The Washington times., 1910-12-03
DEATH RATE SMALL
FOR CHILDREN IN 1873
Lowest Ever Recorded in
Observation-Disclosures
Report Submitted.
SLIGHT INCREASE
IN GENERAL RATE
Stricter Inspection of Milk Prom
ised-Details of Tuberculin
Test Given.

That the death rate Of infants under
one year Of age during the year Ige
was the lowest ever recorded in the
District II Columbia is shown by the
report Of Health Officer W. c. Wood
ward, submitted TO the Commissioners
today.
To the attention now being paid 10
the education OF mothers is ascribed
the low average Of infant mortality.
The general death rate Of a com
mlunlty is commonly accepted as an
index . the salubrity OF the locality
and the healthfulness OF the inhabi-
tants-"
There are. however" says the re-
port. so many contributing 20 the
general death rate that for practical
purposes IL may be regarded as al
most II not quite. useless Death
rates among particular classes of the
population. and death rates in par
ucular lyOcaliues, are what must be
relied upon to determine the true
condition OF a place, and TO ascer-
tain what corrective measures are
needed for the impT ovemenL and safe
guarding OF the aealth Of the people
dwelling therein
It's Importance.
quite aside from the sentimental
value attaching TO the protection OF
infant life the daath rate among In
fants and young children seem, for
most purposes, ID be OF the greatest
Importance The average annual
death rate among infants under one
year OF age during the nve-year Pc
rtOd l696-19GO was 46T per IGo. 900.
During the nve-year period 1901-1S65
u was 3tt. and during the year 1893
il was only 304
The general death rate for the com
munity during 1893 was 1912 per thou
-,-TFfs - ssx-s ts,o --e,,o-+ .s,-.-,-,,.,,. .
slight though Insignificant increase
over the death rate for 1905. which vas
ls-VS the lowest ever recorded in this
community The average annual deafb
rate during the period Sss-1g00 was s5ss.
and tnat during the dVe-year period
l5J8-Ir5 was l9.41. The death rate
among coIored people during 1903 vas
a6.sS, a slight increase over the death
rate for the previous year. 9s5S The
death rate among white people Vas
ls13, which also represents slight in
for 1905 1855.
Milk Inspection
Stricter inspection Of milk is promised
by the Health officer, in reference 10
which the report is as follows:
- considerable number OF samples Of
milk were collected for baCteriOlOg1CaI
examination and submitted 70 the De-
F'artTnent Of Agriculture for that pur-
pose When the numbers Of bacteria
were, ia the Judgment Of the Health
Officer, excessive, the venders have
been requested 10 show Cause WHY he
should not be prosecuted fer selling a
filthy or deCOmpOSed article OF food
the excessive numbers of pacteria be
ing taken as an indication CT the pres
ence OF such filth or deCOmp 1sitiOn-
Prosecutions, however, have not been
brought IN these cases. owing 70 the
newness OF the pTocSdure, and owing
also TO the difficulties attending the col
lection delivery, and analysis Of the
samples When the archaeological work
Of the Health Department is organized,
greater activity and more energetic ac-
ton viii be taken with respect to the
meteorological content Of milk"
With regard to the tubeTculin test Of
cows the reports states that between
November IS. 1863, the date Of the
adoption Of the regulation requiring the
testing OF al cattle IN the District, and
June 30. Las primary tests have been
made with "a positive reactions and IS
suspicious The percentage of cattle
condemned on the first test was 1896.
while the number held as suspicious
was 1.95.
Early Case.
Reference is made TO the case Of John
r Early. Following a recital Of the
history Of the case. the health officer
concludes with the following state
Through the efforts Of the patients
New York medical patron, who had
been most active ir disseminating
throughout the world that the patient
did not have lepTOsy, one OF the lead
ing New York medical societies appoint
- q committee TO Investigate the mat
ter Exhaustive examination fully con
firmed tie diagnosis made by this de-
paTtment, that the patient was suffer
ing with leprOsy- His present where
bouts are unknown
Recommendation is made that AZ
Eleventh and Water streets the fish
wharf be renOdeIed or abandoned
In conclusion the Health Officer sub
ulits a plea for better salaries in the
Health Department
The Health Department viii not at
tain the greatest possible efficiency un-
til the status Of and salaries Of its
employees are improved This is tr1le
particularly with respect 10 strictly pro-
feSSiouai work.