Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-11-08

vEsTIGATIoS OF THE CTTT'5 MILK sUPPLT-saSI-
TARY PLUHBING-THE EVILS CF TIE PRACTICE OF
MIDWIFERY IN THE DISTRICT.
Dr. Smith Townshend, health officer OF the Dis
trict. today submitted to the District Commits
soherS his report for the year ending June 30 1884.
1.-THE record OF the years mortality the report
says shOTvs sl ht Increase as compared with the
year preceding. yet The death rate is lower than
That o; 1852 rs wen a. below the mean annual rate
Tor the past eight years so that the showing is not
by any means a bdi one as to our heaIthfuneSs as
q com nunlty. a somewhat extensive outbreak OF
measles occurred during the winter aud spring
months N the number OF deaths In the
zym0tc class The dPaths nom this cause num-
bered -, OI which s. white and Go were col
ored persons Aside from this on break we en-
Joyed entire immunity from ANYTHING ike an cpl
Genie. aud were not called upon 20 record single
d alta from small COX, cholera, yellow fever hydro
pliJnij OF IN Otlri StpuF4eS GiaAclnS b1ck over
series Of years the facts before us are such as
should ehgenaer feelings of sincere thanks TO the
tpditSS % health Tor her gracious offerings, and
when We consider the Improvements in the in
teTests of our sanitary welfare by the approaching
completion o. the hiltDg OF the Potomac fats, the
provision for completion OF the sewerage system
and the needed Increase ia our water supply, there
Is every reason To believe that WASHINGTON will
soon becom the hcaitilieSt it is the most beau
t.Iui OF modern cities.
THE DEATH RATE
A concise tabular statement Is given showing the
deaths by classes, annual death rate, &c. The to-
2y576. colored 2.238. The annual Death rate Is given
at 2i61 Tor the total poDuiatiOn-1971 for the white
ana y % for the coiored population. OF the total
deaths PSI attributed 10 zyInotic 115 TO con-
stitutlOnai, 1851 to local. 474 To deveiopnental dis
eases, and III TO violence Mean barometer for the
year 31e9 range OF temperature III, mean temper
allure 5l6 mean percentage OF humidity 7l.9, total
rainfall 516i. Estimated population January 1st,
1ssi-whte $50 200 coloTel 60 3l: total 2W0O5
table is gwen also showing deaths and death
rates I0r the nihe years ending June 90 1884 fol-
lows; 1876 deaths, 4.16o; deah rate. e64O. 1877
Il d -ls AT l. a d.
- -. loty-deathS, $685. rite, "a 90. 1SS-deathS.
4205; Tate, 23ts. 1s'1-deaths, 4,l36: rate, %
1ss2-dcaths. ASH: raJe, 2l23 1SS3-deaths, 2s6;
nate 2S33 lsSi-deaths, 4,Si4; rate, 24G7 Mean
death rate, 2i.31
OPERATIONS or The HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
: The following is synopsis Of the work per-
formed in the various branches OF the service dur
ing the year:
There were 15.46i nuisances reported and abated;
6296 pounds OF meat. 50 239 pounds OF fish, Oi6
bushels OF fruit and vegetables, $3.50 bushels OF
oysters. 6S,it4 CLAIMS, and 2l03i7 crabs condemned
rs unit for food.
Examination ami reports were made on ,s23 citi-
EenS' complaints, ,o2i Off ial letters were written
1,705 cfti;l notices were issued. 81 cases were re-
1erre 10 the attorney, and 2J5 10 the chemist for
action
There were a95S animals impounded, and the
Contractor for the removal OF offalS took away
49, dad animals, 1880 tons of garbage and
The physicians to the poor treated 1914
Patients. OF which number 5,022 We're white and
There 5,i65 burial permits OF all kinds Is
Sued. and Al buFi4ls performed at the public ex-
The rapid extension of the sewer system. the re-
port says. viii materially reduce the number OF
nuisancts arising from the defective drainage OF
alleys and the preIneiseS bordering thereon The
complete ION OF The sewer system viii likewise do
away with other nuiSanceS arising from de-
lects III surface drainage.
The health officer urges the necessity for pro-
Eldlng more approved method for cleaning the
seWer-lrapS or catCh-baSinS ar street corners and
suggests that the man-hOltS Tor the new sewers
should be removed from the immediate vicinity
OF dwellings, In every possible instance.
TIE POTOMAC FISHERIES.
Attention is called 10 the gradual decrease OF the
catch OF slad and herring in the Potomac as shown
by the report OF FISH inspections. In the year OF
ISL The inspections Of shat showed 49, 17:herrnr
96-c bs3- This wear the number Is Only 231 ,129
std,!. and 565s0.ei2 herring This terrible falling
th Is attributed 70 over fishing OF the river and an
effort i beng mace To secure legislation looking
u JAt protection Oh the fisheries.
