Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-05


been retired may be employed in certain
emergency times.
The Commissioners note with pleasure the
reelection of the major and superintendent
of the District police department for
the fifth year to the presidency of the In
ternational Association of Chiefs of Poiiee'
and commend his efforts which nave
brought about a uniform cooperation
among the police heads in the detection
and suppression OF crime; and they freely
in6orse his proposition for action on the
part of the government for the establish
ment of a national bureau of criminal
Identification. having for its object the
dissemination of criminal Information and
adoption of measures intended to operate
against enemies of the state.
The seat of government should be afford
ed measures and men, facilities and con-
veniences to insure to those resident there
in. well as the diversified intrests IN
volved, unquestloned peace and good order
and security against crime and the crimt-
nal. In this regard attention is especially
directed to the fact that irresponsible per
sons rendezvous in this District to ale
waite fancied wrongs. Several hundred
subjects who require medical treatment are
yearly cared for by the authorities. 1t
goes without saying that they should be
promptly unprecedented and carefully guard
ed against escape.
Provision for guards at the workhouse,
bailiffs at the police court and watchmen
at some other institutions should be made
to relieve the detailing of police officers for
such purposes.
Health and Sanitation.
TIE work done for the protection of the
health of the community by the health de-
partment has been faithful and efficient
although the department has suffered from
a lack of sanitary and food inspectors
none having been added to its force snce
1SsS Notwithstanding additional duties
have been imposed upon It, Congress- it is
hoped. will grant the additional inspectors
asked for in the estimates.
Vital Statistics.
The vital statistics embodied in the report
of the health officer are for the calendar
year 1904, and are computations based upon
the results of, the police census of March,
1897 and of April. 1905, which show an
estimated population of 81 go at the mid
die of the calendar year 1904. the white
population being estimated at 222,U00 and
the colored population at %, 600.
There occurred in the District during the
calendar year 1904 g. POI deaths, $3.50 of
the decedents being white and 2.641 being
colored. The corresponding death rates per
loo based on the estimated population
set forth above, were Whites, 1905; col
ored, 1892; all, 1851 These rates are
somewhat higher than the death rates for
the year Immediately preceding. but lower
than the average for the past ten years
The number of decedents under five years
of age reported during 1904 was L. 32 an
increase of %. While the number of coll
ored persons who died during this age
period was but one more than last year,
and the remainder of the net increase
CURED among the white population the rel
alive death rate among the former race is
still much higher, being Ssh per LOCO OF
the colored as against BIB for the white.
There was also an increase of SO in the
number of decedents under one year of
age, resulting from an increase of % among
coored decedents and an increase of
among the white decedents
AS no census was taken in 1903. and as
the very considerable increase in the num-
Der of reported births-from 5,12i to 6.2Is-
may, II is believed, be attributed to the
continued efforts of the health department
to secure prompt reporting of all births,
as required by law, there is no safe basis
upon which to figure the relation between
the Increase in the number of these deaths
and the increase or decrease in the CORE
spending portion of the population. This
increase in the number of deaths of this
class during 1904 markes the first check
of the actual and relative yearly decline
for the past five years, but it is fair to bear
in mind, however. that the population has
rapidly increased during this period.
The number of deaths from diarrhea and
Inflammation of the bowels among chill
dren under years of age has increased
from 2S2 to 323 while deaths from the same
cause among persons over years of age
We're diminished from "a to &C. The in
crease of deaths from diarrhea and enteritiS
among white children under = years of age
children from 16S to $50. In making
comparison with 1908. the year of the low
est mortality from this disease since 1909,
it should be borne in mind that in 1908 the
department, during the heated term as
signed one of the inspectors particularly to
the investigation of deaths from diarrhea
and enteritis and published the results of his
Investigations from week to week 1t was
unable to do this in 1904. and has been I'M
able to do it for 1908, but it is hoped that
hereafter the department may be able to
keep in touch with the situation during the
summer, months, and that parents and
nurses may be induced to exercise the ut
most precautions for prevention of diseases
of this character.
Pulmonary tuberculosis as heretofore
continues to be the chief cause of mortality
in the District. During the calendar year
OF lAU4. So deaths were due to this disease
representing percentage of 1887 TO deaths
from all causes, and is equivalent to 2.62S
deaths for each 600 of the Districts popu-
lation. OF the decedents who died from
this cause 366 were white and 466 were
colored, the corresponding death rates being
for the whites 1.644 and for the co ored
1.926 per LEGO. The foregoing figures reIa-
tive TO pulmonary tuberculosis are in ex-
cess of the corresponding figures for 1903.
and represent the largest number of fataIi-
ties registered in the last decade, with the
exception of 1895. and are also considerably
in excess of the average number of dea his
wiz, 1852 for the past ten years. The first
six months of 1895. however, indicate a
HldteIldI decrease IN the number OF deaths
FROM pulmonary consumption as compared
with the corresponding period of f9Ul-43;JJ
as compared with 416.
The total number of cases of typhoid
fever reported during the calendar year
1904 was 1.eO6; corresponding figures for
1903 were 1055. The number OF deaths re-
ported during 1894 due to typhoid fever was
lS9, which is l less than the number re-
ported during the preceding year. The
average for the past ten years has been
1871. The deaths from this cause among
the white persons decreased from SO to 70
and among the colored people increased
from 81 to 60. The record for the first half
OF the current calendar year indicates a
comparative dmunition in the number of
deaths. viz. p deaths for the first six
months OF 1862 compared with IL deaths
for the corresponding period of 1904 A
comparison of the number of reported ca ses
during the corresponding periods of 1904
and loOJ Is $50 TO 1871, respectively.
Deaths from scarlet fever during 1874
numbered IL, as compared with during
the preceding year. One hundred and fifty
four cases were reported to the department
for 1893. and 454 for 1904. During the first
six months of 1900 there were iS9 cases
reported, with deaths. as against 237
cases for 1904. with deaths.
The number Iof cases of dphtheria re-
ported in 1904 were 4S9, while during 1889
there Were Isl. The number OF deaths