National Republican., 1875-11-27

oi the Dlstrlct OF OolumOlR Ior the year endin
September 80, which wiz prove Of the creates
interest to cur citizens:
REPORT OF THE HEALTH OFFICER.
DR.. NJ. D. Keen, the health oficer, presents
most comprehensive and voluminous report. H
opens with q general complimentary notice o
the employees Of the ofice and the results o
iaportance Of having them all paved viii III
lsphalt1m and properly severed and draine ed
1snoS.l Of off1i II 4 summed as follows; 1000 ton
mails. Referring to privy boxes, he says: aI di
lated extensively in my last report upon thi
ennipressnt nuisance; Of this filthy, bansful, dis
zusting disgrace upon our want Of cleanliness
The half has not been told. Cemented vaults be
lew the surface, as once described, upon which
the board have acted, but not finally are ne
esssity. would urge Immediate action LOOKING
70 the gradual Introduction OF this improvement
- essential to health and decency."
During the year the sanitary inspectors report
100 houses as uniit for habitation, Of which I9S
were condemned Seven hundred and ninety-tWo
served and complied with. A short ch apter h
devoted to the terrible results arising from the
improper construction and trapping Of sewers,
and the consequent poisonous gases which per-
meate the dwelling houses and he continues
h'The reckless crtmtnality characterised in the
work Of some Of the plumbers Of this District
grand jury" Two hundred and thirty stagnant
ponds have been filed or drained during the
year. In regard to unWholesome food he suggests
that IN abattoir be erected, as by that means It
time of slaughtering. He suggests as the best
way 20 rid the city Of the dog nuisance that all
animals be licensed and oollaTed, and the pound
service continued during the entire year BY the
tmpoundiDg Of all dogs not thus protected.
SMALLPOX.
HIn this connection have" he says, Hto con-
Rrstulate heboard and the people Of the District
While the scourge Of fearful epidemic has ragged
with more or less violence in many Of the North
ern cities, especially In New YORK city, We here
have had only eight isolated cases. Our success
AZ.
eeen remarkable, and I attribute It entirely to
1be activity and thor0ughness with which we
have, in every instance, taken possession Of the
should be taken for the building Of Q new small
BOX hospital, as the present building Is entirely
unfat for tie purpose. 81 desire to commend In:
nOysl Of smallpox cases. have found his expe-
rienoe, hrmness and untiring zeal OF the greatest
value in this service. Such men, although in
snS reanee X time Of nse OF theme the medical san.
1tsry inspector, DR.. W. d. Stewart, he says: In
hustry, thoroughpess and great zeal have chsrac-
In referring to the Iabors of the physicians to
the poor he suggests that they be made the
AlmoHers of the fund for the poor. He shows that
during the year the total expenses, including the
1al2ries Of physicians, was 81, ,4oo.3l. He says:
81 II the physicians to the Door, under the dIree-
ton OF the Board Of Health, and subject to the
permitted to give orders for certain varieties Of
nutritious food, such as meats, meal, rice, &C.,
much permanent good would result" He recon-
nends the erection Of new general hospital
IN SUMMING UP
he says the great subjects which call loudly tor
action by the authorities are,
1; The renovation and improvement Of the gen.
2. An increased supply of Potomac water to the
most elevated parts Of Washington.
3 The removal Of distractions from old water
courses.
4. The Improvement of the malaria-generating
river banks.
8; The concrstinE, daily flushing and lighting
G. The abandonment or improvement of the
quarters now rented as school buildings. The
occupation Of these nLVentilsted, partially
lighted and uRdreined buildings Is constantly
increasing the sick and death rate among pupils
and teachers, and must not longer be tolerated in
cur cities. 1t is poor economy, although parents
eeem slow to realize the danger.
z. The thorough improvement OF the ventilation
majority Of our adult population pass SIX hours Of
sTery day, and which are sending hundreds Of
eonsumpttves home every year. Each involve
and into the grand scheme the magnificent devel.
spnent Of which we hope In future years to see
must enter first and foremost these essential
features.
STATISTICS.
The tables accompanying the report show that
for the year ending September 60, 1878, q, ,5Il
nuisances were reported and abated, and 19S
houses were condemned as unit for human
amounting in value, when wholesome to s. 9.9oS.6s.
