Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-26
TYPHOID GERMS
I IN VEGETABLES
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH
WARNS THE PEOPLE
In Report the Statement is Made That
uncooked Food May Lead to
Disease-372 Causes
of Death

In the monthly report of the Cali
fornia state board of health just issued
1t is stated that during the month of
April there were reported 1888 living
births 1884 deaths, exclusive of still
births, and 2O19 marriages. For an es-
timated state population of 2,0O1, ,193,
these figures give annual rates as fol-
lows: Births, Ills; deaths, 1874, and
marriages. 1873. The corresponding
rates for March were, respectively, H. Z,
1873 and SO.
Statistics follow:
The number of marriages was high
est in the following counties: Los An
geles, AIS; San Francisco, 9S5; Ala
media, 270; Santa Clara, 90; Sacra-
mento, 81; Marin, 62, and Orange. so.
The birth total was greatest for the
following freeholders' charter cities.
San Francisco, 4O2; Los Angeles. 322;
Oakland. 1888; Berkeley, 81; Alameda,
40; San Jose, 44 Fresno, 36, and Pasa-
dena and Sacramento each 80.
The death list was greatest for the
following cities: San Francisco 562;
Los Angeles, 1866; Oakland, 160; San
Diego, II; Sacramento, 62; Stockton,
&c. Alameda, 35 Berkeley, "a; San
Jose, go; Pasadena, 81, and Fresno and
Long Beach, each rs.
The deaths reported for April were
distributed by geographic divisions as
follows: Northern California-Coast
counties, 112; interior countries, 22?;
total, 339. Central California-San
Francisco, 563; other bay counties,
3Sa; coast counties, 1e2; interior counN
ties, 465; total, 1869. Southern Cali
fornia-Los Angeles, 552; other coun-
ties, 244; total, 79e. State total, 1884
Causes Of Death
There were 372 deaths from tuber-
culosis of the lungs and 81 from tu-
berculosis of other organs, making
total of 400, or 15.2 per cent OF all
for April, from various forms OF tu-
berculosis. There were 1894 deaths, OF
146 per cent of all, from diseases OF
from pneumonia and broncho-pneu-
monia and SO from other diseases of
this class. Third in order, as usual,
are diseases of the circulatory sys-
tenn. causing 349 deaths, or 1870 per
cent. There were so deaths from
meningitis and 1856 from other dis
eases Of the nervous system.
Typhoid fever, as is nearly always
the case. yas the most fatal epidemic
disease in the month. The total for
typhoid fever was "a, against q for
whoopine cough, 25 for diphtherta
and Group, 10 for measles, IL Tor m
Auenza and 16 for all other epidemic
diseases.
Danger Of Typhoid
According to Investigations made by
the state board of health it was proved
beyond a doubt that there is great
danger Of typhoid being spread by the
use of uncooked vegetables wnlcn nave
been contaminated by human excre-
ment. Gardens were FOUND Wnere Ile =
Iio,lid excrement was used to sprinkle
on the plants to kill insect life. Should
those vegetables be eaten raw, as
many of them are, serious consequences
might result.
In the neigilborhood of cities where
land is valuable intense cultivation and
fertilization are necessary, and nothing
10 allowed to go to waste that will
enrich the SOIL, Sewage in concen-
trated form and sewage-polluted water
are used to fertilize and irrigate vege-
tables which are eaten raw and straw
berries. These things should be care
fully watched by local health author
tiles and not allowed, for there is no
doubt much sickness results from the
practice. AS precautionary measure,
where there is a suspicion of danger,
the following from the bulletin of the
Chicago health department could be
used:
Strawberries and Filth
Concerning strawberries and filth,
the report saws: "The dish has been
served since antiquity but it's disgust
ing properties and it's liabilities to pro-
duce sickness are not thereby lessened.
Take a stroll through the ordinary
market or by vegetable and fruit
store and watch the conditions, espe-
cially on a windy day. The straw
berries are set out to view for the
purpose of inducing trade, but they are
entirely unprotected from the dust
which is rising in clouds from the
street-dust composed of all unmen-
tionable filth. 1t settles and clings to
the berries and no amount of washing
will entirely take 1t away. The berries
are oftentimes closely inspected by the
eyer-present dog, who leaves them in
no more inviting condition.
"This delicious fruit is exposed to
enough contamination in its produc-
tion and picking and should be guarded
from any additional in the market.
This can easily be done, and local or
dinances should be passed requiring
that berries should not be exposed to
the contaminating influences to which
they are now subjected. The purchas-,
ers, however, have an immediate rem
edy by refusing to deal with anyone
who thus endangers their health"
Sleeping Outdoors
The board in it's report devotes con-
siderable space to paper on the bene-
fits of sleeping outdoors, which has
been tried successfully by quite num-
ber of Sacramentans. 1t says:
Throughout large portion of Cali
fornia the temperature seldom reaches
the freezing point, and sleeping in the
open air is entirely practicable. In
winter all that is necessary Is warm
coverings and roof or canvas shelter
to keep off the rain. There is hardly
a house in city or country that. could
not easily have an outdoor sleeping
apartment. A platform on the back or
side, either with roof or entirely open,
could be cheaply built. If without roof,
in winter canvas could be stretched
from the side of the house to near the
floor, which would keep the bed and
inmates dry. Many houses have
porches, the tops of which make ex-
cellent places to sleep. Two-story
houses generally have one-story por-
ton, the roof of which, if made fiat,
and door opening from the chamber
- = f, q nIIfdnnr