21 July 2009

Tribune Tuesday: A Wholesome Habitation

A WHOLESOME HABITATION
The Lowest Annual Rate of Mortality for Ten Years
The Fatal Diseases-Mortality Among Children Younger Than One Year of Age


Paul Schafer, Secretary of the Board of Health, is working hard on his annual report. It is a compilation of interesting statistics of the history of Oakland.

The total number of deaths for the year was 762, as compared with 806 in the preceding year; 431 of those who died were male persons and 331 were female. The largest percentage of deaths was among children under the age of 1 year of age, the total being 163. More deaths occurred in the First ward than in any other ward, the number accredited to that district being 177. The Fifth ward had the lowest number, the total being only 54.

The principal causes of death were as follows: Pneumonia, 65; Heart Disease, 56; Diphtheria, 16; Influenza, 15; Whooping Cough, 10; Cholera Infantum, 13; Cancer, 32.

There were 43 violent deaths, and of these, 10 were suicide and 10 from railroad disasters. Under the heading of homicide are 2 deaths. The greatest number of deaths occurred in the month of March, there being 80, and the least number (39) in the month of September.

The annual death rate figures 12.88 per 1000, the lowest in the past ten years.

There were 112 deaths from zymotic diseases.

There were 787 births, 304 being male, and 393 being female children. But it is a well known fact that many births occur and are never reported by physicians or midwives.

From: The Oakland Daily Evening Tribune, 21 July 1891, Page 1, Column

1 comment:

Randy said...

That last line kinda wrecked it for me. Where it says 21 July 1891 instead of 2009.