The Washington times., 1902-10-31
Health Officers Report In
dieates That Capital City
Residents Are "Whom the
Gods Love"
Deaths From Typhoid Fever
Are on the Increase
Grip Loses Its Wonted
8 Strength.

DR.. William C. Woodward, Health Of
fcer, yesterday delivered to the District
Commissioners a statement in regard to
the health OF the District for the fiscal
year ended June 80 last, with report ol
operations in the department for the
same period.
Dr. Woodward states that the estimate
ofdeath rates for the white and colored
population Tor the year was based upon
figures other than the returns of the
last census, as follows: White people,
lse, ,31s: colored, SS,507; total, 2s6,s26.
While the figures of the aggregate pop
ulation were changed as indicated. the
ratios between the various elements of
the population and the population as
whole given by the census were fol-
lowed.
.mass-a Vital Statistics.
On this basis the following vital sta
tist;cs are given in the report: Total
number of deaths, 5.947, of which 3,259
were white and 2.6Ss were colored, the
latter including all races not white. The
death rate Of the white people vas 16.43.
Of the colored S0.S7 and for all 2O.73 for
each 1000 of the population. These fig-
ures show a decrease in the death rate
from the previous year from 21S3, and
from 24.7z In 1893.
The average age at death of all de-
Acedents was 36 years. month and day.
or white decedents the average age at
death was AZ years 2 months and 19
days, and Of colored decedents 2S years,
z months and "a days. Among both
white and colored decedents the average
age of females was in excess of the aver
age of males. All Of the averages above
referred to are in excess of the corre-
spending figures for last year except
the average age of colored females,
which is somewhat lower.
i- Deaths in July.
The usual increase in the number
of deaths in July, due largely to
diarrheal diseases, was augmented in
the past year by an unusual number
of deaths from sunstroke. Diseases of
the respiratory system. chiefly pneumo-
mia. were responsible for the increase in
the death rate in the winter and spring
months
The number of deaths from typhoid
fever in the year was larger not
only than the number of deaths in
fhe, year preceding. but was considerably
above the average number of deaths per
annum in the past decade. In only one
year in that period has the figure for the
past twelve months been exceeded.
Grip Decreases.
Deaths from measles decreased.
Deaths from grip fell from ISL to CT.
Deaths from malignant tumors during
the past year exceeded the deaths from
the same cause in any one of the
past ten years. The records show a
general decrease in deaths due to dis
eases of the brain.
. Deaths due 10 Inflammation Of the
stomach apparently increased. Malarial
fever in fatal form was less prevalent
last year than in any other recent
period.
The past year has shown a larger
number of deaths from street railway
accidents-1O-than occurred during any
other recent year. Fatal burns and
scalds were much less frequent than
during the preceding year.
Deaths from suicides. thirty in all,
we're less frequent than usual
z The white race appears to have been
in the past year more prone to
colored people.
Under the head of contagious dis
eases the report shows a decrease in
the prevalence of scarlet fever.
Smallpox Hospital.
The smallpox hospital has been open |
at intervals in the period covered by |
this report At the beginning of the |
year one patient was under treatment |
and thirty-nine cases have been admit !
ted since that time.
Through the additional inspectors and |
through the special appropriation made |
for the enforcement Of the laws relating |
ated foods and for the support of the |
chemical laboratory. the volume of work
done in the chemical laboratory has
been greater in the past twelve months
than at any other time In the history of
The department. The total sumber of I
samples analyzed was 1886.
In the preceding year it was but l,20s.
Four thousand seven hundred and thir-
.y-seven samples of milk and 334 sam
Pies of cream were analyzed in the past
Twelve months. while in the year pre-
,eding but 776 samples of the for
ner and SO samples of the lat
Ter were tested. The analyses made by
he chemical laboratory included four
Tor the Police Department and two for
he Coroner. all designed to assist in
he detection of crime.
Trials and Convictions
Az the result of analyses 320 cases
we're referred to the City Solicitor for
in the Police Court. Eighty
ix cases have been tried in the