USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1878 > Part 11
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being made simply of boards or planks imperfectly put together, with no ventilation whatever.
When privies are a necessity we would recommend that the vaults be constructed in accordance with the following rules, which are copied from the report of Phinehas Ball, Civil Engineer, on a system of sewerage for the city of Fall River, dated at Worcester, Mass., Oct. 11, 1875 : -
" First. Build the vault water-tight and keep it enclosed on all sides, above ground as near air-tight as practicable.
" Second. Provide the vault with good ventilation, and always into a chimney flue if possible. This last arrangement has been known to make the common privy vault as free from every possible nuisance and offence as is the best regulated water-closet. In its use the following should be observed :
" First. Allow no sink slops whatever to be poured into the vault.
" Second. Keep all rain and surface water from flowing into it.
" Third. Place within the vault regularly, dry coal ashes or dry earth, in such quantity that all fluids in its contents are at once absorbed.
" And lastly, keep the vault regularly cleaned out, so that large accumulations shall never be allowed in the vault."
In connection with the first of Mr. Ball's recommendations, we would say that in order to make a vault perfectly tight, it should be built of brick with Portland cement; and in regard to ventila- tion, where it is impracticable to ventilate into the chimney flue, a ventilator at least eight inches in diameter should be extended from the vault to a sufficient height above the privy roof to insure a good draft, and to convey the gases above the level of neighbor- ing windows.
We would recommend, however, that water-closets be provided instead of privies, where sewer accommodations can be obtained, and that parties in selecting building sites see that sewers are in the streets, or, if they are not, petition the Board of Aldermen to lay them.
STAGNANT WATER. - In many parts of the city there are ponds of filthy, stagnant water, which are receptacles for dead animals, garbage, and other refuse matter. That these miasmatic pools are unhealthy, all will admit. Great difficulty has been experienced in
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dealing with these cases. Notices were served upon the owners of the lands, requesting them to drain, fill, or otherwise abate the nuisance. This request was complied with by quite a number, and places that have been for years past intolerable nuisances are now dry and healthy lands ; but there still remain a large number of such nuisances that should be abated.
While the board has avoided as far as possible taking legal steps to compel owners to put their lands in a proper sanitary condition, hoping that they would see that their own, as well as the interest and welfare of others, demanded that these pestilential lands should be reclaimed, yet we feel that in the future the law regarding such nuisances should be rigorously enforced against those who fail to comply with the instructions of the Board of Health.
STABLES. - Offensive odors from stables, placed in close prox- imity to dwellings, have been the cause of much complaint, particu- larly where the stables have no proper receptacle for manure, and are not suitably drained or ventilated. The keeping of many cows in one stable in thickly populated portions of the city, especially where the animals are kept in the stable through the whole year without being pastured, creates nuisances that are very disagree- able and annoying to the neighborhood.
The smell from horse and cow stables is thought by many to be healthful. Even if such is the case, which is very doubtful, the owners or occupants of such stables have no right to deprive their neighbors of the privilege of breathing pure air. Attention is called to the following decision of Chief Justice Shaw, reported in 11 Metcalf, 572, 1846 : " In order to amount to a nuisance, it is not necessary that there should be a corruption of the atmosphere such as to be dangerous to health ; it is sufficient that the effluviu are offensive to the senses, and render habitation uncomfortable."
This board respectfully recommends that the City Council do not grant permission to any one to erect a stable, unless it can be placed at such a distance from neighboring dwellings as not to cause annoyance, can be well drained and ventilated, and provided with a suitable pit for manure.
We also recommend that on every petition for liberty to erect a stable, a hearing be granted to all persons dwelling in the immedi- ate neighborhood, notice to be given by posters, or some other suf- ficient means.
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ALEWIFE BROOK. - This brook, which is the boundary between Somerville and Arlington, and runs from Belmont and Cambridge northerly to Mystic River, receives the contents of three large main sewers in Cambridge, draining an area of eight hundred and sixty- four acres, a portion of which is quite closely populated. Near the Broadway bridge, in Somerville, are tide-gates built by the city of Cambridge, which prevent the floating sewage from passing down the stream. This accumulation, although frequently removed by the city of Cambridge, still, together with the filth flowing in the brook, creates a nuisance which is often complained of by the resi- dents in the vicinity. In September last this board sent a com- munication to the City Council of Cambridge, requesting them to abate the nuisance.
