Our communal health [serial]

Communal Health

PUBLISHED BY THE
CONSOLIDATED BOARD OF HEALTH
OF

Wilmington and New Hanover County
North Carolina

1-9-3-7

From the North East River to Federal Point, and from
the Cape Fear to the Sea — City, Suburb, Village
and Farm — we are one people striving
for healthful and useful living —

OUR COMMUNAL HEALTH
For the Year 1937

New Hanover County Board of Health
Wilmington, North Carolina

Gentlemen:

I hereby submit to you the report of the activities of the Health Department, as
summarized by the head of each administrative division, for the year 1937.

The number of deaths caused by the various diseases and the age at which our citizens
died are presented in tables and graphs covering the year 1937 and the preceding years.
In Table No. 1, the deaths which have occurred in Wilmington and rural New Hanover
County are tabulated according to the cause, race, sex, and age. In Table No. 2, you
will find a comparison between data of the year 1937 and the years that have gone before
it. The crude death rates are given in Table No. 3 and expressed graphically in Fig.
No. 1. The tabulation of births and of communicable diseases is given in Tables No. 4
and 7 respectively.

None of the communicable diseases visited us during the past year in epidemic pro-
portions. Reference to mortality records, Table No. 1, will show no deaths from small-
pox, measles, scarlet fever, or whooping cough. Excluding non-residents, we had 3
deaths from typhoid fever and 1 from diphtheria.

Diphtheria

We had one death from diphtheria. Nineteen cases, excluding non-residents, were
reported during the year. Immunization at the age of six months is our major objective in
our efforts against this disease. An attractive greeting card, urging protection against diph-
theria, is sent to every child on the day it becomes six months old. If this does not pro-
duce results, a visit by one of our nurses is made in an effort to impress on the mother
the importance of early immunization. Through the cooperation of each Parent-Teacher
Association, nearly every pre-school child is examined at a clinic held in each school for
children who are to enter school the following fall. Schick testing and any necessary
treatment are stressed in these clinics in a final effort toward immunization before the
child enters school. Parents are rapidly learning the value of this procedure and their
cooperation is accordingly more and more helpful each year.

Typhoid Fever

For several years prior to 1937, a very high percentage of our typhoid has been among
the negroes and within the city limits, but last year all of our typhoid deaths were white.
This is most likely a coincidence but we would like to think that absence of typhoid deaths
among the colored people may at least partly be due to several years of special effort
among colored people. Along this line, our comment last year was: "Of 24 cases of
typhoid occurring during the three years prior to 1936, 21 were within the city and were
colored. In 1936, we had one white and two colored typhoid patients in the city and one
white and two colored in the county. For the past two years we have had our colored
nurses hold numerous small inoculation clinics at colored homes, churches, and lodges
within the city in an effort to reach those v/ho will not come to the Health Department
clinic". The numerous small clinics referred to above were not conducted during 1937
because we had urged against grouping together during the spring and early summer
because of a threatening epidemic of meningococcic meningitis. However, these clinics
will be held in the future unless there is some good reason not to hold them.

Measles

The close of 1937 made exactly four years since our last epidemic of measles. The
longer the interval between epidemics, the greater the extent when it does come. Con-
valescent serum and placental extract for frail and very young exposed children should
be remembered as a valuable aid.

[ 1 ]

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis stood fifth among the causes of death last year. There were 6 white
and 32 colored deaths from this disease during the year. When we consider the degree
of poverty, ignorance, exposure, other diseases, and hard work to which this race falls
heir, it would seem that the major part of our time and effort should be spent in testing
our colored school children and trying to teach all reactors how to avoid becoming clinical
cases of this disease that works such havoc in their race. To this end printed matter
from the State Sanatorium is given all positive reactors.

Enterocolitis

Fig. No. 4 expresses graphically the decline in the deaths due to enterocolitis under
two years. Deaths from this cause have been reasonably low for the past eleven years.
If we exclude non-residents, there were only 4 deaths (all colored) in the city and none
in the county in 1937. This should be encouraging to our pediatricians, public health
nurses, and dairy inspector, as they constantly stress the importance of sterilization,
pasteurization, and strict cleanliness in the preparation and handling of food for infants
and young children.

Pellagra

During 1937, there were 9 cases of pellagra reported with 2 deaths, as compared to
21 cases reported with 1 death in 1936. Our department is helped very much by the
home demonstration agent in teaching the importance of a balanced diet in curing and
preventing pellagra.

Malaria

There were no deaths from malaria during the year norf were there any malaria
surveys made by the Federal, State, or local health units. We did not find in our medical
care of the indigent sick or have reported to us any areas of malaria concentration any-
where in the county. However, there can be no neglect of drainage and oiling without
ample clinical and laboratory evidence of the presence of malaria.

Meningococcic Meningitis

During 1936, our department had its first experience with meningitis in anything
like epidemic proportions. In the early spring of 1937, we had a return of meningitis
which began to occur with alarming frequency about April 16, with 3 cases. Through
the State Department of Epidemiology, we secured the services or an epidemiologist from
the U. S. Public Health Service-Dr. J. P. Leake. Dr. Leake spent Sunday, April 25,
with the Health Officer, working diligently the whole day in an effort to help control
the spread of the disease. As in the preceding year, the cases all occurred among negroes
and seemed to occur most frequently in homes where some member of the household
was working along the water front. Dr. Leake advised that all the colored people, especi-
ally in the northern end of town (where most of the cases lived), refrain from any un-
necessary crowding-especially the ones who worked along the water front and those ex-
posed to a person who developed the disease.

As soon as the disease had become epidemic, one of our colored nurses was released
from all other duties and gave her whole time to visiting suspects-people in homes from
which cases had been sent to the hospital and convalescing cases. She spent most of
her time trying to explain to all contacts the importance of avoiding crowding and ex-
posing other people to known contacts. She performed this rather hazardous duty faith-
fully until the epidemic subsided completely.

No churches, Sunday schools, theaters, or public gathering places were closed. Dr.
Leake recommended discontinuation of weekly meetings of the longshoremen's association.
The Health Officer attended the next meeting of this organization, asked for and received
their cooperation in not holding their meetings until the disease subsided.

In this connection, special mention should be made of the cooperation of the local
colored newspaper in giving great publicity to the importance of not crowding and in
encouraging colored people to cooperate with our department in trying to control menin-
gitis. The epidemic subsided rather abruptly about the middle of May. All cases were
among negroes. Excluding non-residents, there were 27 cases reported with 6 deaths.
There were 3 non-resident cases reported with 1 death. The case fatality rate was much
better than it had been the year before (14 cases with 9 deaths). The James Walker
Memorial Hospital staff rendered most efficient service to these cases-were strongly
complimented by Dr. Leake on the way they were handling the cases.

f 2 ]

Infant Mortality

When health workers and statisticians consider anything under fifty a good infant
mortality rate, we feel that our rate-55.4 for the year, is not a bad record. In fact, ex-
cept for a rate of 44.8 in 1933, it is probably the best record the department has had. As
is usually the case, slightly more than half of these infants died before they were one week
old. This makes us stress the great importance of prenatal care and obstetrical care
of all pregnant women. In our obstetrical clinic, our prenatal and postnatal nursing
service, and with literature from the Maternity and Infancy Department of the State
Board of Health, we try to teach our expectant mothers the importance of diet, personal
hygiene, and medical care during the whole period of pregnancy and at the time of de-
livery. We try to talk in the language of our patients and in terms of things within their
reach. Many of these women cannot afford the proper food, rest, and living conditions.

