Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-05-11

tax money will be available, board o.
directors appointed, and. the sanitor
ium will be under construction. Table
No. shows the deaths from tubercu
los y Gall forms), tabulated by wards
and months.
The number of deaths Of seven most
! important diseases: tuberculosis
(consumption), %; pneumonia, 20;
heart disease, 20; chronic nephritis
(Bright's disease). II; apoplexy, 10;
cancer, 10; typhoid fever, 9.
There were a total of 29S deaths
from all causes This is an increase
but is an apparent one only, and Is
due to the better enforcement of the
burial act, as begun by my predeces-
sor, DR.. Ralph Dart We are constant
ly making an effort to have every death
reported and filed for record, and the
local physicians and undertakers have
tant duty. Our death rate is 12.1. per
1000, based on population of 24,S0O,
as estimated by the United States for
1910. This is a very low rate, and
will compare favorably with other
cities of our size. The deaths from
tuberculosis Gall forms) is lib, and
is very high.
Of births there were ~ males and
SO females, a total of 131. This &C
counts for only those reported to the
health department, and is probably
only one-fourth of the actual number
1t has been the custom for years for
some local physicians and midwives
to report their births to the county
direct, instead of allowing this city to
first make a record. An estimate of
our total number of births is about
524, which is normal.
Forty-Six Cases of COntasion.
We had only 46 cases of contagious
diseases last year. Contagious dis
eases were: Scarlet fever, II; diph-
iberia, 90; total, 46; with one death
from each disease.
This record Is remarkably good, as
will be demonstrated on comparison
with the records of our sister cities.
So far as we have been able to learn
no new cases of contagious diseases
have ever been traced to Infection from
the then existing cases, nor have any
new cases developed in the same
after our fumigation. This
all points to the thoroughness and eff
fciency of our quarantine and fumiga-
ton.
In an effort to eradicate consump-
ton, fumigation was instituted of all
houses where deaths occurred, and on
the removal of consumptives from
house to house, wherever possible. A
card index system containing data re-
garding each consumptfve was start
ed. With the cooperation of the ply
sicians the living cases will be re-
ported and q record of them kept the
coming year.
The city laboratory received much
needed attention the last year. With
he SIPS allowed by the council a room
IN the third floor in the city hall was
'emodeled and equipped. We are the |
,nly one of the tri-cities to realize the
advantage Of such an important addi- |
ion TO the health department. Milk, |
,ream and ice cream were analysed at |
egular monthly intervals, Number of
ests made: Milk, 149; cream, 100; |
ce cream, "a; total, 2S2.
Increase of Milk Consumption.
Milk is an ideal food if produced I'M
Ter sanitary conditions, and larger |
Quantities of it are being consumed in /
his city each year. Formerly it was
ooked upon as a food for the young
nd sick alone. Today its use is-more
General, so much so that at times the
upply is. not equal to the demand.
therefore, whatever measures have
een taken before, it is most impor-
ant now that we should increase our
igilance by permitting to be sold in
his city only milk that Is handled
nd produced under the most sanitary
nd approved manner. At present we
xamine milk for butterfat, preserva-
ives, foreign matter, etc. This is not
nough, however. We should begin
ur examination at the dairy farms
here is no question that some very
nsanitary conditions could be found.
o do this properly, more help and
mds are needed. I urge that you con-
ider the advisability of adding to the
ealth department a veterinarian who