Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-06-12
THE STATES HEALTH.
he Great SaIubrity of California's
Climate Has No Parallel.

Climate Has No Parallel.
Gerard G. Tyrrell, NJ D., Permanent
Secretary of the California State Board of
Health, in his circular for May, reports as
follows:
Reports received from ninety cities and
towns within the State give an aggregated
mortality of l, 035 during the month of May,
in an estimated population of 723, $50
which indicates most favorable condition
of the public health, the monthly percent
age being only IA per thousand or 16 s per
annum. If we contrast this with the
mortality reported in most of the Eastern
States the great salubrity of California will
be readily acknowledged.
Consumption as usual adds large per-
centage to our mortality; one hundred and
seventy four deaths being attributed to it.
Pneumonia exhibits the large death rate
of seventy-two, which, while decrease
from last report, is above the general aver
age for the month of May.
Bronchitis was fatal in twenty-five in
stances, which Is also above the average at
this season.
Congestion of the lungs caused fourteen
deaths, showing an increased mortality.
Whooping-cough was fatal in but two
instances.
Diphtheria continues to swell the mortal
lty list, thirtysix deaths being recorded
from this disease. Fifteen occurred in
San Francisco, four in Sacramento, three
IN Oakland, three in Alameda, three in
Los Angeles, two in Ventura, two in
Truckee and one each in Pomona, Sonora.
Jackson and Downey
Group is reported as causing twelve
deaths, all of which were no doubt diph-
theritic.
Scarlet fever caused nine deaths, an in
increase over previous month.
Measles was fatal in eleven instances.
which is reduction of one-half from pre-
vious report, and indicating a decline of
the disease
Smallpox will, we hope, soon be off the
mortality list, only two deaths occurring
from it during the month, both in San
Francisco.
Typhoid fever caused twenty eight
deaths, which is a slight increase. OF
these, twelve occurred in San Francisco,
i've in San Diego. three in Los Angeles,
two in Oakland and one each in Cotton,
San Jose, Stockton, Pomona, Placerville
and Marysville.
Typho-malarial fever caused one death.
Remittent and intermittent fevers are
credited with four deaths. Two in San
Francisco one in Lemoore and one in
Lower Lake.
Cerebro spinal fever caused fourteen
deaths, which continues to indicate an I'M
usual prevalence of the disease.
Alcoholism was fatal in six instances.
Cancer caused Thirty deaths.
Heart disease had forty-seven decd
ents.
Erysipelas was fatal in four instances.
The following towns report no deaths
during the month: Alturas, Biggs Bodie,
faxrfl Ia Ll11r N
est Hill, Gonzales, Igo, Jolon, Knights
Ferry, Lodi, Roseville, Ontario and San
Pedro.
PREVAILING DISEASES.
Reports OF sickness received from
ninety-six localities in different parts of
the State indicate a gratifying absence of
epidemic disease. The unusually cool
weather during the month of May had the
effect OF increasing the frequency of acute
pulmonary affections, and also developing
tendency TO dysentery and catarrhal
diarrh9ss, unusual so early in the season.
Cholera infantum was noted in the re-
ports from Sacramento, Red Bluff, Cotton
wood, Lemoore, Jackson, 0roville, Santa
Clara and San Francisco.
Diarrh9a and dysentery prevailed gen.
orally throughout the State, and is noticed
as present in reports from Millville, Red
Bluff, Biggs, GridleY, Sissons, Weaverville,
Shasta, Truckee, Mariposa, Dixon, Browns
vile, Healdsburg, Ukiah, Downey, Fresno,
Calico, Hills Ferry, Anaheim. San Pedro,
Lemoore, Bakersfield Tehachapi, College
City, Anderson, Williams, Lakeport and
Stockton. The type of these diseases is not
severe, and the generality with which they
prevailed during the month must be attrib-
uted more to meteorological changes than
to any specific cause.
Smallpox may be said to have almost
disappeared within the State eight cases
only were reported in San Francisco during
the month. Eight cases were also reported
in Los Angeles, one case in Stockton, which
came directly from the latter city, and two
cases in the mountains about ten miles
from Cloverdale. No cases appeared in
Calaveras county during the month, so that
county may be considered free from it for
the present at least. 1t is to be hoped that
in another week or two the disease will
cease to exist within the State. VAGINA
ton and reVaccination ought not to be
neglected, as smallpox is at present in
quite number of the Eastern States, and
fresh invasion of the disease will not
cause surprise at any time, owing to the
large immigration which is tending this
way. Prevention is much better than cure
and prevention is insured by vaccination.
Dlphtherla, we regret to say, is still a con-
slant visitor among US, and will remain so
until we strictly adhere to the principle
that underlies the control of all contagious
diseases, and that is the complete separa-
ton Of the sick from the well. This must
not only include the absence from the
sick-room, but also the separation from all
infective matters that may pass from that
presence into operation upon others. The
principle Of isolation is not carried into ef-
rnnlpco dino ha FOL 10
oughly disinfect in detail all infective dis
charges from the sick-all clothing, bed
ding, towels aid like things which NAV be
imbued by such discharges, and finally by
che thorough disinfection of the rooms IN
which such disease is treated. We find
cases of diphtheria reported from Sacra-
mento. San Francisco, Oakland, Alameda.
Etna Mills, Tehachapi, Pomona, Los An
geles, Downey, Ventura, Sonora, Mllville,
Red Bluff Brownsville, Rocklin, Truckee,
Livermore, College City and Gilroy. 1t is
more fatal than smallpox.
Measles were quite prevalent in many
places, and were noted in Forest Hill, Po-
mona, Red Bluff, Sonora, Weaverville Sis
sons, Livermore. Lodi, Castroville, Santa
Cruz, Cottonwood, Truckee, Bakersfield,
Tehaohapi, College City, Gridley, Ander-
son, Lockeford, Los Gatos, Nevada CITY.
Sierra City, Sacramento and San Francisco.
The type is mild and the mortality limited.
Scarlet fever was present during the
month in Pomona, Red Bluff, Wheatland,
Lincoln, Fresno, Andersonville, College
City, Calico, Oakland, Sacramento and San
Francisco. This disease is one which we
should wish to prevent; SO far as it is I'M
prevented not even the best medical skill
can always, or nearly always, cure it.
Scarlet fever is. says Mr.. Simon, profusely
and uncontrollably contagious. Uncon-
trollably in so far as science cannot yet
offer against it any such personal protec-
ton as vaccination confers against Small-
pox; uncontrollably again, in so far as in
order to spread it does not, like typhoid
fever and cholera. depend, or mainly de-
pend upon conditions which moderate
sanitary care removes. Uncontrollably
further, in so far as its contagion is of a
most persistent character and activity, and
remains in force for indefinite periods of
time in clothing, bed-furniture, and other
objects that give it resting place. Thus
at present we have not any other known
power of dealing preventively with the
disease than such as consists in intercept
ing all contagious communication between