Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-03-03
SPLENDID HEALTH
RECORD IN FEBRUARY
Review of Work of Health
Department For Past
Is Months
DISEASES DECREASES
Sanitary Work Accomplished Over
200 Cases Observation-Disclosures
Decrease

General summary of the work OF
the Department of Health, FOR the
month of February, 1921.
It affords me great pleasure to Dc
able to state that our city has been
remarkably free from all serious cen
;agious diseases, not only during the
past month, but from the first of the
year to this date.
Not single case of diphther:a has
been reported within the city Limits
since Deccm0er last. nor have we ha..
a case Of scarlct fever s:nce Novem-
Der last. This is little short of a mi
racle, when we consider beth of these
serious diseases have been generally
prevalent all about outside of cur city.
and throughout the entire country a
we'll.
W. lave had only II cases Of pneu-
mon;a since January 1st, comparec
with 35 cases. for the same period last
year.
While we are looking backward, le.
US glance at our typhoid, diphtheria
scarlet fever and smallpox record.
In 1918, we had over 200 typhoi"
cases. with l3 deaths.
In 1919 we reduced this to So cases
and 8 deaths.
In 1920 We reduced it TO only 4G
cases, am! 4 deaths.
In 1919 we had y cases CT d;ph-
ihcria. and in 1920. only s cases.
In 1919 we had u cases of scarlet
fever. and in 1920, only IA cases, and
nc. single case since.
Since the Health Department was
organized on July 1St, 1919. to Jan
uary lst, 1921. 4 period of IS months,
we have rad only j cases of smallpox
IN this city. Taking the previous Il
months, there were a total CT "a
cases. The fact should be noted that
smallpox has been generally preva.ea;
throughout the United States during
the pas. 6 months. and particularly 5
in Maryland, Virginia and the. Dis
trict Of Columbia. If this is 50. why
has cur city of oyer $4,000 popu.at.on
escaped with only 4. cases since: july
Isl; 1919 to this date, March LIST
1921? 1t may be that the answer i
we took all known precautions, and
vaccinated over 500 children and
adults during the period above me"-
e;oned. Who can say?
Smallpox. Ike typhoid, diphtheria
and scarlet fever, is strictly prever;
able disease, If all due and reason.
able measures are taken in advance.
Such diseases as mumps, whoop!n2
cough. measles ard chicken poX, are
.preyentahle only in small degree
compared with the above, as rlg!t
quarantine and other preventive mea-
sures cannot be applied as effectively
nor can we locate these diseases II
,heir early infectious period.
The detailed report shows a large
amount of general sanitary work has
oeen, accomplished. Over 200 com.
plants have been investigated and II.
nuisanceS; each ere a menace to the
public health; have been abated dur
;nr the month. We secured % sewer
connections, exactly one pen: day. TIL:
means that 2S buildings, each houS
;nr one or more families. are new fo:
the frs, time, diSposing human waste
in safe ard sanitary manner. and
will no longer constitute an ever pre-
sent typhoid menace. Between now
and April lst, we intend to see tha
many more unsewered buildings arf
connected.
Over 200 inspections of feed arS
drink handling establishments have
,een made. and more than l,50O lbs
of meat, unfit for human consumption
have been condemned and destroyed
Our clinic has done more work THAI
ever before. IS patients were treated
during the month. and 26S treat,
meE:s given. The value CT this WORK
in relation 70 the public health. can,
rot, be measured. in dollars and cents
Our laboratory has been busy a
usual. q the report fully shows.
n,.. Il, 1,naltp \