Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-05-18
AHEALTHY CITY.
So the City Of Rock Island is
Shown to be.
COMMISSIONER OYSTERS REPORT.

The Record OF Vital Statistics asd of Con.
taEious Diseases-The Licensing Of MIX
and other Sanitary Precautions Com.
mended.
In his annual report of the SANTA
ry status OF the city, Health Commits
sioner G. l.. Eyster, says the record
OF vital statistics during the past year
in Rock Island discloscs the CRAFTY
ing fact that the city still maintains
its reputation as healthy locality.
The table of contagious diseases indi-
Gates total of 80 for the year, which
is next to the smallest annual num-
Der reported since the recording
Of vital statistics has been in force
OF these l6 were diphtheria with
three deaths, very gratifying COM
parisOn, as the doctor saws. To the
report of 1890, when 220 cases of
diphtheria and As deaths were re-
ported.
The largest number of contagious
diseases reported for the year had
been those of scarlet fever, viz: "A.
From these cases there have been
seven deaths, low mortality show
ing a very mild prevalence of the
disease.
The doctor speaks also of the ap-
pearance of small pox in Rock Island
April 3, in the case of the tramp.
Summer Wood, and the prompt and
vigorous precautions which prevent
ed any further outbreak of the loath-
some disease here.
The record of deaths for the wear
shows n total of 226, of which III
were males and 115 females. Fifty
two were infants under year of age,
and GO were persons over 60 years of
age. 10 of these being over 80 and /
reaching the extreme age of 90.
| Care of the Infants.
The health commissioner dwells
somewhat on the care of infants, saw
ing 1.-THE infant mortality suggests
that their is room for i'm
provemcnt in their condition
and feeding. and I propose.
during the coming year. to is
sue a circular of information to the
people of the city, on the proper care
and feeding of infants, which, it is
hoped. will produce results benefi-
cial to the little beings. The total
mortality for the year is about Il
per 1000"
| Water Consumption.
On the subject of water consump-
ton the doctor has some timely sug-
gestions to make. He commends the
extension of the city's system of
water. and the consequent abandon
ment of wells, which are superseded
by it. He holds that the use of
water from wells is responsible for n
considerable percentage of the sick
ness which prevails, and no less than
eight cases of typhoid fever during
the year were distinctly traced to a
well. the water of which, upon analy-
sis, was found to contain a large
amount of albuminoids and nitro
genous matter, impurities not con-
sistent with potable water. The
doctor further says: The abandon
ment of this well was followed bv n
cessation of sickness among those
who had been using it. ! am salts
fled that there are dozens of wells in
the city that may at any time prove
the cause of similar disease. ! there
fore earnestly recommend that the
policy of extension of the mains of
the city waterworks be maintained
and pushed to the fullest extent pos
sible during the coming year"
Milk Inspection.
Reference is made to the ordinance
pertaining to licensing the sale of
milk and providing for its supervi-
sion by the department of
health, and the doctor says:
Il am well satisfied that the
proper execution of this ordinance
will rebound to the benefit of our
citizens in many ways. As an arti-
Gle of food, milk occupies the first
and most important place in relation
to the health and welfare of the COM
munity. Medical and chemical sci
ence. and most of all, the Few science
of bacteriology. during the last 20
years, have SHOWN that the proper
ties of milk are of such a character
as to endow it on the one hand with
almost ideally perfect qualities for
the preservation of health and nutri-
! tion, and on the other hand it may
become a terrific engine for the prop
ogation of disease" The doctor holds
that sanitary milk control must pro-
vide for the supply of wholesome
milk from healthy cows, in condl-
ton, when it reaches the consumer,
as near the pure state as vigilence
and forethought can make possible.
Inspectors should begin with the
cows ut the dairy, and the standard
of milk should be not less than II
per cent of solid and 3 per cent OF
fat. The addition of water is COM
mercial fraud, and is only one OF the
evils that should be remedied by
sanitary milk control.
Sewerage and Drainage.
The health commissioner says he
cannot too emphatically urge the
adoption of a general system OF sew
erage and drainage, and advises the
Il IL ! tor "