The federal government has furnished our clinic a part-time registered nurse, who
has charge of prenatal patients. She takes a personal interest in every case and has done
a really worthwhile work among these women. Her work is directly under the physician
in charge of the clinic and all abnormal conditions are referred to him. This is slow,
but, we believe, a very effective way to teach proper prenatal care. We believe that
this work is at least partly responsible for the fact that we have a more favorable infant
mortality and maternal mortality rate for 1937. This may especially apply to our colored
maternal mortality rate of 7.5, which is a record for our department. Of course, many
other factors play their part in this improvement.

Maternal Mortality

Reference to Table No. 8 will show considerable improvement in our rate. The
most marked improvement was in the colored rate which dropped from 11.9 to 7.5. This
figure with a white rate of 3.8 gives us a total rate of 5.5 against last year's rate of 7.2.
The last paragraph under Infant Mortality applies here also.

Degenerative Diseases

Table No. 1 shows that, as in the past, organic heart disease caused many more
deaths than any other disease. There may be some encouragement in the fact that 58
of these people had passed the age of 65, and 65 were in the age group between 45 and 65.
Deaths from the other degenerative diseases were as follows: Cerebral hemorrhage, 85;
cancer, 37; and nephritis, 65. In this connection we especially recommend routine
physical examinations, preventive dentistry, and properly balanced diet.

Venereal Diseases

Reference to Fig. No. 13 will show that syphilis and gonorrhea make up a good
portion of our reportable diseases. There were 408 cases of syphilis and 238 cases of
gonorrhea reported and probably many cases not reported. Our Venereal Disease Clinic
has grown so that we give a whole forenoon and part of an afternoon to this work, where
we formerly gave only an afternoon.

We hope to receive help from the State (Reynolds Fund) to further extend the facili-
ties of this clinic in the near future.

The Assistant Health Officer's report will show the number of Wassermanns, treat-
ments, etc.

Increased Length of Life

Reference to Fig. No. 11 will show a most gratifying increase in the length of the
lives of our citizens as is indicated by the average age at death. In the twenty-eight
year period from 1910 to 1937, the average age at death has increased from approxi-
mately 31 years to 46 years, a gain of 15 years.

[ 3 ]

The care of the indigent sick has been heavy as usual, but the W. P. A. has aided
greatly in providing nurses and office attendants.

For the fourth time in succession our water has been free from salt the whole year,
thanks to the dykes and tide-gates built around Toomer's Creek with government funds.
Reference to the sanitary engineer's report will show that the purification processes at
the water plant have been most efficient.

The report of the assistant food and dairy inspector shows that our dairies furnished
milk of excellent quality the whole year.

It is impossible to enumerate all of the organizations and individuals that helped
in public health work, but some of the most notable are the Wilmington Star-News in
giving publicity; the Parent-Teachers Association in sponsoring the round-up of pre-
school children and in distributing milk to children infected with tuberculosis; the North
Carolina Sorosis in conducting a baby clinic; the Rotary Club in conjunction with the
State Department of Vocational Rehabilitation in conducting an orthopedic clinic;
the Red Cross Sanatorium in the care of tuberculous patients; and the James Walker
Memorial Hospital in conducting the isolation ward for communicable diseases.

The reports of the various administrative subdivisions of the department are given
as follows:

It is a pleasure to record the loyalty and enthusiasm with which the members of
our staff and the W. P. A. workers in our department have performed their duties.

Assistant Health Officer

Sanitary Engineer

Food and Dairy Inspector

Assistant Food and Dairy Inspector.

Diagnostic Laboratory

Public Health Nurses

Sanitary Inspectors

Hospital

Incinerator.-

Plumbing Inspector

Mosquito Commission.-

.Page

Pages

.Page

Pages

.Page

.Pages

Page

.Page

.Page

Page

.Page

8
9,10
11
12,13
14
14
15
15
16

5

6,7,8

Respectfully submitted,

A. H. ELLIOT, M. D.

County Health Officer.

ASSISTANT COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER'S REPORT
For the Year 1937
Clinic Report

White

Colored

Total

Number home visits

1,060

759

1,822

Number patients treated or examined at office

2,897

5,263

8,160

Number office visits —

4,633

9,698

14,331

Number patients treated or examined, county jail

99

78

177

Number visits to county jail

99

Number patients treated or examined, county home

143

50

193

Number visits to county home

76

Number completed antirabic treatments

6

0

6

Number treatments, hookworm

Number examinations of prisoners

149

142

291

Number examinations for marriage

Number examinations, child for industry

186

69

255

Number examinations by court order

5

9

14

Number examinations, admissions to institutions

29

2

31

Number examinations for lunacy

22

17

39

Number examinations, postmortems

8

12

20

Number examinations, teachers

38

3

41

Number obstetrical cases examined

136

301

437

Number visits by obstetrical cases

428

1,172

1,600

School children examined for scabies

46

14

60

Children examined for other diseases

331

306

637

Number tonsil examinations

119

137

256

Number Wassermann tests (state laboratory)

573

1,591

2,164

Number of Foodhandlers Examined

Food Establishments. 251

Restaurants 118

Dairies 8

Hotels._ 33

Homes 360

Total 771

Venereal Disease Clinic

Syphilis

Gonorrhea

Chancroid

W

B

W

B

W

B

M

F

M

F

M

F

M

F

M

F

M

F

New cases attending clinic

26

25

154

172

18

14

87

100

1

0

3

0

Old cases attending clinic

136

235

493

826

5

12

26

49

2

0

1

0

Treatments

Number doses, arsenicaL

304

466

1,272

1,918

Number doses, bismuth-

119

247

277

620

38

52

139

245

9

0

10

0

Totals of Venereal Diseases

Syphilis: New Cases, 377 Old Cases, 1,613 (Doses Arsenicals, 3,961

\Doses Bismuth, 1,263

Gonorrhea: New Cases, 219 Old Cases, 92 Treatments, 472
Chancroid: New Cases, 4 Old Cases, 3 Treatments, 19

Respectfully submitted,

JOHN O. FULENWIDER, Jr., M. D.
Assistant County Health Officer.

[ 5 ]

SANITARY ENGINEER'S REPORT
For the Year 1937

Dr. A. H. Elliot, County Health Officer,
Wilmington, N. C.

Dear Sir:

The report of the sanitary engineer and the laboratory at the city water purification
plant for the year 1937 is as follows:

Water Works

Blueprints giving complete summaries of all laboratory' results and operating data
accompany this report. Some of the most important results are given in the tables
below:

Operating Statistics

Water treated, in millions of gallons 711 .440

Chemicals used, in pounds per million gallons:

Alum 206

Lime 140

Chlorine 4 .4

Activated Carbon 2 .6

Wash water, per cent of water treated 1 .67

Coal, pounds per million gallons 184

Power, K. W. H. per million gallons 603

The figures given for coal and power are for low lift pumping only, based on one-third
total fuel.

