USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Inaugural address of the mayor, with the annual report of the officers of the city of Quincy for the year 1935 > Part 8
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Much of the time during the year has been occupied in verifying the service records of the members of the Quincy Retirement System. The amount of detail involved can be appreciated only by those who have come into contact with it. The members of the Board wish to take this opportunity of expressing their appreciation of the work of its Secretary, Miss Frances E. Varney, upon whom all of this detail has devolved.
Tables setting forth the financial and statistical results of the year are appended.
Respectfully submitted, GEORGE H. BONSALL, JOHN J. KEEFE, J. EVERETT ROBBIE, Quincy Retirement Board.
136
CITY OF QUINCY
TABLE I
Statement of Cash Receipts and Payments for the Year Ending December 31, 1935
Receipts
Members' Contributions
$13.082.54
Appropriations by City
Pension Fund
$12,436.16
Expense Fund
2.867.15
15.303.31
Income from Investments
Interest on Bonds
462.50
Total
$28.848.35
Payments
Refunds of Contributions
On Account of Resignations and Dismissals
S 274.37
Pension Payments
305.81
Bonds Purchased
23.904.34
Accrued Interest
222.62
Expenses
Secretarial
853.35
Actuarial and Accounting Fees
1.125.00
Printing
413.50
Postage and Office Supplies
84.95
Bonds
212.60
Equipment
162.25
Miscellaneous
15.50
2.867.15
Total
27,574.29
Cash Balance as of December 31, 1935
1.274.06
Total
$28.848.35
TABLE II
Balance Sheet as of December 31, 1935
ASSETS
LIABILITIES
Cash
$ 1,274.06
Annuity Savings Fund $13.016.65
Investments (Cost)
23,904.34
Annuity Reserve Fund
13.93
Accrued Interest
269.18
Pension Accumulation
Fund
12.417.00
Total
$25,447.58
$25.447.58
137
REPORT OF RETIREMENT SYSTEM
TABLE III Schedule of Investments
Cost
Market Dec. 31, '35
5,000
Baltimore & Ohio 1st 4's, 1948
$ 5,094.41
$ 5,112.50
2,000 Commonwealth Edison 1st 4's, 1981
2,085.00
2,112.50
1st 41/2's, 1956
2,055.33
2,120.00
4,000
Morris & Essex 1st 31%'s, 2000
3,675.84
3,680.00
4,000
New York Central Consolidated 4's, 1998
3,358.34
3,550.00
2,000
New York State Electric & Gas 1st 41%'s, 1980
1,975.00
2,052.50
2,000
Northern Pacific General 3's, 2047
1,485.42
1,500.00
4,000
Ohio Public Service Co. 1st
Refunding 5's, 1954
4,175.00
4,210.00
25,000
$23,904.34
$24,337.50
TABLE IV Membership Active Members
With Prior Service Credit
Without Prior Credit
Service
General Employees
General Employees
Firemen & Police- men
Total
Male
Female
Male
Female
Enrolled during
1935
101
129
1 /٢٠
10
10
252
Withdrawals
3
8
1
....
....
2
Retirements
1
....
....
....
....
1
Membership
December 31,
1935
97
119
1
10
10
237
Retired Members
Retirement for Superannuation
1
....
....
....
....
1
Membership
December 31.
1935
1
1
Total
Membership December 31.
1935
98
119
1
10
10
238
...
...
....
12
Deaths
....
2
....
....
....