It is hoped that some other outlet for the sewerage of North Cam- bridge will soon be provided.
OFFENSIVE TRADES.
RENDERING. - For many years the inhabitants of our city suf- fered from the foul and sickening smells that came from rendering and grease-boiling establishments within the city limits, the larger number of these places being near the East Cambridge line. Upon inspection it was found that there was but one establishment that had proper apparatus for destroying the obnoxious gases. At most of them putrid grease was rendered in open kettles, the hor- rible stenches emitted therefrom contaminating the air for a long distance.
In May last, the following regulation was adopted, and served upon all parties engaged in this business, except those therein named : -
OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH, CITY HALL, SOMERVILLE, May 31, 1878.
By virtue of the authority given in Chapter 26 of the General Statutes, the Board of Health of the city of Somerville hereby for- bids the exercise, on or after June 15, 1878, of, the trade or em- ployment of rendering tallow (other than fresh tallow), lard, grease, fat, bones, or other refuse animal matter, within the limits of the city of Somerville, except at the factories of Charles H. North & Co., Medford Street, Joseph Boynton, Windsor Street, Charles O'Neil, Linden Street, or at such other place or places as may here-
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after be assigned by said board ; such trade or employment being in the opinion of the board a nuisance, hurtful to the inhabitants, the exercise of which is attended by noisome and injurious odors.
GEORGE I. VINCENT, Clerk.
Permits to render were granted to parties who had compara- tively good apparatus, and all other applications were refused.
In 1877 there were 169 licenses granted by the Boston Board of Health to collect grease in that city, of which number 52 were granted to residents of Somerville, the most of whom brought the grease collected by them in Boston to this city, to be tried out in open kettles. In the month of May, 1878, the Boston Board of Health and this board passed orders that no non-residents should be licensed to collect grease without a recommendation from the Board of Health of the town or city where the applicant resided. By this means both boards were enabled to keep a better super- vision of these parties than could otherwise be done. The State Board of Health by our invitation visited several of the places whose proprietors had been granted permission to render, and the opinion was expressed by members of that board that it would be impossible to carry on the business of rendering house grease with any apparatus now in use in this city, without creating an offensive odor.
SLAUGHTERING. - At the beginning of the year there were six slaughtering establishments in the city, four for slaughtering cattle and two for hogs. One of the latter was destroyed by fire in June, and is now being rebuilt. At the cattle houses the business is prosecuted on a small scale, and no rendering is done on the prem- ises. Two of them are not provided with proper drainage, and during the year have been complained of by the neighboring residents.
Previous to the burning of Messrs. North & Co.'s establishment in June, the hog-slaughtering business was carried on by them and by Mr. Joseph Boynton, and both parties were also engaged in rendering and pork-packing. Since that time Mr. Boynton has given up the business, and Messrs. North & Co. have used the premises formerly occupied by him. Mr. John P. Squire's works are partly in Somerville and partly in Cambridge, but no slaughter- ing or rendering is done on the Somerville side of the line.
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DANGEROUS DISEASES.
Recognizing the importance of being informed as to the preva- lence in the city of diseases dangerous to the public health, and thus being prepared, in case of necessity, to adopt measures for preventing the spread of the same, on the 27th of February the fol- lowing notice was adopted, and sent to all physicians known to practise in Somerville : -
OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH, CITY HALL, SOMERVILLE, Feb. 27, 1879.
You are hereby notified that the Board of Health considers small- pox, diphtheria, scarlet fever, and typhoid fever diseases within the meaning of Chapter 26 of the General Statutes, and that physi- cians will be expected to report all cases coming under their notice within the city.
Respectfully, GEORGE I. VINCENT, Clerk.
EXTRACT FROM CHAP. 26 OF THE GENERAL STATUTES.
