New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-10
THE DECREASE IN sUNsTROKEs.


DR. TRACY EXPLAINS WHY FEwER CASES ARE
REroRTED NOW THAN FORMERLY.
An article was printed in The Tribune yesterday
about the decrease I'm the number Of cases OF sun
stroke. Roger S. Tracy, the register OF vital sta
tistics Of the Health Department. said on the sub
ject
THE fact that there are fewer of sunstrokc
and heat prostra ton reported now than In former
years may he attributed to many causes. be-
iieve that 1t Is due to the fact that the working
man has learned how TO take care OF his health.
For the last twenty years the newspapers have
constantly warned the public about drinking too
freely Of intoxicants. such whiskey and beer.
and overheating the blood by unnecessary exer
else and advising various precautions All these
warnings have had "A good effect for the public
has learned how TO keep as cool as possible. and
that IT is wrong 10 drink intoxicants
ceedingly hot day. In consequence. there Is
greater demand than there ever was for such
drinks as soda water. mineral water and other
similar beverages, and In place or whiskey more
beer is consumed.
THAT the general health OF the city is much
improved must also be carefully considered as one
of the principal causes for the smaller number
of insulation cases and deaths resulting from the
heat than in former years The people are In bet
ter health because strenuous efforts
made to prevent Illness than in the past. The
milk and food supply must be up to the legal
standard the streets are clean. cleaner than they
have ever been I'm the history of the city, and the
sanitary conditions OF the city generally have
been improved. On the East Side the streets once
were filthy and foul-smclling and under these
conditions the milk sent to that section Of the
city quickly lost its sweetness. and many babies be-
came III and died from drinking sour milk. The
use Of sterilized milk among the poor in warm
weather has helped lessen the death rate
among children"
DR.. Tracy then showed the reporter a report com
pairing the number of deaths occurring in the
IRENE hot spell which visited this city from July "a
&c. I'm 1892 with those reported In the warm wave
from June 30 to July g. in 1872. The total number
Of deaths in the hot spell In 1872 1863, and
i3i for the one in 1892. In referring to this de-
crease in the mortality In the two hot waves the
report reads
was higher than before the one in 1872 while the
humidity for one week preceding the wave In lS2
before the arrival OF the hot spell In 1892. Thus 1t
would appear that the population OF the city ought
TO nave pccn ,n s7 nffer vepv odcrate and
agreeable weather. than in 1892 at the end OF July
vided ali other conditions were similar But the
fact Is, the reported mortality for the week In ls32
was much greater than In lss2 noaWithsmndins the
100 per cent. This cannot be accounted for In any
other way than by an improved sanitary condition
of the city and better and more temperate habits
I'm 1872 almost every tcncment-house had many
probably "A majority, OF waste pipes not trapped
there supervision OF the mix supply, inc
streets were hlthy, and the consumption OF dis
titled spirits much moro common In hot weather
than at present In 1892 the pipes
trapped with few exceptions. the milk and food
were watched the streets were so clean as TO
exc wonder OF the city. and whiskey had
largely yielded place to beer milder drinks in hot
weather even among topcrs. There Is an evidence
Of this in the diminished number OF sunstrokes'
which are especially favored by alcoholism.
Superintendent Knoll Of the House OF Relief, In
Hudson-st.. said yesterday that In 1891 thirtytw9
cases Of sunstroke were treated Al the hospital ana
twenty-seven In 1895 - have only been here n few
years. said Supcrint Knoll, and therefore
/ am In a position TO say whether or not there
fewer cases of sunstroke nowadays than In the
past"