The record-union., 1892-06-07
SANITARY MATTERS.
What the Health Officer and Others
Are Doing.
Reports Submitted at the Meeting of
the City Board of Health-Abate-
ment of Nuisances, Etc.

Nichols, quorum being present and
DR.. Gardner presiding. After the min
utes of last meeting had been read and
of May were received and placed on file.
PLUMBING INSPECTOR.
Plumbing Inspector Mahoney reported:
Number of plans and specifications re-
ceived, IS; approved, Is; first inspection,
II; final inspection, s; plumbing jobs on
hand June 1st, 20. The following house
nuisances have been abated: Water
closets foul and offensive, q sinks not
trapped, 4; open joints in sewer-pipe, 4;
sinks drained on surface Of ground, 2; to-
tai number of house nuisances abated, s.
SANITARY INSPECTION.
Sanitary Inspector George Nichols re-
ported that he had caused three yards
and cellars to be- filled; buildings in
spected, 2; cesspools and vaults cleaned,
10; new vaults ordered built, 4; sinks re-
trapped and pipes repaired, 2; nulsances
abated, %; new ventilators built, 5; pat
ent closets put in, 3; orders to remove
rubbish, 10; drains repaired, g.; new
drains put in, 4; vaults condemned, 2;
contagious disease notices put up, 3; no.
tices given, %; total number OF inspec-
tions, IS. Agricultural Park has been
put in sanitary condition.
CITY PHYSICIAN.
DR.. c. B. Nichols, City Physician, re-
ported the number of new patients at the
dispensary in April at 6S; prescriptions
repeated, 145; patients treated at the
pensary, 46; treated at Receiving Hospital,
Z; total cases, 2S6.
In his report for May he says: New
patients at the dIspenSary, y; presorip-
tons repeated, SO, treated at County Jail,
q; treated at Receiving Hospital, 5; visits
outside dispensary, 49; total cases, 240.
HEALTH OFFICER.
Health Officer DR.. II. L. Nichols.
in his report for May, says: II
have to report 40 deaths for the
month, as against 81 for April,
and as against IS for the month of May,
1891, and deaths not reported for the
month Of April. From zymotic causes.
10; constitutional, Z; local, Is, develop
mental, 4, and violence, 3. Fifteen births
were reported, & males and 8 females. OF
contagious diseases reported, 3 were
diphtheria, 2 scarlet fever, measles
There was but one fatal case each from
diphtheria and scarlet fever. Measles
and whooping cough still prevail to
considerable extent. We are making
fair progress in improving the sanitary
condition Of the city, and hope for re-
duced death rate.
u have visited the Protestant Orphan
Asylum and find it in very good condi-
ton. Sickness in the institution is con-
fined to few cases Of measles. The old
building has been raised and renovated
and has new plumbing and heating ap-
paratus that will add greatly to the COM
fort and convenience OF the occupants.
Complaint was made by persons resid-
ing in the lower part OF the city OF foul
Il.
they claimed was causing sickness.
Upon investigation l found that for the
year past vault and cesspool cleaners had
been allowed to discharge the contents of
their eXcavators into an open pool in the
Chinese gardens just south Of Y street.
causing an intolerable nuisance. Orders
were Immediately given to stop their prac-
tice, and that the pool be covered with
fresh earth.
1T is my opinion that none of this mat
ter should be allowed to be dumped be-
low the city, but should be taken long
distance to the east of the city, where it
could be utilized in the cultivation of the
soil.
'Of the Seventeenth-street ditch. of
which much complaint has been made, 1
consulted with the City Trustees, and
have the assurance that something will
be done in the premises. The Inspectors
have been kept busy, and hope we shall
see good results from this work.
VACCINATION.
After the disposition of the regular
business the members present discussed
various matters appertaining 10 the sani-
tary welfare of the city.
DR.. Baldwin offered some suggestions
in regard to the vaccination Of school
children, saying that the blank certificates
used heretofore read: 81 hereby certify
Athe child has been sufficiently vacci-
nated," ETC., when in most cases the phy-
sician could not certify to the statement,
owing to the fact that the child would
come day or two before the opening of
school, and when vaccinated would not
again return.
In such cases it had been customary to
cross out the word sufficiently and
simply certify to having vaccinated the
applicant, and upon this certificate the
child would be admitted to school.
AS in many cases the first vaccination
does not take" it was thought proper
that the patient should be obliged to ap-
ply for vaccination in time, and return to
the physician for examination before the
certificate was given.
1t was further suggested, and motion
passed, that the Superintendent of Schools
should be requested to require children
to present the proper certificate before
admitting them TO the schools.
THE 0D0ROUS EXCAVATORS
Were discussed, and DR.. Nichols stated
that he had given the matter attention,
and thought that the nuisance was abated.
IL answer TO a question as to the adYis-
ability of having the work done at night,
DIR. Nichols was of the opinion that it
could be done better by daylight, and
stated that in Eastern cities the custom of
doing the work by night had been aban-
doned. He thought that since the work
of excavating at the railroad buildings
had been completed no further COM
plants would be made, as there was no
reason why, with proper care and the two
good excayators, the work could not be
properly done.
THE SALE OF MORPHINE.
The attention of the board was called to
the dispensation of morphine by retailers
and druggists, and it was reported that
they dispense the drug, which is more
harmful in its effects than any liquors
sold, without license or restriction.
Although there Is O State law against
selling morphine and other poisons with
out a special permit or physicians pre-
scription. the law is dead letter and not
observed at all. Even the law requiring
that record be kept of the sales Of such
drugs, and requiring the names of pur-
chasers TO be recorded, is not complied
with.
1t was also suggested that it wonld be
well TO have an ordinance passed by the
City Trustees to prohibit the sale of NOR
phine. but no action was action.