The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-01-08
ANNUAL REPORT OF HEALTH OFFICER

Z. I. Reardon has been submi lifted to
City Council and is on file in the
clerks Office where it can be consulted
by anyone seeking data as to the sani-
tary condition OF the city during the
year 1901. The report is quite elabo-
rate and somewhat lengthy, but as 1t
contains not little general informa-
tion of interest in reference to matters
that are related only incidentally and
by implication to the legitimate func-
tions of the health department the
seeker after knowledge will pardon the
verbosity of the document and thank
the Health Officer for placing on re-
cord facts that might otherwise fade
from recollection. It may come to pass
many years hence that, when the his
tory OF Sumter comes to be written;
the student of historical lore will find
in the annual reports of Health Officer
Reardon the ground work for an inter
esting chapter descriptive of Sumter
in the closing years of the nineteenth
century and the first decade of the
twentieth.
The number of births during the
year was 129; white, males %; females,
%. Colored, males A., females 80. The
births in 1900 numbered 1873, white 70,
colored 50.
The deaths in 1901 numbered .13S !;
white 49, colored SO; against 156 in
1900, of which As we're white and Ill
colored.
The deaths classified according to
age we're as follows: Under 1 year 40 ;
L to 5 years, %; 5 to 10 years. 4; 10
to 20 years, 10; 20 to 20 years, 80; 40
to go years, Il; go to 80 years, IL; over
so years 2.
The causes of death are stated as fol-
lows: Pneumonia, 4; Carcinoma Of
stomach, 1; heart failure, 2; paralysis,
3: heart disease, organic, l; softening
of the brain, /: Asthenia, 2: apoplexy,
|; consumption, u; typhoid fever, 4 I;
nephritis, 5; enteritis, 3; collitis, 5;
convulsions, 4: lagrippe, B.; castro
enteritis. 4: heart disease, valvular,
4; bronchitis, 2; appendicitis, 2; in
testinal tuberculosis, 1; dentition, 4;
perotonitis, l; anigna pectoris, 3;
cancer of bladder. /; Influenza pneu-
monia. l; passive congestion of lungs,
/: Inflammation of bowels, ileo-col-
litis, 3; malarial fever, s; hydroce-
phalis and manition, ?; acute difuse
nephritis and administration of chic
roform, l; gastritis, q; congenical
alectisis of lungs, l; entero-cellitis,
3: congestion and acute indigestion,
/; general tuberculosis, 2: lack of
vitality Il; acute alcoholism, l; cho-
lera infantum, 9: thrash, 1; hives.
L; specific asthaenia, l: umbilical
hemorrhage, 3; me nutrition, l; miras-
mus, l; acute laryngitis, l; epilepsy,
/; dropsy, l; nitro-regenigitalis, l;
pelvic perotonitis, l; catarrhal bronchi-
tbs, /, meningitis, L; intestinal OBJ
struction, L; catarrhal fever, l violent
deaths, murder, accidents, deaths,
etc., 3.
A portion of the report is devoted to
discussion of the need for sewer
age system and the increasing diff
Guilty of maintaining sanitary condi-
tion in the city under the existing
primitive arrangements for disposing
of disease producing waste and refuse.
There was no epidemic during the
year, and but few cases of contagi-
Gus or infectious diseases.
The death rate while not high, was
greater than should be charged against
the city, as quite number of the
deaths recorded were of persons who
came to this city, after contracting
disease, from other parts of the coun-
ty or towns, for treatment.
One suggestion is made that should
receive the consideration of the county
board of commissioners, viz: "A hos
pital annex should be built to the
county Jail as it is an injustice to the
prisoners to keep sick prisoners with
other prisoners, particularly when they
are suffering with certain diseases. y
Among the facts to be found in the
report that do not belong to the vital
statistics, but of general interest, the
following record of street improve
ments may be qouted: Sidewalks
haredend with clay 20, 400 feet, with
coal cinders 500 feet. -
Terra Gotta drains, 10 to "a inch
pipe. put down 1000
Brick pavement laid 200 feet,
brick curbing LOCO feet, wood curbing
5000 feet
.'Main Street macadamized 2,5o0
feet Republican Street hardened with
clay and sand 500. -