Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-08-13
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.
The Mortality for the Month of July
Prevailing Diseases and Causes,

STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.
The Mortality for the Month of July
Prevailing Diseases and Causes.
The monthly report Of the State B ard
of Health, by DR.. G. G. Tyrrell Secretary,
shows returns from eighty-fv cities and
towns within the State having a popula-
ton of about 70S, 600. The total number
of deaths reported is 95S, which indicates
continuance of the low death rate of the
previous month. The death rate shown by
the report is monthly percentage of 134
in one thousand, while the rate for Sacra-
mento is only %, showing the Capital
City TO have. as usual, much lower death
rate than large towns in other portions of
the State.
The report says Consumption, which, as
before remarked, adds largely TO our month
ly mortality gives the remarkably small
number of l37 deaths in Jnly, a decrease of
10 from the last report, which was then the
smallest recorded in several months. Pneu-
MONA caused 46 deaths, 80 occurring in
San Francisco, the remaining beng dis
tributed throughout the State, which is
great decrease in the mortality from this
disease, and indicates a general absence Of
caused but l6 deaths throughout the State,
San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles
contributing them all. Congestion of the
lungs was fatal in seven instances among
children. Whooping-cough is credited
with Is deaths, IL of which occurred in
San Francisco and 2 inland. Diphtheris
continues to add to our mortality, % deaths
being attributed to it and to Group, which
makes i record of 81 deaths from these
twin diseases. San Francisco reported H.
Oakland IL, San Bernardino 3, Sonora q
College City, Etna Mills, Truckee, Vallejo,
Napa, Los Angeles, Mono, Watsonville, San
Jose and Stockton l each. Scarlet fever
caused deaths, in Sacramento, in Elk
Grove, 1 in Grass Valley, in Wheatland
and in San Francisco. Measles had the
| small mortality OF 2. Smallpox caused 2
deaths, both in San Francisco-recent ar
rivals there. Typhoid foyer is credited
with So deaths-same mortality as occurred
in June. Remittent fever was fatal in 10
instances. Cerebro- spinal fever caused II
deaths, which is double the number re-
corded in June. Cancer was fatal in 43 de-
cedents, which is large increase for the
month. Heart disease carried off the large
number of Y. Erysipelas was fatal in two
instances. Alcoholism caused six deaths.
The following towns reports no deaths
Castroyille, Cedarville, Dixon, DoWnieville,
Duwnie, Fort B dwell, Gonzales, Igo,
Knights Ferry, Lincoln, Liyermore. Mer-
ced and Roseyille.
SOME OF THE PREVAILING DISEASES.
Reports received from eighty-five locali-
ties indicate limited amount of sickness
throughout the State. the most prevalent
being disorders of the alimentary canal
los 4 Ind oil IN ha
increasing prevalence of typhoid fever,
which can in almost every instance be
traced 10 impurity in the water consumed.
This may be expected until the rainy sea-
son sets in, when the ground water will
rise and correct the impurities which prob
ably exist in all shallow wells that receive
the surface drainage.
Cholera infantum prevails quite gen.
orally, and is noticed in reports from Santa
Ana, Lodi, Healdsburg, Dixon, College
City, Fort Bidwell, Lakeport, Shasta, Will
Jams, Sissons, Lemoore, Cottonwood, San
Francisco, Oakland, Healdsburg, Truckee
and Stockton. If it is true, as recorded by
Hayem, that cholera infantum depends up
On the development of microbe in the
bowels mothers cannot be too careful in
seeing that the milk fed to babies during
the summer months is first boiled, and
never given when sour or mustv but
freshly prepared for each meal Hundreds
of lives are sacrificed yearly By neglect of
this precaution. The boiling of the milk
from COWS fed upon alfalfa is particularly
requisite, as this kind of feeding seems to
give an irritating quality to the milk,
which in most babies induces a very vio-
lent diarrhea and disturbance of the etonl-
ach
Diarrhea is mentioned as prevailing to
Il
City, Dixon, College CITY, Cedarville, AL
turas, Fort Bidwell. Cotton, Lakeport
Bakersfield, Shasta. Sissons, Downey, Santa
Clara, Tulare, Liyermore, Calico, Benicia
Gridley. Sacra mento and SALINAS.
Dysentery is reported in Jolon, Tuiare,
Igo, Mariposa, Cotton, Sissons, Santa Cruz
Truckee, Salinas and Millville.
Cholera morbus was also noticed in Col
lege City, Lemocre, Bakersfield, Williams.
Truekee, and Redwood City.
All of these diseases are more OF less in
fiuenced by meteorological conditions, ex-
treme heat being prominent factor when
associated with insanitaly conditions, de-
composing material, or unsuitable food
DIphtheria was quite prevalent in Oak
land during the month, and is mentioned
in reports from San Francisco, Sonora, Tu-
lare, Truckee, Etna, Mills. Riverside, Col
lege City, San Bernardino, Napa, Pomona,
Stockton and Vallejo. The col agious
nature of the disease ought TO .asure
prompt disinfection of every article used
by the sick, and strict isolation should be
enforced in every case. There is no doubt
that di. htheria is frequently propag tied by
| permitting mild cases of the ulsease to
miugle with the public, it not being eener-
ally known that from the mildest attack
| the most virulent can be and often is de-
| velOped.
Cholera is prevalent in Hongkong, and
has made 1t appearance again in Japan.
| The proximity of cholera through the con-
slant commercial intercourse between these
| countries and our own renders us peculiarly
exposed to al invasion of the disease,
recollecting the persistence with which
| cholera germs maintain their existence IN
der the most adverse circumstances. With
bowel disorders SO prevalent as thew are
now, the human system is in q condition OF
| receptivity that would readily become in
fected and develop the disease In its most
fatal form. Sir Joseph Fayer, from his
great experience in India, maintains that
| under certSin circumstances cholera NOR
bus, or summer cholera, may become epi.
demic and undistingUishahie from Asiatic
cholers, variation being in severity and not
in kind. Ii is therefore prudent to avoid
| all known causes of bowel disorders,
especially over-ripe or decayed fruit, and
all noxious carnations from any source
The strictest hygienic measures should be
enforced within our cities. our dwellings
and surroundings. Ali garbage and de-
cayed organic matter should be burnt or
deeply buried, outhouses cleaned and
whiieTashed, as cholera, if once it invades
our Slate, viii spare none but those who
have made themselves secure by sanitary
forethought and precaution.
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