The record-union., 1894-05-02
SANITARY MATTERS TALKED over.
Meeting of the City Board of Health
Last Evening.
Defective Cesspools Dlscussed-Mortu'
ary and Other Reports-The
Sewerage Question.

The regular meeting of the City Board
of Health was held last evening. There
were present Drs. Wizard, Fowler. Glow
and Wagner. Drs. Huntington and
Gardner were unavoidably absent
1t was thought best to transact only
routine business and defer the considera-
ton of sewerage and other special mat
ters until Thursday evening, when it Is
thought all the members could be pres
ent.
a communication was received from
George Pyburn, NJ. D., acknowledging
the receipt of postal cards to be used for
giving notice of contagious diseases,
births, etc. The writer requested that
the cards be withdrawn and system be
adopted that would be more private.
DIR. Glow thought the postal card the
most convenient method of conveying
the desired information, aud he moved
that the Secretary inform DR.. Pyburn by
letter that the Board of Health did not
deem it advisable to make any change.
Carried.
A communication from c. F. Bassett of
Redding. ex-City Engineer OF this city,
was received. He thought $1,000 not sut-
fcient to warrant a competent engineer
In submitting plans for a new sewerage
system, and that $1,000 should be appro-
priated for the purpose. he wrote that
ne was about to return to Sacramento to
reside, and intended to give the sewerage
subject his attention once more.
The report of Sanitary Inspector Herr
for the month of April was read, giving
detailed statement OF his labors during
that time. The total number of inspec-
tions made were go.
Plumbing Inspector Tolley also sub
mitted his report for the month.
City Physician Fowler stated in his re-
port that the number of patients treated
at the dispensary was zl3; prescriptions
repeated, I45; patients treated outside the
dispensary, 40; at the County Jail, 20; at
the Receiving Hospital. 10; total number
OF patients treated, 42S.
The mortuary report for the month of
April was as follows: Deaths in the city,
As, as against 80 for the corresponding
month of 1893, and 80 for the same month
in 1892; stillborn, 2; deaths from diphthe-
ria, 2; births reported 13; scarlet fever
cases reported. 3; diphtheria cases re-
ported, 6.
City Physician Fowler, in his report
objected TO the manner in which some of
the death certificates are made out,
Undertakers do not take the care they
should In filling out blanks, and which
is necessary for the proper keeping of the
records.
Physicians also err i'll giving the causes
of death. In a large number OF cases sex
haustion" is given as the cause OF DEATH
Thus, in cases of phthisis, that disease is
given as the malady from which the
patients suffered but exhaustion" as
the cause of death. whereas. the disease
itself is. in the majority of cases, the rea.
cause OF death, and should be so reported.
Sanitary Inspector Herr complained
that many Of the water-tight cesspools
are sealed with cement and it is impossi-
BILE for him TO determine the condition of
such cesspools. He suggested that the
Inspector be given some authority to
open cesspools sealed in this manner, or
have the cleaners file sworn statements.
monthly, as to the quantities of matter
removed.
Alter discussing the condition of the
cesspool and sewerage systems in an in
formal manner, the board adjourned un-
til Thursday evening.