The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-06


this point Of view the following taS.e
- made:
c.sses of No. of Deaths.
Deaths. 1911 I'VE
Fetal deatbs
fr all
causes $500. AIS :..Is dec
Eight prevent
sbie causes. 0I2 4s5 IL" oee'
n N tntng
lnonprevent-
able, - zoos 2.22- 10 inc.
This table shows llat there were ~
more deaths In 1919 than in 1911 from
causes which are commonly resardeo
as beyond the power of sanitary
soience (and hence of any health de
nartnoent) TO control. But the reduc-
ton OF I29 in the number OF oesthS
from eight preventable diseases vas
xufrcient not only 10 overcome TINS
Increase, but 20 40 further ana orlne
about 60 actual decrease IN the mum
lar of deaths In Richmond fsom al
causes.
Measles and whooptng CnuEh-
ut 4 only fair 10 state continued
the chief health officer tirat IN Sc"-
nec;ion with two Of the diseases IN
oluded in the hrst Of these tables
measles and whoOpAng coush-lhe
Health Department does not claim All
the credit for the great reduction IN
the number Of deaths. These Two dis-
eases normally show great fluctuations
IN the number OF deaths which they
OCCASION from year 70 year.
The year 1912 was not measles
year CT 'whooping cough yea.
Right now we are IN the midst OF "
decided epidemic OF meas!os, and We
know that, in spite OF the fact thai
We believe our work win have most
decided enec: In lessening the number
OF deaths which occur this year SUN
there Will inevitably be many more
deaths from measles in 1913 than there
were In 1912. In all probability the
same will be true OF whOoping cough.
II we eliminate them from the above
tables (and together they were re
suonsible Tor decrease OF nfty-seven
out OF the total reduction of 1890 We
still have a reduction OF seNenty-tNo
deaths from preventsble diseases. This,
however, IS going too far the other
way as some part Of the reduction IN
the deaths from even those two
causes WAS Very probably duo 10 The
work OF the Richmond Health Depart
ment.
The Typhoid Hate.
We confidently claim that our work
was ClFtCllN Inc VI o~-f Ahe g
great many lives. Take typhoid fever
for example We have done more work
in connection with this disease than
with any other. And here Is part Of
the record OF what has been accom-
plished:
The average annual death rate from
this disease during the twenty-six
years (1ss0 to 1905. inclusive) proceed
ing the reorganization of the Health
Department was us per 100000. For
the six full years since the reorganiza-
ton. the average rate has been ZS.6;
for the past four years il has been 20.9.
and for the past year ii was 16.S per
cent. The results which have been ac
complished in connection with this one
disease alone has saved TO the city
many times the entire cost Of running
the Health Department.
"Infantile diarrhea is not commonly
regarded as an infectious disease, but
our investigations Of the past few
years have convinced us that II very
often IS infectious, though not by any
means always SO. But in nearly every
case IL is preventable. We have work
ed very hard for the past Two years
in connection with this disease. and
Indeed. IN connection with infant NOR
tality in general The death rate from
SHfantile diarrhea IN the year Just
closed offers abundant proof OF the
value OF this work"