The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-02-19

a sufficient clerical force for the tabula-
ton of the voluminous records in time for
the biennial reports and for the four years
covering the period of operation of the
system the board is able to furnish tab
ulated report for only the three years OF
1905 1906 and 1897.
At great pains the secretary's force has
compiled t2bulated statements of deaths
in the state showing ages, locations. dis
eases and other statistical information.
These tabulated statements for the years
named are handed to the governor with
the general report and the tabulated state
ment for last year will be rendered later
when completed. The total deaths in 1895
numbered 2,25S. or ,10.s per cent. based on
population at that time of S0s I40: in 1906
deaths numbered $3.50. or 10.T per cent.
based on a population of 315. 966; in 1907
the deaths numbered 1850. OF III per cent
based on 9 population of 10000: IN to
Nov. 80, 1905, deaths numbered 3.70S.
1t is stated, however. that more COM
plete reports are now received of deaths
than formerly so that in reality, prob
for 1905 1906 and 1907 the statistics would
show decrease rather than an increase
in the death rate during the four years.
Births in the state in 1907 numbered -
3d. Of which 1870 were males and A62s
were females. there was a total Of 10
births in Salt Lake City that year. of
which 1.407 we're males. During the prsvi-
Gus year the births in the state numbered
s,lS, Of which 2.451 were accredited to this
city. OF these in the state Asa were
males, and in the city the boys numbered
1.265. There has been no compilation Of
births for 1903 yet made in the office Of
the state board of health
important Matters.
DIR. Beatty urges legislation to protect
the public from injuries resulting from the
employment of Ignorant and incompetent
opticians" who go from place to place liz
the state CLAIMING n he crra lifted 70 Fe-
eyes and fit glasses. Much harm has re-
suited, he says, from such incompetent
work.
Attention is also called to the fact that
Utah was one of the first states to take
action to protect the public from injurious
| patent medicines in the lire recently ac-
complished under the federal food and
| drug law. and reference is made to an
analysis made in 1903 by the state chemist
| bv request Of She state board Of numbe.
1 Of patent nOStrums. Many of the drugs
| were found 20 be injurious. The publiCa-
/ ton of these deductions, it is said, resulted
| in decided reduction Of the sale of those
drugs in the state.
| Reference is made to the regulations of
| the beard relating to the licensing of en-
/ balmers and tie transportation of corpses
/ in the interests Of disease prevention.
/ This IS considered an important subject.
/ The secretary of the board conducts the
examinations for emhalmers' licenses. In
/ 1907 there were received in fees from en-
/ balmeTs 500 There are now i'm effect
| fifty-seven embalmers' licenses.
| A considerable part of the report IS tax
/ en- up with reports of conditions found to
/ exist in many localities where inspections
were made by the board regarding poor
sanitation. How the problems were met
/ and solved and what course was pursued
| in each case are told in detail
Legislation,
/ Following is list of measures given in
/ the report which the state board II health
] caused to he nTpTelre1 fnTTOdfrpCd a
| the last session of the legislature:
/ "a law providing for the licensing and
| inspection of diaries and tubercuiin test;
"A pure food law based on the national
| pure food law.
a law for the prevention of blindness.
/ "A law providing for the sanitary con-
| struction of schools.
! "A law requiring all health officers Il
| attend the annual health officers cOnyen-
/ ton and their expenses to be paid by th-
/ towns and counties
"A law providing for introduction OF
study. Of disease prevention in public
! schools.
"A law providing sanitary regulations
| of railroads and public buildings.
"A law empowering the state board d
4 health to eniOin nuisances.'
| OF these bills. the following failed OF
I enactment: Those referring to milk in.
| SpsctiOn and daiTyiicensing. prevention Of
/ blindness and sanitary construction OF
/ school buildings. Those bills will agar
! be presented with the recommendation ri
| the state board of health that they shall
/ be enacted: also a bill providing for ice
| regulations, the tuberculin testing of al
| dairy COWS. and several changes Of minol
! Importance in the present laws
Financial.
! From Jan. J. 1901. to Nov. %. 1905 the
| contingent expenses Of the state board OF
| health amounted to SJ,150.9j. leaving n bal
| ance of SSi9.05 the appropriation being
| $500. The laboratory expenses. for which
/ the appropriation was $1,000. amounted &C
| S7S4.4i, leaving balance of S251.56. Tn,
4 appropriation for vital statistics was 81 500
| and Of this there was spent Si,32.
! During 1907 the state board received In
I fees on account Of certified copies fur
uishcd and turned over to the state treas
urer the sum of $3.50. The fees in 19p
| amounted to s15, or $3.50 for the two
| years. The report closes as follows:
| THE work and usefulness of the boart
| could Be vastly augmented and many lives
! saved by an Increased appropriation fOi
| public health purposes. 1t Is urgently rec
| commended that the legislature shall ia.
| vorablv consider the question and grant r
I sufficient amount to at least meet th5
! essential and imperative needs for the en-
/ suing two years. pcluding the employ
[ ment of medical Inspector"