Report of the city of Somerville 1902, Part 21

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 518


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1902 > Part 21


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265


PUBLIC LIBRARY.


List of Donations.


Vols.


Pamph.


Period.


Adams, Mrs. C. B.


Adriance Memorial Library


Agricultural College


1


Aguilar Free Library Society


2


American-Irish Historical Society


1


American Museum of Natural History


2


Amherst College


Barnard, Charles N.


1


1


Boston Book Co.


3


Boston Transit Commission


1


1


Cambridge, Mrs. Lucetta


3


4


Chase, Wilfrid E.


1


Chicago and Northwest Railway Co.


1


Clark, Gordon


1


Clarke, Col. Albert .


1


Davis, Walter A.


1


Fryer, T. T.


1


Goldsmith, Benjamin W.


5


1 11 1


187


Haines, A. C. .


1


Harvard University . Hayes, Lydia Y.


1


1


Herbert, John .


40


Henry, W. E.


1


Home Market Club . Hubbard, Orrin


*91


Kaan, Frances .


8


Libbey, L. M.


16


Library of Congress


4


1


Lincoln, George A. .


15


80


Lowell Textile School


1


McClure, Phillips & Co.


1


2


Massachusetts .


22


5


Massachusetts Abstinence Society


2


Massachusetts State Library .


1


Metropolitan Water Board


1


Monotuck Silk Co.


1


Morill, Ferdo


113


National Educational Association .


1


1


New England Historical Genealogical Society


1


New Hampshire Library Commission


2


New York State College of Forestry


4


New York University


1


Nickerson, F. R.


400


Carried forward


95


211


745


Drake, Mrs. A. C.


2


Glines, Hon. Edward


Gordon, G. A. .


Goss, Ernest C.


2


2


Makechnie, Horace P.


Mount Auburn Cemetery


1


* Photos .


1


1


1


Bates, Wm. W.


Bostonian Society


266


ANNUAL REPORTS.


LIST OF DONATIONS .- Continued.


Vols.


Pamph.


Period.


Brought forward


95


211


745


Peabody Institute


Perkins Institute


1


Perry, Charles W.


Piper, James H.


.


2


Public Libraries : -


Arlington ( Robbins Library ) .


1


Atlanta, Ga. ( Carnegie Library )


Baltimore ( Enoch Pratt Library )


2


2


12


Bradford, Pa. ( Carnegie Library )


Brockton


1


10


Brookline


1


4


Brooklyn, N. Y.


3


Cambridge


.


1


9


Chelsea


1


Cleveland, Ohio


1


Clinton ( Bigelow Library )


1


Concord, Mass.


1


Concord, N. H. .


1


Dayton, Ohio


1


Detroit, Mich.


2


Dover, N. H.


1


Everett ( Parlin Library ) .


1


Groton


1


Hagerstown, Maryland


1


Hartford, Conn.


1


Haverhill


1


2


Hyde Park


1


Jersey City, N. J.


1


1


Lancaster, Mass.


1


Los Angeles, Cal.


1


Ludlow, Vt. ( Fletcher Library )


1


Lynn .


1


6


Madison, Wis.


1


Manchester, N. H.


1


8


Medford


1


3


Minneapolis, Minn.


1


Natick


1


New Bedford


8


New Haven, Conn.


1 1


8


Newington, N. H.


1


New York City


12


Newark, N. J.


1


6


Niagara Falls


1 1


North Adams


1


Northampton ( Forbes Library )


1


Norwich, Conn. ( Otis Library )


1


2


Paterson, N. J.


1


Carried forward . .


100


263


842


1


Boston


.


1


1


Fall River .


Fitchburg


1


6


Newton


Northampton


2


1


1


267


PUBLIC LIBRARY.


LIST OF DONATIONS. - Concluded.


Vols.


Pamph.


Period.


Brought forward


100


263


842


Public Libraries ( Continued ) : -


Philadelphia, Pa.


Pittsburg, Pa. ( Carnegie Library ) .


Portland, Me.


Providence, R. I.


1


12


Quincy ( Thos. Crane Library )


1


St. Louis, Mo. .


4


Salem


1


10


San Francisco, Cal.


