Evening star., 1915-01-01
CAPITAL EXPERIENCES
ABANNER HEALTH YEAR
Deaths Decrease, Births Increase and
Fewer Infants Die in First ].
Twelve Months.
Stars Cleanup Campaigns Con-
tribute to 1mprovement-Mortuary
Rate Falls II. to 1885 Per 1000.

Washington has just experienced Its
banner health year. An increase ID
births, decrease in deaths and gen.
eral Improvement in health conditions
are shown in a report containing vital
statistics for the past twelve months.
issued by DIR. William c. Woodward.
health officer of the District.
While many factors have contributed
to the improved showing. officials OF
the health department believe that the
awakened interest Of Washingtonians
in sanitary problems. Influenced In
large degree by the several cleanup
campaigns inaugurated by The Star.
had much to do with the Improvement
recorded last year.
Dr. woodward's report is as follows:
The year just ended represents the
high-water mari, mark Of ~, healtaf%nesS n,stricf sf
Columbia. From the actual records
of deaths from all causes and OF. re:
ported cases of contagious diseases up
to the morning of yesterday (Decemoer
3D, and with an estimate of the deaths
and cases of communicable diseases
that might be expected to occur ..on
that day, the following figures show
the situation:
153 Fewer Deaths.
'"Ihe total nUnDeT OIL ucsithS Aioiii oAA
causes for the year is estimated as $3.50,
which is 153 less than the number re-
corded in the preceding year.
"a comparison of the death rates for
the two years shows a fall from 40 to
1856. The improved conditions Of health
prevailed among both the white and the
colored populations.
Among the white population deaths
IA e1RntY.tnTCc
since the preceding year. and among the
colored population deaths numbered 1858.
a fall of seventy. The white death rate
was only 1851, and the colored 24.26.
Increase of 224 Births.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
recorded births in the year just ended
numbered 1927, an increase Of 224 as
compared with the preceding year, there
was an actual decrease in the number
of deaths among infants under one year
of age. In 1913 S2S deaths of this class
were recorded, while in 1914 there
from 12O to 101 per thousand recorded
births.
Some cases of disease and death
were, of course, more active during the
year just ended than during the pre-
cedihg year: the number of recorded
cases of whooping cough. for instance.
rose from 319 to 537. while the number
of deaths from this disease rose from
sixteen to eighteen.
Recorded cases of pellagra increased
from four to twenty, and deaths from
this disease increased from four to
thirteen. There was an increase in the
number of reported cases of smallpox
from 40 to $50, but the usual mild type
of this disease prevailed, and no deaths
occurred either year.
Tuberculosis Decreases.
Cases of communicable forms Of tu-
berculosis reported during the year
Just ended numbered 1.1s1. a decrease
year, and deaths from this disease fell
to 649. decrease of 110.
Gases of typhoid fever diminished
from So to As.
Scarlet fever cases showed de-
crease from 556 to $40, and deaths
dropped from II to 1.
Measles. which prevailed in epidemic
form in 1913. showed a marked decrease
STA to 947, and deaths from this dis
ease falling from "a to I.
while diphtheria was much less
prevalent. reported cases falling from
$40 to ASP, 1t was of severer type, the
deaths increasing. Notwithstanding the
diminished prevalence Of the disease,
from Is to 81.
Fewer Violent Deaths.
"Deaths by homicide increased from
rs to 20. while suicides diminished from
72 to 81. and deaths by accident from