THE DEATH RATE OF NEW ORLEANS.

For years New Orleans has claimed, that in order to effect a just comparison of its death rate with that of Northern and Western cities, the colored mortality should be excluded. The comparison of the gross death rates of different populations may lead to very erroneous conclusions; comparison must be made between similar classes, and important facts back of the general figures must be ascertained.

We introduce a chart presenting the matter in a clear and forceful manner. It is reproduced from an interesting monograph on the "General Death Rate of Large American Cities," by Frederick L. Hoffman, of Newark, N. J., a distinguished statistician, with whom it was the privilege of this office to speak over this very matter some years ago.

It will be seen that the white death rate of Southern cities for the past thirty-six years has been about the same as that of Northern cities, the expressed lines being interwoven save in two years, 1878 and 1891, the former showing a high mortality for Southern cities as the result of an epidemic of yellow fever, and the latter a high mortality for Northern cities due mainly to influenza.

Whenever there has been a persistent tendency downward or upward in the North and West, the white population of Southern cities has shown a similar tendency. The colored mortality has not only been excessive, but has borne no relation whatever to the white mortality curve, being on the ascending scale at times when the white mortality was clearly on the decrease.

A mortality chart for New Orleans is introduced, showing the general death rate for one hundred years, 1808-1907, the death rate by color since 1847, and the white mortality, exclusive of deaths among non-residents, since 1881. The mortality curve of the city in which they live, is, after all, what interests most people, as indicating progress or retrogression in health matters and establishing the local average of life expectancy.

The figures presented are from official records where available. For the earlier years they are approximate. All have been checked, as much as possible, from books and monographs or extracts therefrom now extant.

For the year 1809 there is no available information beyond the reported expense by Albert Gallatin, Secretary of the Treasury, U. S., of $3,542.31 for the treatment, at the Charity Hospital, of sailors (number not given), at the rate of 75 cents per day.

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There are no reliable records for reference as to color for years 1848, 1851, 1854, 1855 and 1862.

The mortality from 1847 to 1871 includes "still-born."

The records from 1869 to 1876 give a certain number of death "color not stated." It has been estimated that two-thirds of these wer white and one-third colored.

Up to 1880 the decennial figures of "Population" are taken from the United States census, intermediate years being calculated therefrom.

The population since 1881 is estimated.

The present estimate of 351,000 for the year 1908 is most conservative and probably under the true figures.

The chart presented shows at a glance why New Orleans acquired a reputation tor unhealthfulness in the long ago; rightly so. It also shows how the present generation and the one preceding it happily emerged from these unsatistactory conditions, and how wrong it is now to refer to the present in terms fit only for the distant past. The chart accurately chronicles the sanitary history of New Orleans. The violent fluctuations of the earlier half of the century shown, reflect the unsettled condition of the public mind in health matter and point either to great laches and imperfections in preventive measures when operated or to the more trequent absolute cessation of all attempts at prevention. Boards et health in those days we're created only to be destroyed at the first unsuccess. They were established for a while when conditions were unbearable and abolwood when they taŝod to bring about the ideal retorns expected of Not Pheir individual lite was longer er Sorter according as to w Nder Pe ovataglonists or non antager is were in the majority. Agra, savas fomed to te tellida eng » et velow rever, while others Nevod at its reputation, and much depended Love who was in