National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1876-03-11
BOARD OF HEALTH.
Mortality in the District-Dr. Cox Explains
His Status on thu Social Evil Qussrion.

Mortality in the District-Dr. Cox Explains
His Status on the Social Evil Question.
The Board of Health met at their rooms last
evening; all the members present, and DR.. @. q.
Coz, president, in the chair.
Professor Lsngston, from the ordinance COM
mittee, reported adversely on the resolution that
had been referred to 1t In relation to sanitary in
spectors visiting houses and inspecting bath
rooms, water. closets ald other means Of sewer
connections, with view Of condemning those not
properly ventilated.
The report was adopted, after lengthy discus
sion on the subject.
Mr.. Msrbury, from the committee on finance,
reported bills amounting to Ss7.79 which were ap-
proved and ordered paid.
DIR. Bliss, as registrar, submitted Q blank form
for the weekly bulletin, which gives more CON-
plete statement Of mortality, causes and compari-
sons with the death rate OF previous year. recapit-
ulation of births and marriages, stillbirths and
deaths certified by the coroner; also, column for
the death rate Of ether ciies at home and abroad.
He wanted to have estimates made as to the ex-
ptnse Of getting up the form, and authority was
given him to do SO.
A Communication was received from the health
officer CON planning Of the stagnant water on lot
80. 10 square lao, and asking that some actisn be
taken to abate the nuisance. Referred to the or
dipance committee.
The registrar OF
VITAL STATISTICS
submitted his statement Of mortality in the Dis
trict for the week ending March 4, which shows:
S; male, colored, o; female, s.; minors-male,
white, 10; female o. male, colores, III female, l3.
Tnter one month Old : one yess Is; two ysa.1
and ons hundred years, y. or these "A were
natives Of the District Of Columbia, % Of the
United States, and Of Ireland.
The principal causes Of death were: Group, );
dill htberia, 2: cerebro SPINAL fever, /; renittent
fever, l. typhoid fever l. typhus fever l. Phthisls
lie III. <. nf hFafD
/, convuisions, l. meningitis, 8; Potts disease OF
spine i; sotepng of brain, /: trismus nascentium,
asthma, !; Bronchitis, ?; congestion Of lungs, 2;
pneumonia, Is; Bright's disease, 1; old age, 4;
burned by coaloil, l. The mortality of the Dis
trict for the week was Is more than last week, or
or at the rate Of p IS per 1000 per annum;
increase OF the population by births over
deaths was 10, or az the rate Of o. Per
deaths were from zymotic diseases, 2O.5l from
constitutional, 56.4l from local, 7.69 from deve-
opmental, and LIS from violence. The rate Of
mortality of the white population was ls.oS7 per
1000 per annum, while the mortality of the col
ored population was i3 oil per 1000 for the same
period. Rate of increase Of white population BY
births over deaths was 4.o7 per 1000
while the increase OF the colored population b
births over deaths was sSS2 Per SU vS Per an M
colored, is-total, 90 or at the rate Of BIS per
loco per annum; for the same period there were
q marriages, 10 white and IL colored; and %
births, rs white males and "a white females, 26
colored males and 10 colored females.
a Communication was received from the resi-
dents of Corcoran street, complaining against the
removal to that square from Seventeenth street
| of two frame shanties by Thomas Allen. The
beard directed the complainsnts TO be notified
that, the board had no power until nuisance
A. q. wall Charles F. Wharton, L. F. GriHiths,
and Philip q. Macy applied for the position Of
George II. Fisher applied for clerical position
under the board.
W. h Stone and Tbos A. R. Reach applied for
| the position OF physician to the poor.
]. Vinsent stating that his neice, Mrs. Robertson,
from Abingdon, Va, while visit to her sister,
in Baltimore, has been afflicted with the loss
of two her children with diphtheria- One
| was buried about q week since at Oak Hill
cemetery in the family burial lot, and he respect
fully and earnestly asked that permit be granted
for the burial Of the other at the same place. The
matter was referred TO the committee on ordi-
nance, for report at the next meeting Of the
| board.
| THE SOCIAL EVIL.
DR.. Cox made some explanatory remarks in re-
gard to the intentions OF himself in introducing
the graph in the annual report in relation 70
the social evil disclaiming any object but that of
| furnishing Information TO the board and other
| health boards throughout the country, and re.
/ GREETED that such statement, previously made
/ by him, had not satisfied the fears OF certain
ladies in the city, and quieted all apprehenslOns
/ that might be entertained Of his advocating any
| lawful acknowledgement Of this evil. In order
| beyond DEMONSTRATION, he offered the following,
| which was unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That the reference to the social evil,
introduced into the report Of the Board Of Health
Of the District Of Columbia, las before stated,
was merely designed to furnish Information OF the
| action taken in connection Herewith by other
/ sanitary organs, and not as committing the board
to the propriety OF legislative Interference with
that evil; that on the contrary It is the sense Of
this board that no such legislative action should
be enforced or encouraged.