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 1947 > Part 2
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TRAFFIC BUREAU
Accidents
586
Persons Injured
623
Persons Killed
5
Prosecutions 668
Warnings to Motor Vehicle Violators
461
Tags Issued
8,205
Auto Sale Transfers Received
6,703
Bicycle Registrations Issued
493
JUVENILE BUREAU
Juvenile Court Cases 177
Informal Hearings at Probation Office 11
Informal Hearings at Police Headquarters 125
Malicious Damage to Property
89
Miscellaneous Investigations
78
The Department maintains a very active Bureau of Investigation. During 1947, a total of 272 breaks, 33 deaths, 329 larceny cases, 15 robbery cases, and 758 miscellaneous cases were investigated. During the course of these investigations, stolen property valued at $17,585.00 was recovered.
The Liquor Bureau made a total of 8,154 inspections, investigated 67 complaints and on 8 hearings before the license board, 2 liquor licenses were suspended.
The Radio Department, maintaining a two-way transmission to all police vehicles, transmitted 33,375 messages and received 20,492.
There were 376 ambulance calls and 1,761 wagon calls in 1947.
The Photography Bureau was busily engaged in the printing and photographing of 77 prisoners, 90 accident scenes and 20 claims against the City.
PERSONNEL
Title
Number
Chief
1
Captains
4
Lieutenants
8
Sergeants
10
Radio Supervisor
1
Patrolmen
112
Reserves
3
Total
139
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Fire Department
CENTRAL FIRE STATION
During 1947, the Quincy Fire Department responded to a total of 2,419 alarms in various sections of the City. This is a decrease of 331 from the 1946 total of 2,750 alarms. Thirteen hundred and eighty- four, or 57 per cent, of these 1947 alarms consisted of calls to grass fires, dump fires and others of a like nature. Three hundred and fifteen, or 13 per cent, of the alarms responded to in 1947 were for dwellings.
The total fire loss for 1947 is estimated at $303,000, an increase of approximately $89,000 over the 1946 total of $213,659.
In fire operations during 1947, the Department reports a total of 301 lines stretched and 7,267 feet of ladder raised. Personnel were absent from quarters on fire duty, 2,179 hours. Engine pumping time amounted to 397 hours; and hydrants were put in use a total of 239 hours. Special service responded to 60 calls using the inhalator on 14 occasions.
30
Record of Alarms (1947)
Fires by Classification
Bell Alarms
708
Dwellings
315
Telephone Alarms 1698
Mercantile 95
Still Alarms
1
Grass, Dumps, etc. 1384
Multiple Alarms
11
Automobiles
131
Reported Alarms
12
Miscellaneous 303
False 176
Total Alarms
2430
Total Mutual Aid 15
Total 2419
There were 176 false alarms in 1947, 10 less than the 1946 total of 186.
The Fire Prevention Bureau is responsible for the inspection of all actual and potential fire hazards, the investigation of fires and the issuance of numerous permits dealing with the use of fire and explosives.
During 1947, a total of 17,055 inspections of all kinds were made. Of these, 12,601 were inspections of stores, factories, and other mer- cantile establishments. Other inspections included those of homes of three families or more, power oil burners, range burners, sites for gasoline tanks, and underground fuel tanks. One hundred and twenty- five inspections of local schools and hospitals were made in 1947.
Of the 3,258 permits issued in 1947, 1,000 were for outdoor fires and 1,299 were power oil burner permits. Other permits were issued for, to name a few, fireworks, blasting, storing and selling explosives, and for burning paint off buildings.
Two hundred and one complaints were received and investigated, and 67 fire investigations were made in cooperation with the State Fire Marshal's Office.
During the year, the personnel of the Department consisted of 136 men, distributed by rank as follows: Chief, 3 Deputy Chiefs, 12 Cap- tains, 11 Lieutenants, 1 Mechanic and 108 Privates.
The apparatus in use by the Department during 1947 is typed as follows:
Type
Count
Av. Years of Service
Range in Years of Purchase
Hose Comb.