Cost Data

(Does not include depreciation, interest, or insurance.)

Low pressure pumping, labor and materials $ 6,967 .08

Filtration: Chemicals and materials 3,303.08

Supervision, labor, and laboratory 7, 173 .92

Total cost of purification.- $17,444.08

High pressure pumping, labor and materials 20,956.90

Total cost for year 1937 •_ $38,400.98

Cost of purification, 1936 $19,434.99

Total cost for year 1936 $41 ,448 .22

Total cost per million gallons, 1937. $54 .90

Cost of purification per million gallons, 1937 24 .94

Cost of high pressure pumping per million gallons, 1937 29 .96

Total cost per million gallons, 1936 45 .08

Cost of purification per million gallons, 1936 21 .14

Cost of high pressure pumping per million gallons, 1936 23 .94

It is seen that the total cost was lower than in the previous year while the cost per
million gallons was higher. This was due to the fact that considerably less water
was pumped in 1937. 711.440 million gallons were treated in 1937 and 936.280 million
gallons were treated in 1936. The total cost of the coagulant used was less than in any
year in the last 15. The cost was $2,229.63 in 1937 and $9,440.31 in 1922, the last year
before the raw water intake was moved to Toomer's Creek.

16]

Annual Summary of Laboratory Results on the City Water

Average

Maximum

Minimum

Raw

Tap

Raw

Tap

Raw

Tap

Color -

54

7

75

15

40

5

Turbidity

25

0

100

0

10

0

Total Hardness (Soap)

H

31

14

40

8

26

Alkalinity

13

22

22

40

5

14

Chloride

9

9

125

68

6

6

Free Carbon Dioxide

8

0

20

4

3

0

pH Value

6.2

8.9

6.6

9.6

6.0

7.5

Bacteria per ml. 37° C

218

2

3000

26

17

0

B. Coli per 100 ml

341.6

0.006

780.0

0.075

98.6

0

The chemical results given above are in parts per million.

Removal of Bacteria

Ave. Bacteria

Ave. B. Coli

per ml. 37° C.

per 100 ml.

Raw water

218

341.6

Basin effluent

62

4.9

Filter effluent

27

0.54

Sterilized effluent (tap) —

2

0.006

Percentage Removal of Bacterid

Bacteria

B. Coli

By sedimentation

71.6

98.6

By nitration

56.4

89.0

By sterilization

92.6

98.9

Total removal.

99.1

99.99

The sanitary quality of the water delivered to the mains was very high throughout
the year. The filtered water without sterilization easily met the requirements of the
U. S. Treasury Standards as to bacteriological quality. Some trouble with tastes was
experienced in the latter part of June, but was of short duration.

Laboratory

The following examinations were made in the laboratory by the sanitary engineer:

Total plant samples, bacteriological 2 , 957

Water samples from outside sources, bacteriological 1 , 346

Total water samples, chemical 1 , 529

Feces for typhoid 38

Blood for typhoid 14

Urine for typhoid...- 0

Cultures for identification from cadaver 4

Salt

Considerable trouble with salt was experienced in 1937. During October and Novem-
ber it was necessary to operate regularly the gates in the dams at Toomer's Creek. Prac-
tically no salty water reached the city mains, but constant vigilance was required. Highest
chloride concentrations observed were 68 parts per million in the tap water, 125 parts
per million in the raw water, 2,500 parts per million in Cape Fear River at Navassa, and
5,100 parts per million in North East River at Hilton. During the year 659 tests for
chlorides were made.

[ 7 ]

The dikes and dams at Toorner's Creek were of incalculable value to the people of
Wilmington, as without them the water would have been absolutely unfit for drinking
for several weeks, besides causing enormous damage to pipes, tanks, boilers, laundries,
and ice plants.

Recommendations

The following improvements are badly needed at the water purification plant:

1. Roofs should be repaired, especially that covering the laboratory.

2. A valve should be installed on the wash water line, preferably a hydraulic valve.

3. Filter No. 1 should be overhauled. Probably others will need it before the
year is out.

4. Stand-by equipment for pumping from Toorner's Creek should be provided.

5. An electric refrigerator should be provided for the laboratory.

6. All filters should be equipped with rate-of-flow gauges.

Respectfully submitted,
L. I. LASSITER,

Sanitary Engineer.

FOOD AND DAIRY INSPECTOR'S REPORT

For the Year 1937

Dr. A. H. Elliot, County Health Officer,

Wilmington, N. C.
Dear Sir:

I wish to submit the following report for the year 1937:

Cattle _

Calves

Goats....

Hogs

Meat products (pounds). ..
T. B. Tests

Total

Passed

Condemned

905

8

765

9

91

0

2,295

24

5,950

2,098

12,104

41

Number
Inspections

Bakeries 80

Candy Factories 44

Commission Houses 290

Fish andpyster Stalls 510

Groceries 775

Hotels .- 113

Ice Cream Factories 32

Meat Markets.— 1 , 065

Milk Stations 38

Restaurants 1 , 065

Soda Fountains. 880

Dairies 168

Herds 168

Dogs 470

Bottling Plants _ 74

Slaughter Houses 129

TotaL. 5,901

Miles Driven.- 14,400

Respectfully submitted,
R. P. HUFFMAN,

Food and Dairy Inspector.

[8]

ASSISTANT FOOD AND DAIRY INSPECTOR'S REPORT
For the Year 1937

Dr. A. H. Elliot, County Health Officer,

Wilmington, N. C.
Dear Sir:

I respectfully submit the following report for the year 1937:

Number Samples, Average Bacterial Count, Butter Fat, and Total Solids
for 1937, of All Dairies Producing Milk Sold in New Hanover County

NAME

rade

Number
Samples

Average
Bacterial
Count

Number
Samples

Butter
Fat

Number
Samples

Total
Solids

A

26

17,000

25

3.84

25

12.60

A

23

24,000

22

3.92

22

12.70

A

■ 22

6,600

22

4.15

22

13.00

A

21

7,000

21

4.00

21

12.80

A

26

33,000

26

4.00

26

12.80

A

24

5,900

24

4.32

24

13.20

A

23

4,000

22

4.22

22

13.00

A

26

11,500

25

4.20

25

13.04

A

22

6,600

21

4.17

21

13.01

A*

24

5,100

24

3.70

24

12.44

A

25

11,000

24

3.70

24

12.44

A*

26

8,600

25

3.65

25

12.40

A

21

16,000

21

4.23

21

13.08

A

20

5,900

19

4.49

19

13.40

A

23

2,400

24

4.11

24

12.93

A*

23

1,500

23

4.18

23

13.02

A

17

1,700

17

4.07

17

12.84

A*

22

1,700

22

3.88

22

12.66

A

22

20,000

21

3.85

21

12.60

A*

25

8,700

25

3.88

25

12.66

Blake, H. C

Botevsky._

Clemmons

Drevyn

Dixon..._

Garrett

Harrell

Home, C

Home, H. L

Leeuwenburg Dairy

McEachern

McEachern

Meade

Smith._

Swart

Swart

Taylor

Taylor

VanderwaL

White's

Number of Samples and Bacterial Averages of Milk to Pasteurizing Plant

Average

NAME

Grade

Number

Bacterial

Samples

Count

A

47

15,000

A

47

24,000

A

46

25,000

B

48

50,000

B

24

14,000

B

81

35,000

A

48

3,700

20

75,000

3

45,000

Hermitage

Invershiel

Leeuwenburg, John

Plevier.

