Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-08-06
TO KEEP WATCH
ON PUBLIC HEALTH
Health Officials Pleased
With Condition.
Chairman OF Board Tells
of Work Done This
Year.

once resume his work of inspectine
the premises of citizens and insurine
the city from diseases that may arise
from the presence of unhealthful To-
cal conditions
1t is probable that the inspector
will be continued in this work until
the end of September. He proved very
vigilant in the performance of these
duties and when he was laid off
some thirty days ago the city was in
admirable condition from a sanitary
standpoint Conditions are excellent
now, but the unemployment of the
inspector is a precautionary measure
that was recommended by the Board
Of Health.
In Fine Health Shape.
The city is in fine shape" said
DR.. Wade Chambliss, chairman of the
Board yesterday. There is but one
case of contagious disease here, one
of diphtheria, a child brought home
i'll from Lee county, where the dis
ease was probably contracted There
is comparatively little illness of any
kind, some few slight cases of fever
of a malarious nature The death
rate has been phenomenally low the
entire year, less than in any year in
probably the last ten. Last month
there was only one white death in
the city. In fact, the record of
Americus as to mortality will prob
ably stand comparison with the most
healthful city in the land.
General health conditions have
been improved as a result of the
greater care that has been exercised
by the health authorities and the
awakening of the people to the virtue
of preventative measures. The
water tower is now cleaned out once
or twice a month. In previous years
it was cleaned out once or twice a
year. No doubt this continual cleans
ing of the tower has direct benefi-
c1al effect upon the health of the COM
munity, and should never be allowed
to be lessened. Then the sewers are
being kept flushed as probably never
before. Once a week they are freely
flushed in addition to the automatic
flushing they receive all the time
Once a week they are literally flooded
swept entirely clear and left clean
and sweet. The flushing carries all
waste matter probably three hundred
yards from them. This is another
item that tells for the upbuilding of
the health of the community
To Keep Away Disease.
Medical science today looks more
and more to preventive measure, to
keeping communities and individuals
well rather than to make them well
after they are ILL.," continued DR..
Chambliss In every city the health
officials are fighting to create condi-
tions that tell for the preservation of
health, to the keeping away of dis
ease. That is what we are trying to
do more and more in Americus. We
are getting more assistance from the
public than in the past, too. Citizens
are awake to the value of good health
in the community as a whole Every
one is more inclined to do his part
toward this, to give the contribution
that he can in the shape of clean
premises and disease producing agen-
cies removed Yards and premises
generally have been kept in better
condition this year than ever before
All premises have been inspected
three or four times this season and
the people have been found willing
to give more cooperation than in the
past. If this spirit keeps on growing
it will not be long before the health
authorities will be sustained in every
step they take for the good Of the
health of the city.
Getting Critical About Milk.
There has been less typhoid feve,
here than probably ever before il
the history of the city, in comparison
with population This Is the result
o fthe greater cleanliness, the fac
| that citizens have attended to tn,
closets better when not connectet
with the sewerage system, and to tn,
fact that people here are getting NOR,
critical about their milk supply, from
which much danger is always threat
ened. The indifference as to wher,
the cows were pastured, whether they
were kept in fields adjoining tn,
creeks into which the sewerage wa.
emptied, is passing away and consu
mers are demanding that care b,
taken to keep the cows from sucl
sources of contamination, and tha
they be protected from getting i'm
pure milk as a result. All this tell
| for the health of the community. Al
our people think more along sanitar,
| lines IH6y Will D0COIll6 more ana NOR
vigilant about their milk supply an,
other food supplies. An aroused, in
telligent public appreciation of tn
causes of typhoid fever and other dis
eases will do much to wipe them ou
in Americus, as elsewhere
After the Mosquitoes.
There has been less intestina
troubles among children this summe
than last year" continued the doctor
Just now there is some malaria
fever, We have instructed the inspec
tor to pay especial attention t
sources breeding mosquitoes. Thi
! hac hnnr roitaIr snacnr