The Washington herald., 1907-03-08
FIGURES MISLEADING
DR.. Woodward Objects to
Mortality Statistics.
PUT DISTRICT IN WRONG LIGHT
Greater Percentage of Deaths Among
Males Than Among Females-The
Record for Week Ended March =
Shovs "a Slight Increase I'm the
Death Rate fer This City.

In reference to the recent mortality
report of the Census Bureau, which
shows the death rate of the District TO
exceed that of many of the States.
Health officer W. c. Woodward yester-
day stated that. in mis- opinion, the
figures are somewhat exaggerated, mas
much as they do not correspond with the
statistics of the police department.
The death rate Of the District. as shown
by the Census Bureau, is 20-5, while the
police department gives 1t At 1913.
THE comparison Of the death rate of
one community with that of another
said DIR. Woodward, affords the grossest
means of determining whether the sani-
tary conditions of one compare favorabiy
with the other. as so many factors in
huence the death rate that no well-in-
formed statistician ever thinks of &C
cepting the results of such a comparison
as conclusive The figures that go 10
make up the general death rate must be
carefully analyzed and compared before
results can be obtained that Will ac-
curateIy show the relative sanitary con-
ditiOns of the places under consideration.
Greater Mortality Among Males
The general death rate of the District
for the year 1903 was 1920, This is some
what better than the corresponding fig
ure for the preceding year. 1921, and COM
pares favorably with the average for the
past decade. 1892 The Improvement in
the death rate since 1894 is wholly due to
a diminution IN the death rate of whites,
which fell off from 1893 TO 15.16 and which
is only 81 per cent of the average an
nual death rate for the ten-yedr period.
"The death rate for males continued
DR.. Woodward. lis higher than that for
females. whether the population be con-
sidered as a whole or the white and col
ored elements be considered separately OF
the white population, 80 per cent is male,
with "a death rate Of 81 per cent higher
/ than that of the female population. OF
/ the colored population, only - per cent
/ is male, and the male death rate IS y
/ per cent more than the death rate for
/ females Of the same race.
Births and Deaths of Last Week.
/ a slight increase in the general NOR
taIity for the week ended March is
shown by the report of the health depart
|ment, there having occurred l49 deaths as
compared with 80 the previous week and
/ 129 during the same week of last year. OF
the recent deaths, Sc were white and IS
! colored persons.
/ The principal causes. Of the recent NOR
tally were pneumonia, %; consumption,
lis; heart disease. Il; apopleXy, Il; kidney
disease. 3. malignant growths. 9; bron-
chitis. 6. grippe. i, and congestion Of the
lungs. 3
Eight new cases OF diDhtheria were re-
ported and discharged. leaving p in
quarantine. an increase Of . over the pre-
/ vious week
Scarlet fever shows an increase Of
I cases since the previous report. there be
ling s new cases reported and discharged
making a total of 81 cases ia quarantine
/ There was one death from typhoid fever
I : new cases reported, and discharged as
/ recovered. leaving s. cases under treat
ment. less than the previous week.
The births reported during the week
numbered 13S OF which So were white and
= colored infants