Evening star., 1896-11-09
Topics Discussed in the Health
Officers Report.
ENFORCING TIE SANITARY LAWS
Proposed Amendments to the Dairy
Regulations.
GARBAG CREM

Health Officer Woodward today trans
mitted to the Commissioners the annual re-
port of the operations Of his department
for the past fiscal year. The report opens
with a statement of the work accomplish
ed during the year. Deaths numbering
1904 occurred in the District during that
period, Of which number 1,S1O were white
males and ], ,492 white females. A total of
2,7O2 colCred persons died, ,290 being males
and 1872 being females. There was an in
crease of all zymotic diseases over the pre-
vious year; an increase CT % constitutional
diseases over last year. an increase of "A
local diseases. and an increase Of 80 dis
eases by development. A decrease of ii
deaths by violence Is recorded
No epidemics prevailed during the year
unless the mortality from typhoid fever
might be so called.
or the 22S from typhoid fever, 194 oc-
Cured In the first six months of the year.
% of them in the months of October, No
Vember and December. The prevalence Of
tkis fever at this time caused special in
Vestiga tion to be made with view to de-
termining the cause. Tho result of this IN
yestigation was published in the annual re-
port of the department for 1895.
Among children under five years Old
2,094 deaths occurred, of which 072 were
white and 1,l22 coiored. OF this number
1,524 were under one year old Thus 355
per cent Of all Who died were under five
years old, and of these over - per cent
were in the first year of life.
Returns of 4.706 births were received and
eoorded during the year. while last year
they numbered 4794, and for the average
of the last six years, 4,54S. OF the births
2,7S6 were white and 800 colored. There
were G7 iilegttimate births (white, 100; col
ored, SID.
OF marriages, 2,237 returns only were
received and recorded. ,4SS of which were
of whites and 749 colored. although accord
i,,rr %, t1,<r
there were 3,l6S marriage licenses issued.
The returns last year numbered 2.391. For
the last six years they have numbered 1346
per annum.
at the last session of Congress, the report
says, made no change in the requirement
as to making returns to the health officer
by the officiating clergyman or official. 1t
should be better understood by the clergy
that this duty is due to not only the parties
married, but to their decedents and legal
representatives The marriage records of
the health department now contain the Of
fetal returns of over 5000 marriages in
the District of Columbia. Transcripts of
these records, to be used as evidence before
the court and governmental departments
are constantly called for.
There has been, manfestly, a disincl-
nation on the part of those having charge
of some of the hospitals" says the report.
Ito deliver the bodies of inmates, as they
are authorized by law to do, to the med
cal colleges, the result being that the sup
ply of anatomical material has been too
small to meet the requirements of the va
rious colleges. If Washington is to become
a center of medical education, 1t will be
necessary to take steps to require that all
available material be delivered for /
would respectfully recommend, therefore,
that the law be amended to make it
mandatory upon those having charge of
the hospitals to deliver to the proper au-
thorities such bodies as they are now au-
thorized to deliver If they be so inclined.
The creation of an anatomical commission,
such as exists in Pennsylvania, would ma
terially aid in carrying into effect the pro-
visions of the law
The health officer recommends that the
salaries of the physicians to the poor be
increased to $40 per month.
Many of the patients who come under
the care OF the physicians to the poor are,'
the report continues, in need of the ser
vices of competent nurse quite as much
as those of the physician. Such nurses Sc
curing entrance to the homes Of the poor
under such circumstances might frequently
be able to do much for the permanent bet
terment Of the poor by their practical
demonstration of the advantages of cleani-
ness and good cooking and the means of
securing them The system of district
nursing has operated satisfactorily in other
places. and should be introduced in this
city. eh me health o.ficer Is ex-officio one of
the directors of the Central Dispensary
and Emergency Hospital. This institution
is private corporation; the government ia
represented In its management by two
consists Of thirty-one persons. who are
with the exception of the two members re-
ferred to, elected annually by the contrib
utlng members. The health officer is also
ex-ofhcfo member Of the board of man
ayers of the Associated Charities also q
private organization. The existence of
these two institutions. working side by
sioe to"aro the same end. and yet not CO.
operating with each other, Is suggestive
The Associated Charities, under its pres
ent organ1Zatlor, undertakes to investigate
as to the character of applicants for chari-
ty to determine whether their condition is
such that they should properly be ciassed
Upon the community, and whether thew are
justly entitled to receive aid therefrom. II
Is not It's aim to directly dispence aims
except in cases of absolute emergency
The Central Dispensary and Emergency
Hospital is organized for the purpose Of
rendering the necessary medical and surg
lcai treatment IN cases of emergency, or
where the citizen is financially unable to
provide such treatment for himself or fam
lily. 1t is not provided with means of de-
termining, otherwise than by the statement
OF the patient, whether he is justly entitled
10 assistance or not. 1t is, however, re-
celV1ng from the government annually
large sum. at present $4,000, which is ex-
pended largely for the relief Of persons, the
Cnly evidence of whose deStitution rests
upon such a basis. This institution is hui
type of others. each judging the amount
of work done by the number of patients
treated without any very scrupulous re-
show of their degree Of destitution The
government has no proper control over the
expenditures of the large amounts appro-
pfiated annually for the relief of the poor
through such institutions Unless the As
scciated Charities is to be recognized as the
official agent Of the government to investi-
gate all cases of those applying for relief,
and to certify worthy cases to the proper
institution for such relief it is, in my
judgment, desirable that there should be
organized in connection with the District
government a department or board of char
tiles to supervise the work of the charitable
institutions receiving government aid /
am aware that such suggestion has been
made before, and venture at the present
time to invite your attention to the i'm
pcrtance of some definite action in refer
ence thereto because of the result of the
observation of the work of the organiza tions
mentioned above, and of the medical relief
Of the poor through the twenty physicians
to the poor"
ROping Of Streets.
Under the subject of permits to rope off
streets and alleys in case of sickness he
says:
1.-The obstruction of streets and alleys in
the manner Indicated above is frequently
source Of Inconvenience to persons having
business thereon. especially to those en-