Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-02

St&nlfcanc6 that the average age OF all
colored decedents during the preceding .hf-
teen years was twenty-five years and seven
months. while the average of all white de-
cedents during the said period was thirty
three years and seven months.
The deaths from Zymotic diseases number
1.O36. of which 455 We're colored. Less than
one-thrd of the total population 1t thus ap-
pears, furnished nearly one-half the victims
of this class of diseases Washington, with
its broad. well-paved streets and superior
natural advantages ought to be the healthf-
est large city in the world, and to show the
lowest rate of mortality. That it falls short
of its proper place in these respects is estab-
lished conclusively by comparison with sew
eral large cities of Europe, nor can this fact
be disproved by its lower death rate than
that of New York, Boston and some other
large American cities, which, to their dis
credit, show much higher mortality record
than many European cities. The eighth re-
port of the commissioner of labor and Albert
Shaw,s Municipal Government in Cont
mental Europe" show reductions in the
death rate of large cities, as follows:
London from IA In 1870 to 2O.5 in 1900:
Edinburgh. from 1920 in 1874 to isl in 1890:
Copenhagen. FRI m a in 1884 to 1871 in 1894;
Stockholm. from 24.6 in 1854 to 1873 in 1894;
Paris. to 20 in 1884, Holland from % in 1870
to III in 1893; Amsterdam from "a in 1884
10 iS.:S In lS:a; The Hague. from 1911 in 1898
to 100 in 1894; Brussels, from % in 1876 to
1871 in 1894; Hamburg, from 80 in 1865 to 20
Ia 1894; Rome. from 80 in 1916 to 1914 in 1894:
Antwerp. to 10 in 1891.
The value of these statistics cannot be
overestimated. They show what has been
accomplished. not In one, but in a dozen
cities, larger and more densely populated
than Washington, and under more unfav-
orable conditions than exist here, by an
Intelligent application of proper sanitary
methods They prove beyond controversy
that our death rate is too high, and that 1t
can be reduced to II per 1000.
This means that on the basis Of our
present population, we are sacrificing at
least loo lives per annum by neglecting
the means SO successfully used in saving
life In other cities. Can we afford to con-
tinue this sacrifice any longer than abso-
iutely necessary? With our superior nat
ural advantages we ought to be able to ac-
complish what has been done under such
great disadvantages in Amsterdam and
The Hague Mr. Shaw, in speaking of this
gays:
With a harsh ard capricious climate
and with great difficulties in the way of
thorough drainage and satisfactory sup
ply of water, it is nothing short of bril-
liant triumph of sanitary science and en-
Eghtened municipal administration that
Holland is able to accommodate half a mill
lion additional Inhabitants every decade
without further aggravatins any of the
evil consequences of overcrowding. but, on
the contrary, with steady improvement in
the average healthfulness and social we'll
being"
The tables furnished by the health office
not only show the ugly fact that our death
rate Is much higher than that of the large
cities mentioned. but they also show in
striking manner why. and point to the
remedy.
A death rate among the colored race,
numbering almost one-third of the popu-
lation. of sc per cent in excess of the death
rate of the entire white population of near
ly 100000 and a relatively less duration Of
life of 80 per cent If not strange, is none
the less alarming, and calls for heroic
II eatment. From this class come most of
our servants, who have free access into al
t-I@
the opportunity to scatter the seeds of con-
tagion everywhere. This fact was striking
1y illustrated by the recent smallpox cpl
demic and emphasizes the appeal to Con-
gress to grant the needed legislation, and
to the courts to assist the Commissioners
in enforcing rigidly all laws end regula-
tons framed to preserve the public health
So-oalled private or individual rights should
give way to the rights of the public, ard
autocrattc power, il necessary, vested in
the Commissioners in all matters concern
ing the health of the community All good
citizens will cheerfully yield prompt &C
quescenca to all measures adopted for the
preservation of the public health. and all
others should be compelled to do so.
Under the head OF
Disposal of Refuse
DR.. Woodward points out some of the most
prolific causes of our large death rate and
the remedy therefor:
1.-The most important items in the main
tenance of the health Of the community
are pure air pure water, soil free from pol
luton and pure food supply. The purity
and cleanliness of these depends largely
upon the prompt and proper removal of all
kinds of refuse matter, including eXcre-
ment, garbage. ashes and general refuse.
"Excrement.-This Is now accomplished
by means of box-privies or water-closets.
The former method Is in many instances
rendered necessary by the absence of any
sewer available for the premises on whic h
the privy exists.
at is not necessary to explain the i'm
portance of sewers or to give detailed
statement of the localities where they are
needed. 1t may be broadly stated that they
are needed in every part of the District,
and especially in our rapidly growing sub
urbs. as Brightwood, Tenleytown, Takoma
Park. Brookland and Others 1t Is greatly
to be hoped that some general system of
sewers will be constructed and In operation
before an epidemic of cholera or further
increase in our already too high typhoid
fever death rate occurs to emphasize the
need of such measure"
These rec commentators OF the health OIL
Ger, important and urgent as they are, can
not be carried out except to limited eX-
tent until a system of intercepting sewers
and sewerage disposal and protection
against floods be constructed In accordance
with the plans recommended by the board
of sanitary engineers in their report to
Congress upon the sewerage of the District
40, Fifty-first Congress, first session..
Partial appropriations have been made TO
begin this work. but provision for its COM
pletion should be made at the earliest prac-
ticable moment. This is the foundation of
any comprehensive sewer system, and de-
lay in executing the entire work will per-
petuate if not increase existing evils which
figure as potent factors in our high death
late. 1t was the very work contemplated
by this plan for improving the health of
Washington which was done at great eX-
pense in Berlin, and which. with a filtered
water supply, was largely the cause of the
remarkable reduction in the death rate of
that city.
DIR. George NJ. Koler. who, by request Of
the Commissioners and the health officer,
has, since September 10, been investigating
typhoid fever in this District, has Just sub
| mitted his report. He says:
A most conservative estimate demon
strates that the number of cases of typhoid
fever for the four months ending October
81 was scarcely less than 1876
Sewers will not, however, serve their pur-
pose unless the owners of abutting property
can be made to connect such property with
them, and to replace box privies with prop
err water closets.
law should be speedily enacted to &C
complish this purpose. Since sewers are
constructed chiefly at public expense the