The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16
HEALTH BOARD REPORT
STATISTICS OF THE CITY HEALTH
DEPARTMENT
Submitted to the Mayor by Secretary
Clarlx-Condition of the Fire.
mems Pension Fund.


mayor his annual report OF the health de-
partment embracing subreports from the
City Hospital, City Dispensary and nurses
training school. as well as from various
minor officials.
A number of important recommendations
are made in the report, not the least inter-
estng of which is one asking that a pure
food ordinance be introduced in Council.
The health inspectors now have pretty
thorough supervision Of food products in
the commission houses, markets and other
places, and during the year large quantities
of deleterious fruit, game, butter, milk and
things Of that sort were condemned and or
dered destroyed. There is now in force an
ordinance, but il is not considered broad
enough. The board desires the mayor to
recommend the introduction of an ordinance
giving the board equal power to that en-
joyed by the health departments of other
cities
In the absence of pure-food law" says
the report, the work of inspecting food
products and the control of the dispensers
of the same has not been thorough, ben
efcial and far-reaching as it would have
been had we the benefits of such a law,
yet we are persuaded this branch of sani-
tary work has grown in its Importance and
efficiency during the past year" The re-
port commends the zeal of health inspectors
in watching food supplies.
Considerable space is devoted to the re-
cant plan of inspecting diaries and making
tests of cattle for tuberculin. Recently the
dairy association asked the Board of Health
to make such tests. The board agreed, with
the understanding that all dairymen whose
dairies were inspected should first sign an
agreement permitting the board to kill all
cows found to be infected. DR.. Morrison,
president of the board, in discussing this
subject said yesterday that this measure
was one OF the best yet undertaken by the
board. Public sentiment has been aroused
to the danger of consumption from cattle,
and the dairymen who have not received
health certificates from the board are hav-
ing trouble with their customers In the re-
port a description of the tests made is
given in detail. 1T may be taken as alb
SOlutely demonstrated" the report says,
that tuberculosis (consumption) in cattle
is the same disease as is found in man" In
the vicinity of indianapolis are 1864 cows
them is sold in the city. The report con-
tinues: The importance of eliminating
tuberculosus animals from among them can
not therefore be oVereStlmated.
There is an interesting chapter on the
water supply of the city. The report states
that people in this city using water from
=
in constant danger of typhoid fever. There
were 1872 cases in Indianapolis during the
year. In 165 cases well water was used by
the patients, in majority OF cases the
wells being less than fifty feet IN depth
The remaining seventeen patients used both
well and city water From analyses and CD
servations made during the year the public
supply (water from the Indianapolis Water
Company is pronounced safe. While
these observations compel a concession or
the superiority of water from the pubic
supply over well water, we are sun con-
strained to express regret that the OLD
gallery is still in use, and as consequence
of this every rainfall is followed by muddy
water in the mains. We would still insist
that the company be compelled to put IN a
tight reservoir OF approved CONSTRUCTION
The report says
Another section of the report speaks of
the great advantages other cities enjoy IN
the way of public baths, and recommends
that system of baths be inaugurated IN
Indianapolis
Reference is made to the system of coll
lecting and destroying garbage perfected
last year and the comparatively satistac-
tory manner in which it is now operated;
Reference is also made to the attempts that
have been put forth to secure a good SAM
tary-plumbing ordinance, and the hope is
expressed something may yet come of them.
Commentator is expressed for the manner
in which the charita BILE institutions of the
city, notably the hospital and dispensary,
have been conducted during the last twelve
months. A word of commentator for the
Womans Sanitary Association Is expressed.
The reports of the various subdepart-
valuable statistical information. The APP
preparations for the entire department for
1897 amounted to $43SOO.l5, of which $42,-
237 66 was expended.
Tables prepared by J. B. Gwin. clerk of
the board show the vital statistics of the
year. There was total of ZIP deaths of
which twelve resulted from scarlet fever
twenty-five from diphtheria twelve from
Group, fifty-four from typhoid fever and S25
from phthisis and tuberculo pulmonary.
The white children born numbered 2,6SS and
the colored 24O total of 292S.
Milk Inspector Arnold inspected 4.642
cows, some of them twice. OF this number
fifty were condemned. There were liza
dairy inspections Meat Inspector Woesner
inspected Ill $40 head of cattle 1918 calves.
$50 235 hogs, 90.65S sheep, a total of LOIS 81
head He condemned 900 pounds of live
stock and II. 800 pounds of slaughtered meat.
quantities of butter, meat, game, fruit, veg
etables, etc. were seized and DESTROYED as
unfit for food. Persons guilty of violating
health ordinances were arrested in TWENTY
nine cases, and eighteen were convicted and
fined
DR.. G. c. Poucher. superintendent Of the
treated. Of whom 1888 died the rate of NOR
tallty being 10. The health record IS con-
sidered very good. considering the large in
crease in population The death nate has
not increased proportionately. The hospital
ambulance answered 424 calls 6S in Decam-
her, as against in June. Of the calls. SO
were false
Miss Alice Ashley, principal of the Train
ing School for Nurses. reports an adsnira BILE
lilploNeHlSit III lndt department AT the be-
ginning OF the year there were eighteen
nurses. This number has been increased to
twenty-one. There were nine graduates in
the year Three nurses were dismissed for
cause. Applications from seventy for en-
trance to the school have been received of
which thirty-hve have been favoraoly con-
sidered and placed on the eligible list
The last report is from DR.. ]. NJ. Spencer,
superintendent of the City Dispensary
There were 17.0S5 patients treated by the dis
pensary staff. an increase over 1896 of 1888
The prescriptions filed numbered 26ST5, an
increase of 4.6o9 over the preceding year.
The increase in the death rate was but five
while the births increased thirty-four There
were forty-four deaths and eighty-seven
births during the year.
FIREMEN'S PENSION FUND.