The evening times., 1896-05-01
HEALTH OF THE COUNTRY
La Grippe and Pneumonia the
Prevalent Diseases.
STATISTICS MADE PUBLIC
From Only 654 Counties In the
United Stntes-Last Year Over 200
Correspondents Were Heard From.
List of Diseases.

Two years ago Secretary Morton OF the
Department OF Agriculture originated u new
idea in the office of the statistician. IL was
that of compiling records as to the health
of the people of the United States. Let
ters containing certain questions were
sent to the correspondents of the
Department in all parts of the country.
Answers were requested from the corre-
spondent as TO the general health IN his
county aud what Diseases were particu-
iariy prevalent. The report OF the Depart
ment for the year past has just been is
sued. 1t says:
in answer 10 the general question wheth-
or or not the past year has been health
full one for human beings. the estimate from
about ~ per cent OF the counties report
ing is that the peoples health is equal TO
an average. while % per cent put it be-
low average. Six hundred and nfty -FOUR
ton of special diseases. the Leading com
piaints being grippe from 3O5 counties, or
Al per cent OF the whole; pneumonia from
22S or 30 per cent; typhoid fever from IL,
or 80 per cent. measles from l3S- or Il
per cent, malarial fever from 80, or ii
per cent; diphtheria from IS. or ~ per
cent; lung troubles from SO. or per
cent, and scarlet fever from 5S, or 8 per
cent.
PREVA LENCE OF TYPHOID FEVER.
Typhoid fever seems to have been es-
pecially prevalent in Ohio, where its raw
ages are explained by contamination OF the
water supply resulting from the long
continued drought. Measles We're epi-
demic chiefly in Georgia and the Caro-
linas, and malarial fever In the Gulf and
lower Mississippi States. Pneumonia and
lung troubles appear from The reports to
have been propurtionaily more prevalent
in the middle Mississippi Valley-Ken-
lucky, Illinois, Missouri, and neighboring
States-than in the region north of IT,"
In the report issued In April, 1895, il
is stated that the intention of the CORE
spondents is TO mention mostly acute dis
eases. and generally those of coma gious
character.
The idea of securing reports from CORE.
spondents in the counties OF the various
States does not, however. seem to be
quite as successful now as when first in
augura ted. This year little more than
onr-half a many counties were heard from
as in 1895. In the report issued in that
year ,2IS counties were heard from.
Some of the States also have not been
heard from. There has been no little
discussion as TO the usefulness of the
idea. II is regarded by some people as
misleading. They say state should not
DE judged by any such report. because. as
i'll the case of Maine. three counties should
not be regarded as an example Of the rest
OF the State. and the same way with Yer
mont, Connecticut New Mexico, and Idaho.
from which states only one county was
heard from.
that Ohio was the most ushealthfu state
of the Union. II has had more La Grippe
and more typhoid fever than any other
State of the Union. 1t has to its record
inc cases OF the latter. In Ohio. how
ever, it viii be found that forty nine
counties reported. and This is only eq,laied
by Indiana. which has record of twenty
five cases of grip and fifteen of typhoid
ieVer. According TO the statistics Mis-
souri, comes first with malarif. fever,
i''Sn- S".on6. and Indiana and North Caro-
lima third.
GRIPPE Is EVERYWUERF
Giving the two most prevalent Diseases
in each State and the number OF counties re-
spending to the call for statements, figures
nutalned at the Department show tie fol-
lowing Maine, two counties, pneumonia
and rheumatism; New Hampshire, six
counties, grippe and meIsleS: Vermont, one
county. grippe and rheumatism: MasSachu-
sets. two counties, pne umonia and scarlet
FEVER, Rhode Island, no counties, Vet one
case OF grippe Is reported and one OF lung
trouble; Connecticut, one county. grippe
New YORK, thirteen counties. grippe and
typhoid fever. New Jersey, five Counties
natural fever and grippe; PENNSYLVANIA
twcnty-three counties, grippe and typhoid
fever. Delaware, no report: MARYLAND. five
counties, grippe and pne euDOnfa: Virginia,
twenty-five counties, grippe and measles;
North Carolina, tweDty-onc counties. pneu-
monia and measles: South Carolina nine
teen counties. pneumonia and measles;
Georgia thirty counties, pneumonia and
measles; Flonda, three counties, pneu-
mouia and measles: A Alabama six counties.
pneumonia and measles: Mississippi. eight
counties, pneumonia and measles: Lou
Sana, eleven counties, pneumonia and
typhoid fever. Texas. twenty y nine counties,
grippe and m1lariai fever: Arkansas. thir-
teen counties, pneumonia and malaria!
fever; Tennessee, twen2y-three counties,
pneumonia and typhoid fever; West. yir-
GINA, eleven counties, grippe and typhoid
fever: Kentucky. thirty-one counties, pneu-
mOnia and typhoid fever: Ohio. forty-nine
counties, grippe and typhoid fever: Mich
igan, thirty-fivc counties, grippe and
typhoid fever: Indiana. forty-nine coun-
ties, grippe and typhoid fever.
MEASLES IN THE WEST.
Illinois, forty counties, grip and pneu-
monIa; Wisconsin, twenty-five counties
grip and pneumonia; Minnesota, twenty
four counties. grip aud pneumonia; Iowa,
fOrty-fiye. counties. grip and diphtheria:
Missouri. thrty-seven counties, grip and
pneumonia: Kansas. twenty-one counties,
grip and typhoid fever; Nebraska. twenty
one counties, grip and typhoid fever: South
Dakota, niue counties, grip and pneumonia:
North Dakota. six counties, grip and pneu-
monia: Colorado, three counties, grip and
phoid fever and diphtheria; Utah. four
counties. grip aud measles; Idaho, one
county, grip and measles; Washington. Two
counties. grip and scarlet fever; Oregon,
five counties. grip and pneumonia: Califor-
mia. four counties, typhoid fever and
mca sleS.
The District of Columbia is not included
in the report.
Dashed to Death.
HazIefou Pa Nav 1-Wassil Epdon