The herald., 1894-12-14
THE C|TY'S HEALTH STATISTICS,
Health officer Powers Report
to the Board.
Contagious and Infections Diseases
HayeSBeer Scarce. >''
What MIX and Food Inspection Has
Dons-Nssd Of . Suitable Pest
Hous~-Ths Plumbing Ord
insnco Not Perfect.

Dons-Nssd Of . Suitable Pest
Hous~-Ths Plumbing Ord
insnco Not Perfect.
City Health Officer Powers yesterday
submitted to the board of health his re.
port of the transactions of the health
Office for the year ending November 80,
1894.
The report starts by stating that the
estimated population Of the city, placed
at $4,000 by the board of health last
spring. is below the actual population.
The total number OF deaths in the city
during the year was 1882. which gives a
death rate Of 1916 per 1000. OF these
1882 deaths 212 we're cauosd by specific
infectious diseases, 12O were caused by
diseases Of the digestive system, 324 by
diseases OF the respiratory system, 100
by diseases Of the nervous system, rs by
constitutional diseases, 81 by diseases of
the circulatory system, blood and duct
less glands, 40 by diseases OF the genito-
urinary organs. "a by intoxioants, acci.
dents and violence. and 100 by miscelIa-
neous diseases. OF the 1882 deaths
1858 wore of persons who had
resided in the city less than
one year. and SO OF these 269
deaths were caused by Consumption"
or Tuberculosis; 161 deaths were OF per-
sons treated in the various hospitals.
and 157 deaths wero certified to by the
coroner, There were 27 deaths from
suicide. The nationalities OF the suis
cides were as follows: IA Americans, l
Ohinaman, Scotchman, l Swiss, l
Frenchman, 2 Swedes, 3 Germans and 2
unknown: One hundred and sixty-nine
deaths we're of children under the age
OF one year; the assigned causes OF the
deaths of these children were as follows:
1S from specific infectious diseases. SO
from diseases OF the digestive system, %
from diseases OF the respiratory system,
2S from diseases of the nervous system.
l from disease OF the ciroulatory system,
from disease OF the genito-urinary
organs, % from constitutional diseases,
from accidents and 9 from miscellane-
| Gus diseases. There were SO deaths OF
children between the ages of and 2
years, and Al deaths of children be-
tween 2 and years Of age.
BIRTHS.
There were reported to the health
Office 1911 births. OF these II were
still births, S5 Of which were reported
without any assigned cause for still
birth. In Il cases the assigned cause
was given as premature birth, and the
remaining 16 from vsrions CAUSES.
SPECIFIC INFECTIOI-s DISEAsEs
There mas not been single case OF
smallpox in the city during the
year. There have been seventy
one cases of typhoid fever reported
to the health Office, and OF theae As were
fatal. regret to have to state that we
have not been able to induce the physi-
clans to report all cases of typhoid fss
YER, hence the apparent heavy mortali-
ty. have endeavcred to ascertain the
origin or source of infection of every
case reported, but have not been able to
find any common source. In many
cases it, 4ssemss to have been brought
into the city BY parties already In.
fected.
There have been reported to the Office
26l cases of infectious diseases, for
which the houses we're placarded. OF
these ll5 were cases OF scarlet fever,
only one OF which proved fatal. The
disease has been extremely mild.
One hundred and forty six cases OF
diphtheria were reported to the health
office, Of which 81 proved fatal, giving a
death rate of little over 25 per cent.
The apparent lower death rate and in.
creased number OF cases over preceding
years may be accounted for to some ex.
tent by the fact that we have kept a
record of the actual cases instead of the
number of houses placarded, as in for
mer years. believe the increased
number OF cases of diphthera may be
ascribed to the extreme dryness OF the
season, causing surface water to seep
into wells, carrying with it the filth,
particularly in districts where there
were oesspools and privy vaults on the
same lots and to the disturbance and
filing of old Cesspools and privy vaults
in consequence of the construction Of
sewers and the connection of dwellings
Herewith, for the disease seemed to be
more prevalent in the lower grounds
where we'll water was used and in districts
during the construction of sewers and
plu bng where cesspoole we're being
disturbed and filed. The commingling
or association OF children with those
suffering from diphtheria before the pa.
rents suspected the disease or a physi-
clan had been called in to make di.
aguosis, has been the cause OF tho spread
OF the came in many cases. This was
the cause of an outbreak of the disease
in Hay yes'street school during the spring,
which necessitatod the temporary
closing OF the school. i. The use OF cups
and towels in common in the public
schools cannot be too severely con-
demned. ALI buildings havs been in.
spected at the time the same were
placarded. and after recovery of the pa
tients they were disinfected under the
su pervision of the hsalth Office. have
endeavored to make a personal examin-
alton of infected premises, bat other
business pressing prevented me from
giving this matter the time and atten-
ton which its Importance demands.
The inspection and disinfection of these
buildings should be dohe by a physician
who is converssnt with sanitation. and
the nature and character OF infectious
diseases.
INDECENT POOR.
During the year l have attended at
their dwellings 430 INDECENT sick per,
sons. l made it rule to send to the