Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-08
C|TY'S DEATH RATE
LOWEST ON RECORD
Furbush Warns to Clean Up to
Avert Typhoid During
Fair
CANCER FATALITIES HIGH

Director Furhush issued warning
today that the city must ''rlcan up by
tho ScsGui- centennial year. unless we
want repetition Of the typhoid fcver
epidemic of 1876, the year of tho Cen
tcnnial.
The Director issued this warning in
commenting on the mortality figures for
1871. issued today. which show that the
humber of deaths from typhoid fever
during tho last year was only forty. two,
th" lowest in the history of tho city.
and rate of % per 100000 persons.
Director Furbush said: "Thc Scsqui-
centennial il coming to Philadelphia in
1926. Philadelphia should have clean
streets. alleys. homes and bodies. You
Will observe that in 1876. the year Of
tn" Centennial. Philadelphia had its
highest death rate from typhoid fever
During that year 7Gl deaths occurred
from the disease. or a rate Of 9T.G per
lOD.0OO persons.
'Of course. we did not have the same
sort of water works system we have to-
day. and typhoid deaths began to de-
cline around the period of 1908. when
the city began to install filtration
plants, bringing pure water to every
home. The death rate this last year
has been the lowest in the history Of
the city.
Il am reminded of Kipling's Re
ccSsiOnal' l'-'LcSt we forgct--lest we
forget. Before we invite people to
come to Philadelphia we ought to clean
up ourselves. Many of our citizens
do not observe sanitary rules. This is
not only true in the foreign colonies.
but also in some of the best residential
sections of the city. In certain Sec
nj 81 r,,., ,l,i
which are foreign to America, Many
foreigners fail to observe sanitary laws
There are certain streets in South
Philadelphia Uttered with dirt and
refuse five minutes after the street
cleaning department has been through
and thoroughly cleaned the streets. 1t
is Il crime that they are permitted to
do this.
1T is not only there. however. but
in the best sections of West Philadcl-
phia. that you will find that some of our
50 called best citizens offend in this re-
gard
II have seen refuse and waste ma
tcriul put out in ordinary boxes. and
left to the prey of sc0vcngcrs and the
winds, scattered over tn" streets. II
bchoOvcs the citizen Ia sit up and take
notice. II" has neglected his rcspon-
siblity.'
DIR. FURNISH took rap at the ab-
scntcc landlords and trust companies.
who have neglected to get rid Of old
fashioned wells on their central prop
rrty. lie said this was n great and
/ constant menace to health.
! The statistics for the year show that
-. TO4 persons died here last year. or n
rate Of TT per 100 900, which is the
lowest death rate the city has oyer had.
Diphthcra deaths numbered 323, a
rate Of l7.3 per lOO,GOo; tuberculosis
lotalcd 1917. a rate Of 1924 per
| 100. .NtO. Th"rr were no deaths from
smallpox. once II dread epidemic dis
ease. There were :,3Sl infnnta under
one year who died. a death rate OF
us per 100 800. In all the classes OF
deaths mentioned the totals were the
lowest in the history of the city.
DR.. Furbush attributed much Of tho
dccrrlS" in infnnt mortality to cduca
tional work among tn" mothers. Or
the other hand. DR.. Furbush pointed
out. the death rate from heart disease
was one Of the highest and cancer the
highest in the rity'a history as far bach
na 1850. There were 3Gl2 deaths from
heart disease, rate of 1856 pei
100 .OCO. and 2029 cancer deaths, I
rntr Of 1851. DIR. Fubush said h,
thought on" Of tn" reasons for these
high death rates is better diagnosis il
recent wears.