The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-11-22
ANNUAL REPORT
.B0AR0 OF 4 HEAL [: TIL.
DR.. Oppehllinier Recommends
That Council Adopt Plan
For Public Baths.
WHAT INSPECTOR REPORTS
------.---------
Criticism ofi>Water Refers Only
to Springs and Wells " lis
Around City.
WHAT INSPECTOR REPORTS

Or. w. T. Oppenhiner Is distributing
in tho city copies Of the annual report Of
the Board of Health. It is n most inter-
csting document.
The report contains statistics not only
| from DR.. Opperihimcr as president of tho
Board of Health, bit from Mr.gW a. j..
Kelley as well, WHO is milk and food In
spector for tho city Extracts from the
two reports arc as follows:
Upon any increase in the number OF
deaths from typhoid fever or diphtheria,
a cry is raised for protection against
these diseases. In the meantime nothing
is said Of tuberculosis, that great scourgc
| which causes one-seventh of the deaths
| of each year.
1T should give us pause that with all
the other causes Of death In city Of the
| size of Richmond, tuberculosis in some
| form claims over 26O ofHevcry 1876 who
die az
| Referring to tho decrease lii the city's
death rate, the health board president
says: a.
"rhe records for 1904 show decrease Of
| fifty-nine In the number of deaths from
all causes. There were flfty-four fewer
deaths from contagious diseat.s. The
past year has been one of marked health
for Richmond, there having been less Ill
ness than we have had for years This
is largely due to rigid investigations fol-
| lowing each complaint, and to con tinu-
Gus inspection of general conditions.
THE council adopted an ordinance pro-
viding for an inspector OF food. The wis
dom of this measure is already apparent.
and will be ever more obvious In the de-,
crease in mortality among infants during
| the summer months"
Public Baths.
Dr.. Opnenhimer recommends public
baths for Richmond in the following para
graph:
"A laudable desire has been evnced for
public baths in Richmond. Such baths
have proven successful in other towns
for the poor, having no conveniences in
their homes checrfully pay a few pence
e Tor the luxury of bath. The general
health must needs be improved BY so
potent a sanitary agent, and 1t is to be
earnestly. hoped that the council will fur
Their the plan.'
He calls attention to the improvements
at the crematory, sayae;:
The crematory has been enlarged one
third more than Its original size, and is
now adequate to the CONSUMPTION of all
garbage.
Warm praise is due the sanitary Off
GERS and the inspectors Of food and
plumbing for faithful fulfilment Of their
respective duties. Their reports follow:
Tho health department. is better pre-
pared for work than ever before, and II is
believed that the good results will speak
for themselves.
Statistics.
The total number Of deaths for 1904
was 1s76-white, s5s; colored, 1,o1s-a de-
crease Of 20 white and a decrease Of %
colored from last year or the year 1909 "
the report says.
The greatest mortality was in the
month Of March-215 The next greatest
was IN July-eea. The lowest was In De.
cenrher-114
1,hn annual rate of mortality on The
"hole population was%1e. 76 r,erf1 on. Tho
nn"na' rae of the white noruation was
IL rs nAr LOO. The a n,IoI rate OF the
colored ropula.ion was a. 40 ner 4 roo
Calculations based On an estimated non
nlation Of 10 0of-white, 62,2;o, and 37,7F0
crloreH'' n u ~. -
n. op-eoh,mer gives the following
statistics with reference to contagious
dise,ees: ~
fever reno~ted, o.. with two deat hs-an
inrroare N the nur,hn~ rennrt ed 20 and
a decrease Of ono dnatl on last syear.
"Tvphcid feve--1T with ~ daa ths-an@
increase Of ,rine are~o~ted and n decrease
of scvortee- deaths on last wear.
"D'~h.h rr'a-7S casns rerorted. with
c'~1,t dnat hs--a decrease Of 50 cnses re-
ported. ard elso a decrease Of 3s deaths
or last year.
PLUMBING, Insnector Thomas M. Lam
dere. N hi sannual report 10 DR.. Onpen-
h'mer saws:
"The mast wear hHs been =, very busy
one. owing to The fact OF fhe large in