Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-05-13
HEALTH OF THE STATE.
1t is Declared to be Far Better than
During the Winter Months.

1t is Declared to be Far Better than
During the Winter Months.
Mortality reports received from 100 To-
calities throughout the State, containing
An estimated population OF s25, $50. give
the number of decedents as LOST, a month
ly percentage of IS per 900, or an annual
mortality at the rate of Is per 1000, which
is marked decrease from the rate of the
preceding three months, and indicates a
decidedly favorable condition of the public
health throughout the State. Diseases of
the respiratory organs along the coast
counties were quite fatal and added materi-
ally to the death rate. Deaths from ~
motto diseases were quite limited, and
added but small fraction to the total NOR
tality.
Consumption caused 17S deaths, which.
while above the average, is considerably
less than has occurred during the previous
three months from this cause.
Pneumonia is credited with 1O2 deaths,
which is also decrease of over one-third
of those reported monthly since December
Seventy of these deaths occurred in San
Francisco and eight in Oakland, the bal
ance being in small numbers in different
parts of the State.
Bronchitis caused fifty deaths, which is
a slight increase from the number reported
last month. Of these 80 occurred in San
Francisco, in Oakland, three in Los An
geles, the balance in small numbers here
and there.
Diphtheria and Group, collectively, caused
q deaths-17 from diphtheria and 10 from
Group.
Reports received from 100 localities indi-
cate favorable condition of the public
health during the month of April, charac-
terized by an entire absence of epidemic
disease throughout the State, and mini
mum amount of endemic zymotic disease
wherever it did exist. The very favorable
weather that prevailed throughout the
month had beneficial effect upon the res
piratory organs, and hence pneumonia was
not so prevalent, although bronchitis CON-
tinued to be observed quite frequently. In.
f1uenza has nearly disappeared, and is men.
toned in but few reports.
The Sanitary Record in its last issue Justly
says: "Whooping cough is too often re-
garded in the light of a trifiing and un.
avoidable malay. and it rarely happens
that the slightest precaution is taken against
its spread by infection. Some amount of
blame moreover attaches to medical men,
who in many cases fail to insist upon the
Necessity OF lsoIatlOn ana 0lSlnfectlOn. Y ct
the live contagion of whooping cough is
not less active, distinct and subtle than
that of scarlet fever or smallpox. As in
many other affections, although the num-
Der of deaths as immediate result of the
disease is of itself great, yet it may be
doubtful if the remote mortality is not
much greater. The strain on the delicate
lung tissues leads to emphysema and other
grave complications that often prove fatal
after the lapse of many years. Meanwhile,
let arents be taught to regard this scouree
in truer light, by avoiding the bringing
up of their children in contact with the dis.
ease, where it can possibly by diligent in
quiry be ascertained to be present.
No cases of smallpox have yet appeared
in California. DR.. ]. P. Booth, our SAM.
tary Officer at Needles, reports that in Les
Cruces, New Mexico, there were at the
time of writing $50 cases, and the deaths
very numerous. As this town is on the
line of the Santa Fe railroad. the disease
may come in by the way of Yuma. We
ought, therefore, to be forearmed by the
vaccination of those unvaccinated, and es-
pecially the children attending the public
schools. as the law provides.