2
17.5
1929-30
Pumping Engine
9
9.4
1925-47
Aerial Ladder
2
4.5
1940-45
City Service Ladder
2
18.5
1927-30
Special Service
2
8.0
1937-41
Department Cars
3
3.0
1942-46
All Equipment
30
9.5
1925-47
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The Department maintains seven stations located in widespread areas of the City.
In the Fall of 1947, the people of Quincy voted favorably on the question of a 48-hour week for firemen. This will increase considerably the number of personnel over the 1947 total of 136 men.
TOTAL ESTIMATED FIRE LOSSES CITY OF QUINCY 1938-1947
500,000
400,000
300,000
200,000
100000
1938-1939-19401941-1942-194319441945-19461947
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Fire and Police Signals
B
FIRE ALARM SIGNALS
During 1947, all fire alarm boxes, circuits, and other equipment connected with them were maintained at the highest degree of efficien- cy; and all police signal boxes and flashlight circuits were main- ained at a high degree of efficiency, considering the age of the equipment.
All traffic lights were maintained in good working order, during the year.
The removal of the street cars in Quincy will make it necessary to allocate funds to replace overhead construction by the under- ground type.
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Sealer of Weights and Measures
The Sealer is responsible for the testing of all devices used as criteria of weight or measure for any merchandise bought, sold or exchanged within the City. He is also charged with the reweighing of food and fuel which is packaged for future use.
As a result of his test, the Sealer either seals or condemns a device depending upon whether or not it meets standard requirements.
The following is a summary of the activities of this department for 1947:
Scales
Sealed 1303 2865
Adjusted 351 150
Not Sealed 47
Cond'nea 60
Weights
0
9
Volumetric Measures
401
0
0
20
Automatic Liquid Measuring Devices
809
169
488
14
Linear Measures
77
0
0
8
Miscellaneous *
16
0
0
1
Totals
5471
670
535
112
*Taximeters
Seventeen hundred and twenty-four tests were made on reweigh- ing of various commodities; 1089 were found to be correct, 414 under. and 221 overweight.
Clinical thermometers must also be tested for accuracy by this Department. Eight hundred and thirty-one of these were tested by the Sealer in 1947.
The Sealer is also responsible for the enforcement of all laws concerning weights and measures, transient vendors, hawkers and peddlers as well as the quality of coal.
Wire Department
The Wire Inspector, by law, has "supervision of all electric and other wires erected in, upon, over, or under any street or building and of all poles supporting wires or lamps and streetlights."
During 1947, a total of 2,720 permits were issued amounting to $4,883.70 in fees received. Permits for wiring were issued for refrig- erators, hot water heaters, electric ranges, lights, oil burners, signs, heat regulators, and gas burners. These required a total of 3,279 inspections by the Wire Inspector. Permits were issued for the install- ation of new wiring in a total of 56 old buildings, for new wiring in 184 new buildings, and for additional wiring in 2,727 old buildings.
34
Building Department
In 1947 there was an estimated total of $3,895,827.00 worth of Building Operations in the City of Quincy. This is somewhat in excess of the 1946 total of slightly less than 3 million dollars.
There were altogether 1,851 permits issued for Building Opera- rions by this office in 1947. These were distributed by Wards as icllows:
Wara
Permits
Estimated Cost
1
479
$1,083,371.00
2
191
250,381.00
3
208
339,948.00
4
249
814,598.00
5
358
611,005.00
6
366
796,524.00
1,851
$3,895,827.00
Permits were issued for the following types of Building Opera- tons: one-family dwellings, two-family dwellings, four-family dwell ings multi-family dwellings, mercantile, manufacturing, storage, garages, residence alterations, non-residence alterations, removals, elevators, signs, and others. Fees totaling $8,942.50 were collected by the department on the above permits.
During the year, 327 family units were provided through new construction, and 76 were provided through alterations.
