Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-01-09
The Rt'i main causes of death were as fol

In his report the Health officer says:
..In the annual report for 1895 it was
remarked: Tt is gratifying to note that
our city has had fewer deaths in the
past year than for ten years previous.
1t can now be said that the city has never
had as low a death rate as in the year
lust closed. Estimating the population
as a wear ago. at $1,000. last years NOR
tally was only twelve deaths per thousand
people. or 22S per thousand below that OF
1895. Classifying the principal causes OF
death. we find eighty-four deaths were
due to diseases of digestive organs, sixty
two to diseases Of the nervous system
sixty-seven to tubercular diseases, tfty-
four to pulmonary diseases, exclusive OF
consumption forty-nine to infections OF
the circulatory system. twenty-one to dis
eases of the urinary organs, twenty TO ac-
cidents. and twenty-four TO old age.
AS usual. consumption heads the list
with sixty-one deaths. nine less than the
previous year. Recognizing consumption
as an infectious disease-some persons IN
heriting constitution that affords a bet
ter soil for the propagation Of its germs
than do others-boards of health are now
instituting measures TO suppress the habit
which consumptive patients have in com
mon with all mankind. of expectorating
in public places. as in hotels. street cars,
carriages. etc. Such patients should be
made acquainted with the fact that the
sputa contain the germs of this disease
and when dried may pass into the mouth
and nostrils of the healthy and thus give
origin of consumption. Consumptive pa
e ..I,.. egtf nj
friends and the public. should refrain from
the too common habit referred to. using
instead. handkerchiefs or rags which may
he burned or boiled and disinfected. When
indoors. suitable cheap utensils can be
provided for this purpose and these should
be frequently disinfected and cleaned.
There is good reason to believe that much
good would result from the general adop-
ton of these simple suggestions. It Will
be noted that typhoid fever last year
caused twenty-five deaths. In 1893 there
were only twelve typhoid deaths; in 1894.
sixteen: in 1895. ten
Further along he says:
From the table of communicable dis
eases given above it is evident that the
ordinance requiring physicians to report
certain infectious diseases to this Office. is
much neglected. The reason it has not
been enforced is. that the law provides for
no sanitary control of such cases. Phys
icians however, should feel enough interest
in the matter to report every case, If only
that we may know the mortality Of each
disease. If Council adopts the suggested
amendment to the health ordinance re-
curing that infected houses he placarded,
and printed sanitary instructions be sent
to each house, our physicians will kindly
take notice that the provision Of the law
for reporting of such cases will be tested
in the mayors court when the first occas-
ion arises.
'If the table OF communicative diseases
here presented correctly gives all such
cases that have occurred during the past
year. we have a mortality from the differ
ent diseases, as follows: Typhoid fever 20
per cent: diphtheria, IS per cent; scarlet
fever per cent: measles 10 per cent. Such
a mortality from typhoid and diphtheria,
If correct. would seriously reflect on the
intelligence of the medical profession. l
am sure II can be much reduced by sim
ply reporting all cases. as the law requires,
for many unreported cases have doubtless
occurred that terminated In recovery. l
urge that the practice be commenced at
once that the next mortality report may
be full and correct in this particular"