Sanderson

St. Helena Colony.

Wood

OUT OF BUSINESS

Kromalay

Quinlivan [

Laboratory Report

Bacterial Analyses j,

Butter Fat Analyses _ _

Total Solids Computed

Inspections

Conferences

Miles Driven.. „ 11,853

*Pasteurized.

[ 9 }

932
451
450
557
237

Bacterial Count of All Milk Sold in New Hanover County

Sold Direct to Consumer

January 11,000

February 5,000

March. 5,900

ApriL 9,100

May 5,900

June 17,000

July.— 13,000

August 11,800

September 5,500

October 6,000

November 6,400

December 3 , 600

Pasteurized Before Going
to Consumer

January 36,000

February. 12,000

March 22,000

April... 25,000

May. 41,000

June 32,000

July 19,000

August 29,000

September., 16,000

October 23,000

November. 16,000

December 13,000

Butter Fat and Total Solids Averages, by Months, of All Milk Sold
in New Hanover County

MONTHS

January.

February.

March

April —

May.

June...

July

August-

September.

October

November

December

Butter Fat

Total Solids

Average

Average

4.14

12.97

4.16

13.00

4.06

12.87

3.85

12.65

4.03

12.84

3.98

12.35

3.82

12.60

3.89

12.66

3.58

12.60

3.95

12.72

4.12

12.92

4.42

13.30

Bacterial Count Summary, 1937

(Milk Direct to Consumer)
60.92% of all samples showed a bacterial count of less than 10,000 per cc.
77.93% of all samples showed a bacterial count of less than 25,000 per cc.
11.72% of all samples showed a bacterial count between 25,001 and 50,000 per cc.
3.45% of all samples showed a bacterial count between 50,001 and 100,000 per cc.
3.91% of all samples showed a bacterial count between 100,001 and 200,000 per cc.
.69% of all samples showed a bacterial count between 200,001 and 300,000 per cc.
.46% of all samples showed a bacterial count between 300,001 and 500,000 per cc.
1.38% of all samples showed a bacterial count between 500,001 and 1,000,000 per cc.
.46% of all samples showed a bacterial count of over 1,000,000 per cc.

Milk Pasteurized Before Going to Consumer

29.41% of all samples showed a bacterial count of less than 10,000 per cc.
52.10% of all samples showed a bacterial count of less than 25,000 per cc.
25.49% of all samples showed a bacterial count between 25,001 and 50,000 per cc.
9.52% of all samples showed a bacterial count between 50,001 and 100,000 per cc.
8.12% of all samples showed a bacterial count between 100,001 and 200,000 per cc.
2.24% of all samples showed a bacterial count between 200,001 and 300,000 per cc.

.56% of all samples showed a bacterial count between 300,001 and 500,000 per cc.
1.13% of all samples showed a bacterial count between 500,001 and 1,000,000 per cc.
.84% of all samples showed a bacterial count of over 1,000,000 per cc.

Respectfully submitted,
J. B. EDWARDS,

Assistant Food and Dairy Inspector.

[ 10 ]

DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY REPORT
For the Year 1937

WHITE

COLORED

Total

Pos.

Neg.

Pos.

Neg.

Throat swabs for Vincent's angina

Throat cultures for diphtheria

Sputa for tuberculosis.

Smears for gonorrhea

Feces for parasites

Spinal fluid for meningoccocus

White blood count

17

14P-27E
1P-3E
31P-36E

7

0

6

3

2

2

23

150P-195E
5

134P-135E
50
1

5
4
6
160
0

22P-24E
2
0
0
2

2

40P-45E
6P-8E
435P-437E
8P-10E
7

47
270
22
768
67
32
8
3
2

27

Red blood count

Differential blood count

Blood smears for malaria

17

6

WHITE

COLORED

1,811

Urinalyses

500P-647E

823P-1164E

Respectfully submitted,

SARA C. CANTWELL,
Laboratory Technician.

[ 11 ]

WILMINGTON PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING ASSOCIATION
For the Year 1937

Communicable Disease

Diphtheria

Typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever.

Scarlet fever

Meningitis

Measles.

Whooping Cough—

Other (specify) mumps

Chickenpox.

Immunizations

Smallpox

Diphtheria — under 1 year

Diphtheria — 1 through 4 years.
Diphtheria — 5 years and over-
Typhoid Fever

Other (specify)-

Tuberculosis
Individuals admitted to nursing service.

Visits to private physicians

Field nursing visits....

Other service (specify) X-Rays made....

Maternity Service

Cases admitted to antepartum nursing service

Visits by antepartum cases to private physicians.

Field nursing visits to antepartum cases.—

Office nursing visits by antepartum cases

Cases admitted to postpartum nursing service

Nursing visits to postpartum cases

Other service (specify)

Midwife visits to office

Infant and Pre-School Hygiene

Individuals admitted to medical service

Individuals admitted to nursing service

Visits to medical conferences—

Visits to private physicians

Field nursing visits

Other service (specify)

Individuals admitted to medical service

Individuals admitted to nursing service

Visits to medical conferences—

Visits to private physicians

Field nursing visits

Inspections by dentists or dental hygienists..
Prophylaxis by dentists or dental hygienists.
Other service (specify)

This
Year

35
12
5

315
5

78
71

58

680
110
46
102
503
6

47
7

537

3

579
23
2,357
1,817

554
1,061

74

647
645
21
6,186

881
670
9

1,683
524

Last
Year

Total

all
C. D.

Visits
182

685
130
59
21
796

31

480

570

2,159
1,494
442
916

69

651

334

5,923

609
334

1,837
265

1937
White

32
10
4

2
48
35
21

328
32
27
46

372
6

24
6
212
2

259
18
940
543
230
517

17

335
23
21
2,692

750
484
4

1,396
440

1 12 ]

WILMINGTON PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING ASSOCIATION— Continued

This

Last

1937

1937

Year

Year

White

Colored

School Hygiene

20 431

22, 144

7,485

12 946

T*nr?i"\rir?ncjlc 9r1miff"pH td nnrtinff QPT'V/IPP

1*420

3 ' 543

999

421

Field nursing visits..-

3446

4,' 065

2,093

1,053

Inspections by dentists or dental hygienists

3,250

528

2,694

556

Prophylaxis by dentists or dental hygienists....

3,410

649

2,668

742

Other service (specify)

Classroom health talks

191

86

51

140

Attendance

7,158

3,265

1,835

5,323

9 80?

5 425

3 022

Admissions to nursing service

999

847

706

293

Field nursing visits

4,142

4,253

2,904

1,238

Refractions

8

7

1

Tonsil and adenoid operations

5

3

< PI 2

Other service (specify)

Pnmtnnmra hip T^iqpjiqp f^nTitrnl

569

606

350

219

Schick positive (under age 10)

239

159

148

81

Tuberculin negative (under age 20)

178

161

144

34

'"TnVipr'pnl in T^nQiti\7P fnnHpr o nrp 'lOi

44

45

15

1 -*-r*Ti r\w n PQ frpo fry» pr» f c

XIlldllLy jTIC Ot^JLLUUlj ctiiU. OCJUUU1 AXjf glClIC

Children referred for medical care

5,323

6,165

3,105

2,218

Children with defects corrected

Teeth

360

371

Oil

21

Tonsils

200

181

146

54

Eyes „

100

69

89

11

General Public Health Instruction

9 101

ooo

09?