Decisions were rendered by the Board of Appeal for the Building Code on twenty-five applications. Twenty-one of these were granted and four rejected. Thirty-seven appeals were brought before the Board of Appeal for zoning. Twenty-three of these were granted, thirteen rejected, and one withdrawn.
During the month of April, this Department tested all fire appli- ances as required by the General Laws, Chap. 143, Sec. 48.
The Building Department also made its usual Public Safety In- spections and Elevator inspections in 1947, as required by Chap. 143 of the General Laws.
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SPRAYING ELMS FOR DUTCH ELM DISEASE
Forestry and Gypsy Moth
This Division, though a part of the Department of Public Works, is by the nature of its principal duties placed in the category of "Pro- tection of Persons and Property".
The chief duty of this Division is the spraying of trees throughout the city in a yearly program of Gypsy Moth Control. The law requires that gypsy moths and browntails be sprayed and destroyed. In ad- dition to this, spraying is also done for Elm leaf beetles, Japanese beetles and other types of tree pests.
D. D. T. spray was used over the entire city in the 1947 tree spray- ing program. Trees were sprayed on private property on orders of the owners who were billed for this service shortly after the spraying was completed.
36
In 1947 a special appropriation was made for the control of the Dutch Elm disease which was found to have infected many of the beautiful Elms bordering our streets. Specimens of these trees were first taken and sent to the State for analysis. Trees found badly in- fected were condemned and many have already been removed. As a part of this program, trees are being sprayed with a high-power spray of agricultural oil. Due to the fact that a large number of trees have been affected, 1948 will see a great deal more work done on this program.
This Division is also responsible for the care and maintenance of all street parks in the City. The City greenhouse raises plants and shrubs of all types for this purpose.
37
SECTION III
HEALTH AND SANITATION
HEALTH DEPARTMENT
QUINCY CITY HOSPITAL SEWER DEPARTMENT SANITARY DEPARTMENT
39
N & Dyor Company Architects
QUINCY HEALTH CENTER JUINGY
PROPOSED HEALTH CENTER - HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Health Department
The activities of the Health Department are classified into six divisions, namely: 1. Administration, 2. Contagious Diseases, 3. Child Welfare, 4. Dental, 5. Tuberculosis Control, 6. Inspection.
ADMINISTRATION: This division s responsible, under the Health Commissioner, for the policy-making, and for the administra- tion of the Department as a whole. Statistics are compiled, and com- plete records of the Department's activities are kept on file. Various licenses and permits are issued by this division, namely: plumbing, milk, ice cream, oleomargarine, poultry, massage, poisonous alcohol, and funeral director's licenses.
The following are some interesting highlights of the vital statistics compiled by this office in 1947:
Population 85,384 (est. statistically)
Births
2,040
Birth Rate 23.9 per 1,000 population
Deaths
815
Death Rate 9.6 per 1,000 population
Infant Deaths
54
Infant Death Rate
26.4 per 1,000 live births
40
Of the 815 deaths that occurred among Quincy residents in 1947, 53% were males and 47% were females; 60% were native born and 40% were foreign born. Diseases of the heart continue to be the lead- ing cause of death, accounting for 297, or 36.4% of the total deaths in 1947. Cancer and Cerebral Hemorrhage follow in that order. These three causes accounted for 64.1% of the total deaths for 1947.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES: The incidence of reportable diseases for 1947 shows that the frequency of some diseases has fallen below the average for the past five years, while others are considerably higher.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES 1943-1947 (Selected Diseases)
Yearly Average
Disease
1947
1946
1945 1944
1943 1943 - 1947
Animal Bites
179
229
231
209
149
199
Chicken Pox
729
223
92
1320
395
552
Measles
134
1020
42
530
1191
583
Mumps
307
86
559
71
150
235
Scarlet Fever
141
96
123
311
231
180
Whooping Cough
172
98
59
53
89
94
During the year, the Health Department continued its immuniza- tion clinics on a regular monthly basis. Hundreds of children at- tended these clinics, and the attendance was further increased when the Department introduced the combination Diphtheria-Tetanus- Pertussis vaccine into this program. Immunization has been the most important single factor in the decline of the incidence of diphtheria, and it is hoped that the new combination will show the same results with whooping cough.
