The record-union., 1892-01-13
LA GRIPPE.
It Greatly Increased the Number of
Deaths in December.
Report of Secretary Lame of the State
Board of observation-disclosures Suf-
fered, as Did Other states.

In his report for the month of Deem
! Der last, DR.. j. r. Lame, Secretary of the
State Board of Health, states that mortal
| ity reports from 115 cities. towns. villages
and localities, having an aggregate popu-
lation of 796,5l8, show the number of
deaths from all causes in December to
have been l, 752, making death rate of
2.l9 per thousand for the month, or 20 Is
per thousand per annum.
There were 235 deaths due to consump-
ton, $40 to acute pneumonia, 100 to acute
bronchitis, 81 to congestion of the lungs,
II to diarrhea and dysentery, II to chol-
era infantum, 80 to other diseases of the
stomach and bowels, IS to diphtheria, Il
to Group, to scarlatina, to measles, 2 to
whooping cough, SO to typhoid fever, to
malarial fevers, 5 to cerebro-spinal fever,
80 TO cancer, 2 to erysipelas, rs to diseases
of the heart, II to alcoholism and 674 to
all other causes. OF the deaths placed un-
der other causes Ia grippe is responsible
directly for 10 and indirectly to the
greatly increased mortality from respira-
tory diseases.
November reports showed 1919 deaths
from diseases of the lungs; December,
706. There is also an increase in diph-
liberia over November from 80 to 5S.
Deaths from Group dropped down from
70 III November to II in December. There
is also a reduction of in the number of
deaths from typhoid fever. There is,
however, marked increase in deaths
from diseases of the heart, I13 being re-
ported III December as against So in No
Nember. This has, no doubt, q relation
to Ia grippe and diseases of the respira-
| tory organs.
1t would appear that if it were not for
! the prevailing epidemic with its accom-
panying bronchitis, pneumonia, tonsil-
tits, and protean perturbating influences
upon the human economy, the public
| health would be above the average.
PREVAILING DISEASES.
Reports from 100 towns, villages and To-
calItles, outside of the larger cities, give s
cases of Inflammation Of the bowels, of
Inflammation of the brain, ) Of cholera
morbus, II of cholera intantum, TO Of
diarrhea, q of dySentery. | Of smallpox,
"A Of measles, 81 OF scarlatina, 36 of diph-
liberia, IA of Group, 1871 of influenza, 80
OF WhOOping- cough, % of erysipelas, 81
of typhoid fever, $50 Of malarial fevers
Y Of cerebrO-spinal fever, "A Of tonsiltis.
q of Inflammation OF the kidneys, 20 of
neuralgia, II Of pleurisy, pa of pneu-
monla, II Of rheumatism, 293 Of bron-
chitis, 10 of congestion Of the lungs and
Is Of chicken-poX.
Diseases of the stomach and bowels
have decreased, and diseases of the re-
spiratory organs have largely increased,
with corresponding increase in fatali-
ties. La grippe is greatly responsible for
this increase. In addition to the 1871
cases Of this disease enumerated by re-
porters, is reported prevalent or cpl
demic and associated in greater or less
degree with bronchitis, pneumonia an
tonsilitis. This is without taking into
account San Francisco, Los Angeles. Oak
land, Sacramento andlSan Jose, where if
has, by common report, prevailed quite
as generally as it has among those re-
ported from. This would run the num-
Der up into the thousands and would ac-
count for the increased death-rate from
diseases of the lungs. The sequels of the
epidemic will appear in the death-rates of
several future months under other names.
but they will nevertheless follow as a
result of la grippe.
1t IS quite reasonable to presume that
the hight of intensity of the epidemic has
been reached, and that it will subside
from want of material TO work upon So
large percentage of the population hav-
ing had the disease, makes this SUPPOSE
ton warrantable.
But one case of smallpox is reported
IN the State, and that is in quarantine
Those cases that occurred among the Chi
nese passengers on board ship from China
to san Francisco have been and are still
IN quarantine near San Francisco. There
appears to have been no spread of the
disease from that source.
Sacramento has for more than twenty
five years enjoyed the benefits Of a State
law requiring all children, before enter
ing the public schools, to be vaccinated.
The result has been that while other cities
have suffered from the rayages of the pes
thence, resulting in depression of bust
ness and interference with traffic Sacra-
mento has enjoyed comparative immu-
nifty. In no instance has the disease
spread from the occasional isolated cases
that have been discovered. The vaccina-
ton law is now in force in the entire
State, and ii is not too much to hope that
the entire population may, before many
years, be as fully protected as Sacra-
mentO.