2,000
Cumberland County Power & Light
138
CITY OF QUINCY
TABLE V The Distribution of the Number and Weekly Salaries of Members With Prior Service Credit By Age As Of June 30, 1935 GENERAL EMPLOYEES
TOTAL
MEN
WOMEN
AGE
Number
Weekly Salaries
Number
Weekly Salaries
Number
Weekly Salaries
20
3
40
3
40
21
2
23
23
22
8
137
1
18
7
119
23
5
78
1
17
4
61
24
6
125
1
30
5
95
25
9
190
3
75
6
115
26
9
194
2
46
7
148
27
6
168
4
120
2
48
28
10
244
4
115
6
129
29
2
51
1
30
1
21
30
4
114
3
92
1
22
31
3
73
73
32
7
226
3
101
4
125
33
4
128
3
108
1
20
34
2
42
1
30
1
12
35
3
95
2
75
1
20
36
5
150
2
75
3
75
37
5
148
1
39
4
109
38
10
319
6
223
4
96
39
6
155
2
64
4
91
40
1
24
41
8
235
2
81
6
154
42
3
93
2
71
1
22
43
3
90
1
50
2
40
44
1
22
45
7
245
4
163
3
82
46
3
88
1
42
47
4
105
2
53
2
52
48
4
128
2
75
2
53
49
4
63
50
51
8
244
5
177
3
67
52
8
246
5
163
3
83
53
4
166
3
153
1
13
54
6
171
2
78
4
93
55
2
76
1
64
1
12
56
4
155
3
129
1
26
57
3
107
3
107
58
1
30
1
30
59
3
122
3
122
60
4
134
2
69
2
65
61
4
133
1
48
3
85
62
2
52
52
63
5
175
3
114
2
61
64
2
55
2
55
1
24
1
22
2
46
4
63
3
2
139
REPORT OF RETIREMENT SYSTEM
TABLE V The Distribution of the Number and Weekly Salaries of Members With Prior Service Credit By Age As Of June 30, 1935 GENERAL EMPLOYEES (Continued)
TOTAL
MEN
WOMEN
AGE
Number
Weekly Salaries
Number
Weekly Salaries
Number
Weekly Salaries
65
3
123
2
75
1
48
66
3
112
3
112
67
3
92
2
68
1
24
68
2
64
1
30
1
34
69
70
2
61
1
40
1
21
Total
216
$6,111
95
$3,372
121
$2,739
140
CITY OF QUINCY
TABLE VI The Distribution of the Number and Weekly Salaries of Members with Prior Service Credit By Years of Total Service as of June 30, 1935 GENERAL EMPLOYEES
Years of Total Service
TOTAL
MEN
WOMEN
Number
Weekly Salaries
Number
Weekly Salaries
Number
Weekly Salaries
0
8
188
4
111
4
77
1
21
506
10
299
11
207
2
21
479
10
289
11
190
3
27
587
7
216
20
371
4
14
362
8
254
6
108
5
9
175
1
21
8
154
6
16
394
6
184
10
210
7
17
473
6
212
11
261
8
6
212
5
190
1
22
9
9
347
6
267
3
80
10
13
396
5
205
8
191
11
6
190
2
72
4
118
12
4
127
2
77
2
50
13
1
35
1
35
14
6
243
5
195
1
48
15
3
80
3
110
2
49
17
2
70
1
40
1
30
18
2
65
19
3
103
3
103
20
3
121
1
52
2
69
21
3
106
2
79
1
27
22
23
2
74
1
40
1
34
24
4
176
3
148
1
28
25
2
80
1
45
1
35
26
27
28
1
34
I
34
29
1
30
1
30
31
32
1
34
1
34
34
35
36
2
86
1
52
1
34
37
1
64
1
64
38
1
45
1
45
39
40
1
36
1
36
41
1
34
1
34
Total
216
$6,111
95
$3,372
121
$2,739
16
5
159
3
80
2
65
30
33
42
141
REPORT OF RETIREMENT SYSTEM
TABLE VII Valuation Balance Sheet Showing the Assets and Liabilities of the Funds of the Quincy Retirement System as of June 30, 1935 Assets
Annuity Savings Fund
Present Value of Payments to be Received $ 6,003
Annuity Reserve Fund
15 0
Pension Reserve Fund
Pension Accumulation Fund
12,461
Total Present Assets $ 18,479
Present value of the prospective contributions payable by the City into the Pension Accumulation Fund 226,695
Total Assets $ 245,174
Liabilities
Present Value of Payments to be Made
Present value of benefits on account of which contributions have been paid by members into the Annuity Savings Fund
$ 6,003
Present value of benefits payable on account of
beneficiaries or their dependents now drawing annuities from the Annuity Reserve Fund 15
Present value of benefits payable on account of beneficiaries or their dependents now drawing pensions from the Pension Reserve Fund 0
Present value of benefits payable on account of beneficiaries or their dependents now drawing pensions from the Pension Accumulation Fund 2,886
Present value of benefits to members with prior service credit to be paid by contributions of the City into the Pension Accumulation Fund
235,221
Present value of benefits to new entrants to be paid by contributions of the City into the
Pension Accumulation Fund $ 1,049
Total Liabilities $ 245,174
No account is taken of the future contributions of members into the Annuity Savings Fund because the benefits provided by these contri- butions are exactly equal to the accumulated amount of the contribu- tions and therefore they do not affect the balance in the fund.
