Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-17
HEALTH OF THE DISTRICT.
Tho Death Rate Still Continues High--vital
StattsticH.


1.-THE death rate for the District of Columbia
still continues high" says the report of Health
Officer Hammett for last week. ''The NOR
tality Of the last week reached 1879. as against
125 in the previous week. This gives death
rate Of nigh twenty-nine deaths out of every
thousand Inhabitants The mortality among
the colored people reached near forty per thou
sand Of the colored race As usual at this sea-
son OF the year consumption increases in viru-
lence. The deaths therefrom during last week
were nineteen, which is atA::rste of about a
thousand deaths per year from this dread
malady. Deaths from acute lung diseases are
still at a maximum rate, there having been
hfty-four fatal cases therefrom during the
week. twenty eight of which we're from pneu-
monia. The contagious diseases have almost
wholly disappeared in fatal form, there having
been but one such case each Of whooping cough
and diphtheria.
THE preliminary statistics for January have
been made up at the health department.. The
deaths in the District of Columbia for that
month ran up to GAS, as compared with Ala for
1891, and with 59S for January, 1890, when the
epidemic influenza prevailed to SO great an
extent This is the largest mortality In any
one month in the history of the city, with
the single exception of that Of April last, when
the number reached 697. The deaths during
last month from so-called grip were but TO-
while BIG persons died from acute lung diseases
Sixty-seven died Of consumption. AZ OF heart
diseases and IL from violence. The average
number Of deaths per day was fraction over
90
THE meteorological: conditions were unusual
The minimum average temperature for the
month was six and half degrees below the
freezing point. On the third Sunday the ther-
mometer indicated only four degrees above
zero, or twenty eight below freezing point. The
tDxa x.,fth no. ,p1 un
200 miles per day, while the total rainfall (and
snow reduced to water) was five and eight
tenth inches An amount only exceeded IN the
last twenty years by the severe January OF
1882. when the rainfall reached seven inches
Altogether in its severity and the great
mortality, especially among the aged people,
Of whom 175 over sixty years OLD died. 1t will
be a memorable epoch"
The report shows: Number of deaths, l39;
white. Is: colored, 81. Death rate per 600 per
annum-white, 23.S; colored, 1876; total popu-
tation, 289. Forty-fye were under five years
OF age, 35 were under one year old and 81 over
SIXTY years. Twenty-one OF the deaths occurred
in hospitals and public institutions. The deaths
by classes were as follows: Zymotic, II; consti-
tuiional, 80; local, 80; deyelopmental, 10; vio-
lence, l. The principal causes of death were;
Dlphtheria, l; consumption, 10; diarrheal. l.
erysipeias, l; typhoid fever, 4; pneumonia, IS
congestion OF the lungs. q bronchitis, IL
whooping cough, L. kidney diseases, 2; menin.
gifts, 3. Births reported-30 white males. 81
white females, "a colored males, 81 colored
females. Marriages reported-l7 white, col
ored. Still births reported-l white, 6 colored.