New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-20
ALL ABOUT THE DEATH RATE
DR. BILLINGS TELLS SOME INTEREST
ING FACTS
An ADDRESS ON SANITATION IN CHuDRENs
HOSPITALS BY DR. CHApTN-vIDws OF
DR. SMITH OF THE srkrp BOARD
CHARITIES
OF CHARITIES.

HOSPITALS BY DR. cHApTrS-vIDws OF
DR. SMITH OF THE srArp BOARD
OF CHARITIES
rbs philanthropio class met yesterday morning
IN me library OF the Charity Organization Society
The speakers were Dr. Billings. DR. Chaplin and
Dr. Smith. the latter Of the State Board Of Char
ties.
A major report on Municipal Lodging Houses
for Men" by Philip 3. Whelpey. OF Lynn. Mass
preceded DR. Billings's practical chart-nlustrated
talk on sanitation statisticslly considered we
cay that a house Is IN good sanitary condition"
said DIT Billings. when IT'S plumbing sewerage
and water supply are without defect The health
f,lness Of a city or an Institution is determined by
the number o: deaths and cases OF sickness
Heafthfulnes. Is a standard OF sanitation. The
only wav TO ascertain the healthfuress. the SAM
tary condition Of city or an institution is by sta
tlstcs
The amount OF sickness. the number OF deaths,
must be ascertained then comparison made Tho
sick rate Is hard get at. Mortality Is n rate. a
proportion II IL wrong 10 say that the mortality
Of a ward Is six hundred deaths. To ascertain the
mortality Of a ward one must know the number OF
people living and the number OF deaths. then tho
proportion To the number OF deaths add two
ciphers and divide by twelve hundred The rate u
calculated on the bash per thousand. When we
say the death rate Ia per cent we mean that
twenty-one out or every thousand flea
There two vays Of making a conpar1~on-
One II with the statistics Of other cftie.. another
with the statistics Of tfe city IN other years.
Sanitation statistics affected BIZ genera and
local Influences The nrst general influence Is age.
The death rate varies greatly according age SIX
ty-fve children OF every thousand under five
years OF age die. OF every thousand
between the ages of five and twenty. and ten out
OF every Thousand between twenty and forty. Race
nd Influential factors: 115 out OF every
thousand coored children die yearly IN Washing
ton. More boys born than girls but greater
number die in infancy. which eoualizes the sexes
as childhood advances.
New York has the finest system Of death regis
tration continued Dr. Billinee mo Southern State
has good registration. while States scattered
throughout the Union have comparatively reli-
able system The essential oo;ec, Of the United
States II to ascertain the number OF voters.
II Is extremely difficult get at the death rate be-
cause the United States does not into de-
tail. Climatic changes affect the death rate Every
hot wave causes an immense rise IN the death rate
Of children while every cold wave increases the
mortality among old people. The way TO ascertain
whether a water supply has ar
fected the health OF town Is TO compare the death
before and after they were Introduced"
Dr. Billings closed his most Instructive talk by
showing the class various ways to make maps by
lines and shades IN keeping health. death epi-
denic records
SANITATION IN CHILDRENS HOSPITALS
Work among children IS the mos: hopeful OF all
charitable work" said DR. Chaplin. whose theme
was Sanitation In Children's Hosptas" DR..
Chaplin brought to the subject fifteen years prac-
teal hospital work among infants. ut IL bad
sign Of the times continued the doctor with feel
ing that we have many chidren's institutions
They have Increased beyond their need. Home If
the best place for stck child. sick child Is best
treated AZ hOme-treated with the best results l
believe that the death rate would be lower II chill
dren could have fair treatment al home In prefer
ence 70 treatment in the BEST institutions Make
the home a sanitary hebttation and have cool DIS
trict nurses among the poor. rp.ak now OF tho
Infant ono day two and a half years old; from
that to SIXTEEN years constitutes CHILDHOOD HOB
pstals for infants great mfstnke
Infants are extremely susceptible to hospital
ism The latter q disease difficult 10 define IL ~
ar evil 0; hospital number OF conditions CON
tribute 10 it-.solation food air Keep infants long
enough In a hosptal-I not how perfect the
hospital may be-and they will al die Their death
ID often attributed 10 poor nursing. That II hot
Good nursing certainly prolongs life. but II IA
powerless against hospitalism. Contagion Is Inc
great bane Of chdren's institutions. advise ms
clsss charitable workers. 10 discourage the
building OF childrens hospitals woman OF wealth
secs children dropping in enernent-house or her
attention Is called them. and she forthwith puts
a fortune In a hospital
Time and again in my experience in hospital
work" said the speaker, Il have had a tenement
mouse child despite the best trea tment waste
away under my eyes. The parents would become
ossatished They would take It back TO their
,sS where II would soon thrive. and 10 my NOR
boct 40 me jubiiant parents would then bring
Ddch 10 the hospital a picture Of health. 10 shame
our oossted skill The chief advantage Of chl
ongr nospi,ais is for cases OF deformity that re-
trllS i1hs tedious and careful nursing. Even chi,
"Sh hospltals are not wholly an unfnixcd 8ood.
co me occtoi AID particular stress on Following up
&c aI'e' they leaYs hospital, especially among
As poor The good effect OF the hospital If often
Us. Decause patients do not receive the care or
".ccIsieht they should.
. institutions he con.inued should have women
-, - Visit discharged patients and make report on
az progress My advice to the class is TO insist
yt tnas point in cases Of the poor II can be dono
wn niue expense little energy, and secure results
T ,a, VII more than compensate for the trouble
mere Is greater need for convalescent homes than
t s hospitas The convalescent period is the most
i..icete Many have not the comforts conva-
TTsshce demands until strength Is fully restored
a. are 100 few convalescent homes Tor emil
fund ne great defect Of the average tresr ar
fSnildren's homes IL that they do not Keep the
s snnG long enough TO do them any permanent
"A. ~ Sea Chn. Long Island Dr. Chaplin has con
bos,,hnt nome for infants that come from the city
osPita,s and dispensaries. and kept until the
"u .IJ mas proved OF practical benefit
ospitals Tor contaeo Gus diseases. conc uded the
eO,or are more needed than any other They
are great preventative Of disease. No is more
aus 10 contagious disease than are infants
Locality for a contagious hospital could not be
SSecurec remarked Dr. Billings. You may have
sospI'dls with isolated wards for contagious as
Sc e.. win consent a contagious hospital In
DIR. SMITHS PLEA.
~" smith made plea for the hospital i DO
NOT agree with DR.. Chaplin that there are too many
hospitals. he said. Il think the day Will come
""sn al sick will be taken to the hospital IN