Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-02
fDEATH RATE. REDUCED
UNDER HEALTH BOARD
body Which Went Out of Existence
Friday Rendered Nota-
bic Service.
IMPROVEMENT OF MILK SUPPLY
typhoid Rate Cut From Average OF
77.S Per 100000 in 1906 to Ac-
tual Rate OF 1913 Per 100000 in
fOi6--NIalarla Eliminated.

lOi6-Malaria Eliminated.
~. midnight on Juno 80 the Board
|sof Health. which has been in office
exactly ten years. went out of exis-
tonce. and the Health Department
passed under the control of the Ad-
minis.rativc Board
During these ten years the Board OF
Health accomplished remarkable
work. AS result Of this work, the
Health Department Of the city Of Rich
mond has a reputation over the entire
country for efficiency. II is impossible
TO refer even briefly TO all that has
been accomplished druing these ten
years, but a review OF the most notable
facts will be mentioned
The death rate of Richmond in 1907
tho first full year under the Board
OF Health-was 23.3s: in 1915 the rate
was 1859. These rates include all
deaths. whether Of residents or non
residents.
One Of the most remarkable accom-
p!shmepts Of the Health Department
is the reduction In the death rate Of
I typhoid fever. Before the Health De-
partment was recognized in 1906 the
lowest death rate from this disease
was 1876 per 100000. and the average
rate was 77.s per 100000. The death
rate from typhoid fever in 1915 was
1913 per 100000. and the average rate
for the past fve years was 1872 per
100000.
ORIGINAL WORK IN
TYPHOID ELIMINATION
II this lowering in the death rate
had been due simply to putting into
effect in Richmond recognized policies
for the control OF typhoid fever. the
accomplishment would have been suf-
fcicntIy notable. But Il is more than
!, this, since the result was brought about
Y not only by the means Just mentioned.
{ but by the discovery OF new means Of
control OF this disease. AS result of
this original work. other communities.
as we'll as Richmond. have been bcne-
flied.
Fatal malarial fever is now almos.
an unknown thing in Richmond. there
having been but two deaths from this
disease In the past three years. while
from 1s0i-l9G7 the average annual
number OF deaths from malarial fever
was twcnty-threc.
One OF the most notable accom-
piishments Of the Richmond Health De-
psrtment has been the lowering Of the
death rate from intantile diarrhea.
This Is another Instance where or!Ei-
nal work has brought about results.
AS late as 1911 the death rate from
'nfantile dtarrhea was isl per 100000
inha bitants. while for the past four
years the average rate has been eighty
per 100000. and the rate for 1915 was
siSty-fve per 100000
The nurses OF the Health Department
have under their instruction the
mothers OF over half OF al! the babies
bo:n each year in the city of Rich
Mond. The instruction which the
nurses give covers every poin. IN con-
Eection with infant welfare. Food.
clothing. bathing. and especially atten-
ton to the baby. are among the points
covered. The nurses are not satisfied
with merely telling what should be
done. but wherever necessary they
actually demonstrate how the baby
should be cared for.
q DEATH RATE OF BABIES
SO CUT FROM 2cs TO lc7
/ The work has resulted in saving the
Sfrom summer complaint" but from
{ many other causes. This Is we'll shown
&by the fact that In 1910 there were
22s deaths under one year OF age for
every 1000 births reported, while in
1915 there were 127 deaths under one
year OF age for every 1000 births re-
ported
Improvement OF the milk supply Is
one OF the greatest accomplishments OF
$ the Richmond Health Department dur
fhg the past ten years. This work has
been SO we'll conducted that not only
His tho milk supply OF Richmond safe
1 and clean. but the work has attracted
/ attention in many quarters. and has
x served as model for many other
s places.
While in a number OF cities attempts
to secure safe and clean milk supply
have resulted in utter demoraliza ton
OF the dairy interests. the work as
conducted In Richmond has now the
support OF the da!rymen themselves.
They have come to realize that inspec-
ton is a good thing for them as we'll
as for tho milk consumers.
This has not been brought about sud-
denly, for in the early days Of inspec-
ton many a hard fight had to be gone
through with, but the Health Depart
ment in every instance held its ground
against all attacks and against all at
tempts to lower the standard
Every person desiring to go into the
. dairy business has only ~ call on >ba