The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-08
THE MORTUARY RECORD
August's Death Rate the Largest
in Years.
MOST UNHEALTHY MONTH
The Total Number OF Deaths Was
Eighty-Four. Due in Nearly All
Cases to sickness-Excessively
Hot Weather the Cause.

The mortuary record for the month
OF August, had the health officer made
a report. would have shown a condi-
ton of affairs that would have sur
prised most people, as IL Is not gen.
orally known that the death rate of
the city of Butte has not been so large
In any one month i'm man years, If
ever, with the one exception of the
month in which the big explosion oc-
CURED. as it was last month, and this
exception cannot be taken as a COM
parison with reference TO the health
of the city, as the deaths though
greater in number in that month, were
due in very small per cent to sickness.
The total number of deaths in the city
In August was 81. and as nearly all
were The result of sickness. last Au-
gust must be taken as the most un-
healthy month the city has ever
known. at least as far as any records
for comparison are o~btainable.
OF the total of 81 deaths, as We're
males and SO were females. More than
half the number were children under
the age of one year. OF these there
were A, and the average age was five
months and one week. A very large
per cent of the remainder were chill
dren over the age of one year. An ac-
curate statement cannot be made.
owing to the fact that nc report was
made, but the number of deaths among
adults was small, as was also the mum
Der of deaths resulting from accident
or other unnatural causes. For the
same reason the use of death can
not be given except In a general way
with reference to the A children under
the age of one year. The causes of
hna4h "a mona these ne in fact lnlnnE
all the children, were cholera infantum,
entero colitis and meningitis.
During the month there were three
cases of contagious disease in the city,
two of d~iphtheria and one OF scarlet
fever. Death did not result from any
of the cases, however, n II is said
no further cases nave been re-
ported.
Health officer Schultz when seen yes
terday relative to the very unusual
death rate, said:
"As far as I have any record. the
death rate for the month Of August
was greater than I'm any past month
with the exception of the month in
which the explosion occurred. ] do
not regard the heavy death rate, how
ever. as due to any specially unhealthy
condition. I attribute 1t more TO the
excessively hot weather than anything
else. August was unusually hot for
IllS fllftlttIs anu i'l N'"AAAtl - "A
ways particularly hard on children. A
very large per cent of the deaths was
among children and the causes were
diseases peculiar to children and which
are more prevalent in hot weather than
at other times"
Asked If water or milk sold in the
CITY were instrumental i'm the spread
Of the disease. Or. ShultZ said he had
made no investigation on this point.
but that the sanitary officers made the
! usual inspection Of milk n II was
up to its usual standard. DR.. schultz
stated that hi intends making a COM
harrison Of the death rate with the
record Of temperature n that he be
Hevad IL would be found that the death
rate among children increased or d.
minished as the temperature rose or
fell.
With reference to the contagious dis
eases reported during the month, DIT.
Shultz said: "It is true there were
three cases of contagious diseases re-
ported. They were all q~uarantined and
the houses disinfected. There was no
spread of the disease. n as far as i
am able to learn. there are no cases
of contagious diseases in the city at
DreSent."