The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-25
MANY SURPRISES
IN HEALTH REPORT
Curious Conformity of Typhoid
Fever to Geographical
Lines.
PELLAGRA DEATH RATE
So-Called Lawless Counties Fail
to Show a Single
Homicide.
PELLAGRA DEATH RAT

There will DO n number OF surprises
in the annual report OF the State Board
or Health to be submitted to the Gov
crnor within the next week or two
Tho Health Department Is busily en-
gagged In making the final calculations
and Commissioner Williams is guard
ing all figures until the whole re-
port is completed.
Ut is known. however, that the first
year of registration of vital statistics
mas shown some surprising conditions
conditions that were before not
| known 10 the health officials them
serves because OF the lack OF tho com
piiation of accurate data in former
years. The typhoid fever chart shows
I, curious continuation of couutie; n,
winch the rate for that disease is
highest. all of these counties con-
forming To one geographical division
OF the state, seeming to indicate that
either the water supply or some other
conditions peculiar to that particular
section are highly conducive to the
spread of typhoid. The typhoid chart
is also arranged 10 show both the
number of deaths and the number of
cases, and reveals small death rate
for the number OF cases.
Many Deaths from PclIngrn.
One disease, which has only recently
been given close study. shows Il heavy
mortality. The health officers would
not give out the figures on this dis
ease in advance Of the complete com
pilations but it is understood to he
pcllagra. the number Of deaths from
which. IL Is stated. astonished even
those familiar with health records.
Interesting charts arc being pre-
pared to accompany the report on
homicidcs. suicides and accidents The
....ft Il.
In sEne localities, and a large number
in others.
The homicide chart perhaps prove
the most startling, as there was not
"A homicide reported from some OF the
counties which have n bad reputation
for lawicssncss, Some other counties
which have the reputation OF being en-
tirely peaceable and civilized show a
number OF killings. In some Of the So
called ''moonshine" counties. from
which come accounts OF despcradoes
and gunner and outlaws. there does
not appear to have been single kill
ing.
Deaths In Institutions.
problem which has long confront
cd the city OF Richmond in compiling
its vital statistics has been brought
before the state authorities II re-
lates to deaths in state institutions
Ever since the state adopted electro
cution. Chief Health officer f.. c. Levy
has been protesting that legal cXccu-
tons at the state Pcnitentiary should
not be used to make Richmonds death
rate appear higher than II really Is
Now the problem comes up as TO Will
liamsburG. in which is located the
Eastern State Hospital for the Insane.
Many OF the inmates are naturally old
people. some already diseased when
committed TO the institution. and there
is a larger number OF deaths in pro-
portion to the number OF inmates than
the ordinary death rate In the town OF
Williamsburg. The same condition
arises TO a greater or less degree at
other institutions for infrm or aged
people where the death rate is natur-
ally larger than in the community
generally.