The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-02-01
DEATH RATE
NOT ALARMING
MorriStown's Salubrity Raises
Death Rate BY Drawing
InvalidS Here.
HOSPITALS ALSO CONTRIBUTE

HOSPITALS ALSO CONTRIBUTE
For more than a century Morris
towns salubrity has been its greatest
asset and its reputation has been
world wide in this respect. People
have been coming here for decades to
enjoy the healthsul conditions Incl
dent to its high altitude, fine air and
pure water Ina way it has long been
a sanitarium for New York and other
large towns, and until within a score
of years was popular summer resort,
but with its growth and the introduc-
tion of modern improvements, andits
decided lack Of first-class hotel facili-
ties, this latter feature has been elm
mated. Still it has retained its repu-
tation as health resort with the re-
suit that many invalids or semi-inval-
ids come here, some of whom have
contributed largely to the develop
ment of the town. Notable instances
of this can be seen on Park Hill de-
veloped by the late Rev. Mr.. Egbert,
the Mellon place on Madison avenue,
and others These conditions have
also led Morristown to be chosen for q
centre of fresh air work for children,
! and summer shelters. Unfortunately
many of the persons seeking health in
r Morrstown are too far gone with their
ailmeuts to be. permanently benefited
and die here thereby increasing our
death rate.
A recent article in the "Sunday
Call' by the celebrated engineer
} James Owen shows how unreliable
statistics are to set forth facts. I'M
} der the caption I. The Health of New
Jersey. . he presents a lot of material
compiled from the Report of the State
Board of Health for 1908, which in
fact is the report for the year 1907.
: In the article he presents figures that
are interesting as statistics, and Incl
J dentally shows that Morristpwn with
one exception has the highest death
: rate in the state. This might be
alarming in itself, but when the facts
are taken into consideration it is
, rather creditable to the town. 1t
: must be taken into consideration that
; in addition to the persons sent here by
physicians for their health, the con-
siderable number Of fresh air children
: and the Summer Shelter. we have two
hospitals receiving patients from all
this section of the country. Many of
, these are accident or surgical cases
! and the per centage of deaths among
them is very large.
The year 1907 was the most unfavor-
able one for comparison that could be
chosen. For instance the total num-
Der of deaths in Morristown for 1906
were 260 in 1907, 2S1; in 1908, 25O, and
in 1909, 248.
In order that the citizens of Morris
town and others interested may know
the exact conditions here the board of
! health office has looked up the mat
ter and find as follows =
The recorded deaths for 1907 are, up
to the close of the fiscal year, (near
enough for comparison) 275. These
can be classitied-old residents, 172 !;
residents OF less than two years ITO
cover the deaths of persons coming
. here for their health), twenty acci-
dents, two; suicides, residents, one
non-residents, two at the two hospi-
tails, thirty-eight fresh air children,
twenty infants under one week,
eight; doubtful as to residence, six.
From this it appears that there were
seventy-seven death from accidents,
suicides, hospitals, fresh air children
and infants. This reduces the death
list properly charged to the town to
1873, and the per centage to 1853 from
22,39.
! In 1908 the total of deaths was 253
The hospital and nonresident cases
were eighty-fye, thus reducing the
per centage from 20. to 1888.
In 1909 the total of deaths were 24S,
from hospitals and non-residents came
fifty-four of these, reducing the per-
centage from 1874 to 1928.
While the statement as published
might influence few persons to stay
away from Morristown we very much
doubt if our citizens generally would
change the conditions now existing.
Preventible disease are comparatively
rare here, and what there is in this
line is so well cared for at the hospitals
that the death rate from them is re-
duced seventy five per cent. The town
will not build a Chinese wall around
it self but will continue in the future
as in the past to extend helping
hand to unfortunates who come here
to prolong their life. We have had
: and now have too many valuable citi-
: zens who have come to US for this rea-
son to get hysterical over misleading
; statements backed up by unreliable
figures.
Christian Endeavor Anniversary.
Sunday, February 9th, being the
fwaptu oiohth annivorcaru 0f rbo