Evening star., 1934-08-31
D. c. TUBERCULOSIS
DEATH RATE LEAPS
55.8 Per Cent of All Pa
tents Here Fail to Sur
,.A.
Vive Disease.

washington's death rate for tuber-
culosis continued to mount IN the
1888 calendar year. Health Ot1cer
william c. Fowler disclosed today in
his annual report to the Commts-
sioners.
DIR. Fowler's statistics showed that
55,s per cent of tuberculosis patients
last year died. According to 1882 sta
tistics of Federal authorities, this
placed the Districts mortality rate
the fourth highest of all cities In the
country.
The 55.8 per cent death rate Is
marked increase over 1882. In that
wear the rate was 486 per cent. In
1o31 IL was SIT per cent and in
1e3o. so per cent The figures apply
TO the communicable form OF tuoer-
culosis.
DIR. Fowler also showed that the
death rate for tuberculosis per 100000
Of population was 124 for 1888, 1o7- 3
IN 1882, 1868 in 1881 and 1908 In
1880.
Actual Deaths.
The actual number of deaths from
tuberculosis last year was 6l4 OF
LILO cases. as compared with 599
deaths of 1854 cases in 1882. The
figures for 1898 included l22 cases,
with 18 deaths, reported by the Army
and Navy.
When the children's tuberculosis
sanatorium is opened, DR.. Fowler
r,ointed out. ''it will provide urgently
needed accommodations for children
Despite the increase in tuberculosis
deaths, DR.. Fowler declared there was
a slight improvement in general health
conditions.
For all diseases the death rate per
1000 of population dropped from 1912
in 1882 to 1891 in 1893. The 1888 fg-
ure, however, was slightly above that
for 1881.
The birth rate also dropped Slightly
during the past year. The figure for
1888 was 2006 per thousand persons,
Is compared with 20.66 in 1882. Both
figures, however, were higher than in
1871.
s~The total number of deaths reported
here last year was 1878, of which 4,758
among colored. The white death rate
was 1929 and the colored 22.74 per
thousand.
The number of deaths of infants
under one year of age diminished dur
ting the year. OF each 1000 children
born during the preceding year the
rate was 73 deaths per thousand. The
white rate was 49 and the colored 101.
Or. Fowler reported that in the past
year 1888 visits were made to the
Districts tuberculosis clinic at Third
and c streets, by persons having or
suspected of having the disease. New
patients who applied for examination
and treatment numbered 1924, Of
which 718 were found to be suffering
from tuberculosis, 1905 not hav-
ing contracted the disease, and 1,101
In which diagnosis still is pending. OF
the positive cases, 361 were found in
an incipient stage, 2S6 moderately ad-
Vanced and II far advanced.
Children Examined.
Discussing medical examinations of
school children, the health officer re-
ported that 7,756, or 88.4 per cent Of
6,768 pupils examined, were found
last year to have some physical de-
feet. A large number Of these were
kaid to be of very minor importance,
easily corrected.
Defects listed in order of prevalence
were: Defective teeth, 60.2 per cent;
enlarged tonsils, 43.1; enlarged glands,
36.5; nutrition, 20; nasal breathing,
9.2; defective vision, rs; skin and
parasitic, 4.8; posture (anemia), 4.8:
chronic nasal catarrh, 3.5; nervous
ness, 2.3; eye diseases, FL; pulmonary,
al; orthopedic, 1.9; hernia, 1.8;
speech defect, IL; discharging ear.
0.9; cardiac diseases, 09; hearing, 98;
crossed eyes, o.6. Other ailments ac-
counted for 15.5 per cent.
Some dental defects were found in
7e.3 per cent Of 25,032 pupils ex-
amined by dentists operating under
the Health Department.