Am.  Jeur.  Pharm.  \ 
May,  1876.  j 
Editorial. 
art  and  science  from  all  parts  of  the  globe.  The  following  communication  will 
furnish  this  information  : 
United  States  Centennial  Commission— International  Exhibition,  1876,  Philadelphia— Bureau  of 
Medical  Service. — Owing  to  the  very  large  number  of  persons  who  contemplate  a  visit  to  Philadelphia 
during  the  coming  summer,  it  seems  important  that  the  utmost  publicity  should  be  given  to  all  facts  bear- 
ing on  the  sanitary  condition  of  the  city. 
The  following  statistics,  which  have  been  obtained  from  the  most  authentic  sources  accessible,  repre- 
sent the  mortality  in  some  of  the  chief  cities  of  the  world  during  the  past  four  or  five  years : 
Number  of  Years. 
Average  Population. 
Average  Total 
Mortality. 
Average  Death  Rate 
per  Thousand. 
5 
648.560 
20,424 
31*42 
5 
994-458 
29.601 
29-93 
4 
9  50, 000 
28,420 
29-91 
5 
3,284,488 
76,74i 
23*33 
4 
1,851,792 
42,724 
23*06 
5 
744,831 
i6,573 
22-27 
While  thus  showing  an  average  rate  of  mortality  more  favorable  than  that  found  in  any  other  city  con- 
taining over  500,000  inhabitants,  Philadelphia  has  recently  (1874)  attained  a  degree  of  healthfulness 
almost  unparalleled,  viz.,  with  a  population  at  that  time  of  775,000,  the  number  of  deaths  was  but  14.966, 
giving  a  death  rate  of  only  19*3  per  thousand.  These  very  favorable  results  are  largely  due  to  the  abun- 
dant and  cheap  water-supply,  and  to  the  opportunities  given,  even  to  the  poorest  citizens,  for  the  enjoy- 
ment of  pure  country  air  in  the  great  Fairmount  Park,  which  contains  2,991  acres.  The  extent  to  which 
this  is  valued  by  the  citizens  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  during  the  year  1875,  the  Park  was  vis- 
ited by  over  eleven  million  persons. 
The  most  powerful  influence  of  all,  however,  is  the  absence  of  that  overcrowding  of  the  population, 
which  is  the  most  fruitful  source  of  sickness  and  death  in  many  quarters  of  nearly  all  other  large  cities. 
This  will  be  more  clearly  comprehended  when  it  is  remembered  that  the  817,488  inhabitants  of  Philadel- 
phia are  spread  over  an  area  of  129%  square  miles,  which  are  traversed  by  more  than  one  thousand  miles 
of  streets  and  roads;  and  that  the  city  contains,  in  addition  to  other  kinds  of  buiidings,  143,000  dwelling- 
houses  occupied  by  families, — a  number  exceeding  by  over  40,000  that  of  any  other  city  in  America. 
The  climate  of  Philadelphia  is  also,  on  the  whole,  a  favorable  one,  although  presenting  many  of  the 
peculiarities  common  to  inland  localities.  The  mean  annual  temperature  of  the  last  ten  years  is  53  730 
Fahrenheit;  the  average  annual  rain-fall  is  about  forty-five  inches. 
The  following  table  exhibits  the  mean  temperature  of  each  month  for  the  past  ten  years,  showing  that 
the  range  is  far  less  extreme  than  is  found  in  many  other  less  favorably  situated  localities  : 
Mean  Temperature  [Fahrenheit)  of  Each  Month  during  the  Past  Ten  Tears. 
January  32-72°  F. 
February  33'12  " 
March  39-16  " 
APril  53*36  " 
May  63-24°  F. 
June  73-54  " 
July  78-74  " 
August   75'92  " 
September  67*72°  F» 
October   5603  " 
November  43'34  " 
December  33'92  " 
It  is  thus  seen  that  only  during  the  months  of  June,  July  and  August  does  the  mean  temperature  rise  to- 
a  high  point.  During  this  period  there  are  very  rarely  any  prevailing  epidemic  diseases  ;  and  the  chief 
mortality  occurs  among  children,  especially  among  the  poorer  classes. 
The  health  of  Philadelphia  at  present  is  unusually  good.  Timely  efforts  have  been  made  to  secure  an 
abundant  water-supply  to  meet  the  great  increase  in  the  demand  which  must  be  expected  this  summer  as 
compared  with  previous  years.  Constant  watchfulness  will  be  exercised  by  the  authorities  to  maintain 
cleanliness,  and  to  avoid  or  remove  every  possible  cause  of  disease. 