1


6


San Jose, Cal. .


2


Scranton


1


Springfield


1


6


Syracuse, N. Y.


1


Taunton


1


Wakefield .


1


Waltham .


1


Westborough, Mass.


1


Weymouth ( Tufts Library ) Winthrop Woburn


1


St. Louis Mercantile Library Association


1


Sanborn, F. B. .


2


1


Smithsonian Institution


4


4


Smyth, G. H.


1


1


Somerville


1


Southworth, Gordon A.


1


Sprague, H. B.


1


Stone, E. A.


2


Tabor Academy


1


Tufts College


99


88


University of Pennsylvania


1


West, Charles A.


1


White, James T., & Co.


1


Wilmington Institute


1


Wisconsin Free Library Commission


1


Wyatt, Mary L.


1


Total .


215


393


877


1


Watertown


2


1


Putnam, G. P.


1


Simmons College


Society Prevention Cruelty to Animals . Soldiers' Home


3


1


2


United States .


1


1


268


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Recommendations.


There is much criticism directed to public libraries on ac- count of the disproportionate amount of fiction circulated by them. It is not easy to reduce the absolute amount of fiction so circulated. But I believe the relative amount can be considerably reduced by a generous purchase of duplicates in the other classes of literature. The time has gone by when a public library should rest satisfied with one copy of a standard work. It should frequently have many copies and make it its business to see that they are circulated. Good books of actual intrinsic merit are not only welcome but eagerly requested by the schools. If fifty copies of a book (not a text-book) are needed by the schools the Library should purchase them-not reluctantly, but with de'ight. If the various Sunday schools will circulate books that are real literature the Library should see to it that their demands are supplied. Whenever a book can be easily replaced I think it should never be withheld from a public school, a Sunday school, an agency, or a club, simply because we happen to have but one copy on our shelves. Furnish, upon the asking, the single copy to the asker ; and hasten to buy another copy, in readiness for the next asker. This method has been largely adopted in connection with our school work for the past three years and already we have a sufficient number of duplicate books to supply the demands made upon us by the teachers. In the ideal Library the same condition of affairs should exist in relation to all readers, of course with the exception of fiction readers. The time will shortly come when it will be a disgrace to a library not to be able to supply its patrons with any of the standard histories, biog- raphies, essays, and poetry, for the reason that none are on the shelves. Only an insignificant fraction of the total current out- put of books can be purchased by any public library. But the standard books that have been tested, that have survived because they are fittest to survive, are not innumerable, and should be duplicated in a public library to such an extent that the demand for them may be fully supplied. This cannot be done at once ; but it should be our aim to do it as soon as the means at our dis- posal will permit. During the past five years the energies of the Library, and a goodly proportion of its funds, have been directed toward the establishment of many improvements and innovations. Among some of the things accomplished may be mentioned : A new addition to the Library building doubling its capacity, a ref- erence room open at all hours, a newspaper room, a Children's Room, a specially organized School Department, a new complete card catalogue for the general Library, an approximately com- plete catalogue of all the books purchased since 1895 for the West Somerville branch, a home delivery of books, a system of book delivery to the Sunday schools, a system of free access to all the books of the Library. Thus most of the work planned and the improvements projected five years ago have been accomplished.


269


PUBLIC LIBRARY.


The machinery of the Library is fairly complete and in good working condition ; and there is but one great aim that I would now urge, and that is, that the Library be made as quickly as possible able to supply all calls made upon it for the really good books in all classes of literature. This, I think, can be done in the space of three years by carefully watching and tabulating the demands of the public, and then promptly duplicating all books of excellence whenever they are called for, and are not found "in." This will take time and considerable money, but it will add tre- mendously to the efficiency and usefulness of the Library, and will be worth all the time and money it will cost. We have no new and expensive innovations remaining to be put in operation ; the improvements we projected have been accomplished. For a time, now, it seems to me, we would do well to concentrate our energies upon the building up of a library that will promptly sat- isfy the demands of its public as far as all books of real excellence are concerned.


Respectfully submitted, SAM WALTER FOSS, Librarian.


REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.


OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH, CITY HALL, January 1, 1903.


