Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-21
HEALTH OF THE DISTRICT.
Increase in the Number Of Deaths and Some
Remarks on the Causes.

Increase In the Number Of Deaths and Some
Remarks on the Causes.
Health Officer Hammest's report for last
week was given out today. In making the re-
port the health officer pays some reference to
the deaths from violence, and also mentions
cases Of contagious diseases. The report says:
There was an increase in the total mortality
Of the District last week from III as by the pre-
vious report to 1876. This increase is to be at
tributed to the unusually large number Of
deaths by violence. These numbered twenty
three, thirteen of which were OF those who lost
their lives at the falling of Ford's Theater. not
reported in the week before last. Altogether it
was a period of personal calamity. There were
two drowned. two run down by railroad cars
two homicides, one by inhaling illuminating
gas. two by fracture of skull and tetanus
respectively and one suicide. Deduct
these from the death list and
the remaining 1l3 would show q rate
of mortality somewhat below the average.
Infant maladies also added to the death rate.
The fourteen deaths from diarrhoal diseases
indicates the periodical return Of summer COM
plants among the children. OF those under
five years of age there were nearly twenty fatal
cases, more than the annual average and of
those again who were under one year old there
were forty-two deaths, which are about twelve
above the average. Many of the latter, who
were infants but several months old, died of
marasmus. and others Of tuberculosis amount
ing to twelve in all.
There were six new cases Of dlphtheria re-
posted during the week from widely separa ted
localities in both city and county and four new
cases of scarlet fever. There Was no fatal case
Of the latter, and from diphtheria six deaths
resulted. For the whole month Of June, up to
and including Saturday last. there were alto
gether thirteen cases Of diphtheria reported,
with ten deaths therefrom.
The dangerous contagious diseases other
than those already mentioned are almost to-
tally in abeyance. while acute lung diseases con-
tiuue steadily to decline as the summer pro-
crosses. Still. it is to be expected that as the
intense heat of the summer comes apace the
death rate will continue to a higher degree for
some weeks to come"
The report shows: Number Of deaths, 1856;
white, S5: colored, 81. Death rate per 1.0J0
per annum. white, 25.2; colored, 31.2. Total
population, 272. Fifty-two were under i've
years of age. ~ were under one year old and
II over sixty years. Twenty of the deaths oc-
Cured in hospitals and public institutions.
The deaths by classes we're follows: Zymotic,
80; constitutional, 81; local, 4S: develop
mental. 9. The principal causes of death we're:
Diphtheria. 6; consumption, 10; diarrheal, IA:
typhoid fever malarial fever, 1; scarlet fever
/; pneumonia 4; congestion of the lungs, 8;
bronchitis 1; kidney diseases, 8; meningitis, 3;
cancers 5: tuberculosis, 6; marasmus. 6. Births
reported: 25 white males, "a white females,
81 colored males. 90 colored females Marriages
reported: 81 white, colored. Still births re-
ported: white, colored.