The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-25
FREE FROM CONTAG|ON
1t Has Not Happened Before in
Many Years.
NO EPIDEMICS IN TOWN
The Health Department Reports the
City Practically Free From All Con-
tagious Diseases Record Com
pared With Other Years.

For the first time in years it is an
nounced by Butte's health department
that the city is free from contagious
disease. Some contagion or other Is
usually TO be found in Butte as in
other cities, but at the present time
there Is nothing of the sort reported in
town. Diphtheria, scarlet fever mea-
sles and all the rest are apparently
eradicated for the time being. For the
year preceding May 1 last there We're
more than 100 cases of diphtheria in
tins city. The epidemic continued dur
ing the summer and fall, but has
sizes were rampant in Butte little
gradually been wiped out. The mea-
more than a year ago, but are not to be
found now. In fact, the present winter
all around is probably the most health
full Butte has had in years. Pneumo-
MIA and la grippe are the sicknesses
which distress Butte most In the win
ter season. There has been very lit
tie pneumonia this winter and while
there have been some cases of la
grippe the cases have not been so num-
erous as formerly or OF so malignant a
type.
Health officer Shultz will issue this
week IA mortuary statement for the year
1897. 1t will show the deaths during
the year by months, the causes of
death, the contagious diseases, the
sex, nativity, age, occupation and
marital relation of those who died in
Butte during the year. So far as
health goes few cities stand ahead of
Butte, but the Butte death rate is I'M
duly raised by the extraordinarily large
number of violent deaths in Butte.
During the year 1897 there were 121
cases of violent or unusual death re-
ported to the coroner. In 100 of these
cases the coroner saw proper to hold
inquests. The coroner's cases com
prised 20 per cent of the total number
of deaths in Butte. If the violent
deaths are deducted from the total
deaths in the city the resulting per-
centage of natural deaths would com
pare most favorably with all other cit
les in the land and would show
healthier condition than can be shown
by many cities
The ordinance providing for the con-
tract system of scavenger work has
been completed and will be presented
for passage at the next council meet
ing. Meanwhile the scavengers are
keeping the city pretty clean. There
seems to be some confusion as to the
respective duties of the health and
no conflict between the departments,
each has some trouble in telling where
its duties end and the duties of the
other department begins. The street
department gave notice yesterday that
1t would to-day start in arrestng all
parties who throw garbage, ashes, etc,
into the alleys. The alleys have been
the drtiest part of Butte, but have
been comparatively clean the past few
months. They are not clean enough,
however. and the street department
and the health department will join
forces in the endeavor to compel people
to observe laws. The ordinance pro-
NidPS for boxes for the Facantinn nf
ashes and garbage. and expressly for
bids throwing anything in the alleys.
An example is to be made of some of
those who are violating the law.