The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-01-27
|THECIT'|'Yl''S s.
/ HEALTH.
Board of Health Report
Shows Death Rate to be
But 1879 to the
Thousand.

The annual report on Health, together
with that Of the milk and meat inspectors,
was presented to City Council last evening
and az usual Is an interesting document.
The presentation of the report came un-
der the head Of UNFINISHED business, and
was made by Mr.. Smith. Accompanying
the report was the following solf exp ana
tory letter from DR.. J. p. Wales prssi
dent of the Board:
'The report of the secretary shows that
our city compares favorably with other
cities in the United States ia its death
rae. With an estimated population of
$1,000, which Is probably underestimated,
the mortality was 1889 in tho one thous-
and Inhabitants.
"Pneumonia, consumption and diph-
iberia lead the list OF fatalities in the Or
der named.
For the first time since a record Of vital
statistics has been kept, pneumonia has
headed the list of causes of death for tn,
year. The executive officers Of the Board
are to be commended for their zeal in seek
Ing out and abating nuisances, as their
reports show.
1.-The greatest source of complaint to the
Board has been in the collection Of the
garbage II is the opinion of tho Board,
and it Is most earnestly urged, that the
crematory be placed under its charge and
supervision, bOth as expediting the COL
lection OF garbage and as measure of
economy. 1.-THE contractors for the
collection of garbage complain that
their drivers are not allowed.
at times to unload their carts at the cre-
mafory. the excuse being there Is no room
for their loads. The collection Of garbage
Is therefors delayed and complaints Of
non'collection increased. 1t can also be
demonstrated that when the crematory
was under the charge Of the Board of
Health, the expense of maintaining 1t was
less than under the present management
Next TO pure milk, wholesome meat is
necessity for healthy sustenance. 1t is
therefore recommended that the "Inspec.
tor Of meats should be veterinary sur
gt"n of training and experience in diseases
OF cattlc. so that all meats exposed for sale
in the city could pass the closest sanitary
inspection. Other cities appoint veerin-
AIRY surgeons as Inspector: of meat, result.
ing in great advantage"
The accompanying reports show that In
the year the board held 80 moo!ings, con-
sidered 6S5 nuisances, ordered l59 conpec-
tions with sewers. The executive officers
are commended for their work is assisting
to stamp out diphthcria. and the number
of cases dropped from 81 in October, TO p
in December
The number Of deaths was 1879, 81 mora
than for the previous year. Ofthe deaths
1856 were due to pneumonia. and 1l3 to con.
sumption. There were 1860 births. f21
less than for the same period last year;
COB white, and 70 colored marriages. The
executive officers fumigated 476 houses,
where contagious diseases occurred.
The report was filed. and the com.
plants mentioned referred to committee
on crematory. The printing committee
was directed to have the report printed.
ROUTINE BUSINESS.
The routine business of the session was
OF an uninteresting nature. City Treas.
urer Curry reported the balances in Union
Bank to account Of current expenses to bs
$7, 1901 "; in each of the four depository
banks, 2l, 1886; total 1854 474 OF: special
fund for park purposes. $23O3455 The
collections were: T. s. Lewis 5000, taxes
for 1903; Eugene NJ. Savers, S425, taxes for
1898; Edmund Mitchell, Jr., $500. taxes for
1897; City Auditor Pyle s., account Of Ii
cense.
The miscellaneous paw roll amounting
to s3074 II; Council pav roll amounting to
sa75 %, and the police pny roll amounting
to 70. SS2 80 were ordered mid.
Chairman Olerlv of the finance com.
mitee explained that the increase in the
miscellaneou 'pay roll was due to the fact
that the salaries of the FL 'ction Depart
ment clerks were to be paid by the city
this year according to law. When no cleo
ton IL held in Wilmington the state paws
the salaries of the department officials,
and when thore is an election the City
Council pays the salaries
Chairman O'Neill Of the law committee
reporter that the committee had agreed to
withdraw the bill before tho Legislature
providing fer the division OF liquor IL
cense moneys collected here, and had pre-
pared one which ollows all Incorporated
cities and towns throughout the state to
retain one half the money raised by liquor
licenses.
The previous bill had been construed by
City Solicitor Conrad as discriminating
against the cities outside of Wilmington
and therefore an illegal measure. Much
opposition had been thrown in the way Of
the bill, but the new measure Mr.. O Neill
felt satisfied would meet the end de-
sired and would benefit everybody alike.
Hence no opposition will b. brought to
hear against the measure and it will un-
doubleday become a law.
Quito number of bills were ordered
paid and Council adjourned