Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-10

sckiy. are particularly liable to suiIer and even
TO suffer TO a serious degree.
The Investigations further show that by tbe
application OF such knowledge as is riow at COM
mand all. or nearly all. offensive processes NAV
be carried on either without oifense or with SUCH
reduction Of ofiense, as 10 make them tol,rable,
or even trivial and il is much Ia the Interest
of manufacturers as If is 10 the public that the
carnations from offensive processes should be
arrested.
THE INSPECTION OF PLUMBING.
After referring tothe work in this department
the Health Officer earnestly recommends that
Inc inspectors appeal for assistance he carefully
considered by the Commissioners Inspections
are sho"n To have nearly doubled during the
past year. and the outlook for next Wear rrom.
Ises SVlh further increase He invites alton
ti"h 10 the Importance OF procuring and fresery
IN" the pans al the plumbing work of bnuSas
Inc ming al plans as provided for in s.ctiou Il ~
the regulations should be strictly enforced in
every case. and the inspector should he l,royiara
with every facility for their safe keeping ana
ready reference. The older these records he
come the more valuable they will DE and th,rs
should be no delay IN perteciing the system of
securing them, ful. and complete in good form
The department H. somewhat proud Of TINS ia
newest infant. and the attention of the Com
mis>IonerS is invited to careful peruSal of IN.
remarks of the inspector.
The report Of the inspector shows So fn~pr,-
tions in new houses. So more than last wear
and So examinations of plumbifg IN old holSas
which is about double that of the year prey ious
SMALLPOX.
The report on the subject of smallnoy cites
the history of each of the ten eases which oc-
Cured In conclusion the health officer gives
al account of the emergency service. Organized
when the Harm concerning the spread of the
disease in Baltimore was al its height HIS ely
perience with the disease has established in his
mind the firm conviction that a health or,ani-
cation. with means at its command which fails
10 contlnP the rayages of SMALLPOX or does not
eradicate ii from community within a limited
period. must place upon Itself the stamp II in
efficiency. He invites the earnest attention of
the Commissioners to the necessity for proyii-
ing our city with proper pest hospital.
LOCAL CAUSE OF zYMoTrC DISEASE
The health officer says: We are unfortunate
In not having legislation providing for the re-
porting of cases of Infectious diseases under
penalty. An interesting account Is given or the
measures adopted in London. Under our pres
ent system inspections of premises where infec-
tioLs disease has occurred are made only in
case OF death OF the patient this being the only
means We have in ordinary cases of ascertaining
It's existence. Ii Is hardly necessary TO enter
into any argument to show the adyiSahi ity OF
having these inspections made i'm advance If the
iatal event and. If possible, provide measures
which viii ward off the destroying angel. lie
trusts that action will he taken to provide legis-
lation covering this subject.
Vital. STATISTICS.
There are at present on file in this department
about So, 200 certificates comprising those OF
births, marriages. still-births and deaths or
this number We have recently had 1929 of
births and 33 400 of deaths bound in substantial
volumes of 2oO certificates each making 2.,6
antrni in -ania
whole working system of this branch of the ser
vice rs, IN fact. at the present time in a cundi-
ton far superior to that of any period i'm the
history of its existence. He urges the necessity
Tor providlng hre-proof receptacle for these
important records.
During the year ending June so 1888 4 os8
deaths occurred in the District of Columbia
Of this number l.. 1916 were white males O14
white frIVales. 1904 colored males and 0l3
colored females. From a consideration OF such
data as is at hand. and taking the ratio of in
crease as shown 10y the census Of 1850 the popu-
lation. on January /. 1883, has been estimated
at 1871 $50 026 800 white and 65 ESQ colored).
Taking these figures as a basis il il shown that
the death rate during the past year was 22 80
per 1000 per annum for the total population
The death rates for the white and colored popu-
lation shows, as in the past a very marked diff
ference. being l7.3o Tor the whites and IS for
the coored
In discussing zymOtic diseases the report SAWS
that 1t seems to toe the popular impression that
measles. Group diphtheria and scarlet fever are
more fatal among the coiored population than
among the white. and that they enjoy certain
| immunity from the malarial f,.yers: that such is
not the case our death record for the past five
years quite plainly indicates During that
period the death rate from measles was for the
whites, OBJ per loo; for the coored .027;
Group, .5o2 white; 1868 colored: dphtheria, 5i9
white: -:3S59 colored; scarlet fever. .499 white;
.1:S9 colored; malarial feyers, Os5 white; 2SS
colored.
of the SIG births reported s5l were white
males. SS3 white females; 1l5 colored males us
colored females: one female color unknown and
one colored. sex unknown OF the 353 bastards
reported 800 were colored. OF l.6s4 white
births, 1904 were certified 10y physicians while
of the .43l colOred births only 80 were returned
by physicians
There were reported COZ marriages contracted
between white parties. 235 i'm which the con-
tracing parties were colored and one mixed
marriage.