142
CITY OF QUINCY
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
January 1, 1936.
To His Honor the Mayor and the President and Members of the City Council.
Gentlemen :-
Following the custom of previous years, the annual report of the Health Departinent is made on the basis of the Appraisal Form for City Health Work.
This Appraisal Form is a compendium of practices and activities which represents a sampling of the main elements of a generally de- sirable municipal health program. considered in the light of present- day knowledge and practise.
The Appraisal Form uses as indices of activities the results im- mediately attained, such as the number of infants in attendance at clinics. of tuberculosis cases hospitalized, or of laboratory tests per- formed. There is reason to believe that such activities. conscientiously performed over a reasonable period, inevitably lead to the ultimate end of all public health work-the conservation of human life and well being.
Numerical values are assigned to each item to indicate broadly both the standard of performance reached and the present relative importance of the various activities in the judgment of professional health workers. When we score with this Form, the information collected and the results obtained present a reasonably accurate picture of the health services actually performed and of the working standard laid down.
The standards of performance are for the most part based on actual practise. In general. each individual standard is equalled or ex- ceeded by about one-fourth of the cities from which data is available. The Appraisal Form is in a very real sense "a measuring rod" of public health activity.
The Appraisal Form consists of 4 main divisions and 13 independent sections. Two of these sections call for information but are not scored.
The sum of the values given to each item in each scoring section equals 100 points. To compute the total score the section totals are not added directly, but are first multiplied by a factor or weighted value. The total points thus obtained amount to 950. In addition a. certain number of points are added to the total score, where the per- centage attainment for each section is 50 or more. The highest pos- sible score is 1000.
In 1935, Quincy scored 783.80 points, a slight gain over the score of 1934 when 778 points were attained. The scores attained each year since 1926 are shown in the following table :
Year
Total Score
1926
771
1927
797
1928
712
1929
746
1930
no
scoring done
1931
no
scoring done
1932
612.40
1933
714.20
1934
778.00
1935
783.80
143
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Appraisal 1935
Weighted Possible Score Weighted Attained Score
I Common Services
A. Vital Statistics
45.00
45
B. Laboratory
46.20
60
II Preventable Disease Activities
A. Acute Communicable Diseases
133.30
155
B. Venereal Diseases
37.70
65
C. Tuberculosis Control
82.80
90
III Activities for the Promotion of
Hygiene of the Individual
A. Maternity Hygiene
72.00
90
B.(1)Infant Hygiene
90.00
90
B.(2)Preschool Hygiene
47.70
90
C. School Hygiene
83.60
110
IV Sanitation Activities
A .. General Sanitation
48.00
80
B. £ Food and Milk
67.50
75
Total
753.80
950
Additional Credit-Balanced Program
30.00
50
Grand
Total
783.80
1000
I COMMON SERVICES
A. Vital Statistics has received a full score for several years. About one-quarter of the credit is received because of activities of the City Clerk who is the registrar of births and deaths.
One important change has been made in compiling the mortality tables for 1935. The tables are based on resident deaths, that is, deaths in Quincy of non-residents are excluded and deaths, outside the City, of Quincy residents are included. Mortality tables based on resident deaths show a truer picture of actual conditions.
