The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1897-12-14
Report Of Health
Officer Powers
AN INTERESTING DOCUMENT
PERCENTAGE OF MORTALITY
1877 TO EACH 1000
How Contagious Diseases Were Han
died and Recommendations for
Future Treatment

annual report to the city council yester-
day. 1t gives interesting figures as to
the city's mortality and shows that, not
withstanding the influx of invalids and
"one-lungers." the climate Is still effec-
tive in keeping the death rate at about
that of other cities of like size in the
country. The report is as follows:
In accordance with the city charter and
custom, l herewith respectfully submit
report of the transactions of the health
office for the year ending November 80,
1897.
There were 1912 deaths reported dur
ing the year. giving death rate of 1871
per 1000 of the population of the city,
which have been classed as follows:
| Specific infectious diseases ..............1 76
Diseases of the digestive system ....... .129
| Diseases of the respiratory system. 1898
| Diseases of the nervous system 1000. IA
| Diseases of the circulatory system ..... 157
Diseases OF the genito-urinary organs. IS
| Constitutional diseases Observation-Disclosures. 70
| Intoxication, violence and accidents. .112
Miscellaneous diseases ..lS9
| OF the 1912 deaths 265 occurred in the
various hospitals; III of the 265 died in
the county hospital. which receives pa
tients from all over the county Of Los
Angeles.
The coroner certified to 221 Of the 1912
deaths reported. There were 80 deaths
from suicide, 81 males and females.
The nativities of the suicides were as
follows: United States %. 10 whites and
3 colored; Germany s. England 1. Italy
/, Mexico /, ireland /, Sweden l, Switz-
erland /, Japan 1.
One hundred and seventy-eight deaths
were of children under the age Of year,
the assigned causes of death being as
follows: II from infectious diseases. A
from diseases of the digestive system, 25
from diseases of the respiratory system,
20 from diseases of the nervous system,
9 from diseases Of the circulatory sys-
tenn, from disease Of the genito-urin-
airy organs; 80 from constitutional dis
eases, from accident, 81 from miscel-
laneous diseases.
There were A deaths Of children be-
tween the ages Of 1 and 2 years; So
deaths Of children between the ages Of
| 2 and years; SO deaths Of children be-
tween the ages of 5 and 10 years. Total
number Of deaths Of children under the
age Of 10 years 324, or 22.S7 per cent Of
the deaths which occurred In the city OF
all ages.
Fifty-seven deaths reported to have
| been caused by tuberculosis Of other
parts of the body than the lungs were
classed with the specific infectious dis
eases, and as we believe about all Of
the deaths reported as due to 'consump-
tom and "phthlsis' were tubercular, we
therefore feel justified in CHASING them
with the tubercular, which would give us
355 deaths caused by tuberculosis. or
24.4O per cent of all deaths during the
year. OF the 81 deaths from tuberculos-
is in other parts Of the body than the
lungs, 25 were of persons who had resid-
ed in the city less than one year, and also
lis of the 29S deaths reported to have
been caused by consumption and
"phthisis" had resided in the city less
than one year.
A question arises as to the advisable
ity of the isolating tubercular patients.
There is no doubt but that all apart
ments once occupied by tubercular pa
tients should be disinfected before be-
ing occupied by other persons; there
fore, all cases of tuberculosis should be
reported, If not isolated.
BIRTHS
There were 1921 births reported to the
health office during the year, SO Of which
| were stllborn, leaving 1862 living chill
dren, 1926 of which were whites and 80
colored, 800 males and 1852 females; S99
children were born Of parents natives Of
the United States; 376 of parents Of for
eign birth; 271 with one parent native OF
the United States and the other foreign;
16 nativities Of parents unknown.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES REPORTED
About two weeks after Fiesta, which
took place in April, DR.. ]. de
Barth Shorb reported a case
of varioloid, which was re-
moved to the city hospital. The mat
tress, carpet, etc, were destroyed and
the apartments occupied by the patient
fumigated. This case is supposed tc
have originated from wearing infected
clothing in the Fiesta parade.
All buildings occupied by persons at.
fected with diphtheria and scarlet fever
are placarded and as soon as reported
recovered are promptly and as thorough
l. y as possible disinfected and fumigatet
with formaldehyde gas.
Three hundred and sixteen cases Of
diphtheria were reported during the
year; thirty-seven of these proved fatal
which gives a death rate of 11.66 pei
cent of all cases reported This Is the
lowest death rate ever obtained in this
city, which Is due to great extent to the
general use of anti-toxine. The state
board of health ceased to provide anti.
toxine free during the spring, which ha:
caused In many cases delay in the use
Of the same and thereby the loss Of the
beneficial effects Of this remedy during
the period or stage of the disease ir
which it is most effectual. The greater
number Of cases have occurred in thai
section Of the city where there are nc
sewers and where cesspools and privy
vaults are in use, and where other &C
cumuations of filth were left Severa
cases have been reported in children or
or soon after their arrival in the city
| justifying the suspicion of the parents
| that the disease was contracted on thu
cars by coming in contact with person:
sick of the disease on the cars, or pos
sibly occupying cars thus infected. Be
fore many more weeks we hope to bt
able to give aid in diagnosis OF all sus
pected cases of diphtheria by bacteria
logical means, thereby securing more
prompt isolation and the exclusion Of
cases not real diphtheria.
There were twenty-three cases o.