Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-23
Comment on Figures Promulgated by
the Census Office.
STATEMENT MADE BY DR.. WOODWARD
Health Office Records Differ From
the Government Statistics.
DEATHS AMONG CHILDREN

The attention Of Health Officer Wood
ward was called today to the mortality
statistics recently Issued by the census bu-
reau, with especial reference to the de-
crease in the death rate of the District of
Columbia, which doeS not seem to be as
great as that Of some other cities. The
records of the health department and those
that have been issued by the census bu-
reau, in the past as well as in the pres
ent instance, do not agree The figures just
issued by the census bureau have Washing
ton heading the list with the highest death
rate in cities of over 100000, giving the
rate for 1880 as 23.7, and for 1900 as %. 8
per each 1000 inhabitants. The figures Of
the health department Of the District for
these years are "a for the year 1890 and
2102 for 1900. According to the heals.
office figures the increase in population
during this ten-year period has been 3S 900,
or $500 a year, while the death rate has
decreased from pa to a thousand to 21.O2.
In discussing the health conditions of the
District DR.. Woodward says that it is hard,
even with any set of figures, to arrive at
right conclusions, especially when it is de-
sired to make comparisons with other
cities. Take, for instance, the cities of
New York, Buffalo. Cleveland and Chi
cago," said DR.. Woodward, land wou will
find that a very large percentage Of their
population is what is termed floating. That
is, the immigration is the source of in
crease to great extent individuals who
country are generally adults, and are also
generally in the prime of life. This cOndi-
tion and effect upon the death rate of the
city of this character must be compared,
say, to Washington, where it is generally
conceded that the increase is the natural
one. The mortality among infants is, of
course, very much greater than among
adults, and especially adults in the prime
of life.
Another Consideration.
Eve have also to consider, in discussing
the health conditions of this city, the large
proportion of colored population. The in
fiuence of the colored population on the
death rate is shown by the figures, for in
stance, of June 80. 1901. The colored death
rate is 30.73 while the death rate of whites
is 1882. This indicates to a certain extent
the greater mortality among colored peo-
pie than among whites. But when you re-
member that the laboring work is done
here very largely by the colored race, and
that the death rate among people engaged
in such occupations in any city is large,
occasioned by their employment and mode
Of living, problem Is presented as to how
much weight should be given the national
ity and how much the occupation.
Then, too, there Is the difference in the
method of the census bureau and that of
the health department in crediting deaths
10 d certain II mas Dopn the, prdC-
tice of the census bureau, / believe, to
endeavor to ascertain and credit the death
of an individual to the locality where he
contracted the disease from which ne died.
Especially is this done in the case Of per-
sons temporarily residents OF any place in
which they died. This makes the number
of deaths accredited to a certain locality
very uncertain. The records of the health
department show every death in the Dis
trict, whether the person was a resident
for ten minutes or ten years."
Death Rate Among the CO1ored.
Returning to the question Of the death
rate among colored people DR.. Woodward
referred to the statistics of 1876 as a COM
parison with the present year. In 1876
the death rate among colored people OF
the District was 4O.74, while the last rec
ord shows it to have been 1913 A de-
crease of ten to a thousand. The white
death rate in 1876 for the District was
1904, while the last record shows it to be
1T.S2. This shows according to DIR. Wood
ward, that the conditions of living. as
well as the education, of the -colored pom
ulation. has greatly increased since 1875.
Dr. woodward stated that the best way
to arrive at the health conditions in any
city is to compare the figures Of deaths
among children under five years of age
These figures in the District for two years
are: 1880, 2,06S, or S.97 per LOCO: 1860
1853, or 6.64 per 1,0OO There have been
no epidemics, he says, that would cause a.
marked increase in the death rate in the
District In the past ten years.