B. Laboratory scored 77 out of a possible 100 points in 1935 com- pared with 75 points in 1934. The weighted score for 1935 was 46.20.
The appraisal shows we do not meet the standards for examinations of specimens for tuberculosis, syphilis, gonorrhea, and of milk and cream (particularly raw milk and cream specimens previous to pas- teurization). The total laboratory procedures is also far short of the standard.
Most of the credits obtained in this section were due to the work of the Quincy City Hospital and State Department laboratories.
II PREVENTABLE DISEASE ACTIVITIES
A. Acute Communicable Diseases scored 86 out of a possible 100 points in 1935. The weighted score was 133.30, the same score as in 1934.
There was a loss of 2 points in diphtheria immunization although actually more children were immunized in 1935 than in 1934. Credits are given on the basis of the proportion of children in two age groups, on January 1, 1936, known to have been immunized at some time. The two groups are 0-4 years inclusive and 5-9 years inclusive. A much larger number of children were transferred from the 5-9 year group than were transferred to that group from the 0-4 year group so that
144
CITY OF QUINCY
on January 1, 1936 there were actually fewer immunized children in the 5-9 group than there were a year ago. During the year, no especial efforts were made to immunize school children against diphtheria as emphasis was placed on the protection of the preschool children.
The loss in points for diphtheria immunization was offset by gains for other items.
Additional credits could be secured if local physicians availed themselves of the consulting diagnostic service offered by the State Department of Public Health; if a larger percentage of scarlet fever cases were hospitalized; and if there was an increase in the num- ber of preschool children immunized against diphtheria.
During the past year. Quincy has been unusually free from epidem- ics of diseases of a serious nature although scarlet fever has been un- usually prevalent since about the first of October. One death occurred from this disease. 23 cases of anterior poliomyelitis (infantile paraly- sis) were reported during the year with one fatality. One other Quincy child died of this disease but he had been away from the city for the four weeks previous to the onset of the disease.
During the year only one case of diphtheria was reported. There hasn't been a death from this disease for more than two years. The lowest number of cases reported in any previous year was in 1931 when 9 cases were reported. Table 4 shows the average annual death rates from diphtheria in Quincy for five year periods since 1876. This disease will continue to be a rare one if we will continue to immunize our children against the disease.
Since October, the Department has been cooperating with the State Department of Public Health and the Department of Pediatrics of Harvard Medical School in a study of the possible value of placental extract in the prevention of scarlet fever among familial contacts.
B. Venereal Disease activities scored 58 points out of a possible 100 in 1935 with a weighted score of 37.70. The 1934 score was 63 out of a possible 100. the weighted score being 40.95. The reporting of venereal diseases is very poor, only about 25 percent of the stan- dard. The number of cases on record registered with private phy- sicians and clinics is also very much below the standard.
The time has come when health departments must devote more at- tention to the prevention of the degenerative diseases. Many cases of certain diseases of the circulatory system are due indirectly to venereal infection occurring during the younger years of life. Un- doubtedly many of these cases of circulatory diseases as the result of venereal infection could be prevented if proper treatment is given at the time of infection.
It is not generally known, but an unusually high percentage of cases of gonorrheal infection, particularly in females. is due to in- nocent infection.
These examples are only two of many reasons why more work should be done in the control of venereal diseases.
C. Tuberculosis Control scored 92 out of a possible 100 points in 1935, the same score as in 1934. The weighted score was 82.80.
There was an increase in the number of nursing visits as compared with 1934 as both tuberculosis nurses were on a full-time basis during the entire year.
The Chadwick Clinics which were conducted by the State over a period of 10 years are now being carried on by the Norfolk County Hospital. During the early winter this group conducted clinics in the Quincy schools for the 7th. 9th and 11th grade pupils. These clinics aim to discover evidence of infection in children with the subsequent examination of other members of the families of those
145
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
found infected. This makes it possible to discover many cases, as yet unrecognized, and appropriate measures are adopted to prevent these cases from continuing as sources of infection.
