New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-29
THE LESSON OF THE DEATH RATE.

According to one Of OFF learned magistrates,
the people at the last election were tired Of
mere businesslike management of their affairs
and wanted an "adminiStra ton with a heart"
They are going to have It. and one of the tests
Of its worth viii be found IN the record of the
death rate for the next two years. VIII An "ad-
ministration with heart see that the rules of
sanitation are so enforced as TO decrease the
number of deaths among the people for whom
its heart beats, or viii its pafpitations manifest
themselves merely IN being good natured and
generous to persons with q pull? We fear
that the sort Of heart which was in demand on
Election Day was mostly the latter, for in the
things that really made for the welfare and
happiness Of the whole people this present one
was the admiuistrsti ton with the heart.
The death rate for 1903 shows this. 1t viii
be the lowest in the history Of the city. The
final figures cannot yet be made, for there are
the deaths of the last few days Of the year to
be added, but # will not be more than 1916,
and is likely TO be somewhat lower than that.
The rate for 1902 was 1874, up 10 that time
the lowest in the history Of the city, while that
for 1901, the last year Of Tammany rule, was
30 This is what Mayor Low has done for the
people of New York, and it remains to be seen
If Mayor Mcclellan can make heart beats turn
in the same way to the saving of human life.
The reduction in the death rate this year means
that about two thousand persons are alive who
would have been dead if the conditions OF the
year before had continued, and the reduction OF
1902 from the rate of 1901 meant the saving Of
nearly four thousand lives Statistics are dry
things and percentages mean little to the aver
age man, but these figures show what a little
thing like fractional reduction in the death
rate by vigilant sanitation amounts to in this
great city.
A certain part of this gain has been due to
favorable weather conditions but in great part
1t has been brought about by vigilance and in
telligence In the administration of the Sanitary
Code. 1t is not mere chance Of weather that
accounts for this steady improvement One
year with low rate followed by one with a
higher rate might be so interpreted. In the
campaign Tammany said the rate for 1902 was
all due TO the weather-there having been de-
crease in the number OF sunstrokes-in spite of
the remarkable decrease in deaths from con-
sumption. smallpox, children's diseases and
other troubles responding directly to sanitation.
Now comes the record Of even better results
this year. and though last summer was per-
haps, favorable TO health as compared to the
average year, it could hardly have been more
favorable than that Of 1872, which, according
TO Tammany, was so good that DR.. Lederle was
entitled to no credit for the city's health. II
would certainly be remarkable If Nature for
two years running, Of ali the years OF tue city's
history, should discriminate IN favor of re-
form administration. 1t is believed that this
years rate viii show a particularly large num-
Der OF deaths from pneumonia, which would
tend to Indicate that what was gained by a cool
summer has been lost by unfaForable winter
weather. But for the present epidemic OF pneu-
monia, which Is by no means confined to New
York, this years rate would be much lower
The great saving OF life last year, and in all
probability this year, was made by the cam
paign against consumption and the more care
ful inspection Of fruit and milk.
1t is due TO DIR. Lederle and TO the admins
tratlon OF which he is part that this work
should be known and appreciated. 1t is now
too late for the people to assure the continuance
Of such excellent service; they have displaced
IL and Entrusted their lives to other hands. Il