"SECT. 48. When a physician knows that any person whom he is called to visit is infected with small-pox, or any other disease dangerous to the public health, he shall immediately give notice thereof to the selectmen or Board of Health of the town; and if he refuses or neglects to give such notice, he shall forfeit for each offence a sum not less than fifty nor more than one hundred dollars "
This notice has also been published in both of our weekly papers. Each physician is provided with postal cards addressed to the Board of Health, bearing a blank form of report, and we believe that with but few exceptions the law has been complied with since the notices were issued.
The first of the following tables shows the number of cases of scarlet fever, diphtheria, and typhoid fever reported during the year, with the number that have, up to this date, resulted fatally. The other gives the number of deaths in the city from each of these diseases during the year 1877.
202
SCARLET FEVER, DIPHTHERIA, AND TYPHOID FEVER REPORTED IN 1878.
SCARLET FEVER.
DIPHTHERIA
TYPHOID FEVER.
MONTHS.
Cases
reported.
Deaths.
Percentage
of deaths.
Cases
reported.
Deaths.
Percentage
of deaths.
reported.
Percentage
of deaths.
March
9
1
11
11
3
27
ยท
April
5
4
2
50
1
May
2
4
June
6
6
1
17
. .
. .
July
1
3
2
67
1
1
100
August
3
2
67
2
. .
September
2
. .
8
1
12
October
20
3
15
11
3
27
3
1
33
November
41
5
12
12
1
8
3
1
33
December
24
6
25
14
7
50
. .
. .
Total
108
15
14
70
21
30
18
4
22
DEATHS FROM SCARLET FEVER, DIPHTHERIA, AND TYPHOID FEVER IN 1877.
MONTH.
SCARLET FEVER.
DIPHTHERIA.
TYPHOID FEVER.
January
4
2
February
March
1
9
April
7
May
8
June
6
July
1
1
1
August
2
3
September
4
October .
4
1
November
1
5
December
1
8
2
Total
10
59
6
.
.
. .
.
.
.
.
4
Cases
Deaths.
203
The number of cases of and deaths from each disease, and the localities in which they occurred, are indicated on the map which accompanies and is a part of this report.
SCARLET FEVER. - In the month of October, this disease being quite prevalent, and the public schools affording a channel by which its spread might be increased, the following preamble and order were adopted, and published in both of the weekly papers, and copies were sent to the principals of all our public schools.
OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH, SOMERVILLE, October 17, 1878.
WHEREAS, scarlet fever is a disease contagious and dangerous to the public health, and, whereas, it is now prevalent in the city of Somerville ; therefore the Board of Health issues the following notice : That on and after Oct. 17, 1878, the following provisions of Chapter 26 of the General Statutes will be strictly enforced :
"SECT. 47. When a householder knows that a person within his family is taken sick . . . of any disease dangerous to the public health, he shall immediately give notice thereof to the . . . Board of Health in the town in which he dwells. If he refuses or neglects to give such notice, he shall forfeit a sum not exceeding one hundred dollars.
" SECT. 48. When a physician knows that any person whom he is called to visit is infected with . . . any disease dangerous to the public health, he shall immediately give notice thereof to the . . . Board of Health of the town, and if he refuses or neglects to give such notice he shall forfeit for each offence a sum not less than fifty, nor more than one hundred dollars."
And it is hereby ordered that no child from any house in which a case of this disease has occurred, or shall hereafter occur, shall, without a written permit from this board, attend any school in this city, until the expiration of four weeks from the commencement of the last case in such house ; such length of time shall be certified in writing by a physician or some responsible member of the family ; the certificate to be presented to the teacher of the school, before the child is admitted.
Attest :
GEO. I. VINCENT,
Clerk.
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In connection with this action the inspector was required to call at every house from which cases were reported, obtain the names of all school children in the house and of the schools attended by them, and notify the teachers not to permit these children to attend school except as provided in the order.
Deeming it necessary to remind the people of the extremely contagious nature of this disease, the necessity of communication with the sick-room being avoided by all except the nurse and phy- sician, the importance of the liberal use of disinfectants during the progress, and of thoroughly cleansing and disinfecting the room with its contents after the termination of the disease, the follow- ing suggestions were adopted October 23, and published in both of the Somerville papers, and 3,000 copies were distributed throughout the city. A copy is also sent to each house where a case of the disease is reported.
OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH, CITY HALL, SOMERVILLE, Oct. 23, 1878.
SUGGESTIONS FOR PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF SCARLET FEVER.
Scarlet fever, scarlatina, scarlet-rash, canker-rash, and rash- fever are names of a contagious and infectious disease of varying degrees of severity ; but in which all the forms are capable of con- veying the most severe type.
The contagious matter is capable of retaining its power to carry the disease for a long time. The means of transporting the conta- gion of scarlet fever may be furnished by anything that has come in contact with an infected person or object, - air, food, clothing, sheets, blankets, whiskers, hair, furniture, toys, library books, wall-paper, curtains, cats, dogs, etc. Funerals have occasionally spread the disease, the exhalations from the dead body being also dangerous.
The period from exposure which results in scarlet fever to the time when the symptoms manifest themselves varies from several hours to three, and possibly four, weeks. The average time is variously given from six to eight or ten days.
The time at which one who has been ill with scarlet fever may safely mingle with other people is usually placed by sanitarians at four weeks from the commencement of the illness.
The first principle of treatment is in isolation. The patient
205
should be in a room as much separated from the rest of the house as possible, and communicate with no more members of the household than is absolutely necessary. If an outward draught of air from the sick-room to the entry occurs, a curtain may be placed over and in front of the door, formed by a sheet which is soaked in some disinfectant. All unnecessary objects of every kind, espe- cially woollen, should be removed from the room. The discharges from the throat, nose, and mouth of the patient may be put in a vessel containing a strong solution of some disinfectant, which shall be frequently washed with hot water; they should not be received upon anything which is to be kept. Pieces of soft cloth, which should be at once burned, may be used in place of pocket- handkerchiefs. This board recommends the following as a good fluid with which to disinfect cloths and clothes, and to put into vessels which are to receive slops or the discharges of the patient, or to turn down water-closets or privies to destroy contagion : " Eight ounces of sulphate of zinc, one ounce of cabolic acid, three gallons of water " Clothes " should be soaked in this fluid for at least one hour, and then placed in boiling water for washing."
Attendants on the sick should be as few as possible, and should not communicate with other persons any more than can be helped. They should wear only such clothing as may be readily washed. Cloths used in the sick-room should be boiled before being worn. Gargling or washing the mouth occasionally with a cleansing fluid is a useful measure for those who must be exposed to contagion ; and in washing the hands, a little Condy's Fluid* may be placed in the basin.
After recovery, the patient should not mingle with other persons, use lounges, carriages, public rooms, etc , liable to be used by others, until all roughness of the skin has disappeared, and until he has taken warm baths for several days. After the sick-room is no longer needed as such, all clothing and other matters used in it that can be washed should be soaked in boiling water; any articles of trifling value ought to be burned. The wall-paper should be soaked with carbolic acid, removed and burned. The ceiling should be washed with soap and hot water or scraped. The room should then be closed as tight as possible and as much sulphur burned in it as the air will allow (a pound is an abundant amount for any ordi-
* Made by adding two and a half drachms of Permanganate of Potash to one pint of cold water.
206
nary room) ; it should be kept closed from six to eight hours, and then opened for several days to the air and sunshine. The floor and wood- work should then be thoroughly washed with soap and hot water.
Should the sick person die, the body ought not to be removed from the sick-room until it has been sealed in the coffin, having first been properly disinfected. It is advisable that the funeral should be as private as possible and not attended by children.
The following sections in regard to isolation are from Chapter 26 of the General Statutes : -
SECTION 47 - When a householder knows that a person within his fam- ily is taken sick . of any disease dangerous to the public health, he shall immediately give notice thereof to the Board of Health in the town in which he dwells. If he refuses or neglects to give such notice he shall forfeit a sum not exceeding one hundred dollars.
SECTION 48. - When a physician knows that any person whom he is called to visit is infected with any disease dangerous to the public health, he shall immediately give notice thereof to the Board of Health of the town; and if he refuses or neglects to give such notice he shall forfeit for each offence a sum not less than fifty, nor more than one hundred dollars.
