The Washington times., 1901-10-29
REPORT OF HEALTH OFFICE
The Mortuary Statistics for the
Last Fiscal Year.

Death Rate Increased ny Low Re
turns of Federal Census-Births
md Observation-Disclosures in the
Prevalence of Contagious Diseases
DIR. William c. Woodward, the Health
officer of the District of Columbia, yester-
lay submitted to the Commissioners his
-eport for the fiscal year ended June 30,
1891.
DR. Woodward states that It is the TWEEN
ty-second annual report of the Health De
partment. 1t deals first with certain re-
nectiuns relative to the returns of the
Federal Census Cor the District for 1900,
by which the Health Officer things the
death rate is too high because of too low
total of the whole population.
The report then deals with the mortuary
statistics for the year, and shows that the
total mortality for the year was 6.OS1, Civ
ing a death rate of 2Ls3 for each 1000 of
the population, The number of deaths of
white persons was 3,430, and that of col
ored persons 1861, giving death rate OF
l7.S2 and of 1913 for each respectively.
The number of reported births was 1881,
decrease of 10 since last year. These
returns represent the births of 2ISe white
children and I.75l colored. At 50 births
triplets. of the total number of births re-
ported, 525. or 1l.6 per cent, were illegiu-
mate, in II cases white and 44s colored.
OF the entire number 2,7S0 reports came
from physicians and 1.751 from midwives.
Five hundred and twenty-four still births
were reported, 1875 white and S29 colored-
The number of marriages recorded dur
ing the year was f,Si7; white, La, and
colored 603 The number of marriage IL
censes issued by the clerk of the court
during the corresponding period was 3.S3'.
showing that approxima tely 1873 per cent
of the total number of marriages have not
been reported to the Health Department.
"The list of cemeteries" says the re-
port has been increased by two one To-
Gated at the Franciscan Monastery. near
| Brookland, and established under per
| nit issued by the Commissioners on
| March % 1901; the other in the lands of
| the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foun-
dation on Wisconsin Avenue, established
| by an act of Congress of March l, 1901
The report shows decrease In the
prevalence of scarlet fever, the number of
| cases recorded during the year being 1913.
| Cases of diphtheria declined from 1,1O9 to
| 675. At the beginning of the year there
were Is patients in the smallpox hos
pital; during the year g. cases were ad-
mitted and 81 We're discharged. leaving
l In the hospital at the end of the year.
Under the head of milk inspection, the
report shows 1,206 analyses, or an increase
of il9 over the preceding year. There
were examined 776 samples of milk, SO of
cream. 10 of butter. q of lard, "a of vine
gar, % of cider 10 of olive OIL 20 of phen-
acetine. II of formaldehyde. 10 of Fowler $
solution of arsenic, I of chloride OF lime,
and li5 of water.
OF the samples OF milk collected 357,
taken from the possession of milk dealers
in the city, showed an average percentage
OF fat of AZ; 1893 collected at the Balti-
more and Ohio Depot. showed an average
percentage of ~; and 1S0 collected from
the Baltimore and POTOMAC Depot, an
average percentage Of AZ. The milk col
lected from local dealers was. however,
more variable than that coming from the
depots.
report, intended for slaughter is attend
ed with great difficulty because of the
large number of slaughter houses and
tfeir location at places remote from one
another The fact that there are no reg
ulations limiting the hours of slaughter or
requiring the preservation with the car
casSes of such viscera a Is necessary for
the determination Of the physical condi-
tion of the animal add to the difficulty.
1T has been impracticable to keep an
accurate record Of the disposal in the Po-
lice Court of the numerous cases which
have been referred to the United States
District Attorney and the Attorney for
the District for prosecution. No state
ment relative to such cases will, there
fore. be attempted.
THE only legislation relating to the
sanitary affairs Of this District enacted
during the past year was an act to permit
certain burials OF the dead in the lands
of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral
Foundation of the District of Columbia,
and for other purposes. approved March l.
1901.
AN effort was made during the past
year by certain interested BARRIERS to Sc
cure legislation requiring the licensing Of
BARRIERS and providing specifically for the
regulation of the sanitary condition of
barber shops. For certain reasons the
bin did not receive the approval of this
department. Legislation Of this kind is,
however. desirable up to "A certain point.
There IS in this District at the present
time an increasing number Of barber
shops which display such signs as 'aseptic
barber shop and 'antiseptic barber shop
but where the most rudimentary princi-
pies of asepsis or of antise psis are not
observed. The display Of signs Of this
character under such circumstances CON
stitutes a fraud on the public which
should be prevented by law.
THE nnYTE MHRnER CASE