Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-03
INCREASE IN TYPHOID
FEVER CONDITIONS AS NOTED BY
THE HEALTH OFFICE.

typhoid fever is increasing in the District,
and while the disease Is not yet regarded as
epidemic 1t Is claiming new victims every
day at a rate little short Of alarming. Last
week fifty new cases developed, or an aver
age OF more than seven each day. During
the week ended July % thirty-s!x new cases
were noted, so that the report of the health
office for last week, issued this morning
shows that typhoid is already far past the
stage reached during the same period last
year. During the corresponding period last
year there were nnety-two cases. This
year there are 126. Only eight cases were
noted as discharged during last week, and
six of the eight were claimed by death
The health office sees much danger in
Potomac water on account of the recent
heavy rains swelling the river and the in
eVitable washing into its channel of infec-
ton from up-river points. Several cases of
typhoid fever have been reported In Cum
berland. and in other towns bordering on
the Potomac, and unless the populace of
those towns is particularly careful the
germs will pollute the river and conse-
quently find their way through the conduit
ITO Washington's drinking water.
'Boi your water" was the slogan last
gear. This year the injunction seems to
nave been forgotten.
Diarrhea1 Diseases.
Aside from typhoid fever the most strik-
Ing feature of the weekly health report is
the number of fatalities from diarrheal dis
eases, and the health office renews its adj
vice to mothers to look with particular
care upon the preparation of food for in
fants. Twenty-one babies under two years
of age died during the week from this COM
paint peculiar to summer, and the other
seven of the total of twenty-eight fatali-
ties were of persons past sixty years of
age. whose vitality, like that of the X
tremely young. was not equal to the task
of combating the disease.
Also peculiar to the season Is the decrease
in deaths from tuberculosis of the lungs.
Only nine fatalities were due to this dis
ease during the week.
Health Office Statistics.
The complete report of the health Office
for the week follows:
The deaths within the District of Column
bia during the week ended July %, 1905.
number 136. which is less than the num-
Der reported during the previous week and
"a more than the fatalities of the CORE
spending period of 1904. OF these deaths
Il were white people and 80 were colored,
and represent death rate per 1000 of the
former of 17.6 and of the latter of 81 l.
The death rate for the entire population
was 219 per 1000 The corresponding
period of last year showed a relative death
rate as follows: White, 1874; colored, OF,
and for ALL 17.6
Diarrheal diseases continue to be preva-
lent, and are more fatal among the very
young, and also among those of advanced
age OF the twenty-eight deaths this week
from this disease. twenty-one were under
two years of age and seven We're past sixty
years
Diseases of the heart and diseases of the
kidneys claimed ten deaths each. conSump-
ton of the lungs nine, apoplexy seven.
There were two deaths from suicide.
Contagious Diseases.
The record for contagious diseases shows
a slight improvement over last week with
the exception Of typhoid fever, as follows:
Dphtheria and scarlet fever had each
but one new reported case. with two dis
charged, which leaves but four cases of
the former disease and seven cases of the
latter now under quarantine within the en-
tire District.
Typhoid fever, however, shows a large in
crease In the number of new cases reported,
viz. 90, with but eight discharged, six of
the latter being by death. This increases
city to 100 In all, compared with 90
cases in the corresponding week of 1904.
There were no changes occurring In small
poX, and the number-ten cases-are still
under treatment in the smallpox hospital.
The reported births in the District of Co
lumbia were ia. of which births II were
white children and AZ were colored.
The weather conditions during the week.
as reported by the weather bureau, were
as follows: Mean temperature, ~; mean
relative humidity, S3 per cent; mean actual
barometer, 29.sI. The winds We're north
ity of 4.3 miles, and on the 10Th instant
reached maximum velocity Of 81 miles.
The minimum temperature was 60 and the
maximum temperature So.