Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-19

classes. The form OF malarial diseases most CON-
monty met with is simple Intermittent feyer.whi
is the least serious and most durable form. Death
from well defined uncomplcated nalarial diseases
Is rare event in our city. careful comparison
OF the death rate OF Washington with that OF other
principal cities OF the United States shows fonclu-
Syely that il does not exceed the average. notwth
ans the very large proportion OF coiored peo-
generally almost or quite double that OF the whites
Inc proportion OF coored race Is greater IN WASH
ington than in any city north or west OF us, and
when the proper reduction OF the death-rate on
this account Is made, il will show sanitary con-
mari hers tS ,S Is n 70 IT,
ment OF Washington are believed 10 be absolutely
correct as Ia the number OF deaths annually occur
Ing among Us.
The total number OF deaths IN the District of
CoIumbla Tor the year ending June 80 1881, WAS
4,l5o. OF which number 2,ao6 were white persons
ana 1881 colored showing death-rate of Is Is per
LOCO per annnm for the white 81 g for the col
orad anu 2:6 for the whole population. The
total, p. 80.
We believe, too, that the unfayorable reports so
lnduStriouSy circulated OF the unhealthy condition
OF the Presidents house are equally unfounded.
rms has been the residence OF all the Presidents
Tor eightyone years, and during all that time. With
the exception OF Presidents Harrison and Taylor,
who died after short Illness from acute diseases
the m no c way dependent on climatic influences.
men OF advanced age, have enjoyed excellent
health and been able To attend to their official
remarkable exemption, and proof enough of itself
OF the favorable sanitary condition both OF the
White House ami the city. We may add, too, in
continuation Of this view that all the former Pre-
S1dentS spent the whole year here. except a very
snort visit to their respective homes the practice
OF living for part of the summer In the suburbs
having been first adopted by Mr. buchanan, and
when the present anomalous condition OF the
Potomac flats opposite the city, shall have
been remedied, which in their present state
are at least menace for the future-we
Know OF nothing likely To prevent Washing
heretofore, one OF the most healthy, as &c is
one OF the most beautiful, cities in country
The Medical society met Wednesday night and
adopted the report.
ANSWER OF WASHINGTON PHYSICIANS TO THE CUES
TONS PRoPoUNDED TO THEM.
Answers have been received from practicing ply
sicans to questions propounded In the cfrcularlet-
Ger issued by the committee and already published
In The STAR, as follows:
To the first Quesuon-Do you believe that mala-
rial diseases prevail TO the same extent as formerly
In Washington, forty-eight negative answers were
returned. Ten answers were affirmative. The
physicians, who had been engaged in practice
from fifty five to twenty-five years, with one ex-
ception testified to the fact that malarial diseases
are less prevalent than formerly. Several did not
answer this question, as they have not been en-
gagged In practice long enough to speak from their
personal knowledge of the former health OF the
city.
The second Question-In your practice do dis
eases clearly due to malarial influences present
themselves In large proportion? was answered ia
nine. Several OF the affirmative answers We're
qualified by the statement that this large proper
TEMPER and October. and In certain parts OF the
city only. The almost unanimous opinion WAS
returned TO the third question that Intermittent
FEVER Is the most common form OF malarial disease.
! re TIE '0urti Gna-:ton-From your experience
do you think that malarial diseases cause many
Deaths and what form OF malarial disease nave
| you found most fatal? was answered by all that
malarlal diseases do not cause many deaths.
Thirty-nve answered simply "no:' sixteen said
that "they had never lost case from this cause:
eleven replied 'that death in these diseases was
rare" one that he had had but one death in five
years These replies are given in order to show
| the emphatic manner I'm which the unanimous
opinion was expressed that malaIial diseases are
rarely fatal in our city. The following were be-
eyed TO be the causes OF death in the fatal cases:
CongeStive forms and pernicOus remittent feverS.
FiIty-ve physicians responded that malarial dis
eases were confined more or less, to certain loca
| ties, while six thought they were equally preya-
lent in all parts of the city AS regards localities
the following list embraces all that were specified
dies: Along the line OF the Potomac river fats,
Rock Creek, and the canal in the neignDorhood 0f
the United States Naval Observatory. the eastern
part OF the city bordering on the Eastern Branch,
the low and badly -drained suburbs in the north,
and along the lower creek canal
| The opinion thus expressed in these answers
may be summarized I'm the following conclusions:
1. That malarial diseases are less prevalent now
than ten to fifteen years ago in Washington. and
thIt this improvement has been most marked in
those parts OF the city which have been drained of
surface water, where low ground has been filed
and raised, houses built, and the streets paved
with concrete.
2 The cases OF malarial diseases do not occur in
large numbers In the practice OF the majority OF
the physicians in the city, and that malaria has
not widespread influence here, 4 large proper
ton OF the SO called malaral diseases" are cases
OF slight or obscure disease, due TO many different
causes.
3. That simple intermittent fever, the most In
durable form OF malarial disease, is the most
commonly met with.
4. That malarial disorders have not as great in
tensity in Washington as formerly, and are sell
dom fatal
chiefly In those parts OF the city Immediately bor-
dering on the Potomac river and its tributaries
Rock creek and the Eastern branch. and fin the
neighborhood OF low, marshy soil on the outskirts
OF the city, and that for seemingly greater 1mmu-
nifty from the malaral poison it Is important that
these marsh lands should be reclaim
The committee believe that disease from ma
lara Is leSSening every year and that when the
Potomac flats are reclaimed Washington will be
as free from sickness from that cause as any city
In the country.