The Washington times., 1916-01-03
II nj THRATE.
.HENE HIGHEST.
FOR 5 YEARS.
Health Department Report
Shows 6,494 Deaths, Larg-
est Number Since 1910.

Department today show that the death
rate in the District for the year 1915
was the highest since 1910
Deaths from all causes numbered s,494
as compared with 5.s66 during the pre-
cecing year. an increase OF 62s or 1917
per cent. The death rate per 1000 in
creased from 1853 to 1915.
Recent correspondence with fourteen
other cities showed decrease in the
death rate between January AID he
cember 10 in all except Now York.
why increases should appear only in
deaths I'm New York city and Washing
ton, and why the increase In this city
should be so large as compared even
with the increase in New York city. re-
mains" the department states, ITO be
determined
Departments Statement.
Following is the departments state
ment:
Among whites, deaths increased from
3.493 to 3,913, with a corresponding rise
in the death rate from 1884 to 15ll.
Among colored, the number of deaths
increased from 2.s7S to 1851, and the
rate from A.H 10 1912. The white death
rate Is the highest since 1907, and the
colored. the highest since 1912.
THE increase in the number OF deaths
Deaths in the first year OF life increas sed
from 1l5 to az: between one and four
years, from 22S to 2l2; between Ave and
nineteen years, from 295 to 325 between
twenty and sixty-nine years, 3424 to
3,72O; and at seventy years and over
from l.2O7 TO l,4S0. Computed upon the
number of reported births, the death
rate In the first year of life rose from
100 per thouSand births to no
Conspicuous Increase.
Deaths from the diseases of middle
and advanced life. sometimes called the
degenerative disease. showed an i'll
crease that was by far the most conspicu-
Gus feature of the year. Deaths from dis
eases Of the heart increased from 7j7
to S55. Deaths from chronic intlam-
nation of the kidneys increased from
5SS to $40. From acute inflammation of
the kidneys there were a deaths ms
compared with 81 for the preceding
year, an increase probably bearing
some relation to the increase in The
number Of deaths reported from chronic
kidney diseases ApopleEy showed an
Increase from 4l9 to 45S. Deaths from
arterio sclerosis increased from l43 to
16o
Among acute diseases pneumonia
showed the most conspicuous increase.
from 46S to 66S This was offset. to an
almost negligible extent, by a decrease
in the number Of deaths due TO Droan-
chius. from So to IS, and in the number
OF deaths from pulmonary congestion
from l2 to 6. tuberculosis Ct the lungs
showed an Increase from GIL to 6y7.
which was probably related to the in
creased mortality from pneumonia.
Cancers caused 391 deaths as against
fNpr l.
from diarrhOeal diseases among children
less than two years old rose from 1i2
to 167. Increases In deaths from COM
municable diseases were general. but
deaths from these diseases do not now
play very important part in the gen.
eral mortality of the community.
WhOOping Cough Kills 10.
Deaths caused by whooping cough
rose from IS to 10; by measles. from 1
to 3; by epidemic cerebro-spinal menin-
gifts. from to 6. and by scarlet fever,
from to 8. Decreases occurred in
deaths due to diptheria. from 81 to 20,
and in deaths due to typhoid fever.
from 45 to AZ.
The increase in the number OF deaths
was not limited to disease processes.
but extended also to deaths from Vio-
lence. Deaths from accidents increased
from 2l5 to 20: from homIcides, from
% to 3S: and from suicides, from 81
TO 81. Recent correspondence with other
cities showed variations in the number
of deaths reported between January
and December 10, or theTeabout, as fol-
lows:
Baltimore showed decrease in the
total mortality from 1851 to y365, and
In infant mortality from 1854 to 1851.
In Chicago, deaths from all causes
fell from S3,952 to 81. .91S. and deaths in
the first year OF life fell from $3.50 TO
5.sn.
I'm Cincinnati. a decrease from 5,SGI
to 8, IS9, for general mortality, and from
697 to 5G9 for infant mortality.
In Cleveland, a general decrease
from 8,266 to S.O27, and a decrease among
infants from 1876 to 1,7l7.
In Detroit, therd was decrease from
1885 to 1874 in total mortality. and from
:, 2S1 to 2,O54 in infant mortality.
In indianapolis, there was a decrease
In the total mortality from 1852 to 374O
and a decrease in deaths during the
hrst year of life from 7Sl to 617.
Decrease In Milwaukee.
I'm Milwaukee, a general decrease
from 1920 to 4.S22 and a decrease among
infants from 1.119 to 995.
"In Minneapolis deaths from all
causes decreased from Ais to 1851, and
deaths in the first year of life fell from
65s 10 556
In Newark, a general decrease from
2.sO9 70 o,OSS. and a decrease among in
fants from LII to $50.
I'm New York city there was an in
crease from 1858 to II, 1858 in deaths from
all causes. and an increase from 1854 to
1906 in deaths during the first year OF
life.
I'm Philadelphia the general decrease
THE. WEATHER REPORT