OF this there were 1907 pounds of beef, 2.495 of
reas, q, 80 s, o mutton hOoS o. 5acen; ham and
Q. poultry, !o2 dozen eggs, i, $50 pounds cheese
and butter 100 bushels OF potatoes 7O5 bushels Of
tshes and asparagus, o. Jos heads Of cabbage and
lettuce, las squsshes and pumpkins, 7S6
dozen ears OF green corn, 1890 dozen cucumbers,
lips, lS barrels Of Eale, l2S bushels Of rhubarb,
S.o44 bushels Of apples, 1 oes bushels Of peaches
and pears, 20 $50 WatermelonE, 6,162 cantAloupes,
75p boxes Of berries, l;Sse boxes ofchsrries, SIS
coeosnuts, I2s dozen oranges and lemons. and 26l
bushels Of other fruits. Marine products we're
condemned 70 the value, Nnen St n --.i
] ~, y q SI.9 S. There were 90 siIad condemned.
bushels Of oysters A. 615 clesnE and e. 500 CRABS,
= --IDE tnSS year 60 horses were Impounded, is
mules, lis cows, q hegs. l42 goats, Ill geese, 44o
scriptiOns. Of these Tss were redeemed s sold.
2,ee2 killed, died and Is were retained.
The eight physicians to the poor during the
md once consultations. The twelve spotheca-
ries 70 the poor furnished medicines amounting
N all TO e. i2S4o. or the patients treated, 25Ol
light cases Of 1870 II which were ERE fstSI:
we Ehits ana four oOiOfsd
noRTALITT RATES.
4Dr,,no the yesr there were 6gS deaths. s.,
males and 81 females; 153 eSSsslrs 100 children
81 infants; IS illeeimate children were born,
white and 92 colored; 800 people were buried at
public expense. % white and 2ss colored.
SYNOPSIS OF THE REGIsTRAR's REPORT.
In presenting this report upon the subject OF
twelve months ending September 30, 1875, It gives
ne pleasure to state that completeness AID per-
fection in good degree have characterized the rec
Urds Of death for the past year.
a marked Improvement has been manifested In
The accuracy Of the individual certificates from
phyEiciazs, svidencing 3 higher appreciation OF
he practical value Of such records snd data BY
ne medical profession.
Owing to the absence Of suitable legislation
upon the subject Of vital statistics IN this District
until the passage By Congress, in 1874, Of the law
now in force this is the first occasion in the history
0i the capital Of this country when q report upon
this important subject, in any degree approaching
TIE practical value Of such records as applied
20 the life, health and prosperity Of the people Is
becoming more generally understood and appre-
ciated BY the educated CLASSES, and confidently
anticipate near future when the intelligent de-
Mands of an enlightened people will secure the
enactment and execution of adequate legislation
Ier the protection Of life and the social Interests
The Individual reports are as complete as
DfSeAs and marriages fall short Of the actual
nnmberShich should appear on our records.
ai1idnsl bearing sueIi intimate relations 10 the
vital and social conditions Of the people should
he correctly registered by competent authority,
that the legal and personal relationship OF every
citizen, simple inheritancs from the State.
may Be sacredly preserved wise and inst
Government In the exercise Of Its beneficent and
wholesome authority reaches out its strong arm
to enforce q registration OF the vital and social
changes Of fits people, thus Protesting the ma.
turai rights Of the innocent and dependant mem
bers Of society against the unprincipled and de-
signing. The total number OF
BIRTHS REGIsTERKD
m this ONCE during the year was 3915, Of which
number ISIS were white and 1,S97 colored; 80
were twins, SO white and 20 oolored.
The percentage Of white births to the white
population s 2lSe or ut the rate Of 81 SO per 1000.
The percentage OF colored births to the colored
Population s s104, or at the rate Of 81 04 per l00o
Ihe percentage oil the births 70 the total popula-
tion is z, ~, or at the rate Of 2A47 per 1000.
There have been reported to this ot1cs during
the year $40 sillborn Infants, not included In the
total Of otrthe and permits issued for their burial
. pfopoFt1on alarming when compared with the
- narents ard 223 OF colofed. The preponder-
sn.ss .s,,-H still is in my judgmezt, at
s-sS.sssIs =, N Srsst to the severe s1d
~Issn nrsuitable labor performed py TIE females
of this class during the period Of gestration tne
1nIholeSome Influences OF their over eFQWded
and lLveutiIated tenements, located In the most
Insalubrious regions, their absolute poverty az
fofiing but 9 meaRre supply OF Indifferent and
lnsuifsble food, which causes directly tend TO
81 n important that marriages, which are the
rsrf1tered that the moral and social CONDITION OF
fhe people may be preserved, and that rena0ie
te1tsmertary evidence may be available m the
settlement Of estates.
me cSrfincates Of marriage received and re-
corded IN this ofhce during the year we're W,
which probably represents not mofe .asn el.sr ons
fourth Of the whole number OF Marriages sois4n y y
f1nn IN this Diefrfet during that period LnI1