Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1908-11-20
Annual Health Report.

Annual Health Report.
Births, white, 49, colored, las; total
573. Deaths, white, 1877; colored, 1871; to-
tai 1928. The births being 245 in excess of
the deaths. OF this gain in the native born
population the whites are to be credited with
231-the colored with only IA.
Notwithstanding this small increase in
the colored population, it makes a better
showing than last year, when its death rate
was 10 more than its birth rate. The increase
In tho white race is 70 more than last year.
Proportionately, for every 16i white chill.
dren there has been born colOred child.
The causes Of death have been, viz:
Scarlet fever, 1; diphtheris, typhoid,
4; alcohol, A; found dead, s; meningitis,
8; whooping coughs; bronchitis, 10; Ia
grippe, 10; cancer, II; old age, IA; acct
dent, 49,; cholera infantum, 49,; heart dis
ease, 90; inanition, 90; kidney disease, 81 !;
apoplexy and paralysis, 80; pneumonia, 81 Z;
tuberculosis, SO.
1 should like to emphasize at this point
the importSEt fact that the general public
should and must pay more attention and
lend Its cooperation to the efforts being
made to stamp out the ravages Of this "great
white plague"
Notice how strongly intrenched this fell
disease lie iA our own county.
One person of every five and six sevenths
persons who died last year died of tubercu-
losis.
Compare this death rate with that of dph.
iberia during the past year, we have had
two deaths from diphthera or death in
every 1874 deaths. Let one case of diphthe.
ria develop in community, and immedi.
ately most active corps of hygienists and
sanitary critics is born; the physician is
often censured for not quarantining the
patient at least "a hours before he has had
the chance to see him.
Now, this disease appears spasmodlcally
but that grave danger, tuberculosis, is gong
stalking around US, day in and day out, rub.
bling elbows with each one Of us, carrying
of finally in every OF us, and the most
we hear of it is the kindly meant phrase,
1T is such pity that he or she Is going into
| q decline
There must be an awakening to this an
ger which 30 constantly surrounds and
menaces us. This danger is no idle conceit,
but is an indlsputable fact.
In 1904, in every 2 deaths was due to
tuberculosis in 1908, in less than every
6 deaths is due to the same cause, and only
years have elapsed It is something ap-
palling when these cold, hard figures stare
US In the face, and yet fear, proper fear, is
not in US.
Pneumonia claims one-eighth of the birth
rate Of the colored man, but only one-thirty-
second of the white mans.
Whooping cough has been particularly
fatal TO the colored race, to "a; to the
white, l to 214.
Typhoid has only claimed as many as al
cohol, namely, 4; last year z, the year pre-
vious II.
Old age claimed ID. the oldest one report
ed being past 80 years.
One of every 30 deaths was from cancer.
A most noticeable fact Is that the white
man suffers q greater mortality from apo.
plexy, paralysis and heart disease than does
the colored man.
There have been reported 10 me since May
1st, 1908, SO cases Of infectious diseases, viz:
Measels, 8; scarlatina, 6; dphtheria, 10;
typhoid, 49, There has been only one fatal
ity out of all these cases, a case of typhoid
succumbing.
Since the last annual report of the Health
Officer, there occurred on the Conduit Road
near Glen Echo, an epidemic OF small pox,
which was successfully combated by DR..
Lewis.
The Health Officer has had call to deny
to two Washington firms OF undertakers the
right to embalm bodies and transfer them
for burial Under the law 10 force they can
| not do this, unless they are registered in
this State. For an infraction OF this law
they are subject to fine or Imprisonment, or
both at the discretion OF the judge.
July-Condemue and ordered to be filed
a we'll in Rockville, which was done.
Visited Linden and Lsytonsville and or
dered some nuisances corrected.
August-Ordered several drains cleaned
out in Rockville, which was done.
Ordered dead horse removed from the
vicinity of residence near Wheaton.
Observation-Disclosures residence on
account OF death of a tuberculosis patient.
Observation-Disclosures several residences
on account Of diphtherla.
Disinfected school at Bethesda and or
dered same closed-due to dlphtherla In
several OF the scholars.
Respectfully submitted,
CLAIBORNE II. MAENAR,
County Health Officer.