The POUND SERVICE.
The total number of unlicensed dogs taken I'D
during tie gear was 49, of which number $50
were killed During the seven years, 1873 to 1884
inclusive. there has been killed at the pound 20 2ai
GOgs. ANA yet the supply has not materially dimin
fSiied. Tie capture Of goats and COWS is falling off
aDnua.ly. The march OF improvements forces
th5sa animals from their former feeding grounds,
the 'cgmmOnS,' and open squares TO the fenced
pdSiure grounds beyond the tIIy limits
Ii = fcc"nmeaied that provision be made for
securing permanent site and erecting new build
lHos !OE The pound.
The MILK sUPrLY OF WASHINGTON
The Distinguishing and most interesting feature
o. the report is an account OF Investigations ada
during the year into the milk supply Of this CITY,
The report ref Is to the importance of milk as an
article OF Diet, It's Liability 10 adulterdtio and the
fact that there IS article 50 well adapIe(I as q
Vehicle for Conveying specific poison. In making
al examination. the health officer SAYS Tn aScer
tam Is 10 tn comparative purity or iInnurity OF
the milk supply OF the city the health officer must
pe1 OF the various nni,ks sold Ills Influence must
lie felt by the producer as well as by the middle
Ihan v no comes between the producer and the
lnder the head OF s.adulteratfons Of milk. y the
ieporI sa!S: water Is e common and 1t IS gener-
any abOut tiiS oIiy aluiteraton re5Orted to in this
country. Starch gum dPXtrin are sometimes
used 70 conceal the thinncss and bsueiSh color
ta,tsed Dy addition or water. Annatto or tuner
&c II SCe 10 give color. Chalk IS used TO neutral
lie acid and 10 give thicKD~Ss and color EInuI-
sion OF hemp or almond seeds have been useJ nc
has also The carbonate or sodium There nave hem
It!.fta q add!leTatfon OF milk by the addition
q. L!t cerebral matter OF various animals but
ui-r0liS experiments In both this country and
ttFni'e lave failed 20 establish the fact that thu,
ul-s'a-ilg tfali has been pGacticed 10 any extent
The micro cope IS an invalua' le aid In prosecut
ls i' l5atIJHS IS TO tie Jiulterati0n OF milk
exists IN The form n innunlersb be sem.
waite SinsulcS q various size. In GOOD milk these
t.p02.e9 are seem b. the microscope To be very
agdl-ci at, and ooiae OF them of considerable
TIE DAIRY BUSINESS
The dairy business OF America has been one Of
remarkable growth and Development II IS said TO
exhibit 1.-THE or attest progress ever made In any
branch OF agriculture and has astonished the ma
tifts % Inc OH world In 1880 with n a,ioD OF
iJ,vVGoJ VIC Hau less than 100000 Inilca coVs
anu tr dhnu u value OF tteir product did not eX,
Tea sltD,bOtel These figures more than doubled
n twenty-five years. and II 1880 we find our
s'W9t%O people owning 100000 cows and tbe
cary lio1lcts OF the year exceeding 500 CGOOOO
\ Fcrt large proportion OF mix supply OF all
CUES - brought in on the railroads. Milk ryrnatns
IA tslc railway cans from the time IL leaves fhe
Gify Unii IT reaches the retailer or some dist rihn,
ing dfIoI. Whom ii is transferred to co,Ier ana
thenc. 10 the delivery cans.
DAIRY FARMS
Most OF the nlGE and cream used by our peonle
GENES from the dairy farms within radius OF ffty
i0eo o. " &SilnStOn, IN the states Of MARYLAND and
hHgHii; although al times portion of our cream
L pIOdiit IRON IS lar away orange county New
ieFA t1st ~ PISS Trains and the advanced kE0yl-
e1se ca proper handling have made il possible to
IFtSti ihlik pure and sweet while II IS conveyed
nous is Oh iales. aud this WithOu: any treatment
'e-Il 'iiLi t'ie No. OF fV-ElsssssiJFs.
u ui TIC Auiel dairy farms OF this section K
lhtt o. Co. James :. Boyd. This farm Is Situated
In Montgomery county Narvft;.d on tbe Inc 81
TIE metropolitan branch or the g. e. o. Z z ahout
tWcuty-iiinc niles from Washington IN consists
t &AJdJ ls2JE acres Oh rc.lig4I grass land The
sDl j. - lat = Known IFCttole iud IL 4, finely
improved and g. Gil watered. lie raises cereals oniy
ft-ltea- 70 prepare the lad for their he'd. az
l'i1c - ara clover. Col BGyd nfst turned his
;tt.-i'i.ei 10 CIst! farming iH 1873 when he pur-
SLas.tI t"tlty COWS lie sacCies. n variety of the
- rus sli "A - jersey GueTnsays. IIGlsteins