The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-02-19
State Health Board 50.
Death Relpi,ortbP Plant
From Mondays Daily.

That undertakers of Mankato do
not promptly. report their death
cases TO the state board of health
was a statement made 10 the city
council this morning by DIR. c. C..
Pratt. city health commissioner. DR.
Pratt stated that undertakers were
required by an ordinance or the city
TO report their deaths TO him and to
receive burial permits from him. and
he himself reported the deaths to
The state board OF health. However,
DIR. II. NJ. Bracken OF the state
board. had given some of the under
takers the right TO write out their
own burial permits when working I'm
the county, instead of getting them
from the county authorities The
result was that the undertakers In
many cases had been writing out
their own permits I'm their city work
also. and the state board of health
therefore had not been learning of
the deaths until quite a time after
they occurred. DIR. Pratt said he
had been notified OF this state OF
affairs by DR.. Bracken.
After some discussion the matter
was referred to the city attorney
with instructions 10 see that the
local undertakers lived up TO the
ordinance in getting their burial
permits from the city health COM
missioner.
tuberculosis in Family.
DIR. Pratt told the council there
was tuberculosis In the Christof FAM
lily living on East Elm street. lie
said John Christof,. boy Of twelve.
had developed the disease. This boy.
he said should be sent to a tuber-
culosis hospital. He said the boys
baby sister also had the disease and
II had probably been contracted by
the baby from the boy. The father
was making only s12 a week and he
could hardly afford to pay out any
money TO send the boy TO a hospi-
tai. IL the family was to be kept
alive The doctor said he feared
the man also had the same disease.
City Attorney Schaub remarked
have TO pay half the cost of the
boys care aud the county the other
half
II was suggested that the boy be
sent 10 the detention hospital. but
Dr. Pratt objected to this, stating
that 1t would not do to expose the
boy TO the other diseases. nor the
other patients to tuberculosis. The
doctor suggested that the boy be
taken to the Thomas hospital I'm
Minneapolis.
The council took no action but
left the whole matter in the hands
Of the mayor
Dr. Pratt remarked that if one
case Of tuberculosis were received
at the detention hospital. the first
thing the authorities knew they
would have to take forty there.
Baths In. :, Detention Hospital.
Mayor Meyertremarked that H. has ,
been suggested that shower baths !,
he put in the detention hospital. |
Lamm thought this would /
be, pretty expensive and that ap |
peared TO be the view of the coun- |
ell In general DR. c. c. Pratt. city !
health commissioner, who was pres
cnt. remarked that tub baths could
he used. but the tubs would have
TO be disinfected after each patient
with a contagious disease used II.
No action was taken but Il Is un-
derstood that bids on tub baths will
he obtained.
DIR. Pratt also called attention 10
complaints on the part of people Of
lie Hitler and others TO the effect
that IL was dangerous TO have the
bridge divided i'm the middle as II
had been ever since Il was last re.
paired. II was only eighteen feet
wide and there was no sidewalk. and
a great many children. crossed II
going TO the West Mankato school
The council took no action on this
matter. but II will probably come
up later II is thought some ar
rangement will be made to lessen the
danger.
The Lighted Way.
Mayor Meyer preached the matter
Of putting in lighted way in the
business part of the city and through
the principal residence portions. He
showed blue print that had long
been in his possession, with a map
of the city and ways of light running
here and there. He said he did
not suppose the lights should be so
thick as they were represented on
that map, but he thought the map
would be good guide in the dis
cussion. N-.,
In the talk Ii was brought out that
II would be a good thing to have
OF the General Elec-
trio company of Minneapolis and the
Western Electric company Of st.
Paul come to Mankato and look the
situation over and see what could
DO done and at what prices. The
matter was left with this under.
standing.
On motion by Councilman Lamm
II was voted to hold the next meet.
ing OF the council on the morning
OF the 23rd. Tuesday instead OF
Monday, as that would be Washing
toms birthday.