The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-12-16

Commissioners Of Public Health
held June 1899 1t was voted to turn
over the municipal hospital to the
board Of aldermen in order that
they may have the opportunity Of
renting or disposing Of II In some
manner. This hospital, erected In
1920, was opened In March 1929 TO
house O visiting nurse who had
contracted smallpox. During August
Of the same year the hospital was
turned over to the nti-Tuberculo-
sis League for use as q clearing sta
ton for tubercular patients watt
Ing admittance to state institutions,
the league furnishing the person.
mel and expense TO operate the hos
pital but using the citys equipment
This procedure was discontinued
January 1888 and the hospital was
Idle until September 1898 when at
the suggestion Of Grifienhagen 81
Associates, consultants In public
administration and finance engaged
by the City Of Waterbury, It was
reopened for WPA sewing and other
projects under the jurisdiction Of
the welfare department. The health
department resumed control In
March 1889 when the WPA projects
were removed to O building former.
ly used as o school. Offers were re-
ceived during the early summer
months for rental Of the building
and the health board having no
authority to rent or sell 1t passed
the above vote relinquishing Its
control.
Infant d Child Welfare
This important phase OF public
health work Is carried on by the VS.
iting Nurses Association and O ST.
Mary's hospital nurse does follow
work on the babies born In their
hospital. Weekly child health con-
ferences are held In various sections
Of the city. The unselfish and valu.
able rendition Of service by physi-
clans and nurses at these confer
ences and by nurses In their visits
TO the home Is one OF the many fac
tors contributing TO O lowered In.
FAINT mortality rate in this city.
Preschool clinics located In vari-
Gus sections OF the city are operated
under the Jurisdiction Of the health
department, o medical inspector be-
Ing assigned TO each cline. A resume
OF the work done ut the clinics Is
given herewith:
The clinics are located at: Rose
Hill Library, 327 Baldwin street;
Duggan school, Bank street; Christ
Chapel, 2030 East Main street; North
End YMCA, East Farm street.
The number Of children receiving
toxoid decreased from CAT, last year,
to 500 this year.
The annual summer roundup OF
preschool children was held In May
1889 at Sprague, Bunker Hill and
Chase schools. A total Of 90 children
were found TO have 90 physical de-
fects. Eighty-two children were vac.
cinated against smallpox and thirty
were referred to the family dentist.
Many home visits were made by the
nurses IN an effort to have the de-
fects corrected and at the opening
OF the fall term Of school O check
revealed that "a defects have been
remedied.
School Hygiene
Physical examinations Of elemen.
tary school children and special ex-
aminations In the high schools were
made during the fall term by the
seven health department school ply
sicians. The number Of children ex-
amined was 17,70S and the following
defects were discovered:
Diseased tonsils and adenoids,
1887; heart condition, 1856; defective
teeth, $50; miscellaneous, 90.
Follow-up visits TO the homes were
made by the school nurses In an eff
fort to have the defects corrected.
The school medical inspectors ino-
culated 674 with toxoid for preven-
tion Of diphtheria, o decrease OF 628
from the previous year. Once again
the fact should be stressed that
there must be no lack Of interest
nor tagging Of effort In an attempt
10 have each child receive the pro-
lection against diphtheria. It Is one
disease which can be entirely elm
mated, as has been proven In other
cities. and we In this city must do
our utmost to attain the same end.
An important change In the milk
control plan during the year was
the establishment Of o system, de-
scribed In this report under lad.
niinistration." Thus far the plan
has worked exceptionally well.
During February 1889 the phos-
phatase test was adopted as o rou-
tine laboratory procedure. This
test checks the efgiciency Of pas
teurization. II u Q very simple op-
GRAFTON whereby impEoperly pasteur-
lied milk can be readily detected.