The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1924-09-05
C.. STiTE EOARD OF HEALTH
RALEIGH. y. 4.
Mr.. W. Zen Goodwin.
I.IiHnhnih CITY. y. Z.

WI, W b'H b'ViNl lH'
Elizabeth city. y. &.
Ny dear NJ. Goodwin
YDu will recall that upon several
nr'asiuns WE have conferred with
your Board relative to the sanitary
situation In the jiiy of Elizabeth
city ~ governed 10y the posSibili.
ties of extending the sewerage SyS-
tenn aud carry out city-widc cXten-
sion Of the system. activities Of the
State Beard Of Health in COnncc-
ti"ns with enforcing the provisions
"f the state Sanitary Privy Law In
Elizabeth city have been delayed.
Al tn" time instance. when the
matter WAS taken mp with your
Beard. the State Board of Health
was under the firm impression that
universal sewerage facilities for the
citizens of Elizabeth city woul,l l'r
available this present summer sens
on, which would protect your ciii.
2cns from the fccal borne diseases
Of typhoid fever. diarrhOcaS. and
dySrntrricS common Ia children. We
find however that the matter of
Eli2nhcth city Public Utilities il
still pending in court. and there ap.
pears tp hr no drfinit" assurance Of
ANY immediate relief.
Last summer II was called To our
attention that there was y prevail.
curc of diarrhocas aud dysrntrrics
among the children of Elizabeth
city. that assured the proportions
rf an epidemic. Vital statistics and
cpi,lumiulOsicnl records show that
for The year 1915 there were three
deaths from typhoid fever. | do
not have ut hand the vital statistics
records for 1919. 1920, and 1921. but
| do have before me the records of
l?22 aud ,1923, which show that IN
the year 1900 there were three
deaths from typhoid fever. the same
~ the year 1918: and during the
year 1921 there were also three
deaths from typhoid we're and th"
rpidcmiologicnl records show that
IL eases Of typhoid fever were re-
ported in lD23. do not know
whether any deaths from typhoid
fever have occurred during 1924.
Int there have been reported To
date. fourteen eases of typhoid fever
flom Elizabeth city.
In the cas-" of all other cities In
the .-atc of similar size. the typhoid
fever statistics for th" years quot
ed above do not In any inStanC"
show the same number of deaths
from typhoid fever, consistently
cv,Iy year. In the ease of all other
cities of approximately the same
size of Elizabeth city in the state.
however. as well as all other cities
of all sizes. the sanitary conditions
since 1915 have been tremendously
improved 10y the extension of the
sewerage systems and compliance
with provisions Of the stare SAM
tnry Privy Law. The same unSami-
tnry conditions exist In Elizabeth
city today that existed in 1918, and
the vital statistics records show
that there is no improvement in
deaths from typhoid.
Very clearly. therefore. ~" t.
plIoid fever in Elizabeth city would
bc greatly reduced, If not entirely
eliminated, hy strict observation "f
the provisions of the State Sanitary
I'rivy Law. Your town on various
occasions IN the past has requested
the State Board of Health Ia delay
activities in connection with the cn-
fOrccmrnt of the State Sanitary
l'rivy Law in Elizabeth city on the
first, that the city in the
Irnnti"und az narc TonrN