Evening star., 1912-09-15

to 20: scarlet fever, from to IL: diph-
iberia. from 81 to 8; smallpox. from 81
in 1894 to nothing In 1911. AS a matter
of fact however. smallpox has long been
practically eradicated from the list Of dis
eases to which Washingtonians are sub
ject DR.. Murray's chart showing that for
thirteen years out of the twenty-one con-
sidered not single case was reported IN
the District.
Another interesting series of charts
takes up the matter Of the relative la
bility of the local white and colored pop
ulation to certain diseases. In general,
the showing tends to the conclusion that
the colored race is less susceptible to dis
eases arising from intemperance than is
the white race, but is more susceptible
to diseases Of infancy and to lung trou-
BILE. For every hundred whites VINO die
in the District of alcoholism but Is ne
groes succumb. while the proportion OF
deaths from c1rrhosis Of the liver. a dis
ease often brought on by drinking, is as
100 whites to IS colored.
On the other hand. under the list of dis
eases affecting the respiratory tract. 1t
is shown that the proportion Of deaths
among the negroes to every 100 whites
dying from the same causes Is as fol-
lows: Acute bronchitis, 46S: broncho-
pneumonia, 3O4; pneumonia, 317, and pull
monary tuberculosis. 346
st
10 every lUW White CulIUICu Oy1U8
diseases peculiar to little folks colored
children succumb as follows: Convul-
sions. COS; diarrhoea under the age Of
two. 353; whooping cough. 467. On the
other hand, but 60 negroes die from ty-
phoid to every 100 white. and only about
one-third as many commit suicide.
The range Of the health department 8
work in other directions is given by a
NlSnt<N
it's quarantine station, its fsolating wards
in Providence Hospital and Garfield Hos
pital: It's disinfecting plant, smallpox hos
pital, public crematOrium and tuberculo-
one of the few American cities to possess
a leper's home a picture Of which is also
shown in the health department exhibit.
So far, according to DR.. Murray. there
have been only two cases to find their
way hither. and neither of them origi-
mated In the District. One was that of
John Early. visitor who in 1903 was
found Ia q lodging house suffering from
the disease. while the other was a Fill
pino. After q spectacular beating about
the country Early is now an attendant In
the United States quarantine station at
Diamond Point near Port Townsend,
Wash, while the Filipino was returned to
his native islands several months ago.
As indicating the Topographic condi-
tions under which the department Of
health must work DIR. Murray has pre-
pared another chart. which gives the av-
erage density Of population In the Dis
trict at 90 per acre, the maximum den-
sity at SO.8, and the minimum density at
2. DR.. Murray finds further that the
whole area Of the District comes to 6OO1
square miles, and contains 245,26O white
Inhabitants, while the colored population
numbers 9S, ,676.
DR.. Murray points out the financial linn
itahons of the department Of health by
graphically illustrating the apportionment
of the District revenues. OF these, the
public schools get 22.29 per cent, the DO
lice department. s.93 per cent; the authorf-
ties controlling the water supply. includ-
ing the aqueduct. 7.5O per cent; fire pro-
lection claims, 624 per cent; b21 per
cent more goes to the sewer department;
.36 per cent Is allotted for street clean
ing, including the removal Of refuse: and
the electrical department receives 414
per cent, counting In the cost Of lighting
the city
AS against these appropriations the
health department has to get along on
an appropriation equaling .94 of / per
cent OF thte city's revenues. 1t must fight
disease and death. keep the vital statis-
ties. inspect the food and keep general
watch and ward over the health of Wash
fngtonians from birth to death; ana 1t
must do all this work at an expenditure
not to exceed 30 cents per soul.
Aside from the exhibit Of the health
department. the District is represented
in the Topographic congress- hall by
an extensive collection Of photographs
illustrating the work accomplished in
cleaning up the city by the board for
the condemnation of insanitary build
ings. The board likewise displays plans
for the improvement of Willow Tree
alley and for the conversion of Hughes
court into a minor street. It's charts
show that from July 1. 1906, to June
80. 1912. the board had condemned
1903 buildings and compelled the re-
pair of 1.031 others The location of
these buildings throughout the District
Is also marked out by means Of colored
pins upon maps in the same manner as
that employed by Dr. Murray to show
the presence of contagious diseases.
The work of the filtration plant and
of the street cleaning department Is
shown in a series of photographs, while
the superintendent of Fairgrounds has
provided an object lesson from real life
by installing near the exhibition build
ing proper a great variety OF play
ground apparatus. on which happy
youngsters are continually exercising.
The sewer department Is also working
on an exhibit Of its own.