The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-25
Health Officials Assert
Five-Sixths of Deaths
Are Preventable.
OUR MILK SUPPLY
SECOND TO NONE
Product Sold Here Unequalcd in
Quality, Though Improper Care
Is Responsible for Infant
Mortality-Co-operation Of
Dairyrnen Highly Com
mended by Board.

MSIASSu Wy oSot0s
In presenting the needs. of the Health
Department to the Council Committee
on Finance last night. James r. Cor.
don, of the Board og Health, made
the emphatic statement that the cam
paign for pure milk in Isichmond has
now progressed to the point that the
milk supply is unsurpassed by any city
OF the country. Tho work is declared
to have gone as far az 1t can, so that
now every mother In the city may be
assured OF purchasing from licensed
. carts milk which is not only properly
handled. but which Is healthy and fit
for the use OF delicate babies. The
inspection system is TO be continued
as for the past two years. the only
additional item being $500 for cx-
penses In order that men might be
sent to look over dairies and creame-
ries AT greater distance from this
F, city than heretofore inspected no as
to put all dealers entering .his market
on q parity.
President Oppenhelmer. OF the board,
seconded the statement. saying that
Richmond's system had become
model. that its records and charts had
been reproduced in the most recent au-
tboritatiyc book ON sanitary milk sup
Ply for cities. and that health officials
from number of States had been
> here TO observe the methods and re-
suits first hand. White comparative
tables have not ye, been completed.
the president OF the Board of Health
stated that there were So less deaths
In Richmond in 1908 than in 1908, and
ais less deaths than in 1907
Needless Deaths of Infants.
Board of Health now proposes TO turn
It's attention 10 other and further steps
for child-sayins. The board was unan-
lmous In reporting that notwithstand-
ing the comparative showing and the
Improvement In the milk still the
number of infauts who die in Rich-
unond before completing the first year
OF thcis lives II entirely too great. It
Ia tho opinion OF the board that the.
number can be grea,ly reduced. es-
peciaily among poorer and more ig-
norant people, and many lives saved
by proper methods.
Chief Health Officer Z. c. Levy was
called on to explain the plans of the
board for forward steps He astounded
the committee by presenting statistics
TO show that fully fivc-siaths OF all the
deaths among babies under one year
or ags are from preventable causes.
such as Improper Dourlshment or lack
or intelligent care. The figures for
1903 not being available. he produced
the schedule of causes of death under
one Year Of age in 1908 to show that
deaths from all diseases. Including the
great variety of ailments classed un-
DER the head of congenital debility all
taken together, did not equal ones sixth
OF the total number.
In other wordH" ha summed n I'm
between 400 and $50 babies died need
lessly in Richmond last year. while
less than 100 died, the causes of whose
death was unavoidable.
Would Instruct Parents.
To meet the situation the Health
Board proposed the employment Of
trained visiting nurses. WHO during
the spring and summer months will
follow up the reports of births, espe-
cially In the poorer quarters, and where
there is not adequate medical atten-
tion. and give the mothers instruction
While the board advocated the employ
ment OF one expert nurse to take d.
rection. 1t is believed that other as
slstance can be found among intelli-
gent women familiar with raising chill
dren, even II they had not taken the
full course In general nursing. To
carry out the plan an extra appropri-
alton OF $2,5oo is asked. To show what
could be done, DR.. Levy cited the work
or the Visiting Nurses Association.
winch last summer took advisory
charge of 100 sick babies, of whom hnt
nine died ~ -
IL they lose but nine beginning with
slck babies, said DR.. Levy what
could We hope to accomplish by start
Ing the advisory work a, birth, and
keeping them from getting sick? d n
is no untrted experiment Other cities
are dong 1t with results that have
seemed almost marvellous.
Estimate of Needs.
The Health Board presented the fol-
lowing schedule of its needs for 1910.
Pay roll .'............. s22o4o
EXPENSE ..,.... 600
sanitary Improvement OF milk, 4.O0o
special vaccination, 1880
Tuberculosis campaign 500
educational campaign and books 500
o'd' ,.3....!.. ,...,s4o,a4o
Smallpox Eliminated.
President Oppenheimer explained
that the pay roll is already fixed by
city ordinance and that there is no
increase. The account for special vac
cination is based on the amount ex-
i pended during the past year. 1t was
explained that there is no way of es-
tlmatlnE what might bo needed for that
account. Smallpox has been completes
1y stamped out Of Richmond. There
was not a case originating here during
the whole of last year. But cases come
into the city from time to time from
country districts, each time necessi-
tatng prompt fumigation. general vac
cina,tion in the neighhorhoud and the
maintenance Of tho smallpox hospital
In the county. If general vaccination
could he introduced Throughout the
State the officials believe the disease
could he eliminated entirely, With all
It's accompanying expenses. a
For TuberculOnis.
President Oppenheimer spoke espe-
nlent OF the tuberculosis work. ex-
planning what is being done at the two
dispensaries now operated, both In
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