Evening journal., 1923-01-13
Death RATE
AGAIN HEAVY
Al, Highest Figure Since
March, 1921; Much
Contagion
DOCTORS FAIL TO
REPORT CASES

being new cases this week, as foI-
lows: Measles. 100; chickenpox. 16;
scarlet fever. .; influenza, S.
The total number OF each conta-
gious disease in the city of which
the Board has received a report fol-
low: Measles. PIG; influenza. 6s:
chickenpox, 3s; scarlet fever. "a:
whooping cough. 10; diphtheria. 8.
The deaths this week exceeded
that for any week since last March,
II being reported. For the cor
responding period OF last year there
were only ~.
Seventeen marriages and 81 births
were reported. For the cores
ponding period OF last year there
were 10 marriages and Sc births.
showing n decrease in births and an
Increase in deaths.
Or. McBirney, secretary Of the
Board today gave a brief resume Of
the work OF the Board for Decem-
Der.
Under the deaths the report shows
22 deaths from organic heart disease,
10 males and females, and that 20
OF these deaths were OF persons past
45 years. Pneumonia follows next
with 21 deaths. II males and fe-
males, Is Of about IS years OF age:
20 deaths from Brights diseases. 10 /
Of which We're OF persons SO years
and a total OF 1877 deaths, % OF
which were among persons under |
years Of age. Twenty Of these deaths /
were reported by the coroner.
There were 227 births. &c mar
riages, 10 colored marriages and IS
colored births. There were i3 non
resident births and nonresident
deaths. and 10 still births which
were not included in the total
deaths.
The Ninth ward leads. with
total OF 81 births. the Seventh ward
second, with 30. The Seventh ward
leads with 2s de1ths. i7s burial
permits were Issued.
Under the report for communica-
bic diseases there were 81 cases Of
chickenpox reported. with 35 re-
ported from the Ninth ward. There I
we're 21 cases OF influenza reported.
with 70 from the Ninth ward There
were 129 cases OF measles reported,
With the Seventh ward leading, with
IS cases. The Ninth ward has q
Considering the area covered by J
the Ninth ward. It would seem that
measles was fairly well distributed, !
and is not attacking one point in
the city.
OF scarlet fever there were SO
cases reported, 10 Of which were
from the Tenth Ward. 10 from the |
Fifth ward, 7 from the Seventh
ward and only 4 cases from the /,
Ninth ward.
There we're four deaths from ..
tuberculosis and no new cases re- =
ported. One death from typhoid =
fever. which was a death In a hos 7
pital shortly after admission Of the
patient, had not been reported 10 q,
the Board until the death certificate =.
was presented. Only II cases OF -
whooping cough were reported in :
the month. The total humber OF h
cases reported Of reportable dis c,
eases which are communicable and n
contagious was 1hs. Among these n
communicable disease patients. C,
there were 7 deaths. The report fC
says: u
Considering the fact that % per II
cent OF the communicable diseases "a
are not reported. this IS a very good dl
Il does not look very well. CT
though. 10 have only cases Of OF
with the death certi- n,
fcate showing that perhaps every IA
-ase Of tuberculosis dies"
The Ninth ward leads with a total SC
of 73 communicable diseases re- pr
ported and the Seventh with a total ce
of 80. OF course these are large If
wards but Il Is also true that the ce
,eople living in the wards employ to
physicians in most cases OF illness. an
While in some OF the other wards in
several cases OF measles. whooping to
'ough, chicken pox. perhaps scarlet an
ever, are prevalent without atten-
ion Of a physician. Is
1T would be to the credit OF the an
physicians OF this city and 10 the co
redit Of the health department. IL ba
eportable diseases were reported at an
nee to this Office" the report adds. po
Until recently II was necessary for de
he physicians to make out a speci-
ed postal card form Of communi- IN
able diseases and report it to the %
tate Board Of Health. At a recent so
Meeting of the State Board of
iealth it was agreed that il would IN
e unnecessary for the physicians ca
o make this report, and that IL they AZ
7ould call the Board OF Health Of dl'
ce by telephone and report any ma
ase OF communicable disease that ad
hey may come in contact with, ri
ostal card would be made out in ir'
IFS office and forwarded to the State co,
'oard OF Health. so that the -eports
ding to the State Board OF Health ih'
'ould so through the Office. sIa
Several cases OF reportable dis
ises have been picked up In the 80
asst month that were not reported ~
y the physician. A State law re- an
lires that anyone who knows of a In
portable diseased and there are ,,I Du'
such diseases) existing at any ~ ~
ouse or place. he must call the at IlI l
ntion Of the Board of Health to IT, au9
e have investigated such cases and pOi
most every instance found IL TO ,,.,
J true that in some instances doc "a -
rs were employed and in others no 81,
'ctors were employed. Certainly, -,
lysicians should be careful of this Nc,
after because they must realize -
at II they speak OF scarlet fever or H.,
phtheria, someone in that family zen
going 10 tell the neighbors. be- as
use use ~ IS news mad Illness Is a eas,
ing that nc one seems 10 like to r
ep a secret. In this way we run az
ross several cases which doctors MOI