The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-23
FIRST REPORT OF
 DR. CUNNINGHAM
 MADE YESTERDAY
To Recommend Legal Stand ard for Dairies-5424 Slaughtered Animals In-
 spected During Month

| The first health department report since the inauguration of Dr. R. NJ Cunningham as city health officer was made public yesterday and is regarded as one of the most complete and in- teresting reports from the city govern ment in months
 | It shows the white death rate and the negro death rate, the birth rates, the mortality by ages and by diseases and the standing of the various milk dairies of the city In this connection Dr. Gun | ningham mentions what he terms a 1 legal standard for dairies which he in- | tends to recommend to the city com missoners in the near future. This will be a law to the effect that any dairy which does not turn out milk of cer- tain quality or higher will be de- clared Illegal and forced out of busi- ness.
 l Dr. Duncan. city bacterologist, in con- nection with his report submits much Information. Among which is that 1891 animals including cattle. hogs, sheep and calves were slaughtered during the month of April. Together with foreign slaughtered animals the department in- spected during the month total of l5424 animals. During the month total of 1896 pounds of meats of various kinds was condemned. In submitting the relative standing of the dairies of the city pr. Duncan says: "As whole the quality of milk being sold in the lcty as evidenced by the result of the analysis, was very satisfactory
 In submitting the report to the com misioners pr. Cunningham wrote in part as follows;
 Preparing Milk Standard
 1 Exhibit c. Meat and milk and bac | terial department. Every detail of this | report is important. All the dairies in spected during the month were scored. l In the 90 s there was one; In the sos, '; in
 the 7O's. 92; in the eos, 25; in the sos, 5; in the 40's, l. This shows a great difference in the sanitary condition of the dairies that supply milk to the public in Bir- mingham. MT. Duncan and myself are preparing a legal standard. which we will recommend be adopted by your honor able board, and all dairies who do not reach this standard are to be declared ille- gal The importance of the inspection of dairies in the next five months l again | emphasize, and call attention to the let ter recently written upon this subject.
 'I desire to express my appreciation of 1 the good work done by Mr. Burson and his staff in the sanitary department, and by Dr. Duncan and his staff in the labor 1 atory department.
 ''The smallpox situation. In March there were r white cases and S5 black. I In April there were 30 white cases and 70 black. It will be noted that there is very little change in the total number but it is nearly double among the white and a marked reduction among the black. We have great difficulty in handling the smallpox situation. The disease jtse'f rt this time is exceedingly mild, not a death having occurred and no continent or hemorrhagic cases have been reported. There is nothing alarming in this situa- ton. and I will not discuss it further at
 this time than to say that smallpox IS not a disease of filth, but a filthy dis ease. and every individual has remedy
 at his disposal to-wit: vaccination l will have good deal to say on this sub ject later, whic hwill be of interest and, think, of practical importance.
 ."rhe work of the city health officer has
 been largely sanitary inspection. particu- larly with reference to ponds pools
 ditches, wet lands etc., and sanitary
 sewers In a short time I hope to submit
 to your honorable board appropriate rec
 concentrations and suggestions based upon
 my general investigation and sanitary
 survey of the city. Very truly yours, "R. M. CUNNINGHAM NJ. D.. f City Health Officer"
 Vital Statistics of City
 Health and vital statistics for the city were included in the report as follows: DEATHS BY CAUSES.