The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-21
Is THE RACE DIsAPPEARING.
a Northern View of the Death Rate
Among Urban Negroes.

From the Philadelphia Press.
In an address on the future of the negro
I'm the United States, recently delivered
before the State Medical Association of
South Carolina by DR.. Gourdin de Saus-
sure of Charleston, some surprising stat
istics were given as to the size of the
death rate among the blacks in that city.
The returns of the health officer of
Charleston were cited to show that during
the period of seven years from 1850 TO
1857, the black population averaging 2S,-
100 for the period, the total number of
deaths among the blacks had been 1892,
or that nearly one-third Of the colored
population mad died in seven years. Dur
ing the next period Of seven years, from
1887 to 1894 inclusive, the colored popula-
ton averaging 3i691, the number of
deaths among the blacks was 1904, OF
about % per cent of the total cOlored
population.
Another startling fact stated by DR. de
Saussure was the great disparity of births
to deaths among the blacks. The total
number of deaths among the blacks in
the two periods from 1850 to 1894 was 49,,
536, while the total number of births
among the colored population in the same
time was 1900 According TO these ig-
ures there was an average of nearly
three deaths TO two births among the
blacks in fourteen years in Charleston.
The mortality among the whites in the
same city is about one-third as large as
among the blacks, and the white deaths
are Just about counterbalanced by white
births Dr. de Saussure ascribed this
large death rate among the blacks to the
prevalence Of consumption and diseases
due to immortality. Another physician
declared that before the war he could
not recall case Of consumption among
the blacks, but that now more deaths are
due to that than to any other cause.
If the statistics cited by Or. de Saus-
sure are true OF other cities in the
south as well as Charleston, then the
urban negro population is rapidly dying
out. There is reason to fear that such
is the case. The report Of the New Or
leans health board for a number Of
years shows that the death rate among
the negroes is much higher than amons
the whites in that city. In the three
years from 1850 to 1882 inclusive, the death
rate among the whites ranged from q per
1000 to 25.74 per 1000. while the death rate
among the colored people ranged from
3O45 per 1000 to 3945 per 1000. In the
four years from 1890 tp 1894, inclusive, the
death rate among the whites in New Or
leans ranged between 23.97 per 1000 and
v
the same years the death rate never fell
below 1901 per 1000 and one year rose to
$685. per 1000.
Savannah furnishes an Illustration also,
The total deaths in that city last year
were lie, of which Alb were whites and
1855 were colored. The much greater NOR
taIity among colored children than among
white children must also be taken into
account. In 1884, among children under
/ year. there were SO white deaths and pa
colored deaths Between l and years
old the deaths were 10 whites and "A col
ored children. This proportion has held
good for years, as statistics show. This
large mortality and prevalence of con-
taglous diseases among the blacks can.
not be ignored by the whites.
Aside from all questions of humanity
IL is a constant menace to the whites not
ONLY in the south, but in the north also.
The colored people enter into ali kinds of
domestic service-cooking the food, wash
ing the clothes and caring for the homes
of the whites. The migration of the blacks
from the south to the north especially
during the warm weather, is becoming
larger each year and what affects one sec
ton is sure to affect the other.
The northern people have given millions
of dollars to help educate the blacks. but
while such schools as those at Hampton
and Tusk egee have done much to incul-
cate practical ideas, it is to be feared that
only a small per cent. Of this northern
money has gone TO teach the colored PEG
pie habits Of thrift and cleanliness. There
should be prompt and energetic change in
this respect. The bodily health and SAM
tary surroundings Of the negro should be
looked after as carefully as his inteIlec-
tual improvement or the result may be
not only detrimental to him, but to the
white man also, who may have to pa,,
dearly for neglecting his black brother,