The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-07-31


Percentage of infant mortality in
| comparison to total birth rate is 60
per cent.
No cases of typhoid have occurred
/ within the last seven years. An cpl
demic OF measles occurred this spring
involving about 400 cases. These have
been practically all eliminated at the
time of this report. Whooping cough
has been quite prevalent due to- the
negligence of the inhabitants in max
ing immediate reports of the cases to
the health officer. On our present sur
vey we noticed eight cases of whOOp-
ing cough within a radius of six
blocks. Upon questioning, we found
that this epidemic was transmitted
from a source originating at the Web
ster school.
Very few cases of scarlet fever,
smallpox and pneumonia have oc-
cured within the last two years. The
repOrtable diseases are: Measles.
smallpox, whooping cough, diphtheria,
typhoid fever, scarlet fever, humps
and all other infectious and contag-
iOus diseases.
Their list of quarantinable diseases
is the same as that required by the
State Board of Health.
Industrial Hygiene.
NO tenement houses were found.
The ventilation system of the Web
ster schol was found to be up to, date.
Large windows in sufficient numbers
to allow adequate light and air to all
study rooms.
tuberculosis.
10 prevent this disease, isolation
and fumigation are practiced. Splitting
on walks and in public places is posi-
lively prohibited by law
Schools.
The ventilation in schools, as stated
above, is in good condition. Play
grounds are provided for at each
school. These are very we'll patron
lied by the children. One great fault
with the school organization is the
absence of medical inspection. Chill
dren are excluded from school for all
cases of contagious and infectious
diseases.
Miscellaneous.
inspection of miscellaneous places
such as markets, slaughter houses,
cold storage plants, etc. is made twice
year. This method of inspection has
brought to light many evils which
have been corrected by DR.. Habheg-
ger.
Criticism and Recommendations.
FROM our observations the. only
criticisms we have to offer are those
on the milk supply and garbage col
lection. In the first place the sanitary
conditions of the creameries are very
unfavorable and it is surprising that
such a city as Watertown, so well
kept IN other respects, should permit
their milk question to drop to such
a low standard.
the uncleanliness should be imme-
d1ately remedied, both the interior
conditions and the attirement of in
dlviduals coming in contact with the
| milk. Cleanliness cannot be over
emphasized as bacteria multiply very
rapidly in this warm weather. "A bac-
| terial count of the milk should be
taken at least once a month in order
to insure its safety
Too much cannot be said concern
ing the cleanliness of containers, and
| painstaking of all who come in con-
! tact with the milk. 1t is unnecessary for
us to go into detail, as it is taken for
granted that all who handle milk are
we'll informed but, nevertheless, some
| consider these major details as minor
and do not give them the attention
| they should really have
The only suggestion which we have
to offer in regard to the garbage ques-
ton is that municipal collection
should be enforced, so as to avoid un-
desirable odors from unsatisfactory
conveyances. This would provide COW
cred wagons and regular collections