1 17Q

1)1/7

Administration

Vi«i1"Q tn crVirvnlc;

1 041

825

644

397

Hours in office

4^466

2,248

3,499

967

Hours in field

15,544

14,049

10,854

4,690

Miles traveled-

26,935

20,041

26,933

Not-home visits

790

523

320

570

Days off duty

20

13

7

Clinic visits...

218

182

100

118

COLUMBIA MUNDS, R. N.,
Supervising Nurse.

( 13 ]

JAMES WALKER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL REPORT
Far the Year 1937

Dr. A. H. Elliot, County Health Officer,

Wilmington, N. C.
Dear Sir:

We hand you herewith a report of the charity patients admitted and discharged

for the year 1937:

Number remaining in hospital January 1, 1937 62

Number admitted during 1937— 2 , 555

TotaL.„ 2,617

Number discharged during 1937 2,571

Number remaining in hospital January 1, 1938 46

TotaL__„ 2,617

Births (included in admissions) 444 (Inc. 19 S. B.)

Deaths (included in discharges) 192 (Inc. 19 S. B.)

Charity hospital days for the year 22,686

Included in these days are 3,318 part pay days.

Very truly yours,
JAMES WALKER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL,
Newton Fisher, Superintendent.
By James S. Hall, M. D.

SANITARY INSPECTORS' REPORT
For the Year 1937

INSPECTIONS

City

County

Total

W

C I Total | W | C I Total | W I C

Grand
Total

Private premises...

Camp sites

Swimming pools....

Barber shops and
beauty parlors..

Schools

Public water sup-
plies

Excreta disposal...

Total Inspections.

New privies installed...

Privies restored

New septic tanks in-
stalled

New sewer connections

Sewer connections re-
stored

New sewers laid

Water supplies im-
proved

Complaints investi-
gated

Houses condemned

Water samples taken....

Quarantines

Court proceedings in-
stituted

Approved individual
water supplies in
stalled

Miles driven by county
inspector

10,748

28

30

315
1,787

69

6
64

4
44

71

203

340
241

41

7,316

17

112

9,260

33

87
17

25

70
22
113

38

10

18,064

28

47

427
11,047

102

6

66

91
61

96

273
22
453
279

51

2,224
1

31

326
2,325

104
107

58

443
121

73

1,988
1

52

93
1,794

56

17

128
32

4,212
2

83

419
4,119

144

104
145
101

571
153

73

12,972
1

61

641
4,112

157

55
113

4
148

178

261

783
362

114

9,304
1

69

205
11,054

89

19

87
17

63

113
22

241
70

10

22,276
2

28

130

846
15,166

246

55
132

91
165

241

374
22
1,024
432

124
15,457

[ 14 ]

PLUMBING INSPECTOR'S REPORT
Far the Year 1937

Dr. A. H. Elliot, County Health Officer,

Wilmington, N. C.
Dear Sir:

I wish to submit the following report for the year 1937:

No. Fixtures
Inspected

Toilets 580

Bath Tubs 254

Sinks. 316

Lavatories 547

Sewers 59

Urinals 5

Floor Drains 24

Laundry Trays ■ 1

Showers 29

Laundry Tubs.— 2

Relays 1

Slop Hoppers 16

Total 1,834

Respectfully submitted,

J. W. GRIFFITH,
Plumbing Inspector of New Hanover County.

INCINERATOR REPORT
For the Year 1937

Number of loads of trash destroyed 26,499

Number of loads of garbage destroyed 985

Number of large animals destroyed (horses and cows) 36

Number of pounds of fish destroyed 5 , 500

Number of pounds of flower bulbs destroyed 5,600

Number of pounds of strawberry caps destroyed 16, 100

Number of pounds of railroad records destroyed 48 , 000

Number of hogs destroyed (400 lbs.) _ 5

Average cost per ton refuse destroyed 60c

I 15 ]

DRAINAGE SUPERVISOR'S REPORT
For the Year 1937

Dr. A. H. Elliot, County Health Officer,

Wilmington, N. C.
Dear Sir:

I wish to submit the following report of work done for the year starting April 1,
and ending October 31, 1937:

Number times oiled regular route.. 12

Number times oiled at Eagle Island 12

Number times oiled at County Home.... 1?

Number times oiled at Red Cross Sanatorium.. _ 12

Number times oiled at Winter Park, Seagate, Wrightsville _ 12

Number times oiled at Boy Scout Camp 5

Number times oiled at Greenfield Lake 12

Number times oiled at Carolina, Wilmington, Kure's Beaches.... 11

Number times oiled at Dow Chemical Company..... 11

Number barrels and tanks oiled at Eagle Island 12 times.... 192

Number places of discarded automobiles oiled 12 times. ._ 4

Number fire barrels nitrocaked 75

Number fire barrels oiled 12 times 221

Number tanks nitrocaked at Cement Products Co .... 42

Number sand traps oiled 12 times 1,212

Number gallons No. 4 mosquito oil used .- ..... 6,552

Number cisterns inspected _ 6

Number cisterns filled _ 3

Number cisterns covered 3

Number basements filled 1

Number ponds oiled in county 12 times 28

Number inspections made in county _ 862

New ditches dug by W. P. A. labor. Miles 2

Ponds drained by W. P. A. labor 15

Ponds drained by W. P. A. labor .. ...Acres 24.60

Swamp drained by W. P. A. labor _ _ Acres 9.1

Clearing by W. P. A. labor. Acres 3 .8

Number families visited in county.. _ .— 587

Number houses screened- 422

Number houses not screened 165

Number people visited in county. 2,437

Number people with symptoms of malaria.. 5

Number people with no symptoms of malaria 2,432

Equipment and tools on hand October 31, 1937: 1 Chevrolet truck, 1 trailer, 1 150-
gallon oil drum, 1 110-gallon oil drum, 38 50-gallon oil drums, 1,500 gallons refuse oil, 1
crosscut saw, 1 boat, 6 buckets, 4 fertilizer rakes, 3 mud scoops, 1 club ax, 11 pea rakes, 3
long handle rakes, 4 grass blades, 14 shovels, 18 brush hooks, 2 weed hoes, 2 hay knives,

4 mattocks, 1 crowbar, 1 grab hook, 2 picks, 1 grind rock, 1 log chain, 1 pike, 1 sod cutter,

5 knapsack spray cans, 1 funnel.

Respectfully submitted,
G. T. MORGAN,

Drainage Supervisor.

[ 16]

TABLE No. 1

MORTALITY STATISTICS FOR CITY OF WILMINGTON AND NEW HANOVER COUNTY FOR THE YEAR 1937

CITY

COUNTY

DEATHS

BY AGE

CAUSES OF DEATH

1 Coun

White

Black

White

Black

City am

Last Ye

M

F

M

F

Total

M

F

M

F

Total

Under 1

5-15

15-25

25-45

45-65

65-100

Total \11 Causes

781

709

176

127

158

186

647

36

28

27

43

134

92

9

20

29

63

152

237

179

1. Typhoid Fever

41

1

2

1

1>

41

1

H

1

3. Smallpox

4. Measles.

6. Whooping Cough

22

. ...

