The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1914-04-30
REPORT OF HEALTH
OFFICER BROADWATER
General Conditions Are Good Through
out The County.

DIR. N. |. Broadwater, secretary OF
the Board of Health. has submitted
the following report to the Board of
County Commissioners, the report
covering the past twelve months:
have the honor to transmit here
with the report of the Garrett County
Board of Health for the year 1913:
The number of births occurring dur
ing the year was $40 white and one
colored. OF these, male, white, 279;
female, white, 273; male, colored, one.
In the above number twelve males and
eight females were premature or still
born.
The deaths occurring during the year
including the still born, 213; male white,
1913; female, white, 80. Of this num-
Der IA were over 20 years of age and
70, including still births, under one
year of age. There were six killed by
trains, one suicide, one struck by light
ming, one drowned and one burned to
death. There has been no illegal inter
ment to my knowledge and no prosecu-
tons.
During the year there have been
four midwives licensed. This number
includes all there are IN the county to
date. They are situated in rural dis
tricts and qualified by practing previous
to the act of 1910.
Infectious diseases reported, 1913
cases. During the latter part of 1912
and the beginning of 1913 we had
slight epidemic of small pox: "a cases
occurring in 1918 all continent in charac-
ter. Owing to the mlldness of the
disease and the hesitancy on the part
of those afflicted to call a physician,
also the shielding to exposure, it was
rather harder than usual to get under
control. Of the 81 cases, one gave an
indefinite history of vaccination, the
remaining SO negative. One death
occurred owing to complications (confine-
ment). Other infectious diseases.
Typhoid, SO; diptheria, 10, scarlet fever,
z; acute poliomelitis, 3. There have
been quite a few cases of measles,
mumps and whooping cough, but owing
to the mildness of same no physician
being called, and the people in general
not being enlightened as to the law,
they were not reported.
All houses to my knowledge in which
there was small poX, scarlet fever,
diphtheria, acute poliomelitis and tub
erculosls were disinfected, permangi-
nate and formalin being used in the
majority of instances.
Vaccination in the towns of the county
is very good; in the rural districts fair.
Quite few people absolutely refuse to
have their children vaccinated, pre-
fering to keep them from school before
submitting to vaccination.
Oakland is the only Incorporated
town in the county having a public
water and sewerage system. The water
is obtained from artesian wells and has
been frequently examined and always
found good. The sewerage system Of
Oakland is also good.
The water supply of the county in
general is good, barring the older towns
in which there is no water or sewerage
system and the soil greatly contamina-
ted. During the year numerous speci-
mems of water from various localities
have been sent to the state chemist
for examination.
Many notifications of nuisances have
been received and same disposed of to
the best of my ability, but | find it
very hard in the majority of instances
to haye the same properly abated I'M
der the present law. there being but
fine for noncompliance and it is useless
to enfocre as we find very few nui-
sances among the well-to-do or the
thrifty poor. but among the shiftless.
uneducated and don't care" class and
to try to fine them is time and work
wasted.
During the coming year the county
board of health, with the aid of the
various town officials and the people in
general, hope to bring the sanitary con-
ditions and the general health of Gar
rett county farther to the front.
Respectfully,
N. |. BRoADWATER,
Secretary.
Oakland, Md. April 1st 1914.