CHILD WELFARE: The Child Welfare Division conducts six well- baby clinics a week in various sections of the city. Pre-school clinics and orthopedic clinics are held monthly.
Clinic
Number
Attendance 2824
Examined 2750
New
Well-baby
310
776
Pre-school
11
76
76
51
Orthopedic
12
63
63
47
Totals
333
2963
2889
874
A total of 1720 home visits were made as follow-ups of the well- baby clinics. Thirteen hundred and four of these were made to babies under one year of age.
Eight homes for infant boarding were registered, and 22 inspec- tions were made in this regard.
Health Department nurses acted as school nurses for Quincy's three parochial schools.
41
DENTAL: The Health Department maintains two types of dental service. One, the regular school dental clinics held every school day; the other, pre-school dental clinics held twice weekly. A total of 179 treatment clinics were held in the school service in 1947, with a total attendance of 2161 children. Ninety pre-school dental clinics were held during the year, with 617 children in attendance.
TUBERCULOSIS CONTROL: Although the actual number of new cases of tuberculosis reported in 1947 did not exceed that of previous years, the problem of tuberculosis control is becoming more acute. This is due to the fact that the shortage of hospital facilities is becom. ing more serious, month by month; so that in 1947, we find condi- tions more of a problem than ever before. Lack of sufficient hospital facilities has made it necessary for the average patient to wait two months for admission, after filing application. This prolongs the patient's stay in the hospital and increases the danger of the disease spreading further. It is recommended that immediate steps be taken to alleviate this condition.
QUINCY DISPENSARY - HEALTH DEPARTMENT
42
During 1947 a total of 47 new cases of tuberculosis were reported, making 535 cases of all kinds of tuberculosis on file in 1947.
PATIENTS IN HOSPITALS (As of Dec. 31, 1947)
Number
Hospital Norfolk County Lakeville State San. 6
46
Rutland State San. 1
There were 19 deaths from tuberculosis in 1947; this is some- what less than the 1946 total of 30 deaths. However, this is not con- sidered to be a significant item, as yet, as it will take some years to determine whether or not this is a favorable trend.
A tuberculosis clinic was held weekly at the Quincy dispensary. At this clinic, examinations were made on 31 new patients, and 36 old patients were re-examined. An "Undernourished and Contact Childrens' Clinic" was held weekly with 84 new cases admitted for examination, and 18 old cases admitted for re-examination.
INSPECTION: One of the most important factors in the pre- vention and control of communicable diseases is that of the various types of inspection conducted by this division. These are milk, food, plumbing, veterinary, and general sanitary inspections.
MILK: The following are some of the more important statistical facts of this branch of inspection. There is one dairy in Quincy con- laining 34 cows, producing 300 quarts of milk each day; approximately 12,000 producers in the New England Milk Shed supply milk to the City of Quincy; an average of 35,000 quarters of milk are sold in Quincy each day; 723,379 quarts of ice cream were sold in Quincy in 1947; 820 licenses and permits for the sale and manufacture of milk, ice cream, and also oleo were issued in 1947.
FOODS: During 1947 2563 regular store inspections were made by the Food Inspector. One hundred eighty-two bakery trucks were inspected, and 101 complaints investigated. The following types of food were condemned as unfit for human consumption: meat (1311 lbs.), fish (1967 lbs.), fruit and vegetables (97 lbs.), groceries and canned goods (310 units), bakery products (72 units).
PLUMBING: A total of 1454 applications for various types of plumbing were filed in 1947. Of these, 230 permits were issued for new buildings (208 for dwellings), and 1224 for other types of build- ings. An average of 121 permits were issued each month ranging from a low of 97 permits in August to 146 in April.
VETERINARY: Thirty cows were examined in 1947 and found to be in good health. Two hundred thirty-two dogs were quarantined as a precaution against rabies, none developing.
