Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1890-03-08
Report Of Health Officer for Eebrm-
airy. t1

NAAlNs
For the month of Feb. the health
of our town continues good. Except
for the existence of La Grippe, or In
fiuenza, / could have reported an
unusually healthy month, but we
have had a few cases of that disease
during the month. No new cases
reported for the last few days, only
one death to report for this month,
and two births.
DEATHS.
Mrs. Mary A. Britain, Feb. 10th,
cause, La Grippe.
BIRTHS.
10 Jno. G. Mcclure and wife, Feb.
16-girl.
To Rev. ]. 7. Curry and wife, Feb.
l2-boy. j. NJ. BURGER, NJ. D.,
81, Chm'n Board of Health.
The Board of Health would respect.
fully submit the following from the
State Board of Health Bulletin for
February, and urge prompt action in
the matter of scavenger work on the
part of every citizen of McMinnville
WORK FOR MARCH AND APRIL.
The especial attention of our town
and city officials is directed to the fact
that the best months for scavengering
and cleaning up work are March and
April
Every n understands that during
the hot summer months the upturn>
ing of polluted soil should by all
means be avoided. Some of the best
authorities on epidemics have traced
very serious outbreaks to this cause /;
not only in hot climates, but in far
northern localities where the sums
mers, though brief, are tOrrid in tenn
perature. Everybody in our part of
the world understands that the emp
tying of foul pits and cess-pools, etc.,
should receive extra care in the hot
weather of July, August and Septem-
Der. In many places that kind Of
work must go on ut all seasons, but
in the months just mentioned ex-
IRENE care in respect to disinfection
should he exercised so as to prevent
the diffusion Of noxious gases.
Every n knows that during the
winter premises become more or less
foul every one also knows that this
foulness should be removed before
the heat of summer comes on, hence,
it is plain that March and April are
the months for the most effective and
most reeded sanitary work.
The authorities in our towns and
cities should, if necessary, put on eX-
ira hands. Not Il filthy street nor al
ley should be seer by the first of May.
Every Jail, court house, city hall,
schoOl-hOuse, church and other pub
lie building at that date should also
be a model of sanitation.
And though sanitation by official
action is of vital Importance to the
health of each community in Tennes.
see, not less so is individual action by
each housekeeper. Every back yard
should be thoroughly scavengered,
every cellar well cleaned and venti-
lated, every privy emptied and disin-
fected, and where water closets are
used, the connections examined and
cared for.
These details have been urged up
on the people Of Tennessee oft and
again during the past twelve years
by the State Board of Health, but are
just as much needed now as ever.
Certainly this is no time for care.
~lessness. We are warned by the re-
markable atmospheric conditions
prevailing throughout our country
during the present winter, by the
universal prevalence of the pan>epi-
demic-iniuenza-and by the widely
published opinion of one Of the most
distinguished European scientists
Prot. Zdekaur, ofSt. Petersburg, who
says: "The present epidemic is the
forerunner of the cholera that is
ragingin Persia and Mesopotamia and
which is approaching Europe" Now
while we may not concur in this view,
yet it unquestiOnably is the part of
wisdom to make ready for the posi-
bilities of the near future, come they
under whatever form or name they
may.