Norwich bulletin., 1911-05-16
DEATH RATE HERE
SLIGHTLY. BELOW NORMAL.
There Were As Deaths During April
and 81 Births in March.

BY mortality reports received by the
state board of health there were 1856
deaths during the month of April. This
was "a less than in March and 147
more than in April of last year, and
218 more than the average number of
deaths during April for the five years
preceding
The death rate was 17.9 for the large
towns; for the small towns 1876 and
for the whole state $50.
The deaths reported from infectious
diseases were PA, being 1S.5 per cent.
of the total mortality.
In Norwich there were As deaths in
april, representing a death rate per
thousand of IFS. of which numbe IL
We're under years. The death rate
was a trifle under that for the large
towns. The causes of death were as
follows: Consumption, pneumonia,
and diseases of nervous system. 5
each; heart disease Z: lagrippe 8; di-
arrhoea 2; cerebro- spinal fever L;
whooping cough l.; bronchitis l.; all
other causes Is. There were six mar
riages in March and 81 living births.
There were nine deaths in local insti-
tutions.
The streams and rivers of the state
are of priceless value to It's people and
should not be used as sewers, says DR..
Townsend, secretary of the state board
of health. Under primitive conditions.
rivers are the natural condutts for
waste, anc the scarcity of population
makes their use comparatively harm
less. But with the growth of popula-
ton and the increase in manu1actuf-
ing the use of streams as sewers ere
ates an intoIerable nuisa nee and their
protection from pollution is essential to
public health and comfort. The inter-
est in this matter in Connecticut is
shown by the number of bills that
have been introduced at the present
session of the legislature, which aim to
prevent the pollution of our rivers and
harbors
For a. number of years this board has
been granted an appropriation to in
vaStigate the pollution of streams and
the natural waters of the state. A vast
amount of data has been collected on
the subject and filed in our office. Our
reports have been made as the law
directs. but there the matter has rest
ed. and we have had no authority &c
remedy unsanitary or dangerous con
di,ions found. The state hoard OF
health should be equipped with an en-
cheering depa rtment and given ths
| necessary authority to stop pollution
and supervise the construction of sew
age disposal plants A logical pro
| worked out recognizing the various
| factors and conditions involved.
Massachusetts, New York, Ohio
| Pennsylvania and other progressiv,
| states have done this and with such
| tremendous success that other state,
| are rapidly falling into line. SO that Il
| viii be but a matter OF a few year!
| when that state whose board of health
| dies not possess we'll organized an
| efficient sanitary engineering depart
] nnent will be an exception rather THAI
| the rule.
| There have been a few sewage dis
| rosal plants constructed in this state
| but many of them have been buil
| without study of the character ant
| composition of the sewage to be dis
| posed of or. the efficiency of the puri
/ fication. Small towns cannot main
! tain laboratories~and trained rnen fol
! this work. Our state board of health
already has we'll equipped la1borator,
a.sa,i with an additional appropriated
| for n engineering expert could read
| lily perform all such work required.