Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-09
SUBMITS HIS REPORT
ANNUAL STATEMENT NJ HEALTH
OFFICER TO COMMISSIONERS.
Statistics Of Births, Deaths and Dis
eases-Prevalenee Of Typhoid
Removal Of Weeds.

DR.. william c. Woodward, health officer
of the District. today submitted his annual
report for the fiscal year ended June 30
last. to the Commissioners. He discusses
the general mortality. that with respect to
location. alley death rates, mortality of
white and colored people. statistics regard
ing communicable diseases births, private
hospitals. communicable diseases Of ami
mails. removal OF weeds and the CONVEX
sion OF alleys into minor streets.
DR. Woodward emphasizes the Importance
OF providing his departments with a bacte
biological laboratory. The absence of such
laboratory he contends, is source Of
much Inconvenience and it decided draw
back.
He reports that the general death rate for
the District OF Columbia during the year
ended June 80 last was 1920 per 1000 in
habttaEts. which, he says. is an improve
ment over the figures for the preceding
year. which were 1851. and compares Ia
vorably with the average for the past dec
ade, 1892.
Regarding the mortality of sexes, more
men died last year than women. The death
rate OF the former was p. 66 and of the lat.
ter 1897.
Mortality by Age Periods.
The mortality by age periods shows
marked decrease in the death rate of white
children under five years DID, while among
the colored children under five years the
death rate increased.
Speaking Of mortality with respect to To-
cation. DR.. Woodward said:
1T is impossible here intelligently to
point out these parts OF the District in
average, or to explain the reason there
Tor. 1t Is as yet impossible to understand
why these death rates vary as they do. and
before the health department can express
q N AMI LOTT
essary for it to make q much more extended
study Of the situation than has been yet
possible"
Further. the health officer says:
What has already been said with respect
to the effect of the racial distribution Of
the population Of any particular locality in
determining its death rate applies with pc
culiar force to the determination of the
death rate of jewellers in alleys for pur-
pose of comparison with the death rate
Of that portion Of the community dwelling
on streets and other similar thoroughfares.
OF the entire alley population 0O54 per
cent is colored. and. therefore. the alley
death rate approximates the colored death
rate and is high. 1896 per thousand per
annum.
ION the other hand off the street popula-
ton 74.O3 per cent is white. and therefore
the street death rate approaches more
closely to the white death rate and is
relatively low. 1873 per thousand per an
mum. But when the death rate for colored
people living in alleys is compared with
the death rate for colored people living
on streets a different result Is obtained.
Among colored people living in alleys tie
death rate during 1905 was $3.50; among
those living on streets 1t was $3.50. And
among white alley jewellers the death rate
was 1925. while among persons Of the
same race residing on streets the death rate
was 1911 The figures just given effect
ually dispose Of the possible objection that
the colored death rate is high because of
the effect of alley life on the large number
of colored peopole living in such places.
IF those parts of the District in which
alleys do not exist be disregarded and this
will result in the exclusion of the greater
part of the suburban and all of the rural
alley death rates is somewhat changed
Among white people the street death rate
Is then 1462. and the alley rate 1923.
Among, colored the street death rate is
2I.54 and the death rate. in alleys 2S.39."
Communicable Diseases. -
The statistics relative to communicable
diseases show that during the past year o
per cent of the persons having diphtheria
died: scarlet fever resulted fatally in 3.S7
per cent of the cases: typhoid fever resulted
fatally in 1894 per cent of the cases, and
smallpox resulted fatally in IL per cent Of
the cases.
During 1895 1.O97 cases of typhoid fever
were reported to the health Office, an in
crease Oh ~ cases over the preceding year.
OF the total number of cases reported in
1906. 142 resulted fatally. In 1904 there
were 141 deaths from typhoid.
For the prevention of tuberculosis In the
District, DR.. Woodward urges that physi-
clans be compelled to report all cases of
the disease to the health office.
The total number of births reported dur
ing the year 1905 was GALS. the largest
number ever recorded during single year.
The cause of the large registration is said
to have been the devising and adoption by
the health department q few years ago of q
plan for the better education of the public
and the medical profession with respect to
the necessity for recording births.
Removal Of Weeds.
The health officer concludes his report as
follows:
There has been no general enforcement
Of the act of March 1. 1899. requiring the
removal Of weeds more than four inches
high from land within the city Of Washing
ton or in its more densely populated sub
urbs. This act should be repealed or def
mite provision should be made for its en-
forcement either as 1t exists or after due
amendment.
1.-THE laws and regulations In force in this
District for the prevention of the spread Of
communicable diseases among domestic an
finals are in more or leSa unsatisfactory
condition. They should be amended and
codifed."
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