The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-31

ton governing its production and sale. -
The following points are recommended
for consideration: 1. registration Of mill,
dealers, 2, inspection Of diaries and their
appurtenances; Q, inspection OF milk by
lactometer and chemical analysis: A. the
removal of cows from the city limits.
Under the head OF contagious diseases.
the number Of cases OF scarlet fever
during the year Is stated at SO, only one
OF which occurred among negroes, though
there is reason to believe that the disease
has existed 10 a certain extent among
them without a physician in attendance.
There were five deaths from this dis
ease, all white. The number OF cases OF
diphtheria reported to the health officer
was IA, and there were six deaths. 1t is
probable, says the report that two of
the cases reported were not dlphtheria
Ihere were nineteen deaths from typhoid
FEVER whites and 10 colored There was
one case of measles and no death. There
Were three deaths from whooping cough,
two white and one colored
comparative mortality table is given.
In 1864 the death rate was: Whites 49, 30:
negroes. Sl.s5; 1874, whites, 21.99; negroes,
4olZ; 1884, whites, 21.18; negroes, 81; 1894.
whites, 14.75; negroes, 31.91. There were
25l negroes who died without medical care.
SO per cent. of the number being children
under 10 years OF age, and this in face OF
the fact that the city had three physi-
clans paid to attend to such people free
of charge
Particular attention is called to the IN
difference on the part of physicians to
Vital statistics and the comparativolv
small number who make returns Of births.
From the partial returns made, the health
officer has a summary Of $40 births during
the year, 4O5 white and GAL colored. He
estimates that at beast 400 births were
not reported.
The health officer recommends that the
SIX sanitary inspectors appointed for the
summer months should be continued dur
ing the year, instead Of the force being
reduced to two inspectors during the
winter as is the case at present. The i'm
portance CT this feature of the health
work is emphasized. Figures are given
showing the large and varied character
or the work done by the inspectors The
inspectors, he urges. should be men ap-
pointed for their merits, and not as a
reward for political services The efficiency
of the work Of the chief sanitary inspec-
tor, Mr.. c. J. Melvin, is highly commended
The health officer takes UP the subject
of the Capitalization of the various
branches Of sanitary work which was also
discussed by Mayor McDonough in his
report. DIR. Drummer urges that every
thing touching the health of the city
should be under one head so far as the
conduct of the service Is concerned "The
health officer" he says, SIS the executive
officer of the board OF health This board
and this officer are the health guardians
OF the city and they should have the
conduct Of every branch of the health
department under their control. As the
thing now stands there is now neither
method nor intelligent sanitation prac-
ticed in health matters. Take the dis
injecting Of vaults as It has been con-
Quoted in the past. Foul smelling, So
called disinfectants, have been used by
Ignorant men with but one idea In sight
viz: II the smell Of the privy vault is done
away with the vault Is rendered inocuous
There is no person engaged in the work
who has any knowledge Of the different
substances used as germicides or deodor-
izers. If the mercuric bichloride is used,
not man of them knows whether It Is
used properly, and any substance that
outstinks the privy vault is the most val
liable remedy to apply. These different
departments, so called have been indulg-
ing In a go-as-you-p please race, and 1t Is
high time that some intelligent work
should be accomplished. and this can be
accomplished by oentralization Of author
ity."
Dr. Drummer again urges that the open
scavenger wagons should be done away
with and covered wagons substituted. He
urges the establishment Of disinfectlng