New-York tribune., 1897-07-11


The figures are most gratifying to the health off,
GERS and to the other city officials whose duty 1t Is
to keep the city in healthful condition. DR..
Emery and his assistants give much OF the .cred't
for the good showing In the figures to the Depart
ment Of City Works. DR.. George f. West, OF the
Department yesterday gave out the following talk:
THE improved sanitary conditions throughout
the world must have something to do with the gen.
era decrease In the death rate. Daily we are living
In a better sanitary condition. The needs Of great
cities In this matter are more generally recognized
and science has done much to make the world
healthier. and naturally the death rate decreases
But there must be other natural causes at work
I think the change is due in measure TO meteoro-
logical conditions Under any other hypothesis the
general decrease Of the death rate cannot be ex-
planned London, the largest city of the world has
had death rate as low as Brooklyn. II not shade
lower for the six months beginning the year. Dub
lin is little higher: In fact, the capital OF Ireland
is not healthy according to the vital statistics we
receive Glasgow If my recollection is accurate. Is
about the same Brooklyn this year. and Paris Is
low but not so low as London. We do not get reg
uar reports from the other European cities All OF
them have had lower death rates OF late.
Chicago has a lower death rate this year than
Brooklyn and we have mortality record that the
sanitary officials should be proud Of don't know
why It is but all the lake cities this year show
low death rate. Chicago leads. but then come Mil
waukee Detroit and Bufalo-all Of them lower
than this city. Washington has higher death rate
than We have. and have Philadelphia and New
York Philadelphia is not so bad. ard the mortality
of New-York is much lower for the last six months
than ever before 1t may be that folks have
learned the science of living well, but assure you
that the result has been particularly gratifying
see that Colonel Waring has claimed that some OIL
the immunity from death is due to the Work OF his
white winged brigade. bat how is II that In Brook
lyn, where there is no brigade Of street Cleaners
organized like that Of Colonel Warng. the death
much lower?
'''rhe conditions Of life in this city have always
been healthier than in NewYork. where there is
floating population and many sick strangers. We
are very much Erat1ed over the record for Brook
lyn however and believe that the work that
the Department has done has contributed very
materially TO reduce the death rate. But that Is
not the only cau.e: There are natural forces at
work which have been beneficial The mortality
records in the Southern cities have been higher
but the records We receive south of the Mississippi
not at all reliable. - -
"By the way" added Or. West. II would Ike TO
announce that we have begun 10 give out sterilzed
milk from the various depots. The death rate
among children In the summer months has always
been menace to the vital statistics of large city
We want 10 keep the babies well to keep down the
death rate and believe that the free distribution
of sterillzed milk to the poor in the summer Is
great work We have plenty OF II. and we do not
want to have any of our days supply spoil on our
hands"