The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-04-29
SHOWS NEED OF
HEALTH BOARD
Commissioner of Health
Gives Annual Report
on City Condition.
URGES CARE OF BABIES

Dr. G. Windesheim, commissioner Of
public health of the city diagnosed the
city's health program and showed rem
edies needed on Friday when he rem
dered his annual report to the board
of health, The report outlines clear
ly what Kenosha is doing, what she
lacks and what she must have to have
the right kind of protection to the
public health. The report follows:
To the Honorable Members of the
Board of Health of the City of Ke-
nosha, Wisconsin.
Gentlemen;
While presenting to you the report
on the activities of the health for the
fiscal year ending March 31st, 1920, al
low me to thank you for your kind CO.
operation and confidence and to as
sure you that the labors of the de-
partment have been materially light
ened by the knowledge that our efforts
have been appreciated by your honor
ably body.
The individual activities of the
health commissioner have been so
numerous and varied it would seem
next to impossible as we'll as waste
of time to give an itemized account of
them. Only a general outline of the
work is therefore presented for your
consideration.
General Outline of Work.
The daily inspection of school chill
dren with home calls on the absentees
has again been carried on during this
school year as it was last year, the re-
municable disease is very much re-
duced thereby. Our nurses have found
sixteen cases of scarlet fever; seventy
one of whooping cough; one hundred
and thirty-three of Measles; four of
diphtheria; one hundred and fortytwo
chickenpox, and four smallpox, total
of three hundred and seventy cases of
communicable diseases which had not
been previously reported or where no
physician had been in attendance
Guarantees have been kept as well
as possible in compliance with the laws
OF the state and the rules laid down by
the State Board of Health. During
part of the month of January and Feb
ruary it was necessary to engage the
services of an additional man for this
work on account of the large number
Of influenza cases reported every day.
The number of guarantees for this
and other diseases running up as high
as seventy in one day.
In addition to the epidemic of in
fluenza there was an epidemic of chick
enpox, which, however, at present has
almost entirely subsidized, only four
cases are still on record. Measles
were prevalent during the months of
April, May and June, 1919, and have
again made their appearance in large
numbers. Cases of whooping cough
began to appear in considerable num-
Der during the month Of September
and rapidly developed into an epidemic
which would undoubtedly have acquir-
ed greater proportion, had not the
children who were coughing been ex-
cluded from school. AS it was three
hundred and ninety-eight cases were
reported with six deaths. The spread
of this disease is due to the lack OF
interest on the part of parents. They
take their children to church and to
theatres. while they have the disease
They do not realize that it is a very
dangerous disease, more children dy-
ing from it than from any other con-
tagious disease.
Seventy-one Cases of Smallpox.
Smallpox was prevalent all over the
state during the past year, the first
case reported in Kenosha appeared on
April 14th, 1919, the patient being an
employee of the Northwestern rail
road. There were seventy-one cases
reported during the year with no
deaths. The spread of this disease
is due to its extreme mildness. Some
cases were found who were working
while in the eruptive stage.
One hundred and ffty-four cases OF
scarlet fever were reported during the
year with two deaths, and forty-nine
| cases of diphtheria with five deaths.
The reports of the various employees
in the department. speak for them.
selves and are well worth your care
full attention. Of especial interest is
the report of the director of the labor
atory and Of the statistician, the lat
ter report shows that there were one
thousand and seventy-seven births and
four hundred and forty -three deaths
from all causes. Ninety of the latter
were children under one year Of age
and Of these only twenty-five died from
CASTRO intestinal trouble, which would
indicate that the careful watch of the
milk supply by the laboratory has been
the means of saving the lives of chill
dren.
Since our former dairy and food in
spector, Dr. W. E. Nelson, left the de-
partment to take up a similar position
at Racine, the meat inspection has been
made by Mr.. Kellman, who evidently
is well qualified to do this work This,
however, necessitates engaging anoth-
er man to help him with the outside
sanitary inspection and | hope your
honorably body will select suitable
man, since the council has agreed to
approve your recommendation for adj
ditional help.
Garbage and General Sanitation.
The collection and disposal of garb-
age is now under the direction of the
commissioner Of public works. A new
ordinance for the collection of garb-
able is being acted upon by the coun-