The tuberculosis mortality rate today is only about one-third of what it was 25 years ago. Better housing, better nutrition; pasteur- ization of milk; earlier detection of cases and examination of con- tacts; are some of the factors which have contributed to the lower- ing of the mortality rates from this disease.
The emphasis in recent years has been to detect cases of tubercu- losis during childhood. As a result of the work of the Chadwick Clin- ics and our own clinic, we have records of 311 cases of hilum tubercu- losis in Quincy. With proper care, most of these cases can be saved from pulmonary tuberculosis, the adult type of the disease.
One of the aims of the Chadwick Clinics has been the subsequent ex- amination of other members of the families of those found infected but with so much emphasis being placed on the detection of child- hood cases, there has been a tendency to forget the importance of de- tecting the early cases of the adult type. Last year, less than 10 per cent of the pulmonary cases reported, were diagnosed in the minimal stage. While it must be admitted that Quincy is probably doing as good a piece of work in this respect as most cities, nevertheless we must also admit that this is probably the weakest link in our tubercu- losis program.
III ACTIVITIES FOR THE PROMOTION OF HYGIENE OF THE INDIVIDUAL
A. Maternity Hygiene is an activity carried on by the Quincy Visiting Nurse Association and the Quincy City Hospital. This ac- tivity scored 80 out of 100 possible points in 1935 with a weighted score of 72.00 compared with 75.60 points in 1934.
At the present the prenatal clinic conducted by the Quincy City Hospital meets at the Quincy Dispensary. The facilities at the Dispensary are very inadequate and it is impossible to carry on the clinic in a proper manner. The clinic should be moved elsewhere, preferably to the Hospital.
A large percentage of infant deaths occur during the first month of life and particularly is this true of the first few days of life. Many of these so-called neonatal deaths are due to prenatal influences which can be overcome to a great extent by adequate prenatal care.
During the past 5 years there has been a decline in the neonatal death rate which we feel is significant. There has also been a de- cline in the still-birth rate. Many of these still-births could also be prevented by more adequate care during pregnancy.
Many practising physicians have noted that expectant mothers are going to them earlier in pregnancy. The services of the V. N. A. are being used to a greater extent. A wider use of the services now available to expectant mothers through the clinics, the V. N. A. and the private physician would result in a further reduction in the neo- natal death rate and the still-birth rate. It would also result in the saving of the lives of mothers for in spite of our present-day knowl- edge. altogether too many mothers die as a result of puerperal conditions.
B. (1) Infant Hygiene attained a full score of 100 points in 1935 with a weighted score of 90.00.
The infant mortality rate for 1935-36.6 per 1000 live births was the lowest rate the City has ever had. At the beginning of the Century, 1 baby out of every 10 died before reaching its first birthday. Today only 1 out of 15 dies during the first year of life. The infant mortality
146
CITY OF QUINCY
rates for 5 year periods since 1901 are shown in Table 5. This re- markable saving of the lives of infants has been brought about by many factors but principally because of pasteurization of milk and a better understanding on the part of mothers in the care of infants.
B. (2) Preschool Hygiene. This activity scored only 53 out of a possible 100 points in -1935 with a weighted score of 47.70. There was a slight loss over the score of 1934 as fewer preschool children were registered at the clinics and the attendance of children about to enter school in the fall was less than it was a year ago.
Preschool hygiene is one phase of public health wherein Quincy is weak. The score attained by this section is really higher than it should be. The large majority of preschool children attending the clinics are in the group from 12 to 30 months inclusive. These chil- dren are admitted to the regular baby clinics. With the exception of a few children who attend the regular monthly preschool clinic, the group from 212 years to school age are very much neglected in so far as Health Department activities are concerned with the exception, of course. of the diphtheria immunization program.
Efforts are being made to take care of one particular phase of the health of the preschool child. namely dental care. A preschool dental clinic. established some years ago. by the Health Department, was continued during 1935. The attendance was very good but added efforts are being made to increase the attendance.
