The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-04-06
WOman's Community
Council Meets

At the meeting of the Woman's
Community Council on Saturday af-
ternoon in the rest room of the Ma
sonic Temple, it was reported that &C
women and 81 babies had been cared
for during the month of March, and
that Mrs. c. C. Converse had donat-
ed box Of playthings for use in
the rest room.
The report read from Miss Esther
Teichmann, school nurse, showed
that as a result Of the distribution
Of milk in the schools, the following
average gains had been recorded:
Wachter School, lbs; Will School,
lbs; William Moore School, 3 lbs:
Because of the Easter vacation and
approaching warm weather, it was
voted to discontinue the distribution
of milk at the close Of the present
semester.
Announcement was made of the
annual convention of the North Da-
kota State Purses Association to be
held here April 1928, and special
invitation was extended to hear DR..
Caroline Hedger of Chicago, who is
to be the principal speaker.
Donations were reported from the
various clubs for flower beds, shrub
berry, etc. in the city park.
A report was also made on the re-
Gently completed annual dental sur
vey made in the schools, in which
members Of the Community Council
assisted. Marked improvement was
noted over the three year period dur
ing which these dental inspections
have been made.
A. w. Ecklund, city bacteriologist.
addressed the meeting on the city's
milk and water situation, showing
the relationship between milk and
water and infectious diseases, and
what preventive measures are being
taken.
Milk, water, and air, he stated, are
the three greatest agencies for dis.
tributing bacteria. Expectorating on
sidewalks is the greatest cause of
the spread of air-borne diseases, he
said. practically all river water is
polluted from human sources he
continued, "pathogenic or disease
producing organisms sooner or later
finding their way into the rivers,
the natural sewers of the country"
Mr.. Ecklund then described, de-
monstrating with samples, the three
steps in the process Of filtration:
first, the chemical treatment, sever
al grains of alum and lime per gal
Ion being added; next, the filtration
through sand; third, the addition of
chlorine.
With regard to the milk situation,
the bacteriologist pointed out that
milk is responsible for more sickness
and death than all other foods COM
bined. "Milk, the best food for chill
dren,"' he said, sis just as good
food for bacteria.
"Pasteurized milk is inconceivably
safer than raw milk. 1t is almost
impossible to get pure raw milk.
Pasteurized milk is milk heated to las
degrees; after being kept there for
half an hour. all dangerous germs
are destroyed"
The death rate and sickness rate
have fallen to one-tenth Of what
they used to be in cities where pas
teurization plants have been install
ed, he said.
Mr.. Ecklund described his method
of milk INSPECTION, stopping milk
wagons on the streets. taking q quart,
testing the Temperature Immediately,
and then taking bacteria count in
his laboratory.
Since the milk campaign started
in January, he said, when about Is
per cent of the milk being distribut-
ed contained an excessively large
number of bacteria, that percentage
has been reduced to eight. by in
structing milkmen how to handle
milk. The percentage Of visible dirt.
too, he stated, had been reduced
from "a to about per cent.