The record-union., 1896-01-08
FOUNDLINGO' HOME MATTERS AGAIN.
The City Board of Health Discusses
Them.
Proposed Ordinance for Milk and Meat
nspectiOn-victor ToIIey Elected
Plumbing Inspector.

ana Parkinson being present.
The reports Of the Health Officer, City
Physician, and Sanitary and Plumb
ing Inspectors were read and filed.
That of the Health officer has been
already published. The City Physician
reported 400 persons prescribed for
during the month. Those of the Inspect
ors showed the number of inspections
and the plumbing of buildings ordered.
DR.. Parkinson reported a rule with
regard to the bonds of applicants for
plumbing licenses that should harmon
ize with the rules of the Board of
Plumbing Examiners, and it was
adopted.
DR.. Ross reported that he had not had
an opportunity to consult with the other
members Of the committee which had
been appointed to investigate the con-
dition Of the Foundlings' Home. He
had visited the home and found it had
been newly calcimined, vanished and
cleaned and the wooden bedsteads re-
placed by iron ones, and everything
was apparently in good order. The COM
mittee was appointed to ascertain the
cause of the great mortality at the
home. It did not go very far back, be-
ity did not exist
The children all looked well except
one. He made a record Of the admis-
sions and discharges. but there were
only forty remaining in the home, a
discrepancy of eleven between the num-
Der registered and those there. The
death Of fifty-three out Of 102 would
indicate the mortality. He thought the
suggestion of the Governor that all
children over years old should be
sent to the orphan asylum good one.
He thought the suggestion made by
DR.. Wizard that some young physician
be selected to take charge of the home
and instruct the matron and nurses
how to take care of the children prop
erly was an excellent one. They are
not skilled, and he thought they would
gladly follow such suggestions. He did
not know how far the authority of the
board extended. but thought there
were several young physicians who
would willingly do so.
DR.. Huntington asked whether the
deaths were those of infants alone, or
children of all ages, and DI' Ross said
the majority were of infants, within
from one day to four or five weeks after
admission.
Dr. Huntington asked what proper
tion We're infants of all ages.
Dr. Ross said he did not ascertain.
He thought it better to let the smoke of
the other battle blow away first. This
is an investigation by the board and
not by the Governor.
DR.. Waggoner wanted to know if he
thought the statistics showed a proper
general mortality.
DIR. Ross replied that the mortality of
foundlings must necessarily be great.
He thought the children who find their
way there do not have the same chance
for life as others. as some are badly dis
eased.
DR.. Waggoner thought the report
should not be taken up on the question
OF mortality tonight. The Secretary of
the home stated that seventy EIGHT had
been admitted since January, 1894, and
forty-two had died They claimed only
50 per cent. of mortality. He thought
if children that had been taken out by
friends and those whose mothers
worked at the home had been deducted,
the percentage would have been higher.
He therefore claimed that the Secre-
tary's report was misleading.
DR.. Parkinson moved that the infor-
nal report be received and the commit
tee continued till the next meeting.
Dr. Huntington's idea was that dis
cussion should be suspended until there
was a full report.
DR.. Ross asked what information was
wanted, and DR.. Huntington said that
statistics We're lacking. He hoped that
the managers would hereafter keep an
accurate record of all admissions,
deaths and discharges. with date and
age on admission, etc. which should be
open to everyone. They should make a
yearly report, as without it nothing
could be known. He thought the board
would never know what had been the
real state of affairs in the past.
DR. Wizard thought it would be impos-
sible to find anyone who would keep it
accurately as to age, but DR.. Hunting
ton thought it would be easy to ascer-
tain the age approximately.
He wished to say that he had no feel
ing against the management, but felt
that in the past gross errors had been
committed. The records should be ac-
curately kept, and they should pay a
person, if necessary, to do so. He would
not want to be director of such an in
stitution without a record to protect
him.
Dr. Waggoner said that he knew that
up to two years ago no record was kept.
Now it is all right
Dr. Huntington said the board had no
authority to go away back, but it was
its duty to see that records were kept
rightly now.
Dr. Wizard said that up to two years
ago the institution was in a crude and
inexperienced state. 1t was all right
now.
DR.. Parkinson's motion was carried.
DR.. Parkinson said, in relation to the
ordinance for inspecting milk and meat,
that he had hoped to have the ordinance
drawn up by the Corporation Counsel.
but the latter had been so busy that he
would have to ask for further time.
The request was granted.
President Leonard asked if the board
did not think that the sewerage lake
had affected the homo.
DR.. Huntington said the site was an
unfortunate one, and had something to
do with the mortality.
Mr.. Leonard said he board was con-
sidering the matter of constructing a
sump. to drain off the sewage. He
wanted TO speak of the practice Of
earting the cleanings of closets through
the streets insuficiently covered. He
had noticed a contractor named Lewis
who did so.
DR.. Nichols said ne had ordered Mr..
Lewis not to use his old apparatus, but
had understood he had been using it
since. He had again given orders to
stop it, and If It were not done he would
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