The Portland daily press., 1888-03-03

quarter miles OF sewer, very gratifying ad-
vance upon the amount done in previous
years, and yet there remain large number
of streets and parts Of streets, some OF them
built up and occupied, and provided with Sc
bag0 water, that are without proper factli-
ties for drainage. The streets should be fur
nished with sewers before the houses are
built.
COLLECTION OF oFFAL.
All the particulars in regard to the collec-
tion of offal. which have been fully published
in these columns, are given atlength In the
report.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
The new health law requires house hold
ers and physicians to report to the Board OF
Health all cases Of smallpox, diphtheria.
scarlet-feyer, cholera, typhus or typhoid
fever, but as the physicians of this city had
been making such reports since September
1886, we are able to cover the whole ground
of one year in this report.
There have been reported to the Board for
the year ending February 20, 1888, the follow
ing cases:
scarlet lever "
Iypnold feVer.. 81
No cases of smallpox, cholera or typhus
fever were reported.
The number of deaths from the above dis
eases were as follows:
Dlpntnera. "a
scarlet feYer ....-...-..................
Lypnolu IeVer.- IL
1t will be observed that the number Of
cases Of typhoid fever Is very large for our
city, which Is the result OF two causes first,
cases are returned as typhoid which are not
believed to be typical cases Of typhoid fever;
second, in the month of May last eighteen
cases OF sickness were reported te the Board
between the oath and 9th Of that month
which were the cases that came here from
Boston, landed at the city by the steamer
Prussian, from Liverpool-full particulars Of
which were published at the time-and which
were thought to be typhus but proved
typhoid fever These cases call for grave
consideration. There Is no place provided
for them, and others that may occur like
them, and proper building should be pro-
vided where they can be kept and treated
without risk to the community. The small
pox hospital has been thoroughly renovated,
and put in condition for cases from that
disease.
Whenever cases Of contagious diseases
have been reported to the Board immediate
notice has been given to the superintendent
to the house with circulars prepared by the
State Board of Health, relating to the dis
ease thus reported, and circular with re-
gard to proper PRECAUTIONS to be observed,
and the use Of disinfectants. In case Of
diphtheria or scarlet fever a suitable card
has been affixed to the house, that neighbors
may be aware of the existence of the disease
and take suitable precautions. When the
dLtenQluR pHySlCldn reports THAT tuc case
has terminated and the premises properly
disinfected, the inspector removes the card.
The report quotes with approval the fol-
lowing extract from the February bulletin
of the Iowa State Board of Health;
"we wish in this connection to state plainly and
emphatically that one OF the worst things TO do to
prevent the spread of any infections disease
perhaps the best thing TO promote Its exten<on-
s to close ane PT9s sS have E pc
and employment in the school room, they viii
meet on the play ground, or IN the homes OF their
"chums." Children that have been known TO
have been exposed to an infectious disease should
be kept at home until the ineubatiye period has
passed, and then only allowed to return to school
after being disinfeeted."
The original draft Of the law had as sec
ton 10:
"Any local board of health may direct the de
struction OF any bedding clothing or other ar
ticles. which have been exposed TO infection and
fnaU give compensation J0T the same dt the err
pe1lse Of the municipality"
In the passage of the act through the legis-
lature, the clause printed in italics was
struck out, and the remainder forms section
IS OF the present law. II seems clearly to
have been the intent Of the legislature that
municipalities should not bear the expense
of the destruction of clothing or other
articles which have been exposed to infec-
tion. In only one case has any claim been
made, and that is now pending before COM
mittee Of the city council.
RULES AND REGULATIONS.
Under this head the report says: "When-
ever the legislature shall lay the foundation
by the passage of a suitable law, we believe
that some regulations with regard to plumb
ing should be passed, as measure greatly
needed"
HOUSE TO HOUSE INSPECTION.
The house to house inspection has been
continued at intervals Of other work during
the year.
The first section inspected is that part of
the city lying between Washington and
North streets. north of Congress street. This
section contains 179 houses and Z stores, and
there are connected with them IA wells and
1853 privies, IA houses without sinks, with
out water, and 81 without drains. All this
section lies upon the westerly slope of Mum
JOY Hill, and for the most part is imperfectly
supplied with sewers. The soil Is a sandy
gravel and readily absorbs water, on this ac-
count perhaps there is less inconvenience
| from sink and washing water thrown into
| yards than Is felt in the lower and higher
| needs to be done to make that section what
| it ought to be in sanitary point OF view.
The second section Is that part of the city
| lying between Pearl and st. Lawrence
| streets, on the southerly side of Congress
| street This section contains 742 houses, "a
| stores, II houses without sinks, 40 without
/ drains, 20 wells, and 800 pIivies. This sec
tion is on the whole we'll supplied with sew
| erS. only some small parts OF streets reQulr-
/ ing sewers, to accommodate all the residents
| Most of the houses are supplied with SebagO
| and with some form Of drainage; and while
| In some houses this is admirable for its sim
| plicity and completeness, in others it Is evil
| dent that the cheap plumber has done his
deadly work, and under pretense of draining
| the house, has extended an invitation and
| afforded facilities for sewer gas to enter and
take possession of the premises Some
| houses In this section as will be seen, are
neither supplied with Sebago or wells, and
/ have no sinks, drains or any form OF water
closet or privy.
The third section IS that part of the city
| living within the square formed by Salem,
| Orange. DanfOrth and School streets. Ibis
section contains 50 houses and stores, and
has within its small area 81 privies, wells,
one large stable in immediate vicinity, and
one house without sinks. In this section
have occurred many persistent cases of ty-
phoid fever and diphtheria, which is not 10
be wondered at when we consider what the
nature of the water supply must be, taken
from wells with such surroundings.
The fourth section lies within Braekett,
Pine, West and Carleton streets. This sec
tiOn contains 50 houses, stores, and has IL
privies, we'll, one house without sink o.
drain, and three houses without any water
supply The severe form which some cases
of CONTAGIOUS disases assumed, may, perhaps
he attributed to the fact that IL Is underlaid
with an impermeable stratum of clay which
holds like a saucer all surface water percola