The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-23
COMPARED WITH OTHER CITIES.
Major Goreas Rlports on Hnvann's
Sanitary Condition.

General Wood has transmitted to the
| War department a@dopy of the report OF
| Major w. c. Gorgas for the month OF
February. showipgrthe decided improve
ment In the sanitary condition of Ha-
vana He calls especial attention to the
| fact that the death rate was but lg3-
per thousand which is below that OF
| nearly all of the American cities. Cen
eral Wood EXPRESSES the belief that bet
ter knowledge of the healthful conditions
in Havana will have a tendency toward
increasing she insVar travel and COM
merce. The report of Major Gorgas says;
1t is with pleasure that again call the
attention of the General Commanding TO
our steadily decreasing death rate, which
| consider most reliable indication of
our steadily improving sanitary condi-
ton.
1T viii be seen from the report that
the deaths in the month just ended were
very much fewer than in any February
of which we have any reliable record.
the minimum being that of 1893 when
We had 4i6 deaths. and the maximum
that of 1898, when we had Loo. This is
not only less than any February since
1890, but actually less than any month Of
the preceding twelve years, the lowest in
any month being 444 deaths-in Novem-
Der. 1900. The average for the ten Years
succeeding 1890 was 746 deaths.
THE rate per thousand-19. 32-makes
even better showing: The last Febru-
airy of the Spanish rule. 1898. gave us
death rate of S2.S2 per thousand. Febru-
airy of le0I--the third February under
American rule-gives us a death rate of
1892. This is very creditable death
rate. and places Havana in the class of
healthy cities of the world. Many of the
cities of the United States and of Europe
have higher mortality rate than this.
According to the latest figures which
can secure from the Marine Hospital re-
ports, Baltimore, with a population of
434, 430, for the week ending January 20,
had 20 deaths-a death rate of 1888; Gin
cinn1ti. population $4,000. for the week
ending January % had 142 deaths-death
rate. -2.65; Boston, population 560.S92, for
the week ending January 20, had go
deaths-death rate, 2i.10; Jacksonville,
population 17,201. for the week ending
January 10, had 16 deaths-death rate,
1887: Newark, n. j., population 246,O70.
for the week ending January 10, had 107
deaths-death rate, 226l; New Orleans,
population 2S1,0o0. for the week ending
January 10, had 1856 deaths-death rate,
2s.26; New York, population S,4S7,202, for
the week ending January &c, had 1,iS2
deaths-death rate. 22.i2; Washington.
population 21s. rs for the week ending
January 10. had 14l deaths-death rate.
2G.30; Belfast. Ireland. for the week end
Ing January 5. had l65 deaths, with
death rate of 2390;- and Mobile. popula-
tion 3S,i6e. for the week ending January
lG. had % deaths-death rate, 29.73.
1t VIII be seen that most of the cities
have a much higher death rate than Ha-
vana. Jacksonville, Mobile. and New Or
leans all have higher death rate than
Havana and ! have no doubt that we
would lind such to, be the case with 9TH
ers of the Gulf cities If we could get
statistics on the subject. AT present they
look up2n Havana with suspicion, but
think in the near future Havana will
have TO guard against them.
Taking cities In the yellow fever area,
such as New Orleans. Mobile, Pensacola,
Tampa, Key West. and Havana, those in
bad sanitary condition, as shown by their
become infected than a city such as Ha-
vana. which is in firstclass condition, as
shown by its low death rate. / think 1t
probable that within year or two Ha-
Itself from the ahove-named cities.
During February of 1900 we had sew
enteen new cases of yellow fever; in Feb
ruary of 1871 We had eight new cases.
AS the number of non-immunes was very
much larger in February OF this than in
that OF last year, / think the showing is
very encouragin .-- -.s-,-
BESIDES disinfecting the houses with
formaline and other disinfectants we
now screen the rooms occupied by yell
low fever patient as soon as his case is
reported. and kill all the mosquitoes in
the building with the fumes of pyre-
thriIn powder, at the same time cover
ing with kerosene oil all places where the
mosquitoes can breed about the building.
We also kill the mosquitoes In all the ad-
joining buildings in the same way.
with these measures and the steps
we are taking to kill the mosquitoes in
the suburbs. | hope TO markedly decrease
the yellow fever during the coming sum-
mer.
Very respectfully,
w. C. GORGAS.
Major and Surgeon, U. S. A, Chief
Sanitary Officer"