The standards for preschool hygiene as set up by the Appraisal Form are very low and Quincy scores only 53 per cent by these low standards. More emphasis should be given to this very important phase of public health work.
C. School Hygiene is a function of the School Department with the exception of the dental program and of the nursing service in the Parochial schools. This activity scored 76 out of a possible 100 points in 1935 with a weighted score of 83.60. The weighted score in 1934 was 73.70.
The school dental clinic formerly conducted by the School Depart- ment and which was discontinued several years ago was re-established by the Health Department. For the school year 1935-36. only first grade children will be admitted to the clinic. An examination made in October showed that more than two-thirds of the first grade chil- dren were in need of dental attention.
If sufficient funds are appropriated in 1936. we plan to add more grades in the fall of 1936.
Many of the dental defects are without any question due to faulty nutrition. Malnutrition is not always a problem of economics alone. Many times. the child of the well-to-do parents is malnourished. During the past few months we had the volunteer services. four days a month. of Mrs. Robert Marder. a dental hygienist. She has visited, once a month. all the first grades in the City carrying an educational program. This program should be expanded to include other grades.
IV SANITATION ACTIVITIES
A. General Sanitation scored 60 out of a possible 100 points in 1935 compared with 57 points in 1934. The points gained were due to an increase in the number of sanitary inspections made. The weighted score for 1935 was 48.00.
Of the 100 possible points. 65 are given for water supply and for sewerage. Quincy scores full credit for water supply but only 10 out of a possible 35 points for sewerage. Only about two thirds of the dwellings in Quincy are connected to the public sewer.
147
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
B. Food and Milk Control scored 90 out of a possible 100 points in 1935 compared with 84 points in 1934. The 6 point gain was due to the adoption of a regulation requiring satisfactory methods of sterili- zation of eating and drinking utensils in food and drink establish- ments. The weighted score for 1935 was 67.50.
Additional points could be secured if a large per cent of the milk supply was pasteurized. Several years ago, Quincy had an outbreak of scarlet fever traced to a raw milk supply. Last year, the first case of undulant fever ever reported in Quincy, was reported. The source of infection was a raw milk supply. Within a short time, it is proposed to put into effect, the regulation adopted a year or two ago, requiring that all milk sold in Quincy be either pasteurized or certified.
Recommendations.
1. Continue the diphtheria immunization program among preschool children and extend it to include children in the first and second grades.
2. More use of the consulting diagnostic service available through the State Department of Public Health.
3. Institute a program of community health instruction regarding venereal diseases.
4. Place greater emphasis on the detection of early cases of adult type of tuberculosis.
5. Transfer the prenatal clinic from the Dispensary.
6. Emphasize the importance of prenatal care and strive to have a larger percent of expectant mothers make use of the services now available.
7. Extend the program of preschool hygiene to reach a larger number of children between the ages of 30 months and 4 years inclusive.
8. Extend the school dental program to take in children in the second grades.
9. Secure the services of a full-time dental hygienist.
10. Increase the number of sanitary inspections.
11. Adopt a regulation requiring that no milk be sold in Quincy excepting pasteurized or certified raw.
Respectfully submitted,
RICHARD M. ASH, M. D., Health Commissioner.
148
CITY OF QUINCY
Dr. Richard M. Ash,
Health Commissioner.
Dear Doctor :-
I am pleased to submit to you my annual report for the year 1935. The regular personnel of this department is made up as follows :- Dr. Richard M. Ash
Commissioner
Howard E. Porter
Agent Clerk
Verna M. Kelley
Statistician
A. A. Robertson
Milk Inspector
James O'Dowd
Meat Inspector
Howard Rogers
Slaughtering Inspector
Edward A. deVarennes
Animal Inspector
Edward A. deVarennes
Child Welfare Physician Dr. Rachel L. Hardwick
T. B. Physician Dr. Cornelius J. Lynch
Venereal Disease Physician
Dr. E. E. Smith
Bacteriologist Dr. E. E. Smith
Contagious Disease Nurse
Catherine F. Coleman, R. N.
T. B. Nurse
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