Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-08-11
ONLY THREE DEATHS
From Natural Causes in Wheeling in
Ten Days.
A RECORD WHICH is PROBABLY
WI 1OUT A PARALLEL IN A
CITY OF THIS SIZE-VERY LIT
TIE SICKNESS REPORTED.

yesterday was the tenth day OF the
month, and in that time but three APP
plications for burial permits have been
made at the Office of the City Health
Officer. This rate would make but nine
deaths per month, or one hundred and
eight per year, which would make a
death rate of less than three per 1000
of population.
The situation is rather a remarkable
one, not only in the fact that but three
persons have died in the city this
month from natural causes, but in the
fact that there has not even been one
death from good square case of dis
ease. One of thoes dying, man of
advanced years, was found dead in bed,
another died from very rare malady,
described in the Register yesterday
morning, and the third case was not
to be rated as an ordinary death from
sickness. In reality there has not been
a death from natural sickness in this
city of forty thousand inhabitants in
ten days, record probably without a
parallel in any city of equal size in the
world. The physicians report no sick
ness, even among small children, and
the entire situation, from a health
point of view, is surprisingly good,
when it is considered it is midsummer.
Register reporters talked with a number
of physicians yesterday, and all report
ed little or no sickness, and at the same
time could not account for the condi-
tons of affairs. The normal death
rate for August would be about fifty
five or sixty. AT the present rate, it
will not be over ten. 1t is little hard
on the undertakers, but it is good for
the remainder Of the community
There is some apprehension among
the medical profession that the small
pox, which has been all about lis for
six Or eight months past, in Ohio, Ken
lucky and Western Pennsylvania, may
pay us a visit this fall and winter, but
so far there has been no intimation Of
its presence, and Health Officer Jepson
is watching the situation in other
States very closely. The towns sur
rounding Pitts burg have quite number
Of cases, and it is suspected that the
disease is in that city itself, but al
though the means of communication
both with the Pittsburg region and in
fected Ohio points are direct, and num-
erous, Wheeling and the surrounding
country has so far escaped, except the
cases in one house in Benwood, which
have all recovered. Dr. Jepson, who is
an expert in small pox, has taken the
precaution to widely circulate valua-
BILE paper upon the characteristics of
the disease and its treatment and dag
nosis, and his action in this regard is
very commendable. His experience
has been greater than that of any other
physician in this portion of the coun-
try, and his views and ideas may be ac-
cepted as authoritative and correct
In talking about the exceptionally
healthy condition of the city last even
ing, Or. Jepson said it was the most re-
markable state of affairs coming with
in his knowledge If the present con-
ditions continue he will be able to make
a report for August which will attract
widespread attention from medical
men all over the country.