New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-08
DEATH RATE NEAR
PAR WITH LONDON
Lederle's Report to Out
line Health Reforms of
His Administration.
PASTEURIZE ALL
MILK NEXT YEAR
Sanitation Work Has Practically
Eliminated Typhoid Fever
Close Watch on Bad Food.


What is interpreted as Health COM
missioner Iederle's summing up OF the
achievements of the Health Department
during his administration Will appear III
the forthcoming December issue OF 'he
monthly bulletin OF the department
DR.. Lederle calls especial Afternoon u
the many forces, public and private
which have co-operated with the Depa''
rnert of Health I'm securing the improve
nents described. Among others men
Toned in this connection are the Iehe-
ment House Department the street
Cleaning Department, the Department VI
Pub,ic Charities and Bellevue and Alieo
HospItals, the Department OF Educaloii
and the Police and Law departments
Invaluable service, II is said, was rem
dered by many social organizations anu
individual workers. To the newspapers Is
given credit for widely disseminating ny
giene information and instruction wmch
could he accomplished only through suCh
mediums. ...
New York has in the last four Eed' .
II is commended, reduced its death Io''
10 such an extent that II at present aP-
nroximates very closely that OF LONDON
which is the lowest among the great c''e'
Of the world.
In 1909 this city had death rate OF ~
per 1000 of population. For the loIty
eight weeks Of 1918 it has rate OF loo
as against l4OS for the same PERIOD las'
year.
During the year 1912 the death rate IN
Chicago was 146s; London, 49,; Berlin
1879. and Paris, 1888.
Infant mortality. it is asserted has oeeh
reduced from 1877 per 1000 in 1909 10 liV
IN 1912 If the reduction already mann
tanned for 1918 continues until the end ol
the year the death rate Of infants undei
o,a wear will be less than 100 per LoV'
births. ,.a
In the last four years ii is explained
the reduction in the death rate III NC"
York has been greater than IN any o''ei
of the ten largest cities IN the "oIIu,
In 1909 the total deaths of infants unuer
one year, based on the estimated popu''
zion at that age, were 1876. or rate Oh
III In 1919 for a period OF forty-se'en
weeks. il was 1858, or rate OF IV0 PEI
1000.
REGARDING the milk supply, II Is as,
serted that the percentage OF pasteurl%eu
milk TO the total daily supply mas oeeI
raised from per cent at the oeeihiiihe
of the administration to 10 per cent a
the nresent time. 1t is further set loi VI
that by the adoption Of milk slaui''9
svstem in the sanitary code ana D! az
comnanyjng regulations every can anu
hottie Of milk coming into the city Is re-
ouired 10 bear a label explaining In SIM
nile terms, comprehensive to every clu-
zen. lust what grade and quality or mix
he is purchasing.
Since January, 1910. the development
Of such a milk programme has been one
of the foremost subjects under conslaei-
alton bv the Department Of Health.
Recent additional regulations Will mean
the pasteurization by February l. 1914
Of the city's entire milk supply, win the
execution Of certain high grades, Whicn
constitute an almost negligible percentage
Of the entire supply.
Respecting typhoid fever, It is pointed
out that, with the exception of a recent
rnilk-borne epidemic in Manhattan the
incidence Of the disease had steadily de-
creased. until in 1912 it was less than
ever before in the history Of the city.
Apti-tyrhoid immunization was intro
duced by the department on January l.
1913. and is now offered 20 every person
exposed. Nearly 5000 injections have
been given.
The system Of registration and sanitary
,upervison OF pulmonary tuberculosis was
reorganized in 1910, being made possible
nv an increase in the appropriation OF
$3.50 900 The number Of district nurses
Vas increased from % TO l59. The per
centage OF cases Of tuberculosis Kept
under observation by the department mas
Increased from l. per cent in 1909 to q
per cent in 1913
In February. 1912. the department
pdopted regulations requiring nouhcauor
and registration Of venereal diseases.
Special attention is being given &c
whocping cough. which causes more
oeaths than scarlet fever, the majority Of
which take place among infants under one
year ,.n,-
During the last four years 72'ooo'ol'
mounds Of foodstuns have been con-
demned. Some Of the new sanitary laws
include:
Abolition Of the common drinking cup
Abolition Of the common towel
Control Of the use Of living bacterial
organisms in the incubation Of human
beings directed against the so-calleo
.'Friedmann cure" for tuberculosis)
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