Evening star., 1898-10-22

nails This disease has been, as usual.
much more prevalent among the coiored
people than among the whites: the deaths
registered among the former numbered 35S.
or 4.B per thousand. while for the latter
but 300 were recorded. death rate of but
1.61. the mortality for each race how
ever. shows Improvement over that for
1Sg6-91. when the death rate for the col
ored people was 4.6I and that for the
whites was 1.oi. Pneumonia. death rate.
Leg: bronchitis, OBS, and congestion of the
lungs. o.16. Death rate from this entire
class of diseases: White. 1.67: colored. 3H.
DIR. Woodward gives data as to deaths
from other diseases and from violence the
latter having appeared In the annual re-
port of the coroner, heretofore published in
The Star. Number of deaths from sun
stroke fell from AZ to I.
Deaths by Violence.
The relative prevalence of violent deaths
among the two races of which the COM
munity is chiefly composed is shown in the
following table,
Whites hs:., coloTed red, Total; n:. >,
D'ths rates D'ths rates d tbs rates
:; accidentap: GA 10 OIL IS 0.O7
saisn Hssiafn'' 4s Ss! SSs S6a Ss 5s s S2s Sls
Total. ...lSs o7s 10 o.s4 22s o.s2
Number of Births.
There were 400 births reported during
the year; 2,737 among whites and 1872
among colored. OF the children born, 2,444
were males and 9, 2,26o females. Six hundred
and fourteen were recorded as illegitimate.
96 white and 51S colored Twins were born
in "a cases. 32 white and % colored. OF the
entire number of reports received 2,55S
came from physicians and 2.150 from mid
wives. The returns of births says DR..
Woodward. are too incomplete to justify
any conclusions as to the prevailing birth
rate.
The entire number of still-births reported
was 503: of these 1877 were white and 3o6 col
ored. 3U9 legitimate and 1914 ilegitimate; re-
ported by physicians. 3I4 and by the
oner, 129 OF Still-birthS reported by the
coroner the parentage and place of birth
We're unknown in 11S cases This number
represents approximately the number of
such bodies which were abandoned on the
streets during the year. Out of the entire
number Of stiii-births reported-.J03-the
cause was reported as unknown in 33o cases.
Referring to the reports to his office of
marriages, births and deaths, DR.. Wood
ward says:
Returns of marriages were received to
the number of 1,59S, Of which LOIS were
from whites and so We're from colored In
1,43I instances the marriages were for the
first time; in 156 for the second time of 1t
least one of the parties, and in five for the
third time of either bride or groom The
number of marriages from which no re-
turns were received as determined by the
difference between the number of licenses
issued by the court and the reports re-
Nt4Ftu dI the ucdlln department, was l.
049, or approximately 40 per cent of the
entire number.
Records and transcripts.
''The records of the health department of
births. deaths and marriages were aug
mented during the past year by 13 1913 en-
tries. They now contain returns from
somewhat more than 121.000 deaths which
have occurred in this District, and 800
which have taken place in other jurisdc-
tions. record being made in the latter class
because of the interment of the deceased
here; the record of births includes more
than $4,000 entries. and that for marriages
contains somewhat over 27,o00. These rec
ords cannot be replaced if destroyed, and
should, therefore. be deposited in fire-proof
vaults for safe keeping. They are of con-
slant use and great value, is shown by
The TACT that 4SS transcripts from them
have been issued during the past year
Under the act to regulate the practice
of medicine in force In this District,
seventy-one physicians have been regis
tered during the past year. OF this num-
Der tn hrty-Six have been licensed by the
board of medical supervisors by reason of
having been registered at the health office
at the time of the passage of the present |
law, and thirty-five held licenses secured |
by examination. One surgeon in the United |
States army and one in the United States
navy were registered.
The first licenses to practice midwifery
in the District of Columbia issued by the |
board of medical supervisors under the act |
Of June g. 1895, were granted Curing the |
past year. All of such licenses were based |
upon registration at the health office on |
that date. Under the law in force it |
Will not be possible for any one who had |
not acquired the right to practice mid
wifery under the old ordinance to engage In !
such practice until after having proved |
her ability to the satisfaction of the board |
of medical supervisors, and those who can
not write cannot be examined.
Ihrty-three certificates issued |
BOARD of dental examiners We're presented |
for record The register of undertakers |
shows an increase of but three. and the |
health officer calls attention to the need of |
a legal standard of proficiency for the de- |
termination of the right of applicants to |
be classed officially as undertakers. and to
register as such.
Status of Private Hospitals.
DR.. Woodward states that the status of
the private hospitals In this District has
not been altered during the past year, and
says the law governing such institutt 1ns
should be amended. as has been pointed
out in previous reports of this department.
He also says the location and management
or cemeteries in the District of Columbia
has been brought under proper legal con-
tToi by the passage of an act for the regu-
lation of cemeteries and the disposal of
dead bodies in accordance with previous
recommendations of this office, the
act containing certain provisions IN
reference to the establishment OF
crematories fer human remains, which were
urgently needed. The number and location
of cemeteries and crematories remains the
same as at the close of the last report,
and attention is again invited by Dr. Wood
ward to the necessity for the construction
of a public crematory to dispose of the
bodies of the INDECENT poor, such are
now buried in potter's field.
For Use of Colleges.
The number of bodies distributed to the
various medical colleges under the pro-
visions of the act Of February g. 1895, was
1fty-one. an increase of four since last
year. The amount of material SO furnished,
it is stated, has never been sufficient for its
purpose, and the decision of the attorney
FOR. the District, December 10, 1897, that