To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-


Gentlemen,-We respectfully submit the following as the twenty-fifth annual report of the Board of Health, in which is presented a statement, tabulated and otherwise, of the sanitary condition of the city and the business of the Board for the year ending December 31, 1902 :-


Organization.


ALLEN F. CARPENTER, Chairman. WILLIAM P. MITCHELL, Clerk. CALEB A. PAGE, Agent.


Inspector of Animals and Provisions.


CHARLES M. BERRY.


Inspector of Milk.


JULIUS E. RICHARDSON.


Superintendent Collection of Ashes and Offal. EDGAR T. MAYHEW.


Mr. Alvano T. Nickerson, who served as a member of this Board from 1893, resigned on account of ill health September 1, and Mr. Edmund S. Sparrow was appointed to fill the vacancy September 11, 1902.


271


HEALTH DEPARTMENT.


Nuisances.


A record of nuisances abated during the year, in compliance with notices issued by the Board, or under the Board's direction, is presented in the following table :-


NUISANCES ABATED IN EACH DISTRICT IN 1902.


( SEE DESCRIPTION OF DISTRICTS IN LATTER PART OF THIS REPORT.)


I.


II.


III.


IV.


V.


VI.


VII.


VIII.


IX.


X.


Total.


Population ( estimated ).


7,848 6,153


5,385


6,318 11,937


6,866 7,612


3,657


5,154


4,070


65,000


Barber shops offensive .


4


2


2


5


2


2


2


3


22


Cellar damp .


5


3


9


8


6


11


7


3


4


8


64


Cesspool offensive


3


1


1


1


1


2


3


6


1


1


2


1


26


Drainage defective


13


9


11


8


8


7


7


3


5


7


78


Drainage emptying into cellar .


2


2


4


3


1


1


2


1


1


17


3


2


1


1


1


2


1


1


1


9


Goats kept without license .


4


2


6


Hennery offensive


2


3


2


1


1


5


2


1


2


19


Manure exposed and offensive


2


1


1


2


3


2


1


2


2


3


19


Manure pit defective


3


1


2


1


2


1


3


1


1


2


17


Offal on land


4


3


3


4


2


4


3


2


1


3


29


Offensive odor in and about dwellings


5


2


4


2


2


3


2


1


2


3


26


Pigs kept without license


3


1


2


2


1


2


1


1


1


14


Premises dirty .


11


10


8


9


8


7


7


5


6


5


76


Privy-vault offensive


2


1


1


1


5


1


1


1


13


Rubbish in cellar


3


1


1


2


4


2


1


1


1


14


Slops thrown on surface


2


1


1


1


10


3


1


1


56


filthy and offensive


3


1


1


2


2


3


2


2


1


1


18


Stable without drainage


1


1


1


3


2


2


3


2


2


1


3


1


3


5


3


25


Water-closet defective


11


9


9


8


6


7


5


2


3


4


64


Water-closet offensive


9


5


7


13


4


9


8


2


4


6


67


Water in cellar


4


8


3


2


1


1


4


1


1


27


Water under stable


4


1


2


3


2


4


1


2


19


Total


132


71


90


90


75


105


74


41


49


67


794


Number of nuisances abated ·


794


Number of nuisances referred to Board of 1903


79


Number of nuisances complained of 873


Number of complaints (many covering more than one nuisance)


460


Number of notices mailed .


723


. .


4


3


1


1


2


17


Cow barn offensive


2


1


1


1


1


9


Cows kept without license .


8


1


1


1


10


Drainage emptying on surface . Fish offal


2


Pigeons kept in cellar


1


1


1


1


1


11


Sewage-gas in house


2


1


2


1


1


7


5


6


Stable infected with glanders . Stable and stable premises


16


3


4


1


6


1


2


11


Stagnant water on surface


Number of notices served by constables . 41


In addition to the above, 232 dead animals have been re- moved from the public streets, and many nuisances have been abated on verbal notice from the agent, without action by the Board, of which no record has been made. Each spring the whole city is examined, and cellars, yards and alleyways where rubbish and filth have collected are required to be cleaned.


