Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-02

infection quite as much as it is to prevent
| the spread of infectious of other types,
| such as smallpox typisoid fever, scarlet
| fever and diphtheria, &c is hoped that the
| efforts which were made during the year
| just ended to obtafn an appropriation for
| the erection of 2uitahse hospital for corr
| sumptfves may b2~ renewed and that they
may during the coznfng year be successful.
1.-The question a. to the advantages and
disadvantages of rsquirfng all cases of pull
mcnary. tuberculosis to be reported to the
health department. is now under considera-
| ton and will be rererted upon during the
coming year. ~
The total number of deaths from tuber-
culosis during the6ealen5ar year 1903 was
| 776 This represents death rate Of 2 6,y
per thousand andSts, 1IA5 per cent of the
deaths from all c3ases
''rhe first six ml.nths e 1904 have shown
| a marked increaseln the number of deaths
from pulmonary bercssiosis, 476 as com
pared with 419 dhringEthe corresponding
period of 1903 The department is unable
as yet to submit anysanaysis of the figures
| for this six months period.
Inspection of Foods.
/ The health officer comments on the in
spection Of beef milk diaries and other
| features of inspection work under his de-
rsrtment He is of the opinion that addi-
| tional regulations are required for the
proper control of the milk supply Of the
| District, especially with reference to the
| authority Of the department over small
| establishments where milk is sold.
with reference to houses unfit for habta-
| ton DR.. Woodward says that legislation
| is required to compel owners to either put
| the buildings in proper sanitary condition
or else to demolish the structures He says:
efforts have been made for some years
to secure 1egisla ton looking toward the
| demolition of buildings of the class above
described. officials and publc-spirted cit
liens have worked actively toward that
end. and as result there has been form
ulated bill which If enacted will, it Is
| believed. accomplish the desired results
| without unnecessary hardship. This bill
Passed the House Of Representatives
February 1. 1904. and is now pending in
the Senate. Its early enactment is greatly
to be desired"
The Black Smoke Nuisance.
In reporting on smoke inspection in the
District, the report says:
1.-The most important incident in the his
tory of the anti-smoke law during the past
year was the refusal Of the Supreme Court
of the United States to entertain the appeal
by which it was sought to have that salute
declared void because of its alleged uncon-
stitutionality. This refusal was based
merely upon the courts lack of jurisdic-
ton. Its effect. however. was to dissfpata
the hope which had Heretofore existed In
the minds of some that the statute so dis
tasteful to them would be set aside and
to lead to more diligent efforts to comply
with the law The effect of such efforts
is. 1t is believed apparent in the diminished
volume of smoke now emitted.
Previous efforts on the part of certain
citizens to secure the amendment of the
anti smoke Ia were renewed during the past
year. Such efforts were admittedly made
with the utmost good faith in the efficacy
of the proposed legisla ton to prevent the
development of the smoke nuisance without
imposing unwelcome restrictions upon the
p:oprietors of business Establishments. The
objections to the proposed legislation were
duly Set forth in the report forwarded 10
the Commissioners on March 81 1904"
Inspection of Schools.
The year just ended marks the inaugu-
ration of system of medical inspection
of the public schools. The system was in
augurated and operated by the Joint ac-
ton of the health department and the
board of education, as provided by law,
without difficulty or friction of any kind.
according to DR.. Woodward's report. The
regulations originally adopted and the
forms put into use We're found unsatis-
factory in certain particulars; they will
be amended before the beginning of an
other school years
The prevalence of pediculosis in the
white schools farS exceeded the expecta-
lions of the depa Etrnenf," says the report
Why the disease was relatively so in
frequent among selored children is not
apparent.
pa R5esoas f9 1seessasstions of the de,
bat bat .housssssa1ld pebble comfort stations
with rsfsfenesst 6 sass rss istration of
| ment as follows: = =
The resisHatiorftof three undertakers
made the total number of names on the
register 146 The registration of under
| takers is at present on an extremely I'M
satisfactory basis, and men engage in the
business who are totally untitled for it.
Ihere Should be some way by which to
disbar from the ranks of undertakers
man Who after having removed the re-
mains of an infant to his place of BUSH
ness to await the completion of funeral
arrangements, deliberately abandons the
body at the front door of the mothers
residence when he finds that she cannot
raise enough money to pay his charges:
the man who holds a dead body against
the father and the husband of the de-
ceased because they are unwilling to pay
MS charges for moving and embalming
the remains, both of which the husband
ana father allege were done without their
consent; and a who deliberately
shlps body to another jurisdiction in
Such manner as to render it practically
certain that it will be offensive before the
pooy reaches Its destination, his only eS-
cuSe being that the remains had to be
forwarded by certain train and that
ery. 20
Ihese are illustrative cases taken from
the comparatively recent experience of
the health department. Fines or work.
mouse sentences are not sufficient punish
ment Tor such outrages on public decency
or on the feelings of the families of the
deceased.
Private Hospitals.
SO far as appears of record in the health
ONCE, there has been no change in the
number or character of private hospitals in
this District during the past year. The law
relating to the licensing of these institu-
lions Is practically a dead letter, inasmuch
as 1t provides no penalty for failure to OBJ
tain a license. 1t fails, too, to specify the
conditions under which licenses may be is
Sueo, ana, according to an opinion rem
dered by assistant corporation counsel on
May l, loo3, does not authorize the Com
m1ssloners to determine such conditions
III private hospitals to be licensed this
law should be amended to make it
enective; otherwise 1t should be repealed.
ana Whatever question there may be as to
the adVlsability of restricting the estab-
i1shment OF private hospitals generally and
OF regulating their management, there can
De no question as to the desirability of
treating in that manner the establishments