The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-28

average negro population in the
united States is ten per cent. as
compared with 20 per cent in North
carolina. This gives added mort.
ance to our local figures.
Drop To 1888
maternal deaths per 1000 live
olrths in North Carolina dropped
from $50 in 1888 to 3S3 in 1889.
bringing the rate down from Sc to
4.S in a single year. In 1885 the
maternal death rate in North Caro-.
ma was TO, SO, there was a drop
OF 20 points in four years. The Unit
ed States rate in 1887 was 49,. This
means we r making progress.
Stated in simple terms, North Caro-
Ina last year saved 81 mothers and
mad 5lS more live births than dur
ing the preceding year.
These figures are encouraging to
public. health workers because they
show that beneficial results have
accrued from the work that is be-
Ing done in infant and maternal
clinics and from the other efforts
that are being exerted to save the
states mothers and babies.
Last year saw the saving of 357
lives of children under two years
of age in North Carolina from death
from diarrhea and enteritis, the rate
falling from 1872 to 1879 between
1888 and 1889.
Now, let's take a look at another
aspect of the vital statistics picture
in North Carolina, as painted by
figures for 1889. We will consider
a few of the preventable diseases
and see what we have done in this
field. Typhoid deaths in 1889 num-
bered u, or a rate of 20, as COM
pared with 46 and a rate of 1.3 in
1899. This reflected an actual saw
ing, not considering the increased
population, Of rs lives. Typhoid is
a preventable disease and we have
gone a long way toward its elimi-
nation, but the means of combat
ing it have only to be abated, even
temporarily, for it to flare up and
become the it formerly was.
Undulant Fever
I want to call particular atten-
ton to deaths from undulant fever.
There were six last year, with a
rate of 2, as compared with two
in 1888, with a rate of O.O6. Only
recently, I read with interest a news.
paper article that had its origin
with our state department of agri'
culture calling attention to the
problem presented by Bangs dis
%ease--or infectious abortion in cat
tie, which is a source of undulant
fever, and discussing ways an6
means for its elimination. Here we
have both an agricultural and a
health problem, and I am glad tt
note that there is a serious effort
being made to eradicate Bangs dis
ease and, thereby, lessen the trend
toward a greater incidence Of undu
liant fever. In this connection I wish
to call the particular attention Of
!. hog, and goat breeders to the i'm
portance of inoculating these ami.
mails against infectious aborti as
further aid in the prevention of the
spread of the undulant fever scour
age.
There is at least one state in the
union where undulant fever is a:
great a hazard as typhoid.
Diptheria, in spite Of the fac
> that it is p~reventable, continues tt
take it's toll among our young. There
= were 173 deaths from this disease
in 1889, with a rate of 40, as com
: pared with ITS deaths and a rat
> of so in 1888, the decrease in boil
the number of cases and the rat
:. having been negligible. 1t is nothing
have SO many deaths from this dis
, ease. Urgent appeals have gone for
ward for the enforcement of the Law
which provides that all babies shall
I be immunized against this diseas'
between the ages Of six months ant
: II months and which provides tina
i no child shall be admitted to an.
f public, private or parochial schoo
who has not been immunized.
+ No Enforcement
9 The results of this law should hav'
o been apparent before now, as it Wa
ratified last March. While there ma.
p be no evidence of enforcement vi
to the present time, this law mus
be complied with.
t We are proud of the continuous
progress we have made in our wa
e on tuberculosis in all forms. Las
S year there were in North Carolin;
1,657 deaths from pulmonary tuber
S culosis, with a rate Of 46.5, as com
pared with 1858 deaths and a rat
of 48.1 in 1854 decrease Of 4.
deaths and is in the rate. Othe
S forms of tuberculosis claimed IA!
victims, as compared with 1876 tn
previous year, a drop of 6, Will
the rate fell from "A to AZ.
When I sum up the gains tina
have been made in our fight agains
typhoid fever, infant and materna
mrtality, pneumonia, tuberculosis
e and other diseases which we cal
either prevent Dr. successfully trea
and note the comparatively SLOW
nrooress that has heen mad