River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-11-22
Report Of State Board of Health.

of the state board of health just issued
under the direction of DR.. G, A. Har-
per, 1872 cases of tuberculosis were re-
ported to that Office for the months of
July, August and September. 'This
is considerably less than the number
that was reported for the second quar-
ter, says the report, "and is simply
Indicative of laxity on the part of the
attending physicians to report the
cases to the local health officer. One
hundred and fifteen deaths were re-
ported from the disease, which is also
considerably less than the number re-
ported for the previous quarter. "Of
the total number, of. cases reported, III
were from Milwaukee. If the returns
are correct only IA new cases were
discovered during this period of time
in other parts of the state. AS stated
in our last quarterly bulletin. physi.
clans outside of the city of Milwaukee
would do well to emulate the practice
of the Milwaukee fraternity. During
the months of July, August and Sep
TENDER, 202 cases of diphtheria were
reported with IL deaths. This gives
fatality rate of eight per cent, which
is considerably less than that record
ed for the months of April, May and
June. That this disease should be
prevalent during the summer, and at
a time when the schools are not in
session, is ineXcusable. Seventy-four
cases of scarlet fever with two deaths
were reported for the quarter just
closed. Our records show that 35
places have been afflicted with typhoid
fever in more or less epidemic form.
One hundred and eighty-nine cases
with 10 deaths were reported. The fa-
tality rate of ten per cent is consider
ably less than for the second quarter.
the ACCESSIBILITY of having measles
while young should be discouraged
wherever found. Whooping cough is.
/ simply a disease of early childhood
and as great precaution should be
taken against contracting this disease
during the first two or three years of
| life as would be exercised in protect
ing the little ones from diphtheria or
scarlet fever. The records show that
nearly all deaths from whooping
cough are under two years of age.
Measles, undoubtedly, plays a greater
role in the death rate of the state than
the face of the records show. Small
box appears to be on the decline, only
1872 cases were reported with two
deaths. The seasonal variation of the
disease no doubt plays an important
part in this record. For the months of
April, May and June there were re-
ported to this office from 107 cities Of
the second, third and fourth classes
1890 deaths. For the preceding quar-
! ter reports were received from only
95 cities. During the fourth quarter
of last year 81 cities failed to make
this report. Of the total deaths re-
ported, 1,10S were males, 1853 fe-
males, and 23 with no sex given. This
gives a male excess of 249. Nine hun
dred and ninety-three were married.
Two hundred and seventy deaths We're
reported from heart disease and
dropsy; ia were from diseases
of the nervous system; 149 were
caused by pulmonary tuberculo-
sis; 81 were due to other tuber-
cular diseases; 1919 resulting from
pneumonia; 81 from diarrheal dis.
eases; 80 from cancer and tumor;
1O6 from diseases of the urinary sys-
tenn; IL from diphtheria; 80 from ty-
phoid fever; IL from whooping cough;
five from scarlet fever; 1S from
measles; 1876 from old age, and GEL
from other causes not classified. With
an aggregate population in these ITO
cities of 624,340 the annual rate is
1871. AS compared with the rate for
the fourth quarter of last year OF
1922 and also the rate for the first
quarter of this year of 14.22, we find
that much more favorable condition
seems to prevail. It is possible that
the seasonal variation would account
for this change in the mortality rate.
Nearly every city in Wisconsin OBJ
tanning water supply from one OF the
great lakes is suffering more or less
from the presence of typhoid fever or
other intestinal diseases. This fact
simply goes to show the dangers OF
the present system on the part Of
those cities obtaining their water sup
plies. The disposition Of sewage into
the lake within few thousand
feet of the intake pipe is wrong"