of keeping record OF vital
statistics has been established by the Board OF
Health and the abOi- of the Office of
physicians to the poor the board has found IL
necessary TO create the Office of Medical Sani-
tary Inspector. 1t was found that N any reports
of deaths were made to the office without the
cause being given. This was In consequence Of
there being no physicians in attendance, the
friends of the deceased being too poor to employ
the services of a physician, and the causes
stated on the reports being unsatisfactory, it
was deemed best 10 employ q competent physi-
clan to examine into all such cases and make a
proper report. The board selected for this ser
vice DIR. w. ID. Stewart, an old army surgeon
and medical practitioner of large and varied
experience. In the prosecution of this duty Dr.
Stewart has discovered some curious facts. The
mortality among the class of cases which he has
been called upon to investigate has been by far
the greatest among the colored population, and
especially among children. In a report sub
mitted by him for the week ending August 10Th,
IL appears there were 10 deaths, 10 OF which
were children and infants, and of this number
seven died of Tri mus Nssceitium. This disease
Is common among the poor classes especially the
cOlOred poor, and is escTibed to local causes,
He states that "of the 10 cases inspected 1t is a
suggestive fact that II are colored infants, and
among the latter are cases of Trismus Mas
centrum. Most prominent among the causes of
this disease are the consequences OF poverty
such as insufficient and improper food, expo
sure, and vicious habits of parents, especially
of the mother. Medical statisticIans and pathi-
ologists also agree that the colored population
are much more susceptible to the disease than
the white or Anglo Saxon race. These facts
applied to the social and physical condition OF
so large coloIed population as We have in the
cities of Washington and Georgetown, go far to
explain the large mortality among inftile life
in the miserable, overcIowded, filthy and I'M
ventilated alley tenement houses. Other causes
OF Trismus NasceDtium are want of intelligent
supervision of the treatment of the mother dur
i"g labor, and Of the child at and i'm mediately
after birth. large majority of the cOlored
mothers are attended by midwives who are al
most, without exception, utterly ignorant of the
q pcnsible duties which they take upoa them
selves. Frequently irritating and filthy appli-
cations are fouLd of SCOT, Or a mixture OF hogs
lard and suet, resulting in excessive irritation
and inflammation, which communicated to the
gangliODic system of nerves in the infant soon
finds expression in Trismus Nascentium.
The ARLINGTON BAPrIsrs-Troubles of the
ReU. Robert s.. LdpI.-For some weeks past
there has been considerable agitation among
the cOloIed BRptists of Arlington, Alexandra
county, Va, in consequence of the alleged mis-
conduct of the pastor, Rev. Robert S. Laws,
charged that Laws had drawn up bill of sepa-
ration for Deacon Bates, to ena bic the latter to
take second wife, and at meeting of the
church ii was resolved to expel the deacon from
the deacon board and the pastor from the pull
Pit. Laws not being satisfied had another
meeting called, which reccnsidered the action
OF the previous meeting, SO far as he was con-
cerned, but again expelled the deacon. From
that time discOrd seemed to reign supreme in
their midst, and the aggrieyed members called
for council OF ministers and deacons. The
council was held few days ago. at which Rev.
Fields Cook, Of Alexandria, presided as mode
rstor, and U. II. Middleton acted as secretary.
The accused made statement In his defence,
and the expelled Deacon Bates being asked IL
hewouId have married If Laws had not given
the bill OF separation, replied in the negative.
The council then proceeded to hear evidence,
and appointed committee to draft report.
The committee submitted a report "that the
Rev. Robert D. Laws, in their judgment, has
minister Of the New Testament in making bill
OF separation for Randall Bates. We recon-
mend the action OF the aggrieved members in
cleansing their church from fornication and
adultery, and ask that the council hear Brother
n. 8. Laws If he has any reparation or confession
to make"
called on stated that the report OF the committee
and its adoption by the council was satisfactory
evidence that be had done wrong, and that he
was sorry he had done anything to cause grief
or suffering to his brethren, and asked forgive
pess, and was sorry he had incurred the dis
pleasure or any members OF the church, and
who had beer sggrieved by him. His confess
sion was received satisfactory, and, on the
grounds Of Christianity, he was forgiven.
QUEER CASE DISPOSED OF.-A few DAYS
sgo DIR. Henry Wilson appeared before Justice
Shea, on AZ street, and filed the folio wing bill,
on which be asked that suit be brought, the
party named therein being well and favorabiy
known lawyer, whose office Ia on 4 4 street, and
who married the daughter of one or our leading
citizens residing In the northern section of the
city: "Washipgton, ID. O., August 10Th, 1874.
- - to DIR. Jane Wilson, DR.. To profess
ical attendance, 800" Or. Henry stated to the
justice that the party had brought to their house
young colored girl for treatment, and she was
confined and gave birth to q child at the house,
and both died, but that previous thereto the
girl made statement that the defendant 1.-THE
lawyer) was the father Of the child. The
warrant was issued and the 2lst instant
fixed for the time OF trial, but on that
day the defendant flied an afidavit,
end ruled the case to Justice Walter.
The trial was then fixed for the oath, when all
parties appeared before Justice Walter. Mr.. j.
y. Norris represented the defendant and cail cd
for bill Of Items which DIR. Henry commenced
to make out, but DR.. Jane stating that she had
not brought the suit, and had not made the bill,
DE-. Henry desisted, and che requested q non.
suit and it was entered. The mother Of the VIC
tim was present as Q witness but was not sworn
She, however, stated tina; she knew nothing of
the defenoa ants connection with the case and
that she had taken her daughter to DR.. WiIson,s
herself and had paid her board.
The SECOND DIsrRIcr ScHoors.-Several
changes In location or schools In the second dis
~ & nil kav az bow