The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-02-12
Health Report.
Health Officer Bratton Gives Nor
tdlity Statistics.
TUBERCULOSIS ON INCREASE.

DR.. Howard Bratton, Secretary of
! the Board of Health of Cecil county,
has completed his report. 1t shows
the number of deaths in Cecil
county during 1908, to have been
1868. The report also shows the
death rate per thousand to be 14.15,
which is the lowest yet reached,
and shows the exceptionally healthy
condition of the county. This
rate is rarely equalled where correct
records are kept. 1t was 1900 in
1900, 1912 in 1901, 14.44 in 1902.
There were 43 persons who reached
ages ranging from u to so years.
Twenty five of these were males.
There were 80 ,octogenarians,
16 of them females. There were
five nonagenarians, all female,
and one female died at the advanc-
ed age of 100 years, 6 months and
l5 days. The oldest male was 81.
Three females were SS. The
average age of the oldest ten females
was 90.8 years; of the oldest ten
males, 1872 years.
In the report for 1900 it was
stated in regard to Tuberculosis
that "some organized joint effort
upon the part of the State and
County Boards of Health is urgent
ly needed to check this scourge,
which is on the increase, not only
in this county but in the State"
The deaths from consumption, one
of its forms, numbered SO in 1900,
A in 1901, 30 in 1902 and 50 in
1908.
Conditions are still the worst in
the First district, where 1 in every
4.10' deaths was caused by it, or 1
in every 266 Of the population was
lost by it. Greater prevalence
among the colored people is also
indicated. Thirty three deaths
were of females, and four Of the
males were under Is months.
This shows the indoor character of
the disease. In December three
young adults died after an illness
of only three months. 1t is to be
hoped that the work of the Tuber-
culosis Commission will do much
toward the instruction of the peo-
pie as to the coptagiou sness, cost,
prevention and cure of the disease.
Ignorance or disregard of its con-
tagiOus nature, and lack of sun
shine in the house are the most i'm
portant factors in its spread in
Cecil county.
There has been no smallpox in
the county for many years. The
greater part of this is due to Provi-
dence. The effectual vaccination
of school children is fairly well
observed, but this law only protects
those who attend school-the class
least likely to have small -pox. The
need of the State is for the German
law which collects birth certificates
under a penalty, and by aid of
them, looks after the vaccination of
each child during the first year
of its life.
For the first time, the registra-
tion of the births has exceeded that
of the deaths-boys POP, girls III,
total $40. While the registra-
tion of deaths is of great public
importance, it is a matter of
greater private interest that a
full registration of births be
made. The records are fairly COM
plete except in parts of the Seventh
and Ninth districts.
The whole number of deaths last
year resulted from the following
causes: Consumption, 53; pneu
monia, 80; heart disease, 30; apop-
lexy, 20; Bright's disease, 20; pa
ralysis, Is; accident, II; whooping
cough 10; still-born, IA; unknown,
II; old age, II; inanition, 10; can
Ger, IL; meningitis, s; typhoid
fever, z; grip, 6; membranous Group,
o; general debility, q; cholera in
fantum, 3; cirrhosis, liver, 4; cysti-
It's, 4; convulsions, A.; peritonitis,
4; diphtheria, 4; brain sofrening, 3;
spinal meningitis, 3; gangrene, 3;
gastritis, 3; exposure, 2; heart
malformation. 2; child birth, 2;
measles, ?; tetanus, 2; marasmus,
?; brain compression, 2; imperfor-
ate reetum, epilepsy, aneurism, ear
disease, bronchitis, tubercular
rheumatism, pleurisy, sunstroke,
scarlet fever, suicide, diabetes,
homicide, erysipelas, one each.
r-a.. Ef-