The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-12-31
DEATH RATE Is LOW
WASHINGTON BY NO MEANS An
UNHEALTHY CITY.
Statement Made In Memphis News
paper Is Not Warranted BY
Faets--compares Favorably
With Other Big Cities.

Steps have been taken in the dis
trict health department to disprove
the unjust charges printed In the
Washington correspondence Of the
Memphis, Tenn, News-Scimitar that
Washington is probably the most
unhealthy city In the country" As
soon as this statement was brought TO
light by the receipt at the District
building OF letter from R. H. Hom-
nell Of vicksburg. Miss. in which
the Memphis clipping was enclosed,
the commissioners declared that the
correspondent who was responsible
for the story had written completely
outside the facts.
In the health department there was
no hesitancy in offering for perusal
the United States census ofice re-
ports. which are as nearly correct as
human skill can make them, in which
1t was shown that Memphis, the city
in which the story of the unhealthful-
ness of the capital was exploited, can
show an average death rate only a
trihe under one-tenth OF one per cent.
less than that of Washington. BY the
actual figures the death rate in Wash
ington is 20.9 per 1000. and in Mem
phis 1876 per 1000 of population.
Other cities which show a higher
death rate than either Washington
OF Memphis include: Augusta, Me-,
23.7; Atlanta. Ca. 22.3; Annapolis.
Md, 22.2; Lynchburg, Va, 216; Key
West, Fla. 24.O; Jacksonville, Fla,
28.l; Mobile. Ala. 24.4; Savannah.
Ca, 27.3; Saratoga. n. T., 22.O; San
Antonio, Texas, 22.4; San Francisco.
Cal, 21.0; Wilmington. N. G.. 2S.2;
Troy, N. Y, 21.3: Richmond, Va, 25.7;
San Diego, Cal. 21.5.
Referring to the local typhoid fever
situation, which was made particular
ly alarming in the correspondents
version, the health authorities called
attention to the census reports,
which showed that at least twenty-one
cities in a list OF eighty in the coun-
try, irrespective OF geographical loca-
tion, have a higher typhoid death rate
than Washington.
In speaking of the noted statements
made by the Washington correspon-
dent concerning the health conditions
of the capital. Commissioners Macfar-
land said:
while the commissioners cannot
make a formal reply to Mr.. Hummel
until they have the official reports OF
the oficer in charge of the Washing
ton aqueduct and the surgeon gen.
eral of the public health service, 1t Is
not only proper for the commissioners
to call attention once more to the
census ONCE bulletin No. 20, 1905,
Statistics of Cities, the latest official
publication showing comparative
death rates, in contradiction OF the
absurd charge that Washington Is a
peculiarly unhealthy city, but to state
that since that report was published
our death rate has decreased, SO that
now II is below 20 per 1000, This
is, OF course, much lower than In a
large number of other cities. Our
death rate for the last year was 1920.
"It must be remembered that this
is the death rate of the entire popu-
lation of the District of Columbia. The
death rate for the white population
alone was 1916. The death rate OF
the colored population was 1881. OF
course. most of the cities with which
Washington is compared to It's disad-
vantage in this respect have little or
no colored population. We have, OF
course. the largest colored population
of any city in the world.
TT is an unfortunate fact that
some of our own people, often with
good intentions, have circulated ex-
aggerated statements about our death
rate. which they easily have found to
be inaccurate by consulting the dis.
trict government, or, If they wanted
to go to an entirely disinterested au.
thority. by consulting the census bu.
reau. The fact is, as the figures show,
Washington compares favorably with
other cities, and it is not at all nee
essary in undertaking to make It's
death rate still lower to misrepresent
It. When we know from the impartial
authority Of the public health service
which we have asked to cooperate
with US. the cause of the typhoid fever
conditions, we shall be able to take
measures, hope. which will still fur
ther reduce the death rate, and II
will also be affected by our efforts
through the legislation we secured al
the last session and otherwise, to dea'
with unsanitary conditions, and also
with the tuberculosis conditions"