Putnam patriot., 1917-06-15

of purpose so impressed those who
came In contact with her that she was
able, we believe, with little or no OPP.
position, TO obtain the data that was
required.
Putnam knows just where 1t stands
on health matters. 1t has the opinion
of a sanitary expert as to how to rem-
edy conditions that are In need Of at
tention. The data and plan submitted
are invaluable for the purpose sought
and the thanks of every citizen of this
city is due to those who had part in
furnishing the city this valuable work.
General Mortality
There occurred in Putnam In 1916,
lbs deaths of which lis were resident
and 20 nonresident.
The population of Putnam Is esti.
mated at T2i0. These 1873 deaths,
therefore, give Putnam mortality
rate from all causes l9.i per 1000 Of
population. This is somewhat higher
than the average crude rate for Put
nam for the five preceding years which
Is II 4 and is about 5.5 higher than the
average for the country as a whole. No
fatal epidemics have occurred and yet
not less than 80 or nearly 81 percent OF
the deaths that have occurred In Put
nam In 1916 were preventable.
Those causes which give unduly
high rates, that is rates higher than
the average for the country AS whots,
are tabulated below with the lntest
available rates for the country oppo-
site. All rates are per 100, 900 or popu-
lation except those for infant mortality
which are based on living births:
Putnam L. $
Diarrhoea ana enteritis i09S b9.5
Cancer 1873 sll
Violent deaths except
suieidel SO 1913
Infant deaths tper 1000
births) III 100
The above rates may be said TO be
| Putnam's debit In part, and TO her
credit are the following:
Putnam Z. :.
| Tuberculosis 1898 1887
| Pneumonia l23.b III
The absence Of any deaths from
scarlet fever, measles or diptheria is a
matter for congratulation, but as these
diseases usually prevail in waves, Mt
intervals of several years, the figures
of any given year are not to be taken
ms indicative Of average conditions.
Water Supply
Past analyses AS we'll as recent ones
speak well for ,the purity OF Putnam
water, probably owing to the filtration
plant as there are opportunities, above
this plant, for pollution, from seepage
from privies situated just above the
! filter beds Any such pollution might,
of course, be filtered out but by elimi-
mating these privies, the opportunity
for harm would be removed.
! The location of the filter beds close
| TO the highway always permits ST dust
and pulverized manure finding their
way to the water.
The marked freedom of Putnam
from typhoid and The low counts and
! absence of the bacillus coll communis
would indicate efficient publication.
In this connection 1t is noted that
meteorological examinations of the city
water are not made with any regulari.
| ty. Under the best of conditions this
neglect Is attended with risk al num-
Der OF accidents may happen to such
supply and new conditions may arise,
so that It's safe nature may be changed.
1t is recommended,I therefore, that
samples taken from different sources
be examined with regularity for bacte-
rial contamination.
MIX Supply
Putnam Is not so fortunate In the
character OF It's milk supply as In the
case of its water, yet there would seem
To be no insurmountable difficulty In
the way OF clean milk.
The chief reason seems TO be that the
milk supply, as far as dairy inspections
are concerned, is supervised by state
department rather than by some losal
official.
our information indicates that
diaries are inspected "upon request
and that the samples from individual
diaries are not examined more fire.
quentIy than every five or six months.
II is utterly impossible to form any
accurate idea Of the quality OF any
given milk supply or OF the conditions
Of any dairy, through inspection made
at such long intervals. Dairy prac
tices Of almost any kind might be GO
ing on without fear Of detection, aud
the usual bacterial content Of the milk
OF any single slairyman may not even
be guessed.
While 1t IL right that the stae0
should shave general supervision Hhu
authority over diaries and milk, " -
not proper that town or city tne s'Ne
OF Putnam should depend entirely On
the state for the regulation OF such an
imnortant food nor Is this customary !.
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