Glanders .- Fifty-six cases of glanders have been reported during the year. Prompt action was taken in every case, and


5


2


2


1


2


272


ANNUAL REPORTS.


fifty-one of the horses were killed, five being released from quarantine by order of the Cattle Commissioners.


Permits.


The record of permits to keep cows and swine, to collect grease, and to remove manure is as follows :-


Cows .- Thirty-three applications were received for permits to keep 145 cows. Twenty-two permits to keep seventy-nine cows were granted, and eleven permits were refused.


Swine .- Twenty applications were received for permits to keep thirty-eight swine. Seventeen permits were granted to keep thirty-four swine, and three permits were refused. The fee is one dollar for each swine.


Goats .- Six applications were received for permits to keep seven goats. All were granted. The fee is one dollar for each goat.


Grease .- Eighteen applications were received for permits to collect grease, fifteen of which were granted. The fee is two dol- lars. Four of the parties licensed reside in Somerville, three in Charlestown, four in Cambridge, two in Boston, one in Malden, and one in Revere.


Manure .- Five permits were issued during the year for the carting of manure through the streets of the city in the daytime, between May 1 and November 1. All permits issued for the re- moval of manure from the stables in the city in the daytime, or for carting through the streets of the city, remain in force until revoked. No fee is charged for these permits.


Melting and Rendering .- Eight parties have been licensed to carry on the business of melting and rendering, under the provi- sions of the revised laws of 1902, Chapter 75, Section 111.


Peddlers.


One hundred and twenty-two certificates of registration were issued to hawkers and peddlers during the year under the provisions of ordinance No. 27-a decrease of one from the year 1901. One hundred and twenty-one certificates have been re- newed during the year. Each peddler is required to present a writing from the Sealer of Weights and Measures, showing that his measures have been properly sealed, before a certificate is is- sued to him. Peddlers are also required to present their vehicles at the Police Station the first Monday of each month for inspec- tion by the agent of the Board, that he may see they are kept in a clean condition, and are properly marked with the owner's name and number.


Ashes.


During the past year the ashes have been removed by this department with teams owned and men hired by the city, under a competent superintendent, who also superintends the collection of house offal.


273


HEALTH DEPARTMENT.


Twenty-one men, with twelve horses, twelve carts, and three wagons for the collection of waste paper, are employed in the work.


The number of loads collected each month during the year was as follows :-


January


3,138


February


2,900


March


3,431


April


2,909


May


2,664


June


1,942


July


2,206


August


2,183


September


1,856


October


2,148


November


2,231


December


2,712


Total


30,320


The collections are made weekly, as follows :-


Monday


in district one.


Tuesday


two.


Wednesday


three.


Thursday


66 four.


Friday


66


five.


Saturday


six.


During the year the districts were re-established, and the fol- lowing notice was issued :--


CITY OF SOMERVILLE.


Office of the Board of Health.


On and after the twenty-second of September, 1902, the Districts and days for the collection of ashes will be as follows :-


MONDAY, DISTRICT NO. 1.


Comprises the entire area extending easterly to the cities of Boston and Cambridge, from a line drawn across Somerville, commencing on Mystic avenue, and extending through Cross street, Central square, Med- ford street, Washington street, Prospect street, Webster avenue, Tremont street to the Cambridge line, and including collection on both sides of the above-named streets along the division line described.


TUESDAY, DISTRICT NO. 2.


Comprises the entire area extending westerly from the previously- described District No. 1 to a line drawn across the city, commencing on Mystic avenue, and extending through Wheatland street, across Broad- way, through Walnut street, and extending across Bow street and Som- erville avenue, through Hawkins street, Washington street, Perry street, Wyatt street, Concord avenue, crossing Beacon street to the Cambridge line, and including collection on both sides of the above-named streets along the division line described.


WEDNESDAY, DISTRICT NO. 3.


Comprises the entire area extending westerly from the previously- described District No. 2, to a line drawn across the city, commencing at the Medford boundary line at Main street, and extending easterly along said Main street, across Broadway, through Sycamore street, thence


274


ANNUAL REPORTS.


easterly on Highland avenue, through School street, thence westerly on Somerville avenue, through Dane street and Washington street to the Cambridge line, and including the collection on both sides of the above- named streets along the division line described.