43
GENERAL SANITARY: All general sanitary inspections of con- ditions dangerous to public health, outside of those under the jurisdic- tion of the various inspectors, were carried out by the Administration Division of the Department.
At the present time the Health Department is occupying four of- fices in the Munroe Building and has its clinics scattered in different buildings throughout the City. Obviously, this does not bring about efficiency. It is recommended that the City take advantage of the Federal funds wrich are available for assistance in erecting a Health Center; thus efficiently housing this Department.
Quincy City Hospital
SA'S
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING-QUINCY CITY HOSPITAL
During 1947 9,990 patients were admitted to the Hospital. This is an all time high for admissions; it is 499 in excess of the previous high of 9,491 in 1946.
TOTAL PATIENT ADMISSIONS 1938-1947
1938
6,298
1943
9,322
1939
6,625
1944
9,211
1940
7,444
1945
8,447
1941
8,308
1946
9,491
1942
9,126
1947
9,990
44
Hospital experts recommend that not more than 80% of the total bed capacity be occupied at one time. It is recommended that the remaining beds be kept in reserve for fluctuations in demand and for emergencies such as epidemics and catastrophies. This recom- mendation, however, could not be followed in 1947 as day to day demands for service have maintained the bed occupancy at a peak of 100% at all times.
The American College of Surgeons and the United States Public Health Service recommend that in Massachusetts communities there be five beds available for every 1,000 population. This would mean an increase of 175 beds over the present total of 275 adults' and chil- dren's beds if this recommendation were to be followed. The only way this could be realized is by the undertaking of the long contem- plated construction plan which calls for the relocation and construc- tion of a new power plant, a nursing wing, and a surgical building with the necessary auxiliary services.
FFI
NURSES HOME - QUINCY CITY HOSPITAL
45
A total of 54 student nurses graduated in 1947, and 23 pre-clinical students entered the Nursing School in September. This is a small first-year class, but it compares favorably with the first-year classes of other Nursing Schools. The total school enrollment has decreased considerably since the United States Cadet Corps was discontinued. Efforts are being made to recruit replacements for this Corps, the month of May was devoted to an intensive campaign in this regard.
During 1947, 30 Senior Cadets affiliated with various hospitals and the Quincy Visiting Nurse Association.
At the end of the year there were 118 graduate nurses (including supervisors, directors, and head nurses) on duty at the Hospital, and 94 students in the School.
In 1947, there were 7,888 X-ray examinations made and 841 treat- ments done, plus 12 radium treatments. The total of these is an in- crease of 19.6% over the total for 1946.
During the year, there were 55,581 laboratory tests done at the Hospital. This is the largest number of tests ever made in the labora- tory. There was also a total of 155 post-mortem examinations made during the year.
There were 4,514 anesthesias of varied types given at the Hos- pital in 1947. Of these, 85 were dental anesthesias, 194 were anes- thesias given in the accident room, 307 were given in the delivery room, and 3,928 were given in surgery.
The Quincy City Hospital, like many others throughout the country, has been faced with the increasing cost of operation, the rate of which has far exceeded that of income.
Expenditures for salaries and wages in 1947 exceeded those of 1946 by $175,315.22, showing an increase of 36.1%. However, ap- proximately $100,000 of this increase was due to the bonus of $300. given to all City employees. Expenses for general purposes and supplies in 1947, exceeded those of 1946 by $71,604.45, an increase of 23.4%.
Receipts for 1947 showed an increase of $111,673.13, or 18.4%, over those of 1946. Blue Cross payments to the Hospital amounted to approximately $275,000. in 1947.
For the past 22 years, the Thomas Crane Public Library has main- tained a branch at the Hospital. This branch has grown from a collection of books in a spare closet to a room, which it now occupies, in the basement of the Administration building. Plans are underway to enlarge this branch in the near future by combining the expanding medical library with the patient service and moving it to Ward A, where more space is available.
