صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

REPORTS OF LOCAL BOARDS-STATISTICS.

FOOT-NOTES AND OTHER INSTRUCTIONS.

21

Insert the word township, city, or village.

+ Insert the words, "not good," "bad," " very bad," "good." "very good," etc. Clerks of City Boards of Health will please send a statement for their city of the details of sewerage, disposal of sewage, etc. Insert the word, "hard" or "soft."

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

66

After each disease insert the words, "the disease was contracted in the city of or at the school inin a room occupied by persons sick with the same disease time since," "by means of clothing worn by patient with same disease." etc., etc.. as the facts may be. In the case of typhoid fever, if the privy was near the well, or within the dwelling, state the facts.

++ Insert the words "excessive mortality," "excessive sickness," "general healthfulness," or otherwise express the facts.

In filling blanks followed by such words as "deaths," "cases," "feet," "rods," "acres," etc., numbers should be stated if possible, either in words or figures.

Please answer the questions as they are printed, and in the blanks left for the purpose. Do not change or mark out any of the printed matter. If you wish to communicate any item which will not go in the blank as printed, please write on a separate sheet of paper.

PLEASE FILL ALL BLANKS IN SOME WAY, TO SHOW THAT NONE HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED.

The information sought to be obtained by the Annual Report of clerks of local boards of health should be such as to enable us to construct a complete physical atlas, or map of the conditions of every locality in the State. It should also give us a knowledge of the prevailing occupations, and some of the conditions as regards local practices and special dangers in the different localities. In connection with the records of deaths from various specified diseases that are now received from the different localities we ought, by comparisons and study, to ascertain under what conditions each of those diseases proves most fatal.

The Annual Reports from local boards of health should also contain detailed statements of the number of cases of "diseases dangerous to the public health" which have occurred throughout the State, of the number of deaths therefrom, the dates of first and last cases of such diseases, and the sources from which they were derived. Inasmuch as the spread of these communicable diseases is now considered to be in great part preventable, even with our present knowledge, these statements should enable us to count the cost, in lives and money, of the present imperfect methods for the prevention of sickness and deaths from communicable diseases; and should eventually show whether more active efforts bear out present .beliefs and result in a much less number of cases of sickness and death from such diseases..

All these necessary questions are asked of clerks of local boards of health with the expectation that because of the importance of the subject they will, in some manner, obtain the information and answer them as the law contemplates, even though they receive no reports from physicians and householders.

STATISTICS.

In response to Circular No. 1, and the blanks sent out with it, Special Reports were received from a large number of the clerks of local bourds of health. These Special Reports placed us in possession of the names and postoffice addresses of the clerks of four hundred and forty-three local boards of health within this State. They also gave us, concerning a large proportion of these

local boards of health, approximate statements of the number of cases of the most common of the communicable diseases then prevailing within their jurisdiction; and they gave us some information relative to the existence and location of incorporated villages. It was not expected that perfect statistics would result from the first effort of this kind. To many of the clerks one of the subjects asked about was entirely new. They had probably never given a thought to the subject of the number of cases of contagious or infectious diseases, and did not think they could give information sufficiently near the truth to be useful. It is hoped, however, that in future they will make some answer to every question put to them, taking it for granted that no questions will be asked without due consideration, both as regards the desirability of obtaining an answer and the amount of labor necessary to enable the clerk to give one. It should also be distinctly understood that in cases where positive statements cannot be made, approximate ones should be given. The value of statistics of this kind is somewhat in proportion to their accuracy; but, in the absence of exact knowledge, an approximation to the truth is valuable, and frequently of great importance. It may appear to some clerks that their estimate on a certain subject would not be very near the truth, but they should remember that there is a probability that they can form estimates much nearer the truth concerning their own townships than can be formed at this office; and, without a statement or estimate from them, that is the only alternative. If, however, any of their answers are based only upon estimates, this fact should be distinctly indicated in connection with their statement.

TABLE 1.-Exhibiting, by Counties, the Number of Cities, Incorporated Villages, and Townships in the State; the Number of each of these from which a Special Report has been received; the total Number of Clerks of Local Boards of Health that have complied with the law in this respect; the Number of Health Officers reported as appointed; and the Number of cases of certain Diseases reported, in figures, as prevailing within the jurisdiction of those Boards of Health from which reports have been received.

[graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed]

Under "Cases of Diseases," blank spaces do not indicate that there were no cases then prevailing, but only that no report was received which stated the number. The Special Reports from which this table is compiled were not ali made on precisely the same day, but were in response to circular sent out in September, 1873 b Includes eight cases of Varioloid.

[subsumed][merged small][graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed]

a Includes eight cases of Varioloid.

b Estimated. The clerk of Boston reported "35 to 50."

c Returns from every township except Pleasant Plains, and reports say no cases of any of these diseases.

[subsumed][merged small][graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed]

Table I. has been compiled from the Special Reports received in response to Circular No. 1. It is given not so much for any valuable statements which it may contain as for the purpose of exhibiting to those from whom we hope to obtain better statistics, some of the methods of tabulating their statements, and what are some of the most frequent defects in their answers.

The absence of figures in the columns under "Cases of Diseases" does not, in this table, indicate that there were no cases then prevailing, but only that none were reported by number. In some cases the clerks filled these blanks in such a way that it was impossible to tabulate the results. Instead of figures, which should have been employed, there were various other expressions placed before the word "cases," printed in the blank form. Examples may be given as follows: "many," "some," "yes," "cases," "few," "numerous," "unknown," "not reported," "several," "plenty." Answers to questions of number should always be given in figures, and "0" should be written where that expresses the truth, for the reason that a blank space does not necessarily mean the same

« السابقةمتابعة »