THURSDAY, DISTRICT NO. 4.


Comprises the entire area extending westerly from the previously- described District No. 3, to a line drawn across the city, commencing at the Medford line at Magoun square, and extending on Medford street to Lowell street, thence easterly on Somerville avenue and through Park street to the Cambridge line, and including the collection on both sides of the above-named streets along the division line described.


FRIDAY, DISTRICT NO. 5.


Comprises the entire area extending westerly from the previously- described District No. 4, to a line drawn across the city, commencing on Broadway, and extending through Willow avenue to the Cambridge line, and including the collection on both sides of the above-named streets along the division line described.


SATURDAY, DISTRICT NO. 6.


Comprises the entire area extending westerly from Willow avenue to the Medford, Arlington, and Cambridge lines.


RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR COLLECTION OF ASHES AND OFFAL.


Ashes must be put in suitable receptacles not larger than an ordinary flour barrel, and must be kept free from all other refuse matter.


House offal or garbage must be kept free from all other refuse mat- ter, and in suitable vessels.


All other refuse, such as paper, rags, excelsior, straw, mattresses, old clothes, pasteboard boxes, carpets, etc., must be kept free from ashes and garbage, and placed in suitable packages or barrels to prevent being scattered in handling.


All ashes and refuse matter for removal must be placed on the outer edge of the sidewalk, on or before seven o'clock in the morning of the day when the collection is to be made.


Earth, gravel, bricks, mortar, stones, lime, plaster, cement, concrete, or refuse material from repairs or construction of buildings will not be removed by this department.


The department will remove tree trimmings, vine cuttings, and yard cleanings during the spring and summer months.


Employees of this department are not allowed to enter cellars, cellar- ways, bulkheads, or areas for the removal of ashes or offal.


Per order of the Board of Health.


House Offal.


The house offal has been collected by the city during the year under the same system that has been employed in the re- moval of ashes, and which was adopted in both departments in the year 1895.


The force employed consists of twenty men, with ten horses and twelve wagons.


The following table, showing the number of loads collected each month during the year, may be of interest :--


275


HEALTH DEPARTMENT.


January


547


February


480


March


520


April


510


May


530


June


490


July


522


August


528


September


580


October


571


November


504


December


521


Total


6,303


Stables.


Under the provisions of Chapter 213 of the Acts of the Leg- islature of 1895, relating to the licensing and regulating of stables in cities, as amended by Chapter 332 of the Acts of 1896, and Sec- tion 3 of Chapter 300 of the Acts of 1897, forty petitions for li- censes to erect stables were received and disposed of as follows :-


Number granted


18


Number refused


22


Board of Infants.


Six parties have been licensed to care for twelve children, under the provisions of Chapter 318, Acts of 1892.


Deaths.


There were 890 deaths and sixty-seven stillbirths in the city during the year, as specified in the following table, which shows an increase of deaths over the previous year of fifty-nine :-


Deaths at Somerville Hospital during the year . 39


Deaths at Home for Aged Poor (Highland avenue) 45


Deaths at City Home .


1


DEATHS BY AGES.


AGES.


Total.


Male.


Female.


Under one


183


105


78


Two to three.


18


10


8


Three to four


11


6


5


Four to five .


13


6


7


Five to ten


10


4


6


Ten to fifteen


14


8


6


Fifteen to twenty


18


7


11


Twenty to thirty


59


21


38


Thirty to forty


72


33


39


Forty to fifty


74


38


36


Fifty to sixty


86


40


46


Sixty to seventy


127


76


51


Seventy to eighty .


121


59


62


Eighty to ninety


56


23


33


Ninety and over


3


1


2


Total


890


450


440


One to two .


25


13


12


Of the stillborn, 31 were males and 36 females.


276


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Mortality in Somerville in 1902.


January.


February.


March.


April.


May.


June.


July.


August.


September.


October.


November.


December.


Total.


ZYMOTIC DISEASES. MIASMATIC.


Smallpox


1


1


1


1


1


.


Scarlet fever


1


1


1


3


Diphtheria .


