Of the total mortality in 1882 there were born in Chicago 6,638 and 1,860 at other places in the United States. There were 1,807 natives of Germany, 941 of Ireland, 179 of Canada, and 222 of England; 1,291 were natives of other foreign countries, 3 were born on the ocean, and the nativity of 93 were unknown, or not given in the certificates of death. The mortality of infants under one year of age, num. bered 4,059, and of children under five years 6,645 mak50.21 per cent. of the total mortality under five years of age. There were 1,150 over sixty years of age, including one over one hundred years old. The death rate of 1881 was 26.11 per 1,000 inhabi tants, estimating the population at 540,000, against 23.60 in 1882, on a basis of 560,693 population, according to the school census taken in July of the same year. The average death rate for the last five years was 21.00, against 20.70 for the preceding quinquennial period. It is conceded that the true criterion of the sanitary condition of a community is best ascertained by showing the percentage of zymotic diseases and the number of deaths under five years of age compared with the total mortality. In order to utilize this information and for the purpose of suggesting where sanitary reform and improvements are most needed in our city, I have deemed it proper to make special reports, by months and wards, on these features of the report. There were 5,985 deaths from zymotic causes in 1881, making 42.44 per cent. of the total mortality for that year, against 5,136 deaths from similar causes, and a percentage of 38.06 for the year 1882. In 1881 the greatest mortality from these causes occurred in the 14th Ward, being 1,323, or 20.35 deaths to 1,000 population, against 102 in the 18th Ward (where the least mortality took place) with only 4.34 deaths to every 1,000 of its population. Again, in the 14th Ward the percentage of the preventable diseases amounts to 51.62 of the total ward mortality, whilst that of the 18th is only 29.23 per cent. In 1881 there were 1,478 deaths of children under five years of age in the 14th Ward, making 56.67 per cent. of the total mortality, whilst in the 18th Ward the percentage amounts to only 40.44. In the same way comparisons may be made as shown in the accompanying tables, between the mortality of the same and other wards for the year 1882 and similar results are obtained. In the wards where good drainage, sewerage and other hygienic surroundings exist, there will be found for the past, as in preceding years, a low rate of mortality, especially from zymotic causes. On the other hand, in the wards where the above hygienic conditions only partly obtain, a high rate of mortality is found to exist. The statistics of small-pox, the only disease which prevailed as an epidemic during the past two years, have been compiled by the clerk and presented in his report to the department. The returns of births and marriages are kept by the County Clerk, but not complete for publication, are necessarily omitted from this report. The Registrar is indebted to the courtesy and promptness of Sergeant Laurens, of the United States Signal Service, for furnishing monthly reports of meteorological observations during the past two years. Respectfully submitted, M. K. GLEASON, M.D., Registrar. |