The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-28
GUARDING ClTY'S HEALTH
SOME OF THE METHODS OBSERVED
BY THE SANITARY DEPARTMENT.
contagious Diseases Kept from the
Public schools - Disinfecting
Houses After an Illness.

The work of the Board of Public Health
and Charities, embracing in it's scope the
civ Hospital and City Dispensary, as well
IS a general supervision over all contagious
diseases in the city, has many interesting
features Perhaps the supervision Of con-
tagfous diseases is second in Importance to
no other branch of the boards work. BY
the system that obtains, physicians are re-
ouired to at once notify the board when
diagnosis of contagious diseases are made
or when suspicious systems are observed.
Physicians rarely disobey the rules. The
spread Of such contagious diseases as diph-
iberia and scarlet fever is prevented in
the schools. as afflicted pupils are at once
taken away and kept in close quarantine
until danger is past.
DR. +. d. Clark, secretary OF the board,
and city sanitarian, explained to a Journal
reporter how the work of the board is
done. "A record is kept in this Office" he
said, "of everything that is done. We have
q system of printed blanks that are used.
Blanks are furnished to physicians to re-
port all births deaths and cases of con-
tagious diseases. AS soon as return is
made Of diphthera, scarlet fever other
Contagious disease, an inspector is sent out
10 card the house. A printed postal card is
Immediately mailed to the teacher with the
information that children living at the in
fected house will be excluded from school
until they present a permit from the Board
of Health. All houses have to be carded
for contagious diseases at least three weeks
and may be kept carded longer. When dan
ger is past an inspector is sent to take
down the card. He has with him a per-
nit directing that the children be again
received at school. This is handed the par
ents.
ION his first trip to the house the in
speCtOr takes a sanitary survey of the
premises. His observations are recorded in
blanks prepared for that purpose, which
show. beside the name age, sex and resi-
dence of the patient, the name of the own
er and agent of the house, the sort of build
ing number of rooms 1t contains, and par
with description of the surroundings of
the well. You will see by this blank said
the doctor, exhibiting it, that the inspec--
tor is required to learn whether the patient
is a student in any school, and If not,
whether other members of the family at
tend. Where there are children the fam
lilies are required to keep them close at
home during the continuation Of the dis
ease. We can tell from our records here
whether there has been q case of diptheria,
scarlet fever or other contagious disease in
a house tire last year. Some persons who
are prospective tenants come to us for this
kind Of information, particularly If there
are children in the family. If it were gen.
orally understood that we are prepared to
furnish such information l have no doubt
many would be glad to avail themselves
of it."
DR.. Clark explained however, that with
the present system of induces 1t would be
necessary for the board to know the name
of the former tenant in order to ascertain
whether any disease had been in the house
of recent months. He is thinking of adopt
ing a system similar to that in use by the
gas companies by which all records will be
crOsS-indeXed by streets and numbers, a
history of the house being kept as well as
of the tenants.
ANTITOXIN FOR DIPTHERIA.
Laboratory work plays an important part
IN controlling contagious diseases. 1t not
infrequenty happens that physicians are
doubtful of their own diagnosis in diph-
iberia cases. In such instances they
provided with culture tubes" in which
saliva from the throat of the patient is
placed on blood serum and carefully con-
veyed to the office of the board, where DR..
Clark makes tests and develops the cultures
to find diphtheria germs 1t is seldom neces-
sary to take more than one culture to de-
termine the nature of the disease. Anti
toxin is growing in favor with the Board
of Health as a remedy for diphtheria. 1t is
expensive, costing about $3.50 for one in
lection, but that quantity generally proves
efficient. Where patients are unable to pay
for it, it is furnished by the board without
charge. For early diagnosis of typhoid fe-
Yer "Wydal's test" is made of blood on the
request of patients. An important branch
Of sanitation for the prevention of re-
currence of typhoid is with regard to wa
ter IN every typhoid case inspectors or
the board take samples of water. Dr. Clark
says that in the majority of typhoid cases
It is found that the water supply is contami-
mated. When this is found to be true wells
are at once condemned Water is inspect
ed from any well in town on request being
made, but it is done in any event in ty-
phoid cases.
To prevent the further spread of con-
tagious diseseS houses are disinfected I'M
der the direct supervision of the board aft
er the patients are we'll Formerly printed
instructions were sent to the occupants, but
they too frequently disregarded the boards
instructions entirely or did not follow them
intelligently. Now there is no danger to
families that move into once-infected
houses as they are carefully disinfected by
health inspectors. Last Friday DIR. Clark
had eight disinfectors at work. The cost
is comparatively little. 1t amounts, for
each house. This does not include the la
Dor, but the inspectors perform it part
Of their regular duties, for which they re-
celVe stipulated salaries. Two kinds OF
disinfectOrs are used. In one formalde-
hyde is used, and in the other a composition
OF sulphur, boraX and alcohol. Window
castings, transoms and other crevices are
sealed with long strips of gummed paper.
Clothing and bedding are spread out so that
they Will be thoroughly permedted with
fumes from the disinfectants, beside which
closet doors. bureau drawers and other
such receptacleS are opened to allow the
gases that form TO penetrate every nook
and crany. F0rmaidehyde generators are
kept in the tightly closed rooms an hour,
alter which the room is kept closed for
twelve hours, when 1t is considered that the
work is thoroughly done and the family is
permitted TO open windows TO allow fresh
air TO circulate. When hot cloths are APP
piled the scaling strips peel off. Where
the other sort of compound is used a char
coal furnace is kept burning in the closed
room for twelve hours. DIR. Clark says that
the contents of the rooms in no wise
injured by this cheap and effective method
OF disinfecting.
SHIPPING DEAD BODIES.
There are a multitude of rules which
health officers and physicians are compelled
to observe. None are more stringent than
those with regard to shipping away dead
bodies. Those of diphtheria. scarlet fever
smallpox. cholera and other contagious dis
eases cannot be shipped at ALL Typhoid
cases may be shipped in sealed Baskets.
The work that is done at the City Hos
pital and City Dispensary is pretty we'll
understood and need only be mentioned in
connection with the boards work. Both of
these public charities are under its super
vision As a rule, only INDECENT patients
are received at the hospital although per-
sons who are able to pay are permitted to
take advantage of The excellent facilities
that are offered at that institution. Plysi-
clans from both the dispensary and hospi-
tai hurry off in ambulances to assist emer-
gency cases, such as men who have been
crushed and MANNED in railroad accidents
or unfortunate men and women who have
attempted suicide The board is looking