The Washington times., 1911-03-15
CALLS NEGLIGENCE
BIG DISEASE FACTOR
Health Inspector Blames
Carelessness for High
Death Rate.
THIRTY-SIX IN EACH
THOUSAND SUCCUMB
Negroes Worst Sufferers, Says Re-
port-Urges Closer
Supervision.

Thirty-six persons out of every loo
are dying each year within half mile
of the Capitol, as the result of condl-
tions which could be prevented
This is the statement made in a re-
port of the mortality and morbidity
records of the Health Department sub
mitted by Inspector John L. Norris to
Health Officer Woodward today. The
Investigation was undertaken to de-
termine the section of the city having
the highest death rate. and rate of ILL
ness from preventable illness, and to
study and remedy insanitary conditions.
The distinction falls upon vital sta
tistic district No. H." bounded by the
Mall, l street, South Capitol street, anI
Four-and-a-half street. This section
includes Willow Tree alley, which will
be converted into a playground, under
an appropriation of S1S,GD in the last
District appropriation bill
In making a study OF mortality, an
average ueath rate for three years has
been used in order that false deductions,
due to an unusual number of deaths
IN one year, might he avoided" saws
Inspector Norris.
High Death Rate.
The mortality records show that,
while the death rate of the entire Dis
trlCt is about eighteen per thousand
each year, the colored residents in the
alleys of vital statistics district No II
are dying a the rate of thirty-siX per
thousand or twice as fast as the people
Of the District as whole, and one
third faster than the colored population
of the District as a whole, which is
about tWenty-seven per thousand
That this high death rate is due. to
nTeNenta Bile diseases is shown by the
fact that the rate for so-Called non
preventable diseases is little higher than
IN other sections of the city. The high
percentage of mortality is due to tu-
herculoSls, pneumonia, ana typhoid
fever. A house-to-house inspection OF
these alleys has just been completed
The houses arc not legally over
crowded. While there are many cases
of defective light and ventilation, these
conditions are due to the way in which
the occupants stop up every crack by
which fresh air may enter, rather than
10 the structural condition Of the houses
Poor VetiIation.
"Onc of the alleys with death rate
OF 50.& shows Il per cent of the houses
10 be poorly lighted; another alley, with
a death rate OF 5957, shows IS per cent
OF the houses poorly lighted and lG per
cent poorly ventilated. A Compa rison
between these alleys and an alley in the
same section in which the mortality is
only 21.13, and in which but E per cent
OF houses poorly lighted and 13 per
cent poorly ventilated. would indicate
some connection between poor lighting
and poor ventilation and the rate Of
mortality.
The high rate OF mortality is due not
TO structural conditions Of the houses
but to the persons occupying them. The
residents die in direct proportion IS
they and their neighbors create known
insanitary conditions"
There are but two methods whereby
the rate of mortality in these alleys can
be reduced. Either the residents must
keep their premises clean, we'll lighted.
and ventilated, or sufficient force of
inspectors must be employed to COM
pei IT.
Il am in absolute accord with the
remedial methods suggested by In
epector Norris. said Health Officer
Woodward today. "1f the poor can
be educated to observe the simple laws
Of health and sanitation, the mortality
rate Of the alleys will be greatly de
creased To force obedience of the
health regulations would compel tho
employment of a large force of inspec-
tors, as other sections in which the
death rate IS high require attention.
"EduCation is the greatest factor in
the prevention of death and disease,
but this in itself is A large problem
Accompanying Inspector Norris re
port are few photographs showing
conditions of the houses and yards.