Document 85QJxa8N8q5Md45O0OVEbxw1m
Baltimore City Health Department WEEKLY LETTER TO THE MAYOR
Wk, U8
In his WEEKLY LETTER TO THE MAYOR dated December 3, 1971, the Commissioner of Health wrote:
Dear 'Mayor:
The City Health Department's Bureau of Communicable Diseases has announced that so far in 1971 almost 7,000 animal bites have been reported, 93$ of which were dog bites. The number of animal bite reports have continued to rise in recent years and1 have doubled since 1959.
In a study of reported animal, bites. Dr, David R. Berzon, Public Health Veterinarian in the Department, has analyzed the records to determine if the different dog breed populations in the city have any relation to the increasing number of bites. His investigation revealed that two-thirds of all dogs licensed in Baltimore are purebred; the remaining, one-third are crossbreeds. Possibly because crossbreeds are more likely to be allowed to roam the streets unattended by their owners, about 1+5$ of all,dog bites are by crossbreeds.
The study also showed that of the pure breed dogs in Baltimore 29$ are German shepherds, 10$ poodles, 6$ beagles, 5$ collies, and h% cocker spaniels. However, 6k$ of bites caused by purebred dogs are by German shepherds. This may be compared with k% bites by poodles, 3$ by collies, 2.5$ by cocker spaniels, and fewer than 2$ by beagles. It is evident, therefore, that German shepherds greatly outnumber other breeds in Baltimore although nationally, according to the American Kennpl Club, they account for less than 10$ of the dog population. It can also be concluded from this study that people who choose to own a German shepherd are more likely to have their pet bite someone than owners of any other breed.
What To Do If Bitten
Every animal bite should be washed immediately with soap and water and seen by a physician. The law requires that persons bitten by any animal subject to rabies report the bite to the Baltimore City Health Department, telephone 752-2000, extension 313, They should tell the Department the name and address of the animal's owner so the animal may be kept lander observation to be sure it is not rabid. Stray animals, if possible, should be caught and confined, The animal should never be destroyed. The biting animal should be held in quarantine for a period of ten days. The period of detention and observation can be at the home of the owner of the animal, at a private kennel, or at the Municipal Animal Shelter, 222 N. Calverton Road, telephone 752-2000, extension 2901 or 2902.
An "Advisory on Animal Bites" giving Health Department recommendations was recently mailed to all physicians and hospital pediatric, outpatient and emergency departments,
Very truly yours,
(Signed) Robert E. Farber, M.D.
Commissioner of Health
B N12002
BALTIMORE CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT STATISTICAL REPORT FOR THE WEEK ENDING December 2; 1971
W| 48
BIRTHS
Total recorded Residents only
DEATHS Total recorded Residents only
INFANT DEATHS Total recorded Residents only
BIRTHS Total recorded Residents only
DEATHS Total recorded Residents only
INFANT DEATHS Total recorded Residents only
WEEKLY SUMMARY OF BIRTHS, DEATHS AND INFANT MORTALITY
Week Endi ng December 2. 1871
TOTAL
WHITE
NONWHITE
Week Ending Decemb er 3 1970
TOTAL
WHITE
NONWHITE
' NUM 3ER
503 348
270 129
233 219
584 445
307 : 185
2?-? 260
302 253
182 138
120 115
247 206
163 124
84 82
16
7
9
6
4
12 4 8 5 3
2 2
20.601 14', 069
11.378 9, 187
CUMULATIVE NUMBER FOR YEAR TO DATE
11.476 5,544
9,125 8, 525
21,833 14,801
12,634 6.208
7,509 5,530
3, 869 3,657
11,936 9,692
8 051 5,987
. 9 19S 8 593
3 885 3 705
489 380
214 123
275 257
525 .381
259 135
266 246
BIRTHS DEATHS INFANT MORTALITY
16.9 11.0 27.0
RESIDENT RATES* FOR YEAR TO DATE
12.6 12.6 22.2
21.8 9.3
30.1
17.7 11.6 25.7
.
13.8 13.3 21.7
22.3 9.6
28.6
*BiRTH AND DEATH RATES PER 1,000 POPULATION! INFANT MORTALITY RATE PER I,000 LIVE RIRTNSl ALL RATES COMPUTED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS
LIA-76-120
WEEKLY STATISTICAL REPORT CASES OF REPORTABLE DISEASES, NON-RESIDENTS EXCLUDED
WEEK ENDING December 2; 1971
D1 SEASE
Tuberculosis, active.......................... Syphilis, primary and secondary........... Gonococcal infections.................................. .. Infectious hepatitis.................................. .. Meningococcal infections............................. Meningitis, other............................................... Encephalitis, infectious............................. Measles..................... ............................................ .. German measles....?.......................................... Mumps .......................................... .'............................... Chickenpox.......................................... ....................... Diphtheria....................................................... .. Whooping cough. I.......................................... Streptococcal infections............................. Poliomyejlitis (paralytic cases)...........
Typhoid if ever. ........................ ..............................
Salmonellosis..................... ....................................
Dysentery.......................................... .. . . . ..............
Diarrhea and enteritis.
...................
Lead poisoning............. ....................................... ..
Influenza ................................ ....................................
Other reportable diseases.....................
CASES
CURRENT . WEEK
9
8
188
6-
C
1 0 1
0
9
0 0 0
13
0. 0
9 13.
2
0 12
7 YEAR RANGE*
HIGH
16
12
197 13
2
2
11 2.
16
10 0 2
12 0
0
K
10 1 2
i
LOW 7
.2
30
3
0 0 0 0
0 1\ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
c
0
c
0
YEAR TO DATE CIMJLATIVE NUMBER OF CASES
1971
IS 7 0
430 .3 72
10,085 298 14 55 i 17
48 317'
281 C
15 273'
0 0
472 563
11 11'
2
1.138
45S. 2,5 10 330
IS 117
2
730
192 0.33 . 447
0
14 169
c i 405 1S1 Is 29
1 15S
MORTALITY BY MAJOR CAUSES, NON-RESIDENTS EXCLUDED
CAUSE OF DEATH
CURRENT WEEK
TOTAL
7 YEAR RANGE*
HIGH
LOW
YEAR TO DATE CUMULATIVE NUMBER OF DEATHS
- 1971
1970
All Causes................................................................
253
250
158
9.187
9' 692
Diseases of the heart................... Cancer, all forms........................ .................... Cerebral hemorrhage........................................ Diseases of the arteries and veins. Influenza and pneumonia........................ Diabetes........................... ............... .. Cirrhosis: of liver................ ......................... Tuberculosis (all forms)........................... Nephritis.................................................................. Puerperal; causes............................................... Malformations and diseases of
early infancy..................................... Suicides........................................... ............... Homicides,..................................... ........................ Accidents
97 46 17
2 4 9 '6 2 1 0
7 1 15
105 4B 20 9 9 15 8 3 3 1
11 3. 6
58 27 10
2 2. 3 3. 1 0 0
3 0 2
' 3,403 i 710
629 267 193 292 290
69 45
4
296 31
273
Home. ................................................ .. Industrial .. ................ Automobile............................... ..
Other public................ ....................... Other external causes............. Other specified causes....................
i
3 0 3.0 0 40
50
99
20
25
5 0 113 '
2 0 .42
- - ' -45
-- - 1,311
* THE HIGH ANO LOW FIGURES SHOWN ARE DERIVED FROM THE NUMBER OF CASES AND DEATHS COMPARABLE WEEK FOR THE PERIOD .964-1970
5 715 : 810
659 - 309
215 322 226
Sc ' 42
5
-280 .
213
133 12
04
S3 ' 1,308