MORTALITY. The total number of deaths from all causes, which occurred during che fiscal year 1898-99, was 6,026, an increase of 611 over the corresponding figure for the preceding year. The annual death rate rose, therefore, from 19.32 per thousand to 20.96, and was 0.37 in excess of the average for the past five years. Of the decedents 3,372 were white and 2,654 colored, an increase of 399 in the former and of 212 in the latter. The death rate for the whites increased from 15.53 to 16.99, or 9.40 per cent, and that for the colored from 27.51 to 29.81, or 8.36 per cent. The average death rates for the past five years were, for the whites, 16.82, and for the colored, 28.72. TABLE A.-Population, deaths, and death rates for the twenty-four years ended June 30, 1899, based upon results of police censuses. Distributing the decedents by sex, we find that 3,204 were males, indicating a death rate of approximately 23.56, and 2,822 females, showing a death rate of about 18.63. Analyzed by age, the total mortality shows 1,811 deaths of persons under 5 years of age-796 white and 1,015 colored. Of the white decedents, 537, and of the colored, 703, were infants in the first year of life. Referring these figures to the estimated population of corresponding ages, not to the total population, the death rates are as follows. Infants under 1 year: whites, 144.70; colored, 379.58; all, 222.90. Infants under 5 years: whites, 46.64; colored, 123.25; all, 71.58. Of the entire number of decedents 779 had passed their seventieth year of life, 49 had passed their ninetieth, and 9 were said to be 100 years old and over. Of the last class all were colored; 8 were females and 1 a male. The average age of all decedents was 32 years, 2 months, and 27 days; that of the whites 39 years and 15 days, and that of the colored 25 years, 5 months, and 8 days. These figures are in each instance greater than the corresponding ones for the preceding year; but it is important to remember that they do not definitely indicate an improvement in the health of the community, but show possibly that the prevailing causes of death were of a type different from that of the preceding year, and possibly CHART SHOWING THE DISTRIBUTION OF MORTALITY WITH REFERENCE TO POPULATION. Per cent. of population is based on population of entire District; per cent. of mortality is based on entire mortality outside of hospitals. that there has been an increase in the relative number of adults in the population. That the former has been the more potent factor in producing this result may be inferred from the decrease in the deaths of children less than 1 year old-1,267 to 1,240-notwithstanding the increase in the population and in the general death rate. The average number of deaths per week during the past year has been 115.30. During each of twenty weeks the number of deaths exceeded the average, and during each of thirty-one weeks it was below. The number of deaths during the two days at the beginning of the year and during the six days at the close, forming fractions of weeks, show a death rate in excess of the weekly average. The largest number of deaths which occurred in any one week (183) was recorded during the seven days ended July 9. One hundred and sixty-one deaths occurred during the week ended December 31, and 157 deaths during the week ended February 18. The week last mentioned marked the time of the occurrence of one of the most severe storms known in the history of the District, which probably accounts for the increased mortality. The fact that the greatest number of deaths occurred about the Fourth of July might give rise to suspicion that the celebration of Independence Day was the cause of the increased mortality, but an examination of the death tables for the past five years fails to support such an hypothesis. Similarly the occurrence of 161 deaths, a number so far in excess of the average, during Christmas week, might at first glance be interpreted to mean that the festivities of that period had been responsible for an increased mortality; but an examination of the records of previous years, during which festivities were presumably as great, does not bear out this supposition. The average mortality per day for each month was as follows: Owing to the difference in the progress of improvements in the various sections of the District, it has not been deemed advisable to estimate the population in each of them. An approximate idea of the ratio of deaths in the various parts of the District may be obtained, however, from the following statement. The distribution of population is based upon the police census of 1897. The northwest section of the city, including Georgetown, contained 50.73 per cent of the population, and in it there occurred during the past year 48.06 per cent of the total number of deaths, exclusive of those which occurred in hospitals; the southwest section contained 11.95 per cent of the population and 15.28 per cent of the deaths; the northeast section contained 11.63 per cent of the population and of the deaths, 10.83 per cent; and the southeast section contained 10.84 per cent of the population and 11.21 per cent of the deaths. Outside of the limits of the city of Washington that portion of the District lying east of the Eastern Branch contained 3.78 per cent of the population and 4.28 per cent of the deaths; that portion between the Eastern Branch and Rock Creek contained 9.68 per cent of the population and of the deaths, 9.14 per cent; and that portion west of Rock Creek contained 1.39 per cent of the population and 1.20 per cent of the deaths. The diagram on the opposite page shows these ratios graphically. A statement of the number of deaths which occurred in each city square and in each of the various suburban districts appears in the appendix. Those persons desiring accurate information as to the mortality in any particular locality can ascertain it, therefore, by determining the numbers of the squares or the names of the subdivisions under consideration and referring to this statement. Except in those years in which censuses have been taken it is not possible to determine accurately the death rates for such squares or localities, which, after all (disregarding life tables and morbidity returns as impracticable) are the factors to be considered in determining their relative healthfulness. When, however, exact results are not necessary, the additional data necessary for the computation of approximate death rates can be secured by reference to the annual report of this Department for 1897, which shows the population of each city square and of each of the more impor tant suburban districts, as recorded by the police census of April, 1897. Distributing the death rate according to causes of death, the following factors appear: Death rate from zymotic diseases, 3.47; from constitutional diseases, 4.45; from local diseases, 9.94; from developmental diseases, 1.90, and from violence, 0.81; general death rate, 20.96. increase in the general death rate, 1.64 per thousand, is due to an increase of 0.29 in the zymotic class, of 0.33 in the constitutional, of 0.54 in the local, and of 0.09 in the developmental. In other words, the general death rate has increased 8 per cent; the death rate from zymotic diseases, 9.12 per cent; that from constitutional diseases, 8.01 per cent; that from local diseases, 5.74; that from developmental diseases, 4.97, and that from violence has not varied. These figures will be dealt with in detail at such length as their importance demands, under the various subheadings which immediately follow. The Deaths by classes, arranged by sex and color, with percentages and annual death rates, for the years 1898-99 and 1897-98. Zymotic Local Developmental 329 294 244 243 623 487 1, 110 17.82 19.27 17.98 18.75 3. 14 5. 47 3.86 7.51 10.19 1.57 2.62 1.90 4. 19 1.31 .80 .82 .81 100 100 16. 99 29. 81 20.96 TABLE C.-YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1898. White. Colored. M. F. M. F. 244 212 206 230 456 436 892 15.60 15.07 17.04 18.65 2.38 4.91 3.18 293 289 278 294 582 572 1,154 18.70 20.54 23 23.84 3.04 6.44 4.12 783 692 592 567 1,475 1, 159 2, 634 50 49. 18 48.97 46 7.71 13.05 9.40 120 307 200 507 7.99 12.93 6.61 9.73 1.60 2.25 1.81 22 153 75 228 7.71 2.28 4.38 1.78 79 84 .81 125 182 80 1, 566 1, 407 1, 209 1, 233 2, 973 2, 442 5, 415 100 100 100 100 15. 53 27. 51 19.32 |