The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-17
Petersburg
DEATH RATE SHOWS
MATERIAL DECREASE

Especial 10 The Richmond Virginian.)
Petersburg, Va. Feb. 1.-THE an
nual report OF the health department
issued today shows that the average
death rate among the population dur
irg the year of 1917 was 1878 per
Thousand. This is large decrease
from that of 1916 when the rate was
20.25.
! The increase in tuberculosis OF
about so per cent over that OF last
year is the only increase In the com
I rnunicable diseases. All other COM
municable diseases were decreased
during the past year. Seventy-eisnt
deaths resulted from tuberculosis IN
this city during the past year. There
were only seven deaths from typhoid
fever during the year 1917 as COM
pared with twelve during 1915.
| The total number of deaths was
! s95, a. reduction of seventeen Owe
the preceding year. One hundred and
forty OF these were white mates, Law
white females; 1873 were colored males
ard 232 were colored females.
| The number of births was Git. d.
vsded as follows: Whites---Males. 2s2;
! females, ISL. Colored-Males, Elo;
! females. 1ss.
| In 1915, twenty-three homicides .oe-
CURED. while In 1917 there were only
| four, the average for about hfteen
years, with the exception OF 1919 All
7 OF the twenty-three homicides occur
ring in 1915 occurred before October,
when the state went dry.
/ The report showed that the depart
mnnt had been greatly enlarged and
tho word done surpassed that of any
previous year.
Goes to Louisville.
Captain r. A. Bundschu. who for
the past month, has been the director
OF the Knights of Columbus work at
Camp Lee. received orders this morn
ling from Washington TO report at
/ once. to Louisville. KY. preparatory
to leaving for France, where he VIII
engage in the Knights of Columbus
work.
/ Association to Meet
/ The Methodist Sunday School as"
scciation will meet tomorrow after
noon at the Wesley u. f. church. Re-
ports from the various schools will be
read and an interesting program has
been prepared for the meeting.
i Big sing Planned.
i At the community sing to be held
a. the Academy of Music tomorrow
afternoon at o'clock. Lieutenant o.
w. Budd, Of the 319th infantry regi-
FHl8Hts Les WAL iGClAEt OIl hc
Life in the Trenches. and Trench War
Fere On the Western Front in
France" The lecture will he illus
trHted by slides OF pictures taken by
l. eutenanf Budd last year on the west
era front while serving with tho
French army,
/ Lieutenant Budd recently returned
from France where he saw service
with the French army and b. now sta
Eticned III Camp Lee. His lecture is
expected to prove interesting as he Is
possessed of nrst-hand knowledge of
trench life ana warfare.
i The singing will be led by John r.
Driscoll, musical director of Camp
Lee, who is veteran theatrical man.
I Ffe is q weli-known authority on
music In this country, having sung al
many OF the leading fairs of the coun-
itr". the state fair at Richmond being
one.
Corporal Earle Mitchell, of the
ts2oth infantry regiment, Camp Lee,
who before being drafted was organist
at the Liberty Presbyterian church of
Pittsburg. Pa. viii be at the piano.
These community sings which are
being given under the auspices OF the
Petersburg war camp community ser
vice bureau, will be held at the Acad-
envy of Music until warmer weather
sets In. when they VIII be held in one
OF the parks and the singing will be
LED by one Of the regtmental bands
OF Camp Lee.