Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-17
THE DISTRICTS HEALTH.
Health Onicsr Hammett's Report for the
Year.


Health Onicsr Hammstt's Report for the
Year.
PRECAUTIONS URGED AGAINST THE VISITATION
OF EPIDEMros IN THE spRISa-vrTAL STA
TIsrIcs FOR THE YEAR-THE GARBAGE sxRv-
ICE.
The annual report of DR.. C. NJ. Hammett, the
health officer Of the District, submitted to the
Commissioners today, states that during the
year the general health has compared favorably
with tina: Of other years. The number Of deaths
was 6o9s. as against $40 for last year, and the
death rate was 1874. compared with 2i.8 in
the preceding year. In the zymotic, or pre-
ventable class, the death rate but 499
per 900 Inhabitants. For the whites the rate
from this class Was 40, and for the colored the
rate was 6.62 as compared with 7.04 last year.
The mean average rate for the whole popula-
ton for the past fourteen years was 1888 per
1000. That for the whites was 1857 and for
the colored SO. T.
There were 16, Oil nuisances reported during
the year. Sc, $50 pounds of meat and poultry
and game, 95,35S melons, $50 bushels Of fruits
aud large amount Of miscellaneous items
offered In the market, as vegetables, berries,
oranges lemons, grapes, eggs, butter and in fact,
all the list Of edibles presented for sale in tho
great markets Of the city, were condemned as
unfit for food.
upon 1855 complaints Of citizens, / ,004 official
letters were written, ,779 notices for abatement
81 nutsauces were served, SO cases were re-
ferred to the district attorney for action, 50
| cases were referred to the District chemist and
4, l52 letters received.
The medical treatment of the poor amounted
| to 12,643 persons, of whom A,33S were whites
and 8, 500 were colored.
There were 1926 burial permits issued, of
which Al were disintsrments. 2S9 were foreign
and 596 were burials at public expense
Searches and transcripts for records Of
births, marriages and deaths were furnished to
,443 applicants; 100 permits to temporarily
close the travel on streets on account Of serious
illness were issued 107 special permits we're is
| sued to garbage collectors.
There were 2,476 inspections of plumbing
made, 400 being in alleys having hydrants and
water closets In the yards only and 100 inspec
tons Of old houses.
The report gives also a synopss Of the years
work on the abatement of nuisances, the con-
| domination Of unwholesome food, the medical
| treatment Of the INDECENT sick, the pound
service. the diphtheria and scarlet fever
service, the inspection Of plumbing
VITAL STATISTICS.
Throughout the last fiscal year the health Of
the District Of Columbia has not been disturbed
by any marked invasion of disease. There
an increase in the total mortality of 37s over
that OF the preceding year, but the death rate
WIS raised only six-tenths Of one individual in
each thousand Of inhabitants.
This increase may be mainly attributable to
the rapid increase of population. and partly to
the prevalence of acute lung diseases during
the late winter and early spring months At one
period In the fall season diphtheria threatened
to become epidemic. Its advance was
met with all possible energy and its spread
finally checked by strict application Of the
principle of individual isolation, rendered
practical under the wise provisions Of tho laws
regulating this disease, well as scarlet fever.
OF the 6,09S deaths during the year ,S47
were white males, $50 were white females,
1889 were colored males and 1,257 were col
ored females. The annual death rate was
1886 for the whites and 31.24 for the colored
people, and 2.34 for the total population.
1t - urged that suitable provision be made
for the preservation Of the valuable records of
the office.
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST EPIDEMICs.
I'm view Of the threatened visitation of cpl
denies of various kinds during the coming
spring and summer" says the report. sit is
recommended that early and energetic meas
ures to meet the invasion of such an enemy be
inaugurated, both by the government and the
people of the District. There should be an abso-
lutte cleansing Of every house. lot alley and street
In the city. An efficient and ample quarantine
should be established to fence off contagion in
every fern and place where it may present
itself. A Convenient and comfortable place
should be provided for those attacked suddenly
or for those who have no designated domicile,
and means provided by which all such cases
can be quickly and easily transported thereto.
Ways and means should also be provided BY
which full corps of skilled inspectors in ad-
dit,on to the regular force Of the health Office
and skilled nurses in case of emergency could
be employed"
THE GARBAGE SERVICE.
There is no more important matter affecting
the public" DR.. Hammett says, Ethan garbage
collection. The general health in great meas
ure depends upon the degree Of cleanliness prac-
to the physical welfare can be maintained
than collection Of filth and offal
on residence premises. While the contractor
may have endeavored to his utmost exertion to
fulfill his contract and to visit punctually every
family embraced within the service, yet, unless
he meets with corresponding attention from the
Inmates of houses he will be hampered in his
work to the extent Of such neglect
Therefore it would be well to ask every citi-
zen and every family in the city to help the
collection OF garbage by establishing an under
standing as to hours and DAYS for visits by the
vehicles and to answer ali calls by drivers when
made. That this service is now in a satisfac- |
tory condition is shown by the fact that scarcely
any complaints OF neglect on the part of the
collectors to present themselves are now made
to this Office.
THE REMOVAL OF ASHES.
Attention is called to the recommendations
in my report of last year. says the health Off
Ger, las well as by my predecessors in previous
reports. as to the disposition of ashes. In
themselves ashes are not considered dangerous
to health, but when deposited in heaps in Gel
lars OutlOuSes they 10 he
come receptacles for the refuse of the
household. Hence, in time. by the natural
reactions these collections become surcharged
WITH disease germs especially dangerous to
health. There is therefore, now particularly
urged upon the attention of the Commissioners,
and through them upon Congress, the necessity
Tor legislative enactments which will provide
for the official collection of ashes, as in the case
OF garbage. and under similar regulations"
FINED FOR "CAPPING,"