Putnam patriot., 1908-11-13

taken the proper means to shut of the epidemic.
 One ease ef cerebro spinal meniHgi- tis proved fatal.
 In the last ptft of the year we had a l number of patients sick with cholera morbus or gastric intestinal troubles. What sas the eanse2 IL was the wa ter or ihe lack of pfOpsr sewerage. The water was con iemned by the State En- gneer, two years ag5, A being unit for family use. II VAS then agreed be; tween the water company and the city that a fiilefinR plant should be built to purify fhe water. One year elapsed be- fore this plan was executed, and the l filter had mol been in operation but for few months before Il went to pieces, so fhaf all summer we had To use this same water condemned two years ago -.uniiltered and stinkinR as in the pre-. yioa= years
 An appeal was made to the Council by the Mayor about the use of our sew CTS, intended for surface water only, but which have been illegally used by many for sewage disposal. A commis- sion was name to investige this dan gerons condition Of affairs. About forty offenders have admitted tapping the surface water sewers illegally and to using them to get rid ef thsif ow n sew age at imminent danger to the pu blic health.
 The commission has not yet given in its report to the Common Council with recommendation To have this danger ous and Illegal condition of affairs sup pressed. The only remedy. In my opi- nion, Is tn have good system of sew craze as they have in other rlaees even smaller than our city. Some manufac- tufefs having constructed sewers for their own priN ale use, object le having T genetal system of sewers adopted. But when Me consider that their pfi. sate sewers nfe dangerously defective -iteexiug in winter and without taps io stop the noNtunss gases entering lheie homes and theif tenements, con Ianinallng the nif they bteathe-in- stead of opposing sewers, lheS ought Ia be the afst to iaeor good system for the entire community,
 The "white plague destroyed ~eve- fal victims, and We have actually more than ten patients whose spate on eN.
  animation, show the presence of baeili of tuberculosis None of these eases can he traced to the use of milk. As no present means to find out. 1 have asked the Council Ia al least order the registration of our milk dealers. but the question seems to he of no special interest to It's members.
 No additional precautions io those usually employed have been taken to prevent the spread of tuberculosis.
 We have had auumber of complaints of oNeriiowing cesspools and neglect to clean priNies in aeeordanees with the ordinances. These nnisanees, when | attended 10 and ahated.
 We have no fegular system Of dis posing Of garbage,
 am glad to report that the old cess l pool nuisance on Providence street has been abaied through the action of our City Attorney.
 Our schools have all been cleaned, whitewashed and painted before the opening of school, and l find them In A good sanitary condi ton,
 have reported in previous years the condition of our ice ponds. As they remain unchanged need not re- peat what have previously reported.
 Respectfully submitted, OMER LARrR, HEALTH OFFICER. l Putnam, Nov. ?. 1908.
 After he had finished reading his re- port, the Health offieer stated that there was one thing he had forgotten, and that was the subject of the lock up. X complaint had been made at previous meeting, that the sanitary condition of the lock-up was very bad, that he had been empowered to sce the representatives of the Pearson estats to sec what they would do regarding the matter. He had done so, and they refused to do anything. saying that If the city didn't like il they could get out.
 The report MAS accepted.
 The iire committee reported upon the improvements al nfe headquarters, that the firemen asked the Council 10 make at a previous meeting. They also repofiei that the iappef in the en- zine house was aaiiqanlei, and new one was needed.
 Alderman Rtosiear also called the Councils attention 10 The condition existing al the Eagle Hose Gompanyss quarters in the upper part of the city, relating to it's condition as shameful, and suggesting necessary improve ments. The estimated cost of making