Evening star., 1945-09-26
80 Deaths Per 1000
In District for 1914
Set New Low Record

The general death rate of the
District for 1914 was 90 for every
1000 population, a new low for the
city, the Health Department re-
ported today to the Commissioners.
This is the first stime the Dis
trict's death rate has gone below
10 per 1000 persons in the records
Of the department and a survey OF
the 20 largest cities in the country
by the Bureau of Vital Statistics
shows only three cities had death
rates below 10 per 1000 population.
Since 1895, when the death rate
was 14.3 per 1000 persons, the death
rate has dropped 30.7 per cent, the
department said. The infant NOR
tality rate has dropped from 40.7
deaths per 1000 live births in 1943
to 1874 In 1914, another low record
for the city.
The maternal mortality rate also
has declined to a new low of is
deaths per 1000 live births, whereas
in 1885 there were 6 deaths per
1000 live births. The tuberculosis
mortality rate saw a slight drop
In 1914, the death rate per 100 900
having gone from 664 in 1943 to
66.2 last year. Pneumonia mortality
has dropped from 59.4 deaths in
1943 per 100000 persons to 479 in
1914.
No Diphtheria Deaths.
For the first time, no diphtheria
deaths were recorded, while 10
years ago there used to be 20 or 30
deaths year, it was said. Heart
disease still was the leading cause
OF death, with cancer second and
tuberculosis fourth. The 1943 and
1914 rates are computed on the basis
OF population of 100000.
The year 1914 saw a larger num-
Der OF scarlet fever cases than in
previous years, total OF 1888 with
three deaths. The outbreak of men,
1ngitis, which started in 1912, re-
ceded last year with 80 cases re-
corded as against 161 in 1943.
Whooping cough was less preva-
ent than usual, but increases were
noted in infantile paralysis, 1914
being an epidemic year in which
1874 cases were reported in the Dis
trict.
A total Of 12,023 cases of venereal
diseases were reported during 1914,
whereas 1906 were recorded the
previous year. During the year, the
Rapid Treatment Center at CALM
ger Municipal Hospital treated D.
220 persons. OF the number of cases
reported, 2,007 were white persons
and 10,016 were colored.
Gallinger Municipal Hospital re-
corded the greatest number of ad-
missions in its history, 1851. In
1912, the hospital had 1902 admis-
sion and in 1943 there were only
17,181. Admitting they were puzzled
over the increase, health officials
said one factor was that during the
war many persons had to be ad-
mltted because they were unable to
obtain needed disqualification else
where.
Record Low on Fatalities.
The fatality rate of the hospital
was also a new low-6 per cent of
total admissions. The mortality
rate of the pediatric ward dropped
Is per cent during 1914 and the
mortality rate of the isolation serv-
ice OF the hospital fell so per cent
The year 1914 was the worst the
hospital experienced in personnel
problems, with a turnover Of 49.11
per cent. There was an average of
IS vacancies on the nursing staff
throughout the year. -. a..
In discussing other work of the
department, the report said 96,-
S59 inspections were made in food
establishments and that "a notice.
able degree of improvement has
been achieved in restaurant SANTA
ton" In addition, a total of 45S,-
725 pounds of food were condemned
during the year, an increase of
9960l pounds over the previous
year, and 5000 employees were given
medical examinations.
Meanwhile, District Auditor Ar