Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-13
DEATHS FROM CONSUMPTION
Washington's Death Rate Compares Favor
ably With Other Cities.
Among the Whites-A Gratffy-
Ing Showing This Year.

A statement has recently been published
to the effect that the death rate from con-
sumption In this city was larger than that
or any other city In the country. Just
how the statement originated IL is difficult
TO imagine. Certain IL is. however. that
It is not sustained by the vital statistics
Of this and OF the other large cities Of the
country. Indeed, such statistics show that
Washington has no unusual death rate
from consumption and IN some cities the
death rate from consumption is greater
than here. For instance, in san Francisco.
New York and Boston the consumption
death rate, according to the latest reports.
is 8.3. 30 and 80. respectively. Here the
death rate last year was %.
These figures are obtained by dividing
the number Of deaths during a year from
consumption by the total population OF
the respective cities. IL is a well known
fact that the negro is far more susceptible
10 consumption than the white man. and
that the death rate from consumption
among the negroes is more than double
that among the whites. In San Francisco.
New York and Boston negro population 10
but a small fraction Of the total population.
while here the negro forms one-third of the
total population. Last year the death rate
from consumption here among the whites
was but l9, while among the coIored peo-
pie il was 4-3. These figures are based
upon a popula ton In the District OF 2S5.0c0.
although by many the population is now
believed to be not less than 100000.
From these figures II will be seen that
although this city's death rate from con-
sumption is greatly increased by the un-
fortunate and lamentable mortality among
its colored population, yet IL is really small
er than that in some cities, too, where no
great negro population is found. Cincin-
natl shows death rate from consumption
Of "a; Brooklyn. %; Buffalo. 2l-ngures
but slightly lower thGn those here. In
Baltimore and Richmond. Va, and other
southern cities where there are a large
negro population the death rate from con-
sumption is about the same as In this city.
Then, again, there is another state Of az
fairs which IL is claimed slightly increases
the death rate from consumption here. and
that is the number of people who die in
this city while passing through here on
their way 10 or from those health resorts
devoted TO patients suffering from tuber-
culosis. Many there are, too who come TO
this city suffering from the disease. be-
cause they believe they Will be benefited by
the climate here. Many OF these delay
their coming until the disease IS far ad-
vanced and their deaths here go to swell
the death rate of the city.
High as the mortality OF the negro from
consumption here Is, the statistics of the
fying fact that IL has decreased from 6.Sl
in 1883 to 4.62 in ls.3. decrease of nearly
:l3 per cent. 1t is stated at the health Office
that the number Of deaths from all causes
during the year ending June 80. 1894. viii
be at least 500 less than those occurring
during the preceding year Hence, IL may
be reasonably expected that the death rate
from consumption. both among the negroes
and whites. for the year ending the 3otn
instant, will be lower than ever before.
Some Significant Tables.
BY an examination OF the following tables.
prepared at the District health office. 1t will
be seen that among those Cwhite and color
ed) between the age Of twenty and thirty
the mortality here from consumption is the
greatest. Another fact TO be observed is
that while during the thirteen years ending
June 30, 1892, 122 white children under five
years of age died from consumption. no less
than 643 negro children under that age
succumbei TO the disease. Still another
fact to be observed from the same table Is
that while the mortality from consumption
is about the same among the white males
and females. about twenty per cent more
negro females die of IL than males OF the
same race.
The table in question is as follows:
Deaths fr ON consumption. by during the thiy
teen years ended June 90 1882.