Evening journal., 1915-06-19
WORK OF THE CITY
BOARD OF HEALTH
DR.. Briggs Tells Bancroft
Association of Scope OF
the Department
SAVES MONEY ON
GARBAGE CONTRACT


bers of the Joseph Bancroft Depart !
mental Association on Thursday I
night on "The Board Of Health" DR..
Briggs reviewed the work of the board |
and told OF its activities since it was
organized.
Discussing Facts About the Board"
DR.. Briggs said the department had
connected about 1900 old properties
with the public sewer and that about
400 extensions have been made to
old properties. the extensions COW
ering the installation of modern
plumbing in. houses and manufactur-
ing plants where the plumbing was
defective
DR.. Briggs said:
by the .sewering Of the above num-
ber of houses the board has made 1t
possible to eliminate dirty alleys, as
curing our first year in Office, the
average number of complaints for
dirty alleys was three a day. the said
average now being two a month. The
results of this sanitation is clearly
shown on our mortality statistics,
as during the year 1914 we had only
one death from scarlet fever and with
a greatly reduced number of cases. as
the same holds true with diphtheria.
"By the installing of an uptodate
system of Office records, the said rec
ords particularly adapted to public
health work. whereby individual rec
ords are kept of all contagious and
infectious diseases, and where the
source of infection IS determined and
the cause Immediately remedied.
THE same is true in handling the
sanitary work. as by the adoption Of
new forms of notices. the said notices
confirming to the statutes. the board
has made it possible to force per-
sons to abate, nuisances particularly
as to the sewering OF properties. as
up to the time of our taking over the
health work number Of arrests had
been made for failure to comply with
the direction of the Board of Health,
but a conviction had never been Sc
cured Since the installation of prop
er forms, this board has secured ten
convictions
Upon taking up the duties Of
Health Department work in 1912. the
board was badly handicapped for lack
of funds. but BY constant efforts OF
the members of the department
Council increased our appropriation
whereby we have been able to handle
health work more efficiently.
"By constant supervision. we have
been able to improve the sanitary
handling of meat supplies. while
there is yet much to be desired, We
are still hopeful of having a pure food
ordinance, which, was prepared by
this department made an ordinance
by City Council.
THE department has also made
special efforts to have all stagnant
ponds Of water filled up. and they
have been practically eliminated in
all sections of the city except that
section of the city which lies south
of the Christiana creek. This condi-
tion we expect to entirely eliminate
with the assistance of the United
States government. as the gove ern-
ment has assigned a dredge which
will be used continually in the Chris
tiana creek The dredging from the
creek will be used to fill in marsh
land
THE board also established clean
up campaigns which have accomplish
ed much good in a way of cleaning up
unsanitary conditions and the public
cooperate more and more every year
so that we feel that this movement
has come to stay and will be indis-
pensible.
The unsanitarv plumbing in the
public schools is another matter
which we have taken up and brought
10 the attention of the public. Board
of Education and CITY Council City
Council this year set aside sufficient
funds to install modern plumbieg in
all the public schools. The board
feels that this is particularly one Of
the most important conditions We
have been a0le to remedy. as the ekil.
iren Of our citv were constantly ex.
nosed to unsanitHry conditions which
we're detrimental to their health The
school here in your midst is one
which needs immediate attention
THE creating of a city physician
is another step of which this depart
ment is particularly proud. but on,
which did not meet with favorabl,
consideration on the part of a few
physicians. But from our ohserva
tions, since the creating of this of
fee. we feel. that this department
made no mistake. as it gives us
complete and thorough control OF
contagious diseases. Furthermore, /
has relieved much distress. particu
larly during the past winter. as tn
poor has been provided with ;rodica
attention. The establishing of thi
office has also been a great benefit Il
way. of taking care of the needy
as the doctor is often called in &
families, who through no fault Of thei
own. were in need of food ana suel
and as the City Council did SUPPL
fuel and food through our local char
ity board. this department throug
its city physician was able TO assis
in its proper distribution Further
more, the city appropriates for ou
local hositals. the sum os S12.O0O
year, and prior to the appointment
Of the city physician. there was yer
little assurance that the public wa
deriving any benefit. We are no.
sending on an average of about eigh
patients a week TO the various hos
pitals for treatment. These cases ar
being found by our doctor. and
we were without his services. W
have every reason to believe, that IN
persons so sent would be lying /
places detrimental to themselves an
their associates. and in a majority {
cases, through lack of attention, woul
die.
THE most serious problem cor
fronting this board. and one to whic
has been given constant attentio
with view of relieving the publ