Evening star., 1921-08-27
Z, ,435 MORE BIRTHS
| THAN DEATHS HERE
Health Officers Report for
Year Is Presented to
Commissioners.

Births exceeded deaths bv 2,435 in
he District during the calendar year
1920, according to the annual report
Of Health Officer Fowler, submitted
to the CommisSi onerS today.
The number of live births during the
year was s,S9s. or d rate of 20.34 per
1000 of population.
The number of deaths amounted to
6,463. or a rate of 14.77 per 1000 OF
population.
There were 667 more births in 1920
than in 1919. while the record OF
deaths for 1920 was only 81 more than
the number in 1919.
Money to Fight Weeds.
l. In line with Commissioner Oysters 9
campaign to rid the vacant lots of
high and Objectionable weeds, the
health officer asks for a special APP
preparation to employ special force
of weed inspectors On this question,
his report reads as follows:
During the fiscal year 1921 303 no.
tices were served under the provisions
of the weed law. The existence of the
weed law on the statute books, in
| the absence ef adequate means for
its enforcement, leads to unjust criti-
cism of the District government, es-
pecially of the health department.
to enforce this law, the health de-
partment should be provided with a
special force of inspectors for that
purpose, available during the weed
season. Recommendations looking
| toward this end, which have been
estimates of the health department,
are renewed"
Another request of the health Off
Ger is that money be allowed for the
purchase of electric cages in which
| to electrocute unclaimed dogs at the
| A has ga
animals are placed in a box and
killed by charcoal fumes. An cleo
trocuting cage. the health officer be-
deves, would be more humane.
| DR.. Fowler also renewS his recon-
| mendations of last year that the
/ Commissioners endeavor to have Con-
! gress enact law for the control of
| social diseases in the District and
| also a new law to safeguard the milk
! supply of the city.
Milk Law Needed.
The milk law. DR.. Fowler re-
ported. 'is badly needed for the pro-
lection of the public health"
Practically every state in the Union
| now has a law requiring the re-
porting of venereal diseases.
In discussing violations of the reg
ulations against public nuiSances, the
| report states:
| Attention is again called to the
practice of entering a nolle prosequ
| IN cases Oh nulSanCeS IOr the malnue-
nance of which defendants were
! charged without bringing such cases
| to the attention of the court This
practice tends to create a disregard
for the notices served by the health
department. and retards the work
! of the department.
| '1f violators Of the laws relating to
health Were brought before the court
f, 1t would impress them with the I'M
portance Of more promptly abatins
sponsible."
i One hundred and two prosecutions
were made in court during TIE year
| for violations of the law requiring
sterilization OF glasses in public
places.
! inadequate Appropriation.
| DR.. Fowler tells the Commissioners
that the appropriation for the opera
! tion of the tuberculosis and social
disease clinic Is wholly inadequate.
1t will be impossible, the health Of
! hcer states, to carry on the work of
these clinics satisfactorily during the
current year on the amount of money
available for the purpose. He recon-
mends that the Commissioners Law
the matter before the appropriation
! committees Of Congress.
| The report shows that during the
calendar year 1870, Ais cases Of in
fuenza were reported to the health
department, resulting in 2S2 deaths
These figures show a slight decrease
from the year 1919. From January
to July l of this year only 43 cases
| OIL 1nnuenza were reported.