Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-04
GERM DISEASES ARE LESS
PREVALENT IN VIRGINIA
State Board Reports Gains in Fight
ON Typhoid and Infantile
Diseases.
TUBERCULOSIS MAKES GAIN
Increase Of 100 In Deaths From Con-
sumption Regarded by State
Health Authorities AS Ominous
and Due to Continued Neglect.

Germ diseases were the losers during
1914 in their fight against improved
sanitary conditions in Virginia and
claimed less victims by :03 than dur
ing tho year 1913. according to the
preliminary vital statistics for the year
just tabmlatcd by the state Board OF
Health
Substantial gains were made in the
popular fight against typhoid fever and
tho diarrhocai diseases OF infants. ow-
ing in part. IL is stated. 10 the compare
lively mild summer. There were l25
fever deaths from typhoid during 1914
and 3is fewer death from infaHtilc
diarrho"a than in 1918 Measles scar
lot fever and diphthcria. Of the pre-
Nentablc diseases wcr" also less fatal
Pneumonia. in the prevention of which
modern hygiene PLAYS :, part. claimed
fewer victims by forty-threc than dur
ing 1913. The preliminary statistics
likcwis" show decline OF 3l5 in the
number Of violent deaths, other than
suicide.
DEATHS FROM TUBERCULOSIS
SHOW OMNIBUS INCREASE
ON the other side OF tho account the
state Board OF Health reports an in
crease OF eleven in the deaths from
malaria, of ten from smallpox and Of
seventeen from suicide. Much moro
ominous. however, ia tho eyes OF health
authorities, is ~ gain of ITO during l9I 4
in the number of deaths from tubcrcu-
losis of tho lungs and surprising in
crease Of SIS in the deaths from whoop-
ing cough.
The number Of deaths from whoop-
ing cough says tho board in it's COM
mcnt OH tho new statistics lis at
tributable To an unusual series Of out
breaks In various parts Of the state.
These are expected from time 10 time,
and cannot 10 prevented without great
care on the part Of parents. but those
OF 1914 were severe in the extreme.
TIL" only consolation TO be found in II
is the virtual assurance this mortality
gives that the State will not probably
he again visited by so severe an out
break for som" years To come.
NEGRO DEATH RATE: Is
DESCRIBED As "APAI.LISGr
The number of deaths from tubcr-
culosis OF the lungs. 3.3oi for 1914, as
compared with 3,lSi for 1918. is VIVA
sc may expect from oar continued neg
lect Of this most fatal OF all diseases.
The white death-rate from consulnp-
ton in Virginia is not above that of
the country as 81 whole, but that OF our
negroes. and especially of the city
negroes, * positively appalling. Tn
less the disease is checked among tho
colorcd population. their dismal NOR
tally from this cause will be reflect et,
in higher dcath-ratc among tho
whites"
Announcement was made Yesterday
that General William &. GorGas. the
famous army Sani;urian who cleared
up" the Panama Canal Zone. has accept
ed an invitation 10 address the Virginia
Public Health Association at its com
ing meeting in Lexington. May IL and
IL. DIT. Gorgas. who has many friends
and admirers in Virginia. is expected to
speak on some of the recent advances
OF preventive medicine. Especial cf-
forts are being made TO have in at
tendance on the meeting OF the associ-
alton all laymen who are active In
, advocacy of better health for Virginia,
as we'll as all physicians and health
officers