7. Diphtheria

f

2"

i '"

T"

i '

8. Influenza _

62

7

2> '

.__

...........

42

i"

1

2"

22"

i'

'" 2

9. Dysentery. — _

_____

...........

10. Other Epidemic Diseases _

7'"

6

7»"

F"

31"

zzzz

2"

i '

zzzzzz.

zzzz.

11. Tetanus

31

1

j 1

1

1

31

~

ll

1

1

12. Pellagra

31

1

__._„

2i

2>

1

zzzz

..........

2""

11

332

38 1

r

3""

7

13

31"

4""

12i

202

.........

is1

4

14 Oth^F^rms^Tulie^uSii

92

2

3"

4

71

ji

1

21

W

J~

2""

1

1 S Syphilis

ll1

6

1

61

91

1

2

1>

5

5

16. Cancer and Other Malignant Tumors.

18. Organic Heart Disease. _

458

38'

61

I45

3

I42
28

37s

2

5 "

1

8

r~

91

204

15"

92 7

821

121

132

242
28 1

775

41

21

_____

4

152

li"

ZZ'Z

11

14

482

283

161"

137"

38"

276

32 1

12512

10

82

8

10

362

21

1

242

73s

6I3

31=

376

73

102

5

5

275

1

1

1

4

84

i '

r~

31'"

2

1

5

10

20. Other Forms Pneumonia. _

50'

407

72

6

151

174

457

2

2

1

5

41'

4

5'

142

133

10

21. Other Respiratory Diseases

r "

22. Diseases of Stomach .. _ _

3

2

1

2

I".:::

l""

i"

1

2

23. Diarrheal Diseases

2216

21"

77

33

3

41

17"

4>

5"

151*2

W

lj"

l1

24. Appendicitis and Typhilitis _

76
72

72
ll3

43
21

33
1 1

i"

78
72

11

21
4

l1

26 C-^osfe^fXivIfr *^")struct'on "

31

3

21

1

31

1

JI"

27. Nephritis

72?

571

183

15

_____

„„_„.

607

i"

3"

3"

S

12

¥'

2"

13'

30'

2S»

28. Diabetes.

71

63

21

5

71

11

_i"

2

3

29. Diseases of Women (not cancer)

30. Puerperal Septicemia. _ _

31
42

52""

21

32

3>

32

i"

32

1
1

31. Other Puerperal Diseases

32. Congenital Debility and Malformation

33. Old Age

52

9e

V~

31

52

ji

41

2

2

1 ""

2 "

.........

3

2

2"

2

i""

34. Suicide.._

61

6

5'"

61

..........

2l"

2""

35. Automobile Accidents

2412

96

127

31

42

22

2112

3

53

84

21

73

36. Other Accidents

37. Homicide _

31"
143

37"
U«

83
21

3

94
71

31
31

23s
123

63

1

83
2

32"

3

8"
4'

51
71

82
3l

4

38. Prematurity

39. All Other Causes-

298
8230

in30

96
2812

52
15"

51
182

10
16*

298
7727

11

..„_...

.__

53

"29s"
2510

r~

5a"'

........

I3"

._„_._

„„._.

_T

Total, Excluding Non-Residents.— _ _

626

S95

118

92

137

163

510

26

22

41

116

50

7

12

18

40

132

205

162

Death Rates per 1,000 _ _

14.0

13.3

11

.3

23

.4

16.4

5

3

17

.0

8.9

Non-residents to be deducted in small numerals.

TABLE No. 2

COMPARATIVE VITAL STATISTICS, CITY OF WILMINGTON

1937

1936

1935

1934

1933

1932

1931

1930

1929

1928

1927

1926

1925

1924

1923

1922

1921

1920

1919

1918

1917

1916

Estimated Populatioa.

31,445

31,555

31,665

31'79842

31 '780

31,995

32,160

32,270

32 , 380

32,490

32,600

2,710

32,820

32 , 930

33,040

33,150

33 , 260

33,370

32,360

31,844

31 ,082

30,320

Total Live Births

969104

9Q095

844"

873

799

890

829

872

922

952

1,010

981

997

1,059

1,104

1,012

875

705

705

755

Total Stillbirths

57

33

52

54

41

51

62

55

56

59

66

64

64

78

90

91

78

86

72

95

80

Deaths — All Ages

647137

497

506

505

476

450

476

521

518

532

475

458

468

478

467

525

547

563

533

713

527

443

Deaths — Under One Year

48

56

62

60

36

71

78

63

60

79

105

83

96

113

86

97

113

122

111

100

130

108

Infant Mortality Rate

55.4

69.4

80.3

79.3

44.8

81.3

97.6

70.7

73.5

90.5

113.8

87.1

95.0

115.1

86.2

91.5

102.3

120.5

126.8

141.4

184.5

143.0

Deaths irom Principal Diseases:

Typhoid Fever

4l

1

21

41

31

ji

21

2i

22

42

i

2

4

3

15

8

2

4

Smallpox

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Measles

0

0

0

0j

3

0

0

0

0

2

1

0

0

5

0

0

5

0

0

0

1

0

Scarlet Fever

0

0

0

0

0

22

0

1

0

0

0

2

0

1

0

0

0

0

Whooping Cough __

0

21

32

92

0

31

• 72

1

0

0

7

3

3

0

9

1

0

6

1

2

3

0

Diphtheria

1

21

0

22

43

1

31

32

4

63

2i

52

55

1

2

2

1

0

2

0

Influenza..

42

7

102

3

2

6i

84

14i

417

153

,45

91

31

22 3

15

J

60

32

31

4

0

Tuberculosis, All Forms

20'

18

221

19

261

17

31

28i

14

17i

223

252

17i

352

422

35

39

41

48

49

52

43

37s

294

40

374

33

28i

25"

284

22 5

253

303

283

32 5

285

292

35

24

21

21

22

19

17

Organic Heart Disease

125^

no9

1137

101 6

916

797

747

1005

112"

1085

821°

603

755

708

522

55

48

53

36

72

68

29

Pneumonia, All Forms

7212

668

6411

153

42 9

525

624

619

589

7710

587

69s

60i 3

59s

464

68

50

44

56

225

58

46

Pneumonia, Lobar and

Undefined

306

365

424

39s

40s

466

322

401

41 6

424

363

47

33

25

37

34

Pneumonia, Broncho

275

303

264

l<5

123

16

20

221

18i

31s

265

297

197

172

101

21

17

19

19

147

24

12

Diarrhea and Enteritis

(Under Two Yrs.)

