The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-05-01

their significant bearing upon the imPOr-
tant question Of the health q cities. The
writer, indeed, considers not this question,
but that Of the value Of health to the
State and by very plain process OF Fea-
sOning, or, rather, Of putting figures
together, be shows that high death-rate
aside from the mere question OF the re-
noval Of prOducers,) indicates the loss OF
| considerable sum of money to thecOm-
munity. For every death represents aeer-
tain number Of days Of sickness, which are
be 10 deducted from the sum Of the produc-
live labor time Of the whole community.
Thus The, reduction ofonly four per thOus-
and annually in the deathrate Of Massa-
chusetts would, as he shows, save the Com
mopwealth mot, OF course, the corporate
state the sum Of g, l9O,6I6. The writer
is led to the consideration Of this question
BY the announcement Of the fact, which,
although it may have been known to
vital statisticians before, will be surpris-
ing to most readers, that Massachusetts, Is
ono Of the most unhealthy places within
the temperate zone, and that II Is con-
spicuously so In comparison with other
parts Of the United States. Its death.rate
Is almost exceptionally high; and that
this rate Is not the consequence Of a
bleak, cold climate would seem to be clear
from the fact that in other parts Of the
country where the climate is colder
Minnesota, for e1Ample-the death'Fate
Is very much lower, and that very great
increase in the Massachusetts, death.rate
in the year 1872 was owing in only q
minor degree TO constitutional, local, and
deyelopmental diseases, aud chiefly to
EymOtic diseases-that IS contagious
and infectious ieyers. The death.rate
for that year in Massachusetts, was . 272-
1000 per cent, or one to every tOrty.tour
persons. This rate was greater than that
Of more than half Of the cities In the cOun-
try; only a few Of the principal ones,
including those subject periodically to
yellow fever, showing one notably higher.
And it was greater during that year by
one in thousand than that Of London or
Paris.
These facts suggest inquiry into sub
ject a. to which conclusions have, per-
hans, been too hastily drawn-lhe effect
upon health Of city lie. twas assumed
for long time that health was 10 be
found in the country, as compared with
cities, which were regarded as the breed.
ers Of disease, because Of their density
Of populatiOn and their unclean cOndi.
ton. But the hard facts Of the health
statisticians are making sad work Of
these old poetic notions, as this very case
OF Massachusetts, shows. The common
belief that density Of population has an
increased rate Of mortality aS 4 necessary
consequence has 4 seeming suppOrtin the
fact that dense population and high
death.rate are very often found together.
But that the high rate is necessary re.
suit, or even direct CONSCIENCE, Of densi.
ty does not appear. For example: The
death.rate Of London about 200 years ago
has been carefully estimated at about
forty.tWo In q thousand. Now, with n
population nearly siX times as large %
then, and with density Of hAbitation very
greatly II not cOrrespondingly increased
The rate has been reduced to 2l.4 per
thousand. True, the advance Of science,
medical, physiological, and sanitary, has
diminished the death.rate generally, and
we cannot be exact in our comparisons,
because we cannot be exact in our know.
ledge Of the conditions that we are com
pairing. But although It may be true
that, other things being equal, density Of
population Is uniayorable to health, il Il
also true that between cities and the coun.
try other things are not equal, and that,
for instance, the results Of science are
more promptly at hand and more readi.
lly applied in the city than Ia
the country. Besides, there are In
the tables before us some facts and figures
which are quite opposed TO the conclusion
THAT density Of population and death go
together. For instance, Ia 1872 the death
rate in the city Of New York was 32.6 per
thousand, while in Newark Il was almost
the same-3i .6-Only one In a thousand
less. Now, the difference in density Of
population between New York and New.
ark is almost as great a. il can be be-
tween two large towns. The same re-
mark applies 10 lIoboken, where the
death.rate WaR even somewhat greater
than Il was in New York, 500 per thou
sand. In New Orleans, which Il densely
populated, and which Is subject to yellow
lever, the death-rale was less than that Of
New York-30.6 per thousand; while In
Memphis, which Is not 1enSely populated,
aad where yellow fever Is not epidemic,
the rate reached the exceptionally high
figure Of 46.6 per thousand,
These facts would seem to show that we
are not yet sufficiently advanced In sani-
tary science to form a Well-iOunded con-
Clusion a. to the effect Of denSiiy-mere
density-of population upon the health Of
the human race. But AZ 10 one point, all
facts, all reason, all probability, point to
one conclusion; and that il, that sick ness
and death-and, In particular, typhoid
diseases and diseases Of the IymOtic type
ARE connected directly with the presence
Of the gases otdecOmpOSition. Pure water
iavUrs health, but II has been found that its
introduction into cities has not diminish
ed the dealh-Fate In any very striking
degree. but the removal Of masses
Of decomposing matter IL always fol.
loved by diminished death.rate. Dr..
Derby, In his report on typhoid fever,
says: "The single continuous thread Of
probability which we have been able to
follow In this inquiry leads uniformly 10
the decomposition Of organized and
chiefly vegetable substances AZ the cause
Of typhoid fever" This Is one great
sanitary point to bs kept before house.
holders and the health authorities; the
removal Of the accomplishing matter,
whether il Is such a. produces ordinary
malaria, that il, such a. comes from
Slagnant water or covered water courses,
OF such a. produces typhoid fever. This
attended 10, the Inhabitants Of cities