The Semi-weekly leader., 1919-08-02
RURAL SANITATION
WINS BIG VICTORY
k-WOrm and Typhoid Are
Being Warred on BY
Health Department

University Of Mississippi, July 80.
Rural Sanitation is the title Of
a pamphlet of more than usual in
terest and information in regard to
health work In Mississippi, just out
by the department of rural santa
tion. Mississippi State Board Of
Health, under the direction Of DR..
w. s. Leathers, executive secretary
It contains the report on rural sani-
tary work in Harrison county, Mis-
sissippi, from January Is TO Decem-
be 81, 1913, by p. G. Pope, M. D.,
field director.
This report gives summary of
the health work conducted in the ru-
raj districts of Harrison county dur
ing the year of 1918. The campaign
extended over a period of eleven
months, from February /, to Decem-
Der 81. The month of January was
devoted to securing state legislation
legalizing appropriations by boards
of supervisors.
This report shows that while Har-
rison county has Ave incorporated
towns, one unincorporated settle
ment of about 800, four or ive saw
mill towns with an average Of about
400. it also has a rural population Of
approximately, 1000 persons scatter
ed throughout the entire territory,
who are interested mostly in farming
on a small scale and stock raising.
In the rural districts the population
is about equally divided between
French and Americans, there being
very few negroes. Large families
live in two-room unscreened houses,
with no bath conveniences and no
closets. Their drinking water is
taken from shallow open top wells
that were often found to be pollu-
ted.
At the beginning of the campaign
against hookworm disease less than
10 per cent of the rural population
had any idea of the values of the
measures for health protection. 1t
credits the consolidated schools now
found throughout the county as be-
ing second to none in the state and
that these schools were the main
avenues by which those interested in
local sanitary problems were able to
approach the people.
In November, 1917, the County
Board of Supervisors appropriated
for the intensive health work in the
rural communities $4,000. The State
and International Health Boards ap
propriated as much as $4,000.
Activities were first undertaken at
Lyman, a central point in the coun-
ty, with the idea of making work in
that community an example Of what
could be accomplished throughout the
county. The work was extended to
the northern part of the county, then
to the saw mill villages and then
changed from the community to the
beat and the rest of the county
worked on this basis. :
Nineteen lectures we're delivered
in the county with total attendance
of 3735. Much literature of an edu-
cational nature was sent out and
monthly reports showing the pro-
gress of the work and reports show
ing results accomplished in compile
ted areas were mailed to the tax
payers.
OF the 1549 homes inspected only
871 or 56.2 per cents had closets.
Closets were constructed under the
supervision Of field inspectors, with
no cost to the property owners ex-
cept through taxes. Property own
ers dug the pits and furnished the
material. At the close of the cam
paign there was not single rural
home in the county that did not
have sanitary closet, making
record of 100 per cent for results
accomplished in this particular phase
of activity.
The permanence of the work is in
dicated by reinspection of the la
trines installed at Lyman ten months
after their installation showed IS per
cent still in good condition, 12h
per cent with but slight defects, and
only 8 per cent in poor condition.
The cost per closet throughout the
county, based on actual field expen-
ses, was $2.62.
OF the 1927 persons in the rural
districts '4213 or 6O.S per cent we're
examined for hookworm disease. OF
the persons examined 1921 or 55.1
per cent were found to be infected
and all persons found infected were
given one or more treatment.
The Mississippi State Board Of
Health and the United States Pubic
Health Service co-operated during
1918 in vacinating against typhoid
fever. In Harrison county over H.
900 people were inoculatsd against
this disease. About 1900 Of these
were from the rural districts. AS a
result of these inoculations and from
the more fundamental prophylactic
measures which aided to combat the
disease and its source by securing
the erection Of sanitary Iatrines for
the prevention Of soil and water con-
tamination, an exceptional decrease
in the number Of deaths from ty-
phoid fever was noticed during the
year Of 1918. In 1918 only three
persons died In Harrison county from
typhoid fever, Oh compared with If
ty-one In 1915 and forty-nine in
1917.
The report further shows that