Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-09-07
BOARD Of HEALTH
APPEALS To PEOPLE
TOCLEAN PREMISES
PHYSICIANS SAY
WE MUST CLEAN UP


Meeting Held Last Night BY Board Of
Health and Physicians and Appeal
is Made to the People For Their Co
operation--city Officials VIII In
spect All Places and Enforce Law.
Al a meeting held last night the
Board of Health of this city decided
to clean up the city. and thereby rid
it or disease. A number OF physicians
were present, and they pointed out
that everybody is exposed to disease
because Of unsanitary conditions, and
to prevent the spreading of any dis
ease, and especially typhoid fever, It
was necessary to keep clean all out
buildings, closets etc.
Thursday night a meeting was held
at the Y M. C. A, by the city physi-
clans to discuss local conditions and
ask the city officials to cooperate with
them in this movement for a more
sanitary condition for the city
Sanitary conditions were thorough.
ly discussed, and II was the consensus
of opinion that If they were remedied
there would not be so much typhoid
fever All of the physicians, except
Drs. Il. II. Bitner and w n. Thomas,
who were not present, reported their
typhoid fever cases. and the total is
fourteen. This, however, does not in
clude the cases in the county.
To get the matter properly before
the City Board of Health the following
petition was prepared, and presented
at last nights meeting:
To the Honorable Board of Health of
the City of Martinsburg:
We, the undersigned physicians of
Martinsburg, knowing the present I'M
sanitary condition, and the threatened
epidemic of typhoid fever in our city.
we would recommend the following:
THAT the condition of surface
closets. open eesspools, hog pens, ma
nure heaps and dirt dumps be inves-
remedied by the property owner
2-That a proper inspection of our
milk supply be made.
3-That the West Virginia State
chemist be asked to examine our wa
ter supply at least twice annually.
4-That campaign against the fly
be inaugurated; that all dealers in
food supplies be compelled to screen
their products against the fly
5-That the garbage be collected
more systematically and avoid scat
tering it over the streets after col
lection.
We further ask the honorably body
to appropriate sufficient funds to car
ry out the above recommendations.
Signed. w. T. Henshaw, II. G. Ton.
kin, ]. w McSherry G. J. f. Sponsel-
Ter, S. N. Myers, M f, Mccormack, M.
" MeCune, +. l.. Sencindiver, ]. Mel
son Osburn, w. A. Barnes. c. e. Clay.
Clifford tSperow, j. Mckee Sites, A. D.
Eagle and T. X. Oates.
After the petition had been read DR..
Clay, chairman of the board. asked
for discussion of ii and also Of con
ditions as they are in the city. Mayor
Harrison said that the board was glad
to see the physicians interested in the
work as their cooperation meant much
toward making conditions better and
ment ii would Is .nBO-
if everybody would join in the move.
ment it would not be long until the
city would be cleaned up
DR.. Osburn suggested that the col
lection of garbage be given more at.
tention. He spoke of those engaged
in the work of hauling the garbage
through the streets in open wagons,
and in many instances the wagon bed
would be so filled that great portion
of ii was scattered over the streets.
He urged that covered wagons be used
for that purpose.
DR.. Sites agreed with Or. Osburn,
but went further by saying that when
the garbage is scattered over the
streets the flies beanie more numerous
and by their rapid propagation and
coming in contact with almost every
thing we eat they spread disease. BY
keeping the streets. yards, vacant lots
and out buildings clean the flies would
become unknown and the spread OF
disease greatly checked.
At this time the mayor said that the
city had prepared blanks for the phy
sicians for the purpose of ascertain
ing some things which We're believed
would prove beneficial in aiding The
fight against disease. The physicians
present last night We're given blanks
and today the others will receive q
number OF them. The object OF this
is to ascertain. as soon as a physician
has typhoid fever case the source
of the milk supply. and the street and
number of the family This viii aid the
board in looking over the premises
and investigating sanitary conditions
and also TO learn something about the
milk, as it is generally known that
fever germs are carried fiji the milk.
DR. Sites said that flies were greater
asy.,.s 80 Fs.r-.