Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-14
THE STATES HEALTH.
Great Amelioration In the Prevalence
Of nizeasa nurtng Februarv


cities and towns show gratifying decrease
in the death rate for the month, including,
as it does, those killed by the disaster at
Vallejo. The decedents in an estimated
population OF 722, 500 were 1,0s4, giving a
percentage of 1.5 per 1000. The percent
age for the month previous was Is.
The mortality from consumption was
high during the month, 167 deaths being
attributed toit.
Pneumonia caused III deaths, which is
& large decrease from the record of the
previous month.
Thirty-seven deaths are attributed to
bronchitis, which is slight decrease from
last report.
Congestion of the lungs is credited with
six deaths only, which is a large decrease
in fatality, and may be attributed to the
meteorological conditions existing during
the month, which were quite favorable to
those suffering from pulmonary disease.
Whooping- cough was fatal in one in
stance.
Diphtheria was much more fatal than
smallpox, being the cause of forty-three
deaths, fifteen being credited to San Fran
cisco, four to Sacramento, four to Willis,
three to Oakland, two to Maxwell. Los
Angeles and Calico, and one each to Azusa
Cedarville, Cotton, Chico, Los Gates, Riy-
erside, San Diego, Santa Clara, San Jose
Sausalito and Fresno.
Scarlet fever caused six deaths during the
month.
Measles is credited with twenty VIC
deaths, which is decrease of ten from he
preceding month.
Smallpox was fatal in thirteen instances
which is a marked decrease from the deaths
in January, when the mortality reached
thirty-six from this disease. In San Fran
cisco nine deaths were recorded, two in Los
Angeles, one in Riverside, and one in
lone.
Typho-malarial fever caused two deaths
Typhoid fever is credited with twenty
two deaths, which is a marked decrease
from last report.
Remittent fever is recorded as causing six
deaths.
Cerebro-spinal fever had mortality OF
eighteen, which is large increase over last
report of deaths from this disease
Alcoholism caused the death of eleven
persons.
Heart disease was fatal in folty-seven in
stances.
Erysipelas caused only one death.
The following cities and towns report no
deaths during the month of February An
derson, Bodie, Colfax, Castroville, Downie-
vile, Gonzales, Healdsburg Hopland, Lee
moore, Lockeford, Millville, North Bloom
field, Susanville, Truckee, and Williams
PREVAILING DISEASES
Reports received from over one hundred
localities, in different parts of the State,
indicate very great amelioration in the
prevalence of disease.
The absence of violent storms, severe
rains, and the usually warm weather that
prevailed during the month of February.
had salutary effect in lessening the ten
dency to diarrhGa and dysentery, and
mitigating the frequency and severity of
pulmonary affections.
Diarrh@a and dysentery are mentioned in
reports from Lemoore, Arbuckle, Ander-
son, Tulare, Fresno, lone, and other towns.
The diseases are, however, not prevalent,
occurring only in sporadic form.
Measles are epidemic throughout the
State, and, in some cases, as so severe as to
be mistaken for smallpox; especially in
those cases where the eruption is yery
dark and markedly popular. fits strange
fact that there is seldom an epidemic of
smallpox that is not preceded, or accom-
panied, by measles. This was the case in
the great epidemic of 1910, when, accord
ing to DR.. Thomas Sydenham, the measles
OF that date introduced kind of smallpox
which he chose to entitle Anomalous
Smallpox" as he found it different in some
particulars from the epidemic form that
preceded it. This distinguished physician
was the first to describe the differences that
existed between measles, scarlet fever and
smallpox, and laid down rules to distin-
guish one from the other, Up to this time,
measles and smallpox were often described
together, as if one was the modified form
of the other.
Scarlet fever, i'll sporadic form, is noticed
in Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco,
Sissons, Wheatland, Fort Bidwell, Ontario,
Los Gatos, Etna Mills, Soledad, Locke
ford, Anderson, Salinas, College City and
Maxwell. The disease is of a mild type,
and attended with very limited fatality.
Diphtheria continues to prevail, but in
an endemic form only. Although inspir-
ing much less fear than smallpox, it is re-
ally much more fatal. In San Francisco
thirty seven cases were reported during the
month, and of these fifteen died-a mortal
ity of over 40 per cent. In Sacramento,
some twelve cases were reported, with four
deaths. The disease is also present in Az
usa, Calico, Cedarvilie, Cloverdale Chico,
Los Gatos, Oakland, Maxwell, Riverside,
San Diego, San Jose, Sonora, Stockton,
Santa Clara, Sausalito, Willis, Fresno,
Truckee, Etna Mills, Millville, Elk Grove
and Anderson. In these towns the disease
appears to be of mild type and not as IA
tai as usual.
Group is mentioned as present wherever
diphtheria prevails. 1t is the most fatal of
all forms OF diphtheria. The isolation of
the patient and the most rigid sanitary su-
peryision cannot be too earnestly enjoined
in dealing with these cases.
Smallpox, we are glad to say, is on the
a. and ~ OBJ 4
of epidemic. In San Francisco, during the
month of February, lis cases only were
reported; of these IS were Chinese-15 of
them directly importing the disease from
China. San Francisco is city that shows
pre- eminentlv the value of vaccination
and revaciuation, and its positive power to
preserve a community from an epidemic of
the disease. San Francisco has had small
pox in her midst for nine months; many
of her streets reeking with filth hundreds
of her tenement houses hotbeds of conta-
gious disease, and yet small pox is kept
well under control, solely by the good sense
of her people in getting vaccinated and re-
vaccinated. If it were not for the constant
importation of fresh cases from China San
Francisco would very shortly exhibit a
clean bill of health, so far as smallpox is
concerned.
In Stockton eight cases were reported
during the month. DR.. Ruggles, the eff
Gent Health Officer of that city, says the
disease is under control, and with the ex-
tensive protection afforded by vaccination,
he does not fear any further spread of the
disease. In Sacramento two cases were re-
ported in the early part of the month.
They are convalescent, and no new cases
have appeared. San Diego reported seven
cases in the early part of the month. They
are convalescenr, and no new cases appear
ing since the 9th of February, the city may
be declared free from the disease.
In Los Angeles there have been several
cases; the exact number has not been
furnished this Office, but will probably
not exceed twenty. Vaccination has been
SO actively carried on in Los Angeles that
no epidemic need be expected there. In
San Pedro one case was observed. In San
Fernando case occurred; also one in
Santa Barbara, three in Riverside, five in
Salinas. and sporadic cases in Napa, Red
wood, Santa Cruz. Cloverdale, Wheatland,
Sissons, Red Bluff, Lockeford, Redding,
lone. Sierra City, Lincoln, Fresno and
Tulare City, in the latter three cases were
| reported In Dupsmuir DR.. Van Meter re-
,orts three cases; in Gibson, three cases.
1t is also reported in Edgewood, Mokel-
umne Hill, San Andreas and Murphy's.
In Oakland there were seven cases during
the month of February, which is a de-
crease of one-half from the previous
month. Vaccination is vigorously en-
forced, so that there is hardly chance