Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-08-11
PURE MILK SUPPLY
ONE OF TIE REASONS FOR FEW
DEATHS AMONG CHILDREN
DURING JULY:
Monthly Meeting Of Board of Health
Held Last Evenlng-Epidemic OF
Scarlet Fever Abating-Report OF
Dr.. w. B. LaForce.
From Wednesdays Daily.

From Wednesdays Daily.
The thorough inspection being made
of the milk supply of the city was CIV
en- as one of the probable causes for
the unusually light death rate among
children under five years of age in OF
tumwa during July by DR.. W. B. La
Force physician to the board Of
health, in his monthly report submit
ted to that body last evening. OF the
fifteen deaths which occurred during
the month only three were OF children
under five years of age.
DR.. LaForce stated that July was
considered one of the most unhealthy
months of the year, especially for
young children, and that one Of the
principal reasons for the few number
Of deaths was on account of the
weather being much cooler than usual
for this time of year. Regarding the
milk supply of the city he said that
thorough inspection was being made
and in several samples Of milk submit
ted to him for analysis by Milk In
spector E. B. Hill, no cases af adulter-
alton had been found and that if for
maldehyde should be found in any of
the milk sold to citizens, prosecutions
would follow.
Fever Abatng.
The city physician also stated that
the epidemic of scarlet fever which
had been prevalent for the past two
months was undoubtedly on the de-
crease and that although eight new
cases had been reported during the
month none of these had been within
I the last two weeks. Regarding the
opinion Of many Of the residents of the
city that some of the cases were the
result of the Garfield school building
being infected he said that while it
was possible he also believed that
many of the families had been care
less in observing the laws of quaran-
tine and that some of the cases had
not been reported to physician at
ALL
AS matter of precaution it was or
| dered on motion of Alderman Keyhoe
that the school board be notified to
disinfect the school building unless
such steps had already been taken as
would render disinfection unnecessary.
No Overcharges.
Alderman w. 8. Humphrey, chair
man of the sanitary committee, report
ed that the committee had investigat-
ed the petition of Ira Phillips claim
ing that the city scavenger had over
4 charged him and had found that the
figures of that official were too low.
On motion of Alderman Stephen
Barnes it was ordered that the scav-
engers be notified not to go to work
until 10 o'clock at night and that they
drive through the alleys instead Of the
city streets.
Mrs. D. H. Chodat, who resides in
Janney Addition complained of a barn
of neighbor being nuisance and the
matter was referred to the city solicit
or.
! Physicians Report.
i According to the report of DR.. La
Force, there were fifteen deaths dur
ing the month, the death rate for the
month per 1000 of population, per an
mum, being 7S2. Of the twenty-seven
births during the month, eighteen
were male and nine female children.
Eight of the fifteen deaths were of
males and seven, females.
The total precipitation during the
month as shown by the meteorological
observations was $40 inches.
The following report gives the
causes of death, the deaths by wards
and other PARTICULARS:
General diseases:
Scarlet fever :. -. -. -. ....... /
Dysentery.. 49,. -. -. -. -. 80.
tuberculosis of the lungs .......... 2
Cancer ..... ...... -. -. -.
IL 4
chrome alconollsm $500. l
Diseases of the nervous system:
Spinal meningitis ;. 49,. -. -. 49,. /
Paralysis :. -. -. -. -. .......
Diseases of the circulatory system:
Valvular disease of the heart >. :. !