15"

107

15i2

165

51

18s

102

6i

92

15s

146

101

14i

395

274

23

47

22

39

55

52

37

Nephritis _

607

511

503

707

72«

691

65"

909

924

621°

51

58*

524

509

656

68

79

51

57

51

60

62

Puerperal State

84

148

104

72

104

51

131

145

123

95

102

102

91

121

93

14

10

6

10

3

10

9

Communicable Diseases Reuorlci):

Typhoid Fever

9:l

52

8i

71

9

16i

5

101

7i

8

7

7

3

16

17

18

39

30

68

50

39

27

Smallpox

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

21

13

6

66

28

5

1

6

23

1

0

7

0

Measles

7

1

17i

101

1,700

6

31

4

3

784

1,304

25

4

709

77

9

1,469

12

17

124

445

75

Scarlet Fever

7

231

10

162

32

39

36

44

37

17

38

39

40

26

41

33

49

57

43

2

15

Whooping Cough _

248

17

150

297

29

341

362

357

28

48

341

270

72

66

460

120

19

192

178

221

107

13

Diphtheria

20'

28' a

5

299

23

291

535

697

939

43

38

34

20

23

37

52

38

62

44

15

30

20

Non-residents to be deducted in small numerals.

TABLE No. 3

CRUDE DEATH RATE PER THOUSAND, CITY OF WILMINGTON
(Non-Residents Excluded)

White

Black

Total

21.0

37.0

28.5

15.2

29^6

22.0

11. 1

01 O

on o

13.3

27.9

20.2

12.5

23.9

17.9

10.7

18.7

14.5

12.4

21.7

16.8

20.4

24.1

22.2

13.0

18.9

16.2

12.5

23.3

16.9

13.6

20.7

16.4

11.3

22.6

15.8

9.1

21.6

13.8

9.2

22.4

14.5

9.9

20.6

14.3

10.3

19.4

14.0

9.2

22.4

14.6

13.2

21.0

16.4

11.8

22.2

16.0

11.8

22.8

16.2

10.0

21.8

14.8

10.5

19.2

14.1

11.1

20.4

14.3

12.3

21.1

15.1

12.1

21.5

16.0

12.4

20.7

15.7

11.3

23.4

16.4

1911
1912
1913
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924.
1925
1926.
1927.
1928.
1929
1930.
1931.
1932.
1933.
1934.
1935.
1936.
1937.

TABLE No. 4

BIRTHS
CITY AND COUNTY
For the Year 1937

White

Black

Total

Grand
Total
M.&F.

M

F

M

F

W

B

W.&B.

CITY

Births (exclusive of stillbirths)

299

291

194

185

59086

37918

969104

Stillbirths

7

5

23

20

14

43

57

COUNTY

Births (exclusive of stillbirths)

6

6

8

9

12

17

29

Stillbirths

0

0

0

1

0

1

1

White

Black

Total

Birth Rate, city alone. _

31.7

29.6

31.2

Birth Rate, county outside city._

1.3

4.2

2.2

Birth Rate, city and county.

21.7

23.4

22.3

Total Deaths in City Under One Year of Age to 1,000 Live Births

(Stillbirths and Non-Residents Excluded)

Deaths Under
1 Year

Total Live
Births

Ratio

This Year

48
56

969104

90Q95

55.4
69.4

Last Year

Non-residents to be deducted in small numerals.

TABLE No. 5

INFANT MORTALITY, CITY OF WILMINGTON, 1937

Total 1937

Total 1936

WHITE

COLORED

DEATHS BY AGE

Male

■i
1

j Total

Male

Female

Total

W less than
S one hour

C less than
one hour

One hour
to one
day

One day
to one
week

One week
to one
month

One month
to two
months

Two
months

to six
months

Six
months
to twelve
months

W

C

W

C

W

c

W

c

W

c

W

C

AH Causes. _ _

1. Measles

82

74

29

15

44

20

18

38

17

11

3

6

2

8

0

1

11

8

7

3

2. Scarlet Fever..

3. Whooping Cough

4. Diphtheria.

5. Influenza

22

2

I1

""j"f

22

22

6. Dysentery

7. Erysipelas

8. Meningococci Meningitis.—

9. Tetanus

10. Tuberculosis, Respiratory

.......

.......

........

11. Tuberculosis, Meninges.

"jji""'

.......

12. Tuberculosis, Other Forms „

13. Syphilis

14. Convulsions

.........

15. Bronchitis

i

f

.......

___

.......

........

i

..........

........

........

..........

16. Broncho Pneumonia

84

5

P

2

4

17. Pneumonia

21

18. Diseases of Stomach.

..........

19. Diarrhea and Enteritis

. ....

66

"9-9-

.......

.......

20. Congenital Malformation

3

1

}

21. Congenital Debility _

........

......

.......

.........

.....

....

22. Prematurity...

3510

""321V

ii'is"

52

16s

-gj

"192"

""42"

ll8

23. Injury at Birth

4*

82

33

44

22

22

24. Other Diseases of Infancy

25. External Causes

26. Unknown or IU Denned

2 "

.........

........

....

.........

........

.........

27. All Other Causes.—

Total, Non-Residents Excluded

Total Live Births

...........

48
969 104

10'
56

7

.......

7

......

14

.......

16

.......

18

......

34

.......

........

8

.........

9

.........

6

0

.........

1

7

2

.........

Mortality Rates per 1,000

55.4

69.4

Non-residents to be deducted in small numerals.

TABLE No. 6

CARE OF MOTHERS AT TIME OF BIRTH OF THEIR CHILDREN, 1937

CITY

COUNTY

WHITE

COLORED

WHITE

COLORED

lty Birtl

Births

ty Births

and Com

and Com

.S

■a

irths

City

irths

Coun

City

City

Live B

Stillbir

' Total

Live B

StiUbir

Total

Total

Total

i

Stillbir

Total

Live B

Stillbir

Total

Total

Total

Total

Total

Delivered by physicians in hospitals _

Delivered by physicians in homes

564

13

577

95.5

324

34

358

84.8

935

91.1

935
58

21

1

22

3.6

11

6

17

4.0

39

3.8

9

75.0

9

10

55.5

19

63.3

5.5

Total delivered by physicians. _

585

14

599

99.1

335

40

375

974

94.9

9

9

75.0

9

10

55.5

19

63.3

993

94.0

Delivered by midwives

5

5

43

3

46

10^9

51

4:9

3

3

25.0

44.4

11

36.6

62
1

5.8

Unattended.

.2

Total Births

590

14

604

379

43

422

1,026

2

12

17

1

18

30

1,056

TABLE No. 7
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES REPORTED DURING YEAR 1937

CITY

White Black

M

M

COUNTY

White Black

M

M

TOTAL

City

County

Diphtheria -

Chickenpox.„

Scarlet Fever

Typhoid Fever

Paratyphoid

Typhus Fever

Malaria

Meningitis

Infantile Paralysis-
Pellagra

Pneumonia

Septic Sore Throat.
Whooping Cough.....

Tuberculosis

Influenza

Measles

German Measles

Smallpox

Gonorrhea...

