Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-01-01
HEAL tn OFFICERS REPORT VERY
FAVORABLE FOR YEAR 1923

Watcrvile's health record shows
very favOrably when compared with
, the records Of other cities according
! 70 DR.. William J. Young, the city
! health officer who has compiled three
charts showing the sickness and
death in the city during the past
year. The total number of deaths
in Watcryille during the year 1928
| were 115, a per cent of 12.5 on a
thousand as Waterville has a popu-
lation of about $1,000. This record
is somewhat better than the one
for the State as a whole which is
14.7 per cent on a thousand.
Credit is also reflected on the city
fo'"'he fact that cut of the 422 births
in Waterville during the lpast year
very few died. for the death record
for children up to one year of age
is only u. showing n per cent of 40
| on thousand. Dr. Youn. statistics
were compiled with reference to the
, residents of the city only as he feels
that Waterville should not be
charged with the deaths of people
coming to the local institutions for
, treatment or major oDcra tons.
DR.. Young declared The record
made bv the city during the past
year is due to the splendid cO-opera-
school officials and municipal Of
fees.
In the year 1929 the city paid for
, G69 vaccination points and all of
these were used in the schools. At
the present time practically every
, one is vaccinAted against smallpox
and the thorou%hnrSS Of the work
is shown by the fact that during the
past 12 months no cases have been
reported
DR.. Young hos been busy improv
ing the ventilation in the various
, public places Of the city and has
placed literature in the stores. pool
rooms. theatres. and homes. Pamph
lets on pre- natal care and infant
care are sent to people who apply
for marriage licenses and also any
people who wish to have these
books.
Health films have been shown at
the city Opera HouS" and Haines
Theatre and DIR. Young wishes to
express his thanks to the managers
of both theatres who allowed the
use of the halls free of charge and
assisted materially in other WAYS.
Concerning the % deaths that have
occurred from organic heart diseases.
- Rright's disease, eight cancer. two
diabetes and 10 apopleXy, DR. Young
declared that If these people had
had an annual physical examination
the diseases might have been discov-
! cred before they reached the dam
gerous stage.
DR.. Young urged that everyone
visit n dentist at least once year
! to have their teeth examined as he
feels that such precaution is a
| great aid to good health.
l,n r,.l,
ton in Watcrville the doctor men
! toned especially the work of the
! Marden boys in Winslow, who col
lCct here every week, the Mt. Merici
and City Farm teams also. He adj
I viscd people in Wards one. two. six
i and seven to call the City Home,
| telephone GIN. and for those liv-
! ing in Wards three. four and five.
| to call the Mardens. telephone 594
! Al. or the convent. telephone 147.
The service is free. All that is asked
, of people Is to keep their containers
! clean and free from such sub
stances as glass. rubbish. tobacco
and tin cans. Or. Young said that
| it costs the city of Lewiston with Il
! population of about $1,000, $500 a
| year to dispose OF garbage and that
! estimating according to population
| the city of Waterville would have
! to pay about $1,000 il it. was not for
! the present service.
| The health officer has examined
! the school children in the Notre
! Dame and st. Francis de Sales con-
/ vents, about 1000 in number. giving
| IN examination similar to that Civ
! en- by DIR. Il. G. Thayer. school ply
| stefan. and he has found the con-
; dition of the pupils about the same
as it is in the public schools.
| DR.. Young mentioned the chic
! rinator which was installed at the
pumping station of the kenncbeC
! Water District last September
Tests have been taken every week
! since that time and sent to Augusta
for examination and the water ha!
been found to be pure.
The deaths during the year H.
from tuberculosis number nine
which is below the average and low
er than the record of any year since
the records have been kept except
ing last year. when the number was
six. she average yearly record since
1909 in T..
DR.. Young has provided two dc
pots for anti-toXin in the city ant
the supply purchased by the cit,
has been deposited at Deorsay's ant
Aliens drug stores. where physician:
can easily procure n suppl.
In the city health officers office:
in the City building partitions have
been erected to enable him to give
social hygiene. Here tests are taker
and much work done. Nine tool
the Wasserman test. with seven pos
itivc and two negative results. The
total number of injections were two
and both were negative. There were
us swabs for diphtheria culture:
and seven positive swabs taken last
January during the respiratory dis
case epidemic. Thirty-s six swabs
were taken from confectionery and
tonic stores employees and all were
negative.
Following are the charts made out
by DIR. Young for the year and the
report of the city nurse:
Il CHART ONE
Contagious diseases reported fol-