The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-08-26
IMPROVES
Better Returns Of Vital
Statistics Re-
ported
SOME DtlNQUfNCtS ALASKAN COAL LANDS GIANTS BEAT PIRATES

Interesting Discussions in Health Officers
School-Addresse on Sewerage Dis
posal, Infectious Diseases, tuberculosis,
etc.
The third days session of the Health
Officers School was opened at $50 o'clock
on Wednesday morning with a program
slightly changed from that scheduled for
the days sessions. Prof. John w. Votey,
sanitary engineer of the Board of Health,
delivered very practical paper on "Sew-
age Disposal" treating ibis most i'm
portant matter not only<from the stand
point of the community at large, but also
from the standpoint of the private dwelling
house, the summer cottage, the summer
hotel, and the isolated farmhouse. He
outlined the principles which should be
followed, in the main, in the proper and
sanitary disposal of all sewage which, in
an untreated state decomposes ND causes
much spread of contagion. Fl outlines
various remedies, of interest to the medi-
cal profession, which would make it possi
BILE to avoid at least a part of the pollution
of water supplies by sewage.
Prof. Votey's paper was discussed by
number Of the school, DR.. f. r. Clark, of
Castleton, leading the discussion, and
presenting the conditions at Lake Bono
seen where there are four summer hotels
and over l75 cottages on the lakefront
which is almost the only means of dis
posing of the sewage and which is also
source of water supply. DR.. W. A.
Young, of Westfeld was to have dis
cussed the paper but was not present.
Vital Statistics
Chief Statistician Cressy L. Wilbur, NJ.
D., of the Census Bureau at Washington,
D. G., presented most interesting paper,
on "Vital Statistics, " confining his paper
largely to the mortality record. By means
of charts, he pointed out the standing of
Vermont in proper and accurate returns OF
registration records as compared with the
average of the other States of the Union
and although this State was notably defec-
tive few years ago in the prompt filing
of returns, the last few years have shown
notable improvement, due, largely, to the
vigilant efforts of Secretary Holton and
the other members of the State Health
board in getting after the health officers
and dlatory town clerks. The death
certificates are not yet properly filled out
in every instance. The unknown nativity |
and parent nativity blanks show great
lack of information on two very lmpor-
tant subjects. The law provides penalty
if body is buried or removed without a
burial permit, and the law provides a
penalty if the physician in attendance or
other responsible party does not make
prompt and proper returns OF birth
DR.. Wilbur urged that lax methods should
be prosecuted and that promptness be
insisted upon on the part OF attending
physicians, health officers, and town
clerks. Unless the law is thoroughly en-
forced, there is little use in having legisla-
ton cover the matter at all. The compila-
ton of accurate vital statistics is becoming
more and more important, owing to the
industrial, the immigration and other
sociological problems that confront the
whole country. Vermont still has oppor-
tunity for making great strides toward a
more prompt and less inaccurate return OF
registration blanks. Dr. Wilbur's paper
was to have been discussed by Town
Clerks T. r. Merrill, of this city, and James
Mackay, of Barre, but neither was able to
be on hand. The discussion that followed,
however, was general and DIR, Wilbur
enlightened the health officers on many
confusing points. Adjournment was taken
shortly after noon.
Two lectures of paramount Importance
were heard at the evening session Wednes-
day. The first paper was by j. q. Jordan,
Phi d., Milk Inspector OF the city OF Bos-
ton on the subject, Observations from
the Daily Work of Milk Inspector"
DIR. Jordan has just visited the cream
stations along the line of railroad through
New Hampshire and Vermont, and isl
conversant with conditions.
Bostons supply is obtained partly from
the following creameries: Vermont, 36;
Maine, 26; New Hampshire, l2 New York,
9; Massachusetts,, 4. Creamery owners
rarely investigate the sources OF supply.
Cream is no longer luxury. 1t is
necessity in many households, but it is
doubtful if the consumption will increase
if the present popular attitude does not
change and the old fashioned hand meth
DDS are not improved upon. Cleanliness
in the keeping of the milk and cream sup
ply depends largely upon an ample supply
of ice. Ice should be considered one of
the products of the dairy farm. Speedy
refrigeration of milk is absolutely neces-
sary. Dairymen who will not pick up the
proper method by themselves should have
sanitary regulations instilled into them.
Casual observation does not always
reveal bad condition in the ilksupply.
Laboratory examination does this and it