The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-04

CHbFteston, ;. -. ........,. 49,, 80
Fort Smith GOO 5Ss
'Fcr 1901: estimate.
Richmond Situation
On the following page of the report
occurs this statement: From the above
hsures 1t Is seen that in practically ali
cities listed there has been during ths
iast Ten years substantial reduction
In the typhoid fever death rate. This
is especially noticeable in Richmond
and In Washington, ID. c."
AS q matter of fact this statement
is rather moderate, since the table
really shows that the typhoid fever
death rate in Richmond In 1900 l03.O
per loo00o) was enormously higher
than that of any other city in the list
Washington being the next highest.
with a rate of 79.7, while In 1910 only
three of the cities had u lower rate
than that of Richmond which had been
reduced to 2l9. and these three cities
CBoston. New York and philadelphia
are all in the North. where typhoid
fever is far more easily controlled.
DIR. Frosts report recommends i'm
nortant measures for lowering the
present high typhoid fever death ratio
of Fort Smith. Among these come nat
urally publication OF the public water
supply, Tie abolishing of wells and
other sources of contaminated private
water supply. supervision of the milk
supply. extension OF the sewerage sys-
tenn and the installation of sanitary
cohveniences on premises to which sew.
ers are not available.
lie lays chief stress. however. upon
the necessity of putting into operation
thoroughly modern health depart
ment' supported By ample funds for
carrying on its work. He states very
forcibly the functions of such n de-
partment and the hopelessness of at
tempting TO correct the situation by
haphazard methods OF doing the things
which require trained officials.
Needs Liberal support.
Following this abstract plea for a
strongly organized and literally sun
ported health department., Dr. Frosc
illustrates his points by these state
ments. which cannot fail to be a source
OF qualification to the people Of Rich
mond:
The results which may be obtained
In tho prevention OF disease by a fully
equipped department of health are by
no means purely speculative. To cite
IA single example: An admirable ener-
setic department of health was organ
lied in Richmond, Va. in the year
1905. For twenty-five years prior to
the organization of this department the
city had had an average annual death
rate OF 77.4 per 100000 from typhoid
fever For the four full yeas 1907 to
| 1910. inclusive. in which this depart
ment has been In operation, the aver
age annual typhoid death rate has been
34.a per 0,OO0-approximately one-half
or what 1t had previously been The
effected reduction in the prevalence OF
this disease has been progressive, each
~
that of the year preceding, and for tn.
last year of this period U910) the rate
was 2i.9 per l00,00O-less than one
third of the rate which had for SO many
years been accepted as usual for that
community. In this instance the re-
duction has been accomplished almost
wholly by efforts directed toward pre-
venting the spread OF infection from
sources within the city, by methods
generally similar to those outlined
above The milk supply has been safe
guarded by careful inspection sys-
TEN The water supply. however. re-
NAMED until the latter part of 1909
the same as for many years previously"
Gratifying to DIR. Levy.
Commenting on. the report OF DR.
Frost. Dir. E. c. Levy, chief health off,
Ger. said: 1T Is exceedingly gratifying
to find that the work OF the Richmond
Health Department Is constantly re-
ceiVing recognition from outside
sources. The showing which our de-
partment has made in connection with
typhoid fever was graphically illus
trated In our exhibit at the State Fair
last month. and was favorably com
mented on by several of our daily pa
pers at that time. OF course these
comments were based upon the claims
which we ourselves made in connec-
ton with our own work. and some may
have felt that our claims were, perhaps.
not wholly unbiased When, however.
sanitary expert of the Federal gov
eminent makes such report as that
of DR.. Frost. the people of Richmond
may certainly feel gratifed, knowing
that our city would not be cited as "a
single example of what can be accom-
plished by a modern department Of
health unless it was felt that the ex-
ample was as good one as could be
found.
Our typhoid record thus far this
year prevents a still further lowering
of the death rate from this disease,
and. unless something very unexpected
happens during this month and De-
cember, We Will close the present year
with rate we'll under twenty per
100000. This will be, as far as know,
the first instance in which n Southern
city has secured u rate as low us this,
typhoid fever being especially a dis
ease of warmer climates.
Could DO Even More.
There Is only one discouraging TEA
ture In connection with the situation
Knowing that 1t IL possible to get even
better results than those which we are
now securing, and which have for some
time been attracting attention in vari-
GUS parts of the country. 1t is hard not
to be allowed to do this. II the Rich
mond Health Department were granted
all that IL asked for (anl this ALP
would involve the expenditure OF rel
ativefy small sum OF money we would
accomplish such further lowering of
our typhoid fever death rate as would
give Richmond q position of pre-emi-
nence in this respect among cities of
the IInited State cartairI.. :, x.s..,..<