The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-08-02
GheGnteltigetr
The Health Report for July.

The Health Report for July.
We print this morning the report oil
the Health Officer for the month just
ended, showing the almost unprecedented
number Of lO2 deaths in our midst, 70 OF
which were children under 8 years of age.
This mortality Is in keeping with the re-
ports that have been coming TO hand from
all the large cities. These reports show
a death rate in New York Of 47.G5 per
1000, Brooklyn 1915, Philadelphia 4O.l7,
Washington City 4I!27, which in all
these cities is about double their usual
annual death rate. Wheeling lost 70
lives in June and 1O2 in July. These
figures were never reached before, We are
informed, except during the cholera ep-
idemic Of 1854, when, with about one
half the population, the deaths in one
month reached exactly the same number
Us during the month just ended.
The great loss Of life during the pres
ent Summer has everywhere been a;trib.
uted principally to the excessive heat.
The average temperature for July in this
city reached the very UNUSUAL figure Of
1886 degrees, while the average temper
ature Of the first twenty days was 81
degrees. During those twenty days there
occurred 73 deaths, a dailysAverage OF
3.G5; while during the last eleven days OF,
the month, the average temperature OF
which was only 71,6G degrees, there oc.
CURED 90 deaths, daily average OF 2.6S.
The good results Of the cooler weather is:
thus plainly seen; and the mortality for
the latter part OF the month would doubt
less have been even less than here repre-.
scented but for two facts, viz: |. Many
children prostrated during the very hot
weather, fingered on sick beds, only to,
die on the cooler days. .. The sudden
change OF temperature from "a degrees
at 2 O'Clock on the Goth OF the month to
so on the 2lst, and to 81 degrees. att, A..
NJ. to 73 at p. NJ, and GS at 0 p. NJ. on
the 23d, had decided tendency TO pro.
duce diarrheal and lung diseases, especial.
ly in young and feeble children. We
need not be surprised, then, that we have
had high rate OF mortality even during
the pleasant weather Of the past ten or
twelve days, and the less 80 when we re-
member how very imprudent many moth
ers are with regard to adapting their
children's clothing to sudden changes OF
weather.
Another cause to which physicians
attach some importance as influencing
the death rate, was the excessive humid
lty Of the atmosphere which existed dur
ing the greater part OF July. The total
rainfall reached 9.4O inches, which is un-
usually large. 1t will be remembered
that Notwithstanding our many heavy
rains, the excessive heat was not ,materi-
ally reduced. The atmosphere remained
hot and filled with moisture, which re-
tarded evaporation, anl thus the earth
was kept constantly wet Heat and
moisture favor decomposition always, so
that wherever filth abounds the worst
results may be expected. Fortunately
the rains were Of such drenching char
acter rs to thoroughly wash our cutters
and sewers, and thus no doubt worse re.
suits were avoided. It is the observation
Of those qualified to judge that the city
has never been continuously in better
sanitary condition than during the past
month.
By comparing the reports OF the
Health Officer for the present SUM
mer with those OF last year, We discover
another cause for the present increased
mortality, viz:-thc prevalence in the
city atthis time ofboth scarlet fever and
measles. During May, June and July OF
last year there occurred but five deaths
from the former and none from the latter
disease, while during the past three
months OF this year, the former disease
caused lG and the latter % deaths. In
addition to these, there were IL death .
from pneumonia, the large proportion ol
which were probably, we are informed,
superinduced by measles. There arc no
city laws, we believe, providing for any
sanitary control OF these diseases, and the
result is that they rapidly spread from
one familyto another, by direct commu.
nicatiou, and thus many child is need
lcasly sacrificed. On ono square in the
best part Of the citythere have recently oc.
cured no less than 20 cases Of scarlet fever.
This ought not to be the case. WeSee no
reason why the same strict control should
not be exercised over this disease as over
smallpox. Certainly Anch a course
would materially reduce the number Of
deaths. We may have something addi-
tiouaI 70 say touching the report OF the
Health Officer in our next issue.
Alleged Poisoning in Ritchic
County.
e