Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-09-25
MAINE HEALTH BOARD.
Third Quarterly Meeting At Secretary
YounS'S ONCE.
Some Interesting Features OF the
Work Done.

The third quarterly meeting of the State
Board OF Health was held yesterday in the
Secretary's office at the State House, there
being present Drs. Gerrish. Horr, Webster,
Young, and Mr.. Jordan.
After reading the minutes of the last
meeting the Secretary gave an account of
the work done in the laboratory, and of other
work which has been done in connection
with the office. So far this year one hun
dred and forty samples of water have been
analy1ed in the laboratory in the contin-
uancc of the examination of the public
water supplies, or upon request of the local
boards of health. or others.
An account was given of the outbreak Of
d,phtheria in hotel in Greeuville and of
the measures which were taken by the local
board of health, and the suggestions which
were made by the Secretary. The outbreak
in the hotel was limited TO the single case.
July 18th, the Secretary went to Thomaston
with gentlemen of the executive council,
Messrs. Rand and Hunt; on the 18th, to
Sko~hegan to advise the building committee
in regard TO the ventilation of school houses
which they were building and repairing;
18th, consulted with the trustees of the In
sane Hospital in regard TO preventive
measures as regards the prevalence Of
diphtheria; 10Th, to Norway to advise the
local board in regard 10 an overtiowed inter-
val in the village and some other matters.
Nh ,b. l..
II. and Boston, Mass, in connection with
business of the Board; 18th, and afterwards
with Mr.. Jordan TO Westbrook TO advise in
regard to the ventilation of the two school
houses the ventilation of which has given
satisfactory results; 30tb, to Topsham to ad-
wise with the local board of health in regard
to a tenement house nuisance where cases Of
typhoid fever prevailed.
Sept. Sd, at York Harbor at the request Of
the local board to consult in regard to sewer
age and other sanitary matters for the Har-
Dor ard Beach; Sth, to Sherman upon COM
plant that the pumiee and starch factory in
the village was a nuisance. A method of
obviating it was pointed out which would
cost but little; lth, at Washburn, at the re-
quest of the local board. Typhoid fever has
been more prevalent there for several years
than it ought 10 be. Last year about 40
cases occurred and this year four cases had
occurred at the time of the visit Certain
persons had supposed that the presence of
the starch factory in the village was factor
in the causation. Nearly all the cases have
always occurred in one particular part of the
village where land is fiat and the water sup
ply has been obtained from shallow wells
which were fayorably situated for receiving
the surface drainage, These wells are sus-
pected of being the cause of the prevalence
of the fever and analyses of samples of
water are being made now to determine their
quality; 20th. at Oxford in connection with
a small outbreak of typhoid fever in tene-
ment house. The origin of the two cases
which now exist Is uncertain but the wells
in the cellars from which some of the inhab-
itants in the teDements obtain their water 10
favorably situated for the grossest pollution.
Communications have Just been received
from Deer Isle and Grea; Works which re-
quiro the presence of the Secretary to con-
suit with the local boards.
DIR. Sanborn was present for a while at
the meeting and expressed his desire for the
further suggestions of the Board in regard
to what precautions should be taken as re-
CARDS the ontbreak of diphtheria. The
report of the committee which was appointed
for the purpose of procuring the vaccination
Of the operatives in regard to what had been
done in formulating bylaws for that pur-
pose.
The sentiment Of DIR. II. I. Bow dtch's let
ter in regard to the need, especially in the
present emergency in the southern states, of
a National Board of Health consisting Of
sanitary experts and equipped with authority
and means was heartily concurred in by
tho nnard