New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-19
SURPRISING DEATH RATES.
THE TENEMENT. HOUSE POPULATION THE
HEALTHIEST IN THE CITY.
MORTALITY LOWEST WHERE PEOPLE ARE
CROWDED TOGETHER rHIcKEsT-THE
EXPLANATIONS OFFERED.

EXPLANATIONS OFFERED.
The Health Board yesterday received from Dr. r.
s. Tracy, Register OF Vital Statistics, q report
talning surprising statements about local death
rates In the city. Ont Of estimated population OF
l,5o6,09l In Ncw-iolk, Dr. Tracy says l,003, 701
have been found to DO living in tenement houses, not
including the frst-cass apartment houses and fats OF
the better kind There were 4ol7o deaths In the city
In 1893, and 24,s42 Of these occurred In tenement
houses Tho number OF persons who lived In tene-
ment houses and died In hospitals and other public
institutions during tho year is not accurately known.
The general death ratio per 1000 Inhabitants
2633, while the death rate among tenement dwellers
was 22.7l.
In tho district west Of Broadway aud south OF Four
feminist the dcsthIate $500, while IN the dis
trct east Of Broadway, which is the most dcnscly
populated part Of tho city and contains tenement
house population almost exclusively, the deathrste
only 2255. This" Dr. Tracy writes, would
to indicate that the population OF tho city has
been undorcstimated and that the quoted deathra
Is too high, that all the deaths belonging to tene-
mcnt houses had not boon credited 10 them, or else
that the doahrae IS actually lower for the tenement
house population than for the rest OF the city.
In all the districts the death-rato OF persons I'VE
years old and over. rio, decreases the number
OF tenants Increases, while tho deathrate Of children
under five years Of ago Increases up to certain
point but when there than eighty tenants 10
shouse the infant death dimnishes the larger the
number. 1t will be noticed that the general death
ratio Is largest In houses containing from sixty to
eighty tenants and that Is caused by the higher
death ratio Of children, which reaches l14,O4 per
/ 900 living In those houses. The progressive do
crease Of tho death among persons i've years old
and upward may be accounted for In three ways
Tho larger houses occupied by poorer people and
larger proportion OF tho sick 60 to hospitals or that
the houses contain . larger proportion OF the ses
when Ito dcath-rate Is lowest or that the tenants OF
larger houses actually live under better sanitary
conditions than those Of the smaller oncs.'
DR.. Tracy sums up the results OF his analysis IS
follows:
!. The death rate in tenement houses Is less than
the general death rate Of the city
=. Tho death rntc In large tenement houses Is less
than ~ smaller ones.
8 While dlarTho ,al diseases and diphthena show q
greater death rate In the larger houses, phthiys and
y cum onia h.w compare ivey ntte difference That
difference. however. In favor Of the larger houses
I. Tho grca est general death rate, the greatest
next to tn. highest death rate from dlarrhocal
d'Sra,ca and pneumonia. and markedly tho Highest
death ratio from phihSiS. IN the district south OF
Four ccnihst. and west Of Broadway. Tho excessive
mo tally in this district probably Is connected with
10 great number Of old houses and the dampnoss OF
the soil
While admitting hst the results OF his analysis
unexpected, Dr. Tracy hints that the Health
Boards supervision Of tho large cgement houses for
number OF Years may have made those houses
better live in hAn tho smaller houses. over which
look into the subject further aud 10 make another
report.