Rock Island Argus., 1905-04-29
Record for Year Unusually Good,
Says Commissioner
in Report.
FREE FROM ALL EPIDEMICS
Or. 6. c. Craig, Jr., Makes Recon-
mendaticns to the City
Council


beginning OF our bad weather in De
cember TO the middle of April, many OF
the cases being of the intestinal vari
ETY.. and severe FIVE deaths being at
tributed To it, Pneumonia caused the
largest number of deaths. taking prece
dence over consumption. which up un-
til two years ago, was the leader, there
being Is deaths from pneumonia as
against Is from tuberculosis in its
different types. One reason for this is
that those with weak lungs are more
apt to seek a good climate than former
| ly. There has been very little typhoid
fever. In fact. since the epidemic of
| 500 cases during the winters of 1900
and 1901. after which the intake pipe
and waterworks well were repaired. ac-
cording to my recommendations of the
year before. there have been only the
usual small number of cases.
None of these few cases have been
traced 10 the city water, but in most of
them a shallow and contaminated well
has been the cause. Wherever possi-
BILE We have closed these wells, even
when it could not be absolutely proven
that they were bad, for it is a positive
fact that an ordinary we'll in this city
is very apt TO become contaminated.
Special Laboratory Work.
Since my arrangement with the state
health department, made in 1900. the
city has had the benefit of free exam,
nations of water. Besides the surface
wells, samples from the channel and
reservoir, and from different taps about
the city, have been examined for us
Also ice from every ice dealer has been
analyzed and found to be excellent
During the ice harvest season, watch
was kept TO see that none was cut in
areas apt TO be infected.
Milk and cream have been thoroughly
tested several times during the year
and a personal inspection of the dairies
made. Several of the dealers have been
found selling milk and cream which
were lacking in the required amount of
butterfat. but no adulteration was dis
covered.
Contagious Diseases.
Our record in contagious diseases is
one to which we can point with pleas
ure. We have had considerably less
than half the usual number of these
cases. This we attribute to a thorough
fumigation and disinfection done by
the health inspector or myself, and be-
cause of the cooperation of the physi-
clans and of the school authorities
with the health department.
Regarding smallpox, the city has not
had any of these very expensive cases
to handle. Many suspicious cases were
turned over to us and kept under quar-
antine until we could safely release
them from surveillance. Smallpox, in
its severe forms. unmodified by vac
cinatiOn, is rare now. but its mild
form, varioloid, is still common. These
mild cases are very hard to diagnose
correctly, but the worst type may be
spread by the miIdest case. which
shows the Importance of a correct dag
nOsis. The only case the city had with
in its limits was a case of this most
virulent type. It was Harvey Hood
roustabOut circus performer. who had
been transported from another state to
this city, where we were notified TO
take charge of him. This was agreed
to. provided the Chicago. Burlington &
Quincy Railroad company. which i'm
ported him, would. pay all expenses.
This arrangement was made. We did
everything possible for the unfortunate
victim, but he died in a few days. as
these cases of black smallpox" in
variably do.
Certain improvements are urgently
needed at the pesthouse The expense
will be small. and | would respectfully
call your attention to my report of
December. 1904. in which the neces-
sary changes were specified.
Disposal of Garbage.
| have been studying this impor-
tant matter since the beginning of this
administration. Sooner or later laws
will be passed preventing the polluting
of rivers. lakes. the ocean. or other
bodies of water. by garbage and Offal
being dumped into them. as is the Gus
tom in most cities located near them.
The United States authorities have al
ready prevented New Orleans from
dumping garbage into the Missis-
sippi river.
Other methods of disposal are as fol-
lows:
!. Dumping on vacant land and COW
ering with soil. ashes or sawdust II
may be used for feTtiliZing land or for
feeding. as in Denver, Col, and in WOr-
cester, Mass, where public farms Of
several thousand hogs are kept.
The methods of dumping. burying.
and feeding and using for fertiIizing
are generally condemned.
The approved methods of disposal Of
garbage are:
2. Cremation. the total destruction
by intense heat
3. Reduction. or by process separa-
ting the waste and preserving the
mercbantabIe preduet.
Cremation is used in Milwaukee.
Wis, Minneapolis. MINI. Grand Rap
ids. Mich. Memphis. Tenn. Dayton.
Ohio, Scranton, Pa, Los Angeles. Cal.