The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-03

to improve the health conditions Of the
District, administering his Office with in
telligenee and energy. The Commission
ers eor1Iaily approve the recommended
tons hc makes In his annual report.
''The heath rate was 21.37 per thou
sand, and shows slight decrease
since last year; it Is, however, slightly in
excess Of the average for the past i've
years. OF the decedents, 3, 325 were white
and 1928 eolored. No definite statement
can be made. however, as TO the relative
death rates IN the two races in view Of
the fact that the Federal Census has not
yet reached q point where It viii permit
such calculations to be made. The most
regrettable fea tuTe of the reported NOR
tally is the increase in the number or
deaths from typhoid fever. The total
number of such deaths, 2Z1 is not large,
yet IL points to the existence OF eonsid-
cradle number of cases of this disease
which, being pFeYentRbIe should not have
existed. It is hoped and expected that the
proposed filtration Of the public water
supply will materially diminish the preva-
lence of typhoid fever in this District,
even If it does not prevent II altogether.
Scarlet fever has been less prevalent
than during iaIt year, but the number OF
cases OF diphtheria has increased. The
Health DepaFtm ent was enabled, through
the agency OF the milk law, to suppress
an outbreak of the former disease. inEOlF-
ing thirty-three eases. due to milk infee-
ton. The wards for the reception OF
minor contagious diseases, which have
been constructed in connection with
Providence and Garfield Memorial Hospi-
tails, have been constantly occupied by
patients suffering from such diseases, for
whom, prior to the existence of such
wards. no hospital accommodations what
soever were available. Many of these pa
- IL. R1.f
some came from well-to-do families and
sought hospital treatment solely on &C
count of the advantages offered by il.
Smallpox has been present during the
greater psf OF the year The mild char
acter of the disease, and the repeated in
portation OF it from otter places. have
rendered its suppression difficult, and a
few cases remain under treatment at the
close of the period covered By this re-
port"
The report then speaks of the efforts
made u carry out the sanitary laws,
specifying the prescott ions instituted to
prevent the manufacture of adUlterated
foods, t!se inspection Of dairy farms and
live stock, the prevention of smoke, and
the removal Of weeds. They recommend
better facilities for the pound service,
owing to the Increase Of business
ct is a remarkable fact that n this
District there are no public bathing IA IL
tiles ayaliab;e during cool and cold
wea Their, and that the only such facilities
available during the summer season at
the bathing beach are at best makeshift
SO far as regards purposes Of simple
cleanliness. AS a large number Of citi-
Gems are so unfortunately situated as to
have no bathing facilities In their resi-
dences they are in actual need Of public
baths. The example of other cities points
to the Importance of establishing public
bath houses for the accommodation Of
these classes Il is respectfully recon-
Tnended thai action he taken toward that
pnd