46
The permanent collection of books in the Hospital branch number around 1800 volumes. The adult circulation for 1947 showed a de- crease of 3,296 from that of 1946. Th juvenile circulation, however, showed an increase of 1,033 over the previous year.
CIRCULATION (BOOKS AND PERIODICALS)
Adult Fiction
10,548
Adult Nonfiction
5,278
Juvenile Fiction
1,045
Juvenile Nonfiction
629
Total
17,500
The following are comparative statistics for 1946 and 1947. Some of the Hospital services show decreases in 1947; but these are compen- ated by increases in other types of service.
1946
1947
Admissions
9,491
9,985
Room Patients
1,139
1,226
Ward Patients
7,536
7,866
Service Patients
816
983
Total Days Treatments
97,130
96,981
Excluding Newborn
81,286
80,987
Newborn
15,844
15,994
Total Daily Average Patients
266
265.7
Excluding Newborn
222.7
221.9
Newborn
43.3
43.8
Outpatients
8,571
10,344
Accidents
4,621
5,457
Prenatal Visits
213
275
Newborn
1,628
1,836
Operations
3,849
5,654
Physiotherapy Treatments
14,746
14,378
Deaths
333
368
Autopsies
131
152
Percentage of Autopsies
39.
41.
17
Sewer Department
The principal activities of the Sewer Department for the year 1947 consisted of 1. Sewer construction; 2. Particular sewers (sewer con- nections); 3. Drain construction.
A total of 324 sewer connections were made to the common sewer in 1947. The following is a breakdown of Particular sewers by Wards and building classification:
WARDS
Ward 1
97
Ward 2
17
Ward 3
32
Ward 4
64
Ward 5
39
Ward 6
74
Milton
1
Total
324
BUILDING CLASSIFICATION
Single Houses
251
Two-family Houses
5
Four-family Houses
21
Business Buildings 47
324
Sewer construction consisted of 2.13 miles of sewer pipe being laid in 36 construction projects.
Under the heading of drain construction, 1.19 miles of drain were constructed in 1947 on various streets.
As of December, 1947, there was a total of 170.082 miles of sewer line in Quincy. Maintenance and repair to these lines was done by inspection, cleaning and flushing but only to those where it was deemed absolutely necessary.
Quincy is included in the South Metropolitan Sewerage System and thus is not responsible for its own sewerage disposal facilities.
48
QUINCY
PUBLIC WORKS
DEPARTMENT
CITY GARAGE - DEPT. OF PUBLIC WORKS
Sanitary Division
The Sanitary Division of the Department of Public Works is respon- sible for the collection and disposal of garbage and rubbish, and for the cleaning of cesspools and vaults, at the owner's expense.
Rubbish collections were made weekly in 1947 and dumping was done at the City Dump on Quarry Street. Garbage collections were made twice weekly, when possible, but at least every five days. Garbage was taken to the rear of the Municipal Garage and from there sold to various farmers.
During 1947, 238 cesspools and 7 vaults were cleaned.
49
SECTION IV
CHARITIES
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE GENERAL RELIEF AID TO DEPENDENT CHILDREN OLD AGE ASSISTANCE CITY PHYSICIAN
51
Department of Public Welfare
The Department of Public Welfare is set up in three Divisions, namely: General Relief, Aid to Dependent Children, and Old Age Assistance.
GENERAL RELIEF: The title "General Relief" is a complete de- scription of the activities of this Division. Its activities include all prob- lems which do not come under the jurisdiction of Aid to Dependent Children or Old Age Assistance. Typical of the problems which con- front General Relief are those resulting from unemployment, illness, intoxication, divorce, desertion, separation, strikes and various other states of need.
The chief problem of this Division during 1947 arose from the decrease in industrial employment in this City due, naturally, to the fact that the Shipyard, Quincy's largest single industry, and several smaller industries did not operate anywhere near capacity. This, coupled with the fact that the Shipyard strike during many weeks of 1947 increased this problem, necessitated relief to many more families.
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