The Board of Health of Somerville, at present, require small-pox, scarlet fever, diphtheria, and tpphoid fever to be reported to them. Children are especially liable to take and to spread scarlet fever ; and because schools afford a fine opportunity for this, it is hereby ordered :
That no child from any house in which a case of this disease has occurred, or shall hereafter occur, shall, without a written permit from this board, attend any school in this city until the expiration of four weeks from the commencement of the last case in such family. Such length of time shall be certified in writing by a physician or some responsible member of the family ; the certificate to be presented to the teacher of the school before the child is admitted.
Attest :
GEORGE I. VINCENT. Clerk.
Scarlet fever is not only extremely contagious, but is also very dangerous, in that it is liable, if it does not prove fatal, to leave the patient with some permanent trouble. We consider it our duty to comment upon two practices which have been observed to prevail
207
to some extent, viz. : first, that of calling on families where the disease exists, running the risk not only of taking the disease, but of carrying it in the clothing to others, several cases (some of which proved fatal) having been traced in the past year to this source ; and, second, that of keeping the remains of those dying of the disease for two or three days before interment, and having large numbers of friends at the funeral. This is all wrong. Neigh- bors and friends should abstain from visiting infected houses, and the funeral should take place as soon as possible, and should be strictly private.
Owing to the fact that this disease is almost exclusively confined to children (only two adult cases having been reported during the year), it has been thought impracticable to require infected houses to be isolated. The board, however, has under consideration the expediency of adopting the practice which is now in force in Chicago, of hanging a red card bearing the words " SCARLET FEVER HERE," on each house where the disease exists, so that none shall expose themselves to the contagion for want of sufficient warning.
DIPHTHERIA. - In dealing with this disease, the board has acted upon the theory (which is generally upheld by the best authorities) that it is largely promoted, if not caused, by defective drainage, offensive vaults, and by a general want of cleanliness. Accord- ingly an inspection has been made of every house in which the disease has been reported, with results as shown in the accom- panying table.
As appears by the table, sanitary defects were found in nearly every house or its surroundings, several houses being in a very bad condition. Of the entire number examined, there were but four which were not defective, and the patient in one of these was taken sick elsewhere.
There is no doubt that this disease is contagious, but the manner in which it is communicated is not known. The opinion prevails, however, among those best qualified to judge, that its prevalence and degree of danger depend very much upon the sanitary sur- roundings, and this opinion appears to be sustained by the table. It therefore becomes every householder to see that his system of house drainage and his premises generally are in the best possible sanitary condition.
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TYPHOID FEVER. - This disease has not been very prevalent in our city during the past year, and therefore has not demanded so much attention as scarlet fever and diphtheria. It is not classed among contagious diseases, but is liable to be caused by the effluvia from decayed vegetable matter, or the miasma arising from stagnant water. The most efficient means, therefore, of protection from this disease are the filling and draining of pools of stagnant water, and the clearing of all decaying vegetables and garbage from cellars and premises generally.
ASHES.
During the past year the ashes and house dirt have been collected once in each month, instead of once or twice a year as formerly, this change giving great satisfaction to householders. The frequent collection of ashes and other refuse materials is a good sanitary measure, as it leads people to clear up their premises often, giving them a more neat and attractive appearance, and getting rid of rubbish and dirt, that might otherwise promote disease. House offal should never be mixed with ashes, as it is not only liable to emit bad odors but is also dangerous to health.
The cost of collecting ashes once a month for the year 1878 was $707.34, being only $199.03 more than the cost of the two collec- tions in 1877. The larger portion of the ashes collected has been used by the highway department, to fill low lands owned by the city and for repairing sidewalks, it being valuable material for the latter purpose.
HOUSE OFFAL.
A contract for the collection of house offal was awarded to G. W. Cummings, for the term of two years, from June 26, 1878, at the rate of $980 per annum. The collection is made three times a week in the months of May, June, July, August, and September ; twice a week in the months of April, October, and November ; and once a week in the months of December, January, February, and March. It has been observed that in some instances house offal is thrown in the yards of dwellings. This practice, which is very untidy and dangerous to health, is entirely needless, as the offal will be collected by the contractor if placed in suitable receptacles.
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