The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-26
SMALLPOX IN INDIANAPOLIS
REASON WHY so MANY COLORED
PEOPLE HAVE THE DISEASE.
All Contagious Diseases Are Contract
ed I'm About the Same way-A
Lack of Funds.

more, II WOulQ make the Oeatn
rate about IL per cent, which is very low
1t is hard to make comparisons with other
cities. because we prepare no vital stats
tics bulletins, and that is the reason people
often see lists OF cities in the newspapers
showing their death rates in which Indian
apols does not appear. The board intends
in the future to issue such publication. be-
cause IT will be a benefit to the city in
showing that our death rate is not so high
as in other cities Of this size, and the cost
of this will be very small. It is doubtful
~ there is a town in the United States cor
responding in population TO Indianapolis
that has better sanitary conditions than we
have here; and these conditions are better
now than they were this time last year.
year ago there were eight cases OF typhoid
fever I'm the city. while now there are only
two; OF scarlet fever there were twenty
nine. while now there are fifteen, and of
diphtheria there were thirty-one cases,
while now there are only sixteen, which is
considered very low for this time OF the
year.
You see, these contag ious diseases are
what have TO be looked after, and the low
ness OF this record proves that the condi-
lions existing here are growing better all
the time. The new board, which, of course
came in with the new administration has
met every week to transact business and
TO discuss the best means of running all
the institutions which come under its con-
troll The City Hospital has been hampered
for room for a number Of years, but when
the new wing is completed and thrown open
70 receive patients there will be ample room
for years to come. In the new wing things
VIII be so arranged as to classify the dis
eases, and this will not only be a benefit
to the patients, but II will also greatly aid
the medical profession. The preceding
board, In Its last annual report, recommend
cd that contagious disease pavilion be
built at the City Hospital, and said that
the conditions there were particularly I'M
favorable for smallpox sufferers and we
intend to carry out the idea OF the old
board and erect such a pavilion as it rec
commended. which Will be eighty feet long
and forty feet wide. This will easily ac-
commodate about $50 patients. The struc-
ture now in use for accommodating small
pox patients will be thoroughly cleaned
and disinfected. Tt will then be moved hack
about one hundred feet and will be used as
a place Of detention for persons suspected
OF having the disease. And in this wav
where a case is suspected, the physicians
can watch 1t much closer, and there will
be no danger OF anyone's being exposed to
IT. The new building will be one hundred
feet from the hospital building and the
same number of feet from the street. so
there will be no danger to the propertv
owners and people living in the neighbor
hood.
A FILTH DETECTOR
Il also have another PLAN" continued
DR.. House, which I have been thinking
over, but so far have not put it before the
board. II is to have another health officer
put on duty TO make inspections of all
places where filth exists and to go around
IN the congested parts OF the city. The
board now employs four inspectors, whose
duty II Is to look after cases that are re-
ported and to put up signs where conta-
gious diseases are reported by physicians
But the duty OF this new inspector would
be not TO wait until cases are brought 70
the notice OF the Health Board but TO go
out and find places where unsanitary con-
ditions exist. He could go among those
colored families In the city where the great
est part OF the smallpox has been discov-
cred and compel them to clean up These
four men we now employ have all they car
do to look UP the cases that are reported
TO them. and yet we all know that there
are bad sanitary conditions which never
come TO the boards notice. And II would
also be this officers duty to see that when
he ordered places cleaned there would be
no neglect about IL. am certain that with
this extra inspector the contagious disease
record of this city would be greatly re-
duced"
What constitutes a good sanitary city?"
Or. House was asked
THE first thing city must have to be I'm
. good sanitary condition" he replied. lis
a frst-class water supply. II is in bad
drinking water where typhoid fever gets
its start. because the germs Of this fever
must be swallowed 70 be effective Now
the water supply OF this city could not be
better than IL IS. The water that is fur
nished by the water company is from deep
wolls and no water from the outside can
be let into the pipes because the gates
through which the river water can be ad-
mitted are closed and sealed by the Board
CT Health; and at short intervals these
seals are examined TO see IL they have been
broken. Besides this precaution. TO be GER
tain that the people OF indianapolis are get
ting pure water. the city s4nitarian makes
numerous analyses OF the water furnished
by the water company. and ii has always
been found to be free from anything that
would contaminate il in the least. The
fact that we have good water is proved by
the small number OF cases of typhoid fever
now In the city. indianapolis is not only
blessed with pure water, but IL has it in
abundance
The next thing that goes a long way to
make healthy city is it's natural location
and climate. Very often one hears people
complaining of the climate we have. say
ing IL Is changeable that it is enough
20 Kill the strongest. Our climate is not so
bad as the majority OF people think il is.
While II is true that the changeable and
moist atmosphere is responsible for the
great number OF nose and throat diseases
which We have, so far as IL may affect the
general health the climate is not bad In
fact. IL is what might be called a very
healthy climate. because we do not have
the severe cold weather OF the North.
neither do we have the extremely hot
weather OF the South We generally hit a
happy medium here which is not only good
for health. but for general comfort And