During the course of this disease three cases of scarlet fever were reported, all being of a mild character. Thorough disinfection of premises by the formaldehyde regenerator was practised, and it is believed these dreaded diseases are stamped out, at least, in the infected places. Considerable complaint was made during the summer against the quality of the water supplied to the city. It was so offensive to taste and smell as to render it unfit for drinking, cooking or bathing purposes. At the earnest solicitation of leading citizens the City Council adopted measures requiring the reservoirs and catch basins to be emptied and cleaned under the supervison of the Health Officer. The trouble was apparently due to organic matters being washed into the sources by prolonged rains. The trouble was soon remedied, and I have not heard of any cases of illness that could possibly be traced to the pollution. From time to time many nuisances, principally foul waterclosets, etc., were reported and abated. With energies ever on the alert, and with the hearty co-operation of a majority of our citizens, the sanitary condition of Annapolis is maintained at an excellent standard. It is renowned for the extraordinary longevity of its inhabitants, the death rate being about twelve per thousand, of which a large percentage was due to old age and accidents. Very truly yours, WM. S. WELCH, M.D., Health Officer for Annapolis, Md. BRUNSWICK-FREDERICK COUNTY. DR. JOHN S. FULTON, Secretary and Executive Officer State Board of Health. DEAR SIR: Herewith, as per your request, a resume of the operations of our Health Board since the date of our last report, January 1st, 1899. In our efforts toward sanitary reforms we are yet contending with ridicule and opposition, but, happily, these obstacles are diminishing in force, and we believe the continuation of a policy firm, yet prudent, will in the near future place the Health Board high in the estimation of all our people. Our accomplishments have fallen far short of our hopes and expectations. The consummation of some reforms seems at this time as far remote as ever. We believe it safe to say that the Health Department has passed well through the experimental stage, and that it has taken its place as one of our permanent institutions. Our physicians deserve great praise for their co-operation and the hearty manner in which they have complied with the requirements of the sanitary ordinance. The system of reporting and recording deaths and infectious diseases is working to our complete satisfaction. permit contributes largely to the completeness of the death returns; in fact, we might say it is the key to the whole matter. Our local ordinance forbids the burial or removal of a body without a permit, and the result is such that we would recommend its adoption throughout the State. The registration of births and deaths being of considerable value to the State, and at the same time a matter of labor and time to the health officer, we believe it but proper that the State should make some compensation for this work. The matter of keeping hogs in towns and villages we consider a proper and desirable subject for State legislation. In fact, this appears to be the only solution to this question in view of the indifference and helplessness of the local authorities. The biological supplies furnished by the State for the purpose of obtainining correct diagnosis in certain cases of suspected infectious disease have been valuable to the physician, patient and town generally. Our physicians have used these supplies freely. Our inspections have been regularly made, and the sanitary conditions of the town has considerably improved. Four persons were prosecuted successfully in the police court for maintaining nuisances on their premises. Infectious diseases for the period beginning January 1 and` ending August 31, 1899-Diphtheria, 1; cerebro spinal meningitis, 1; mumps, 4; typhoid fever, 1. Total, 7, against fourteen cases of all kinds for the corresponding period in 1898. Deaths for the period beginning January 1st and ending August 31st, 1899-Abcess of brain, 1; apoplexy, 1; cancer, 2; cholera infantum, 1; child birth, 1; diarrhoea, 1; dropsy, 3; erysipelas, 1; heart failure, 1; meningitis, 1; neuralgia of heart, 1; old age, 1; pneumonia, 5; paralysis of pneumogastric nerve, I; renal calculus, 1; cyanosis, 2; septicæmia, 1; railroad accident, 1; tuberculosis, 5; valvular deficiency, 1. Total, 32, against 26 for the corresponding period of 1898. Yours, very respectfully, H. S. HEDGES, M.D., Brunswick, Md. Local Board of Health of Brunswick, Md. CAMBRIDGE-DORCHESTER COUNTY. Dr. JOHN MACE, Health Officer. No report. CATONSVILLE-BALTIMORE COUNTY. Dr. JOHN S. FULTON, Secretary State Board of Health. DEAR SIR: I herewith transmit my report for Catonsville and First District of Baltimore County for year ending October 1st, The