Syphilis

Chancroid

42
74
3
3
l1
2

102
72
2

32

2

16
0

204
167
7

93
l1
3

3
35
6
2
1
1

22 1

1141
2

1

127
5

1

50
31

57
52

51

293
21
5
2
1

248
34
1
7
7

1

107
144

14

29

68
111

103
188
1

15
30

13
31

202
336
2

36
72

Non-residents in small numerals

TABLE No. 8

MATERNAL MORTALITY RATES FOR PAST TWENTY-FOUR YEARS
In Five and One Year Periods
(Per 1,000 Live Births)
Wilmington and New Hanover County

LIVE BIRTHS

STILLBIRTHS

Grand

Total

Total

Total

White

Rate

Colored

Rate

Live

White

Colored

Still-

Births

Births

1914-1918

2,426

13.6

2,229

12.1

4,655

119

383

502

5,157

1919-1923

3,587

11.1

2,455

14.2

6,042

102

279

381

6,423

1924-1928

3,342

8.9

2,232

15.6

5,574

93

194

287

5,861

1929-1933

2,813

9.5

1,831

21.8

4,644

112

183

295

4,939

TOTAL

12,168

10.6

8,747

15.6

20,915

426

1,039

1,465

22,380

Total Pate Over 70 Vear PerioH_

12.7

1934

50335

4.2

3437

11.9

84642

Total Pate 1934

7.4

1935

52763

6.4

3659

8.4

89272

17

36

53

Total Pate 1035

7.3

1936

58482

3.9

34913

11.9

93395

17

30

47

Total Pate 1Q3rt

7.2

1937

602 8 6

3.8

39618

7.5

99gi04

14

44

58

Total Pate 1937

CAUSES OF MATERNAL DEATHS FOR PAST TWENTY-FOUR YEARS

Eclampsia

Septic Infection

Hemorrhage

All Other Causes

Total

White

Colored

White

Colored

White

Colored

White

Colored

1914-1918

17

13

4

5

3

3

9

6

60

1919-1923

17

14

5

6

6

2

12

13

75

1924-1928

12

11

2

13

3

3

13

8

65

1929-1933

8

14

6

10

2

4

11

12

67

TOTAL

54

52

17

34

14

12

45

39

267

1934

l1

1

l1

32

l1

1

2

32

137

1935

31

l1

31

21

1

104

1936

21

21

22

3

l1

43

148

1937

1

l1

21

2

21

l1

94

Non-residents in small numerals.

LX i

Fjg. No. 1

Crude Death Rate P

IR Thousand

City of Wilmington

^ /»,

—

Colored . .

Wh 1 TE

! 1 1 I

! L L..J._.

i ■■■ \zz

i i L L_—

Qi

~W5

1910

330

191 p

1920

1925

1930

Fig. No. 2

Death Rates For Tue
New Hanover County

ERCULOSIS, rtLL FORMJ

Including City of Wi

(Per Hundred Thousa
lmington

nd)

\. —

i 4

\

x w„

/colored —

Total , , , „

,Vhite

270

210
150

90

375
300

225

150
75

t-A-

Entef

o Colitis
(Per

Death Rati
Hundred Ti

, 0 I TY OF

iousand)

WlLMINGTOI

\

\

\

H

I I I I

MM

Mil

j Mr

MM

MM

Mala

ua Death 1
(Per Hundi

^ate, City
iED Thousa

OF WlLMIN

jd)

ITON

M

TV-

K

w

W

VlTT"

ml

_rrTT_

MIL

1910

1915

1920

"1925

1940

Fig

. No. 6

Organic heart '.
City of Wilm

HSEASE DEATH R
MGTON

ATE

y
y

(Per Hun;

ired Thousand)

1

V —

/

__i_J_J_J__

Ll. i • .1 -

-Mi J

160

1 I I i r

1920

1925 1930 1935

Fig. No

Seasonal Incidence of Deaths 1925 to 1937
New Hanover County Including City of Wiuiin gtcn

Rates Per Thousand

. . j

Jan j Feb I Mar j Apr (May |June (July j Aug (Sept ! Oct j Nov | Dec

Fig. No. 7
Infant Mortality Rate :

ity of Wilmington

900
750
600
400
300
150

7 \WJi

Fig. No. 9
Degenerative and Acut^ Infectious Dise/
anover county Inc

/ \ Citv of Wilmington

Degenerative .
Acute Infect io

1920

J L

"T92T

E Death Rates

yi

T930-""'

Fig. No. 12

Maternal Death Rate, All Cau
New Hanover County Including

;es (Per 10C0 Live Births)
City of Wilmington)

• 1 ! 1 L L_

I ! i i " I r1"

— 1 J J l

i — i — i r~

1-~ ' _L__

\~ i r r — -

L___L X-

I ! I I

! f

I — - I I 1

1914 1920 1925 1930 1935 1937

Consolidated Board of Health

WILMINGTON AND NEW HANOVER COUNTY
NORTH CAROLINA

ADDISON HEWLETT, Chairman
Chairman, Board County Commissioners

H. M. ROLAND, THOS. E. COOPER

Superintendent Public Instruction Mayor, City of Wilmington

W. HOUSTON MOORE, M. D. J. C. WESSELL, M. D.

H. L. KEITH, D. D. S.

OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AND AFFILIATES

A. H. Elliot, M. D Health Officer

John O. Fulen wider, Jr., M. D Assistant Health Officer and County Physician

R. P. Huffman, D. V. M Food and Dairy Inspector

L. I. Lassiter Sanitary Engineer

J. B. Edwards Assistant Food and Dairy Inspector

Mrs. Lamont Smith Secretary-
Mrs. Sara Cantwell Laboratory Technician

J. W. Griffith Plumbing Inspector

PUBLIC HEALTH NURSES

Miss Columbia Munds ..Supervisor

Paid by Ministering Circle

Mrs. Addie Peiffer District No. 1

Paid by Ministering Circle

Miss Georgia Ezzell County Nurse

Paid by Board of Health

Miss Zou Mercer _ District No. 4

Paid by Wilmington Chapter Red Cross and by Wilmington
Public Health Nursing Association

Mrs. Margaret Nixon. District No. 3

Paid by Wilmington Public Health Nursing Association

Mrs. Jeannette Hall County Nurse

Paid by Board of Health

Miss Dorothy Bland District No. 2

Paid by Board of Health

Clifford Richardson _ District No. 6

Paid by Board of Health

Alice Crawley. _ District No. 7

Paid by Board of Health

I

SANITARY INSPECTORS
W. H. Hancammon H. W. Hunter

F. P. Blanchard Porter Wagstaff

W. C. Haas T. L. Jenkins

CD. Rivenbark, Superintendent Incinerator

White Colored Total

Population Rural New Hanover,~County 9 , 190 4 , 141 13,338

Population City of Wilmington 18 , 604 12 , 836 31, 445

Total population City and County.„ 27 , 791 16,972 44, 784

Annual appropriation to Health^ Department $46,944.70

Appropriation to New Hanover County Mosquito Commission 2,800.00

Expeditures of Wilmington Public Health Nursing Association

(Contributions) 5,566.11

Total Official Agencies _ $55,310.81

Expense of trash, garbage, and^scavenging collections is not included in health appro-
priations.

Wilmington's milk supply comes entirely from tuberculin tested cows.
Wilmington has seventy-one miles of sewer mains.

Wilmington has an incinerating plant for the destruction of all garbage and refuse.
Wilmington is better drained than any southern coastal city.

Wilmington capital has supplied modern and up-to-date equipment for pasteurization
of milk, and cold storage of meats and perishable foods.

WILMINGTON SUPPLIES ITS CITIZENS WITH SAFE AND WHOLESOME
WATER.

New Hanover County has supplied every school, white and colored, with sanitary toilets.

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