The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-11
MORTALITY IN BRAZILIAN CITIES.
More Deaths Than Births in Rio-Foreisn
Blood Needed to Give vigor to the Race

Blood Needed to Give vigor to the Race
wAsHrNaro... June 10.-A striking report ON
tho mortality In Brazilian cities has oeen
made to the Supervising Surgeon General OF
tho Marine Hospital Service by the sanitary
Inspector at Rio do Janelro. He says:
I'm regard to the decided dlsproportion he
tween natality and mortality In the city OF MO
de Janeiro. to which I have had occasion 10
refer In my annual reports. DR.. Bulhoes Car
valho has made valuable com muhicatioh
to the Academy OF Medicine The tollowlne
shows distinctly that disnroportlon: In !o,''
1892 deaths and 1925 births; In lSot'
1880 deaths and 13.495 births: in 1895.
1925 deaths and 1885 births; in 1895.
1925 deaths and 14.425 births.
ION account. however. OF the fuctuattnx
character OF the population OF Rio dc Janeiro
this dlsproporton Is much less unfavorable
than Is apparently the case. Moreover ~
may be positively asserted that the reported
number Of deaths Is entirely correct. but thao
many births are not reported. and that in the
civil registration there are many omissions.
It Is rare that Brazilian family Is not on an
average composed Of Ave children.
AS an important cause OF that disproportion
may be considered the large numbers OF
deaths In consequence Of insufficient kygienio
measures; for In stance. In the year 1893. when
there was no serious Epidemic prevail ling, he
number Of deaths exceeded the births The
second factor is the Insufficient nunber OK
survivors among the children born to com.
pensate. for the mortality resulting from ths
lack OF hyRienic precautions; As third
factor Dr. Carvalho calls attention to the fact
Of the prevalence OF intermarrlage among
Brazilians. which prevents the INTRODUCTION Of
fresh blood for promoting the fecundity and
vlRor OF the race.
saslsticsl data sh9w that fqrssn:rs ss!-
eigners and brazilian ladies are not freuuentt
still less Is the number OF marriages OF for
etgners with each other. and extremely In
tween Brazilians aud foreign women. Here
foreigners. with the exception of the Portu-
guese. contribute very little to the increase
permanent residents, Very different are tho
circumstances at Buenos Ayres. There mar
riaRes between natives and foreigners amount
10 per cent. and Of foreigners, with each other
about per cent. In=Ro de JHneiro mar
riaRss Of Brazilians with each other mount
&c. more than 50 per cent. AIT.
sembles Buenos Ayres more than Rio dc Ja-
metro. In that city during the year 1895. for
instance. stil- births excluded. tho number
6.4O7. against 1850 births OF children Of Bra
lillian parents: that Is. 7b5 per cent, against
235 per cent. In S0U marriages at least Ond
the proportlon being consequently e5.7 per
Just as in the Argentine Republic the
italian immigration ha, contributed to the
necessary that Brazil receive an infusion Of
foreign blood. which would exercise u bene.
fetal influence In the DEVELOPMENT OF the ma.
tion. The Portuguese blood Is no longer
sufficient to continue to promote the develop-
ment OF tho Brazilian race. This IL proved bv
the progress Of Sac Paulo under the influence
have been acelImatlzsd and have permanently
settled"