Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-09
'PH|LA. DEATH RATE
HITS LOWEST MARK
r;u,res for 1921 Show Tremen-
dous Decrease in Mortality
From Pneumonia
,as. DIED OF INFLUENZA

Tho health Of Philadelphia in 1921
-. ,be best in the city's history. The
,..,b rate was never so low as during
A, last year. due, in the opinion Of
injector Furbush, Of the Department Of
tIooI,b. TO measures toward the proven.
,ou of disease and promoting ind =
ydual health.
Medical men say that a death rate OF
,om per thousand population is
extraordinary. The figures show tre-
npndous decrease in the mortality from
,,eumonia. Among the infectious dis
soses pneumonia caused 1916 deaths
lass In 1921 than in the preceding year.
when il headed the death list.
JnAuenza caused only 13S deaths last
,ssr as compared with S44 in 1920, n
decrease of FOG:
pulmonary tuberculosis, 143 less deaths
Irom measles, there being only total OF
torty.two during the entire year, and
ninety nine less deaths from diphtheria
There was n saving of over $500 lives
from these five infectious diseases.
Heart Disease Deaths Increase
There has been slight increase ir
ue death rate from heart disease
which caused one death in every seven
from all diseases. The five principal
rauses. heart disease, pneumonia
Brirht's disease, cancer and pulmonary
tuberculosis, were responsible for one
NH of the total deaths. All Of these
diseases can be controlled within rea
smable limitations, and the efforts OF
the Health Department will be re-
doubled during the present year to cause
| further reduction in mortality from
the preventablc causes.
Typboid fever, which is often regarded
,s an index of sanitation. has caused
, death rate of only 80 per 100. 900
the lowest on record in the city. ant
COMPARES favorably with other large
| cities in this country. Fully % pei
| cent of the typhoid fever cases are con =
| tracted from sources outside the city
n allowance was made for out of town
cases. this city would have very low
| death rate from typhoid fever. The
excellent record attained may be at
| tributed largely to modern sanitary i'm :
proyements and the efforts to locate
he sources of infection and checking
the spread Of the disease.
The respiratory diseases can be fur.
| ther controlled by more careful atten-
ton to personal hygiene, by proper ven :
| tlatiOn of Offices, workshops, homes and
public conveyances, by Improvement IN
housing conditions and by curbing the
practice Of careless eXpectoration and
Of coughing and sneezing without using
q handkerchief.
Heart disease is not always fataI
condition and much can be done. espe-
Cially among children. in curing. i'm
proving and rendering stationary de-
fects caused by various systematic dis
eases. The correction of physical de.
fects which may be responsible for car
dlac conditions are urged by the Divi :
sion Of School Medical Inspection. II
Is planned by the Department of Public
Health TO have Il number of heart clin
where cases can be studied ant
remedies outlined for those affected.
See Check in Cancer Deaths
Much can also be done in reducing
the mortality from cancer. by early
recognition of cases and prompt treat.
ment. The Pathological Clinic of tn,
Philadelphia General Hospital will b,
At the service Of those who wish to avai
themselves of 1t.
The control and prevention of com
municable diseases are under the juris :
diction of the Division of Medical In
Spection, which was organized in 1908
when Philadelphia had a population OF
less than million and half. Today
this city has reached n population OF
smost two million people. With this
Increase there has been no change in the
number of medical inspectors; also the
city has not been able to establish, as
in other large cities. the much needed
corps of public health nurses. who ar,
one Of the most important factors il
public health work. New York, Chi
easo and several other cities have al
most doubled their corps of medical in
'pectors and public health nurses.