The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-01-28
The BOARD
OF HEALTH
Proceedings at a Regular Meeting Held
Last Night.
The ANNUAL REPORT PRESENTED
The Document is a Very Interesting and
Exhaustive One and VIII be Issued
in Pamphlet Form For Public m
Distribution Some Note
worthy Statistics


Of Health was held last night at the residence
of one Of the members Maurice Morrison.
The business transacted was routine in char
acter, with the exception of consideration Of
the annual report. The members and officers
of the Board in attendance were Messrs. p.
d. Holman, NJ. d. Malone, Maurice Morrison,
John w. Curtin and Patrick Conry
The committee on neurology reported that
during the month Of December there were
% deaths and still births
Secretary Curtin reported that he issued 32
burial permits, 20 local and non residents
There were 30 interments in town cemeteries
and in outside cemeteries.
The Epidemic committee reported nine
cases of communicable diseases-Scarlet
fever and diphtheria l, with three fatalities
Of scarlet fever.
Health Officer Conry reported having at
tended to thirteen nuisances during the
month.
The annual report Of the Board, presented
by Secretary Curtin, its author, was an in
teresting and we'll compiled document. 1t
consists of a number Of closely written pages
of legal cap and full publication would oc-
cupy much space. 1t sets forth, among other
things, that no year since the organization of
the Board of Health makes such creditable
showing as the one just closed. The total
number of deaths recorded in the borough
was 354, as against 448 for the year preceding
On an estimated population of 10000 persons
this would be death rate of III per 900
as compared with 1897. This rate shows a
decrease of 5.5 per 1000. In all but two
months Of the year 1898 there was a relative
decrease in the number of deaths from all
cases, as compared with the same months in
the preceding year. Altogether, there were
80 deaths less for the year than during the
year Immediately preceding.
Scanning our records closely" the report
continues, I'VE find the number Of deaths oc-
curing among children under five years of
age was 2O4. as against 8O7 for the year 1897.
Normally, the deaths occurring among chill
dren of this age average SO per cent. Of the
entire mortality of the borough, while last
year the proportion was over IS per cent. for
the year just closed. The proportion of
deaths among children under five years
reaches a minimum percentage during the
existence of the Board Of Health, namely
57.6 pei cent. of our total mortality A de-
crease of 103 deaths as compared with 1897
is the tangible record. No doubt the season.
able conditions that prevailed last year had
much to do with the result
In our previous annual reports we took
occasion to emphasize, with regularity the
seeming carelessness or negligence, exhibited
by some parents, in failing to provide proper
medical attendance fer their little ones With
the gratifying decrease in the mortality of
children, as just shown, we take confidence
in the hope that our aims and remarks may
not have been misdirected, and may have
had salutory effect on the parties to whom
they were especially directed
Reverting to statistics, the report sets forth
that there were Ill cases of communicable
diseases, with Is fatalities in 1898, as against
154 cases and SO deaths in 1897, and 126 cases
and 30 deaths in 1896.
During the year the Board entered eight
prosecutions for violations of its rules and
the health laws of the state, and enforced
the payment of fines in each case.
The report shows a comparatively small
number of cases of typhoid fever during the
year. and the belief is expressed that in at
least two cases. tue disease was precipitated to
oysters that town parties ate in Philadelphia.
This was the conclusion reached after an
exhaustive investigation.
Referring to observance of the vaccination
laws the report states that the records of the
local schools compare favorably with any
other school district in the state.
There were ass burial permits issued dur
ing the year, of which 104 were for non resi-
dents, "a for Don-residents inferred in town
cemeteries, and 10 for interments in other
than town cemeteries. These do not include
funerals that came to town on transit per-
mits. The interments made in the respec-
tive local cemeteries during the year were
Annunciation, rs; Greek, 25; Lithuanian,
1926; odd Fellows, 49, Polish, 81; Jewish, 2;
a total of 354.
The aggregate expenses of the Board for
the year were $772. .S5 and the receipts Sl56,
leaving the net cost of the Board to the
borough S6l6,S5.
The report was accepted, vote of thanks
rendered the secretary and the printing of
1000 copies in pamphlet form ordered
Bills to the amount Of S55 were presented
and ordered paid