statistical section of my report is nearly accurate, but, for various causes over which I had no control, not so accurate as I would wish. This community is so closely adjacent to Baltimore City, and the majority of those dying being buried in cemeteries within the limits of the city and requiring a permit, the attending physician's card reaches the State Board without passing through this office. Many of these certificates have been returned to me and recorded, but I am not sure that all have been. To obtain a complete record, no body should be removed from the location where death took place without a permit from the local health officer, or registrar, and I sincerely hope that such a provision will be added to the present vital statistics law. If such a law is enacted at our next Legislature it will be of great benefit both in accurate collection and recording of death certificates and the reporting of contagious diseases. Often the first knowledge the health officer has of the existence of diphtheria, etc., is from the certificate of death sent in, and it is often too late to prevent spreading of such contagious diseases. Furthermore, if such a law were enacted the reports would be more prompt, as physicians frequently unintentionally forget a death that has taken place two or three weeks prior to time when he is required to send in his return. If a permit were necessary, the immediate filling out of the blank would ensure accurate record of cause, time and place of death. There is no question of the value of a correct record of vital statistics, and to obtain same involves a great deal of work on the part of registrars, for which they receive no additional pay, having in this county to pay postage in sending returns to the State Board. I think that such work should be paid for. The registrar should receive a fixed fee for recording each card and an allowance for postage. Besides this duty, the registrars are compelled to forward a list of all males over 21 years to the Supervisors of Elections who have died in preceding months, for which service they receive no remuneration. For the twelve months beginning October 1st, 1898, and ending October 1st, 1898, the following cases of infectious and contagious diseases have been reported to my office: By the foregoing table you can see we have had with us typhoid fever every month, except March, April and September. Six of these cases during the month of May were in one family. The State Board of Health investigated these cases, and suspected water used for drinking purposes as the cause. The polluted section of source of our public water supply being stopped, we had no other cases from this source until August. The cases in June and July were attributed to well water contaminated by living well cess-pools. The main pumping station of the Catonsville Water Company having been burned in July, necessitated a temporary return to the polluted source, and hence we find an increase in typhoid fever in August. September does not show a single case, and I hope we may be free from it the balance of the year. Whooping cough was quite epidemic during month of May, more so than report would show, as the majority of cases did not require medical attention, and hence were not reported. With these exceptions the health of my district has been very good. I have abated quite a number of nuisances, namely, those of sewerage, and it is only a question of time when some system of sewerage for the town will have to be instituted, but until the town is incorporated no really serviceable system can be built. The continued use of living well cess-pools and the resulting contamination of private wells, notwithstanding repeated warnings, still remain the source of much sickness. Vaccination in my district has been very thorough. I have used glycerinated lymph exclusively and with the best results. Since my last report the new High School of Catonsville has been finished and occupied, the average attendance abové normal, and with no sickness among the children. The sanitary conditions of other small towns in my district has been very good. Appended you will find a tabulated report of births and deaths. Reports of births in Catonsville and First District of Baltimore County. Total number reported from October 1, 1898, to October 1, 1899, was 180. White (males 83, females 68,) 151; colored (males 14, females 15,) 29; total 180, of which there were stillborn 7 (white). There were 5 twin births reported. Of these births, 101 were born at Catonsville; 5 were born at Franklintown; 7 were born at Grays; 20 were born at Dickeyville; 5 were born at Thistle; 24 were born at Oella; 4 were born at Mt. Gilboa; I was born at Uplands; I was born at Johnny Cake; 4 were born at Ellicott City (Baltimore County); 3 were born at Hollfield; 3 were born at Powhatan; I was born at Calverton (Baltimore County). Total, 180. |