Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-12
HEALTH OF THE DISTRICT.
A Gratifying Decrease in the Number
Deaths Last Week.

A Gratifying Decrease in the Number of
Deaths Last Week.
1.-The health report for last week. ended on
Saturday. presents very favorable aspect"
says the report of the health officer.
There was q decrease in the number Of
deaths as compared with the previous report of
25 per cent, the total number being Sc as against
l2s in the preceding week. The death rate fell
from 2a6 to 1872 In the same time. The most
noticeable feature is the total absence Of any
death from diphtheria, scarlet fever. typhoid
fever or either OF the malarial fevers. The
mortality from pneumonia declined from
eighteen to nine. while those from kidney all
ments fell from ten to one. On the other hand
there were ten deaths from influenza Ola Rrip),
most of whom were of elderly persons, whose
average age was about sixty years. 1t would
seem from the statistical results that this
malady Is especially fatal to old people. whose
vitality is not sufficient to resist the nervous
shock with which it precipitates itself upon its
victims.
While the apparent absence from the city
Of the dangerous contagious diseases as well as
those OF a mala-ial origin NAV be attributed to
the mild spring weather which has prevailed
FOR number of DAYS, it is not haZardng too
much to say that the wonderfully healthy nv
gienic conditions now existing can mainly be
said TO be owing to the cleanliness OF the whole
District There NAV be spots here and there
where unsanltary states exist but taken as a
whole probably no city in the world can present
as clean bill as Washington. To this NAV be
added the just claim that the strict supervision
exercised by the health department over the
diphtheria and scarlet fever service as we'll as
in regard to all other contagious diseases has
tended to coEfne them to insignificant limits
if not to stamp them out, especially the two
first diseases named
The newspapers of New York city have
loudly complained all winter Of the dreadfully
foul condition of the streets Of that METROPOLIS
As = consequence thereto the papers of Sunday
head the health office report for the week
Alarming mortality shown by the death rate
last week. and the report itself shows an ex-
| cess o; nigh 200 over the weekly average.
The sanitary work now going on here when
completed promises to put Washington in rs
perfect condition to resist the onset of the
dread epidemic as is possible.
The deaths from violence embrace three
| from narcotic poison. one being a suicide. and
| the usual one from. Illuminating gas"
Number Of deaths. 96; white, &c; colored, 80.
Death rate per 1000 per annum: White. 1876;
coiored, 1873. Total population. 1872 Thirty
| four were under hve years of age: Is were
under one year old, and Is over sixty years.
Seventeen OF the deaths occurred in hospitals
| and public institutions The deaths BY classes
were follows: Zymotic. is; constitutional
4 ~; local 4s: developmental, 10; violence. T.
| The principal Causes Of death we're: Consump-
ton, ID; diarrhgal, l; pneumonia, 9; conges-
ton OF the lungs, 1; bronchitis. II; measles, 2;
kidney diseases, I: meningitis, /; cancers, 2;
| white males, white females; Is eolored males,
II colored females. Marriages reported: "a
white; 10 colored. Still-births reported: 6
white; 8 colored.