4


1


2


1


1


2


3


5


19


Typhoid fever


1


1


1


1


1


1


6


Erysipelas


2


1


3


Diarrhea


2


1


1


4


Cholera morbus


1


2


10


4


4


1


3


Dysentery


1


1


2


3


7


La grippe


4


2


2


5


5


3


1


1


1


1


2


27


Septicaemia


2


1


1


...


1


2


7


Rheumatism


1


1


. .


1


CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES


DIATHETIC.


9


Cancer


2


5


2


3


4


4


5


3


3


2


5


41


Tumor


2


1


1


4


Gangrene


1


1


1


2


TUBERCULAR.


Tuberculosis


15


16


7


5


10


8


7


4


9


5


10


103


Tubercular meningitis .


1


7 1


1


1


1


1


1


7


LOCAL DISEASES.


NERVOUS SYSTEM.


Apoplexy


5


2


5


4


3


2


3


4


4


2


38


Paralysis


1


1


1


5


2


3


2


1


2


2


20


Brain diseases


1


2


6


Convulsions


2


1


1


1


1


2


8


Spinal disease


1


1


1


3


Hemiplegia .


2


1


1


1


5


Epilepsy


1


1


1


3


Myelitis


1


1


..


1


3


Neuritis .


1


. . . .


. .


ORGANS OF CIRCULATION.


Heart disease


6


7


8


5


3


8


5


5


7


4


7


8


73


Aneurism


2


1


2


1


6


Angina pectoris


1


1


1


1


4


Cyanosis


1


Hypertrophia


1


2


RESPIRATORY ORGANS.


Pneumonia .


16


1


14


14


4


8


7


5


3


12


11


18


126


Bronchitis


3


3


3


2


1


2


2


4


4


8


32


Hemorrhage


1


2


1


1


1


6


Asthma


1


1


1


1


Laryngitis


1


1


1


1


....


....


1


4


Emphysema


. .


1


1


....


1


2


....


5


1


1


1


3


1


1


.


1


3


3


Measles .


Anæmia .


2


1


4


1


1


Leucocythæmia


. .


1


1


Whooping cough


1


1


Cholera infantum


21


Meningitis


2


1


1


1


1


1


...


1


3


Pulmonary œdema


4


. .


. .


4


5


277


HEALTH DEPARTMENT.


MORTALITY IN SOMERVILLE IN 1902. - Concluded.


January.


February.


March.


April.


May.


June.


July.


August.


September.


October.


November.


December.


Total.


LOCAL DISEASES. DIGESTIVE ORGANS.


Gastritis .


3


2


1


3


1


3


2


1


20


Peritonitis


1


1


1


3


4


1


1


2


14


Hepatitis


3


Liver disease


1


1


1


6


5


2


4


2


I


22


Hæmatemesis .


2


1


1


2


3


1


8


Appendicitis


1


1


1


. .


GENITO-URINARY ORGANS.


Bright's disease


1


2


1


1


3


2


2


1


1


2


16


Diabetes


1


1


1


1


5


Cystitis


4


4


2


5


2


3


5


1


6


2


4


42


Childbirth


1


1


Eclampsia


INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM.


Abscess


1


1


1


Ulcer


1


1


1


DEVELOPMENTAL DIS- EASES.


OF CHILDREN.


Inanition


3 3 ao co


1


4


1


3


2


2


2


3


4


2


1


28


Premature


birth and congenital


1


2


2


5


13


debility


1


1


Mal-formation


OF OLD PEOPLE.


Old age


3


1


3


2


1


2


4


18


VIOLENT DEATHS.


1


1


Railroad .


1


1


1


1


1


1


2


8


Suicide


1


3


Accidental poisoning


1


1


1


1


4


Accidental drowning


1


1


Accidental shooting .


1


1


Burning .


1


2


1


4


Fracture of hip


1


1


2


Fracture of skull


1


.


. .


..


..


1


1


3


Total


86


81


80


73


59


70


74


73


55


79


72


88


890


Stillborn


8


8


9


6


7


4


4


5


4


3


5


4


67


Population ( estimated ) Death rate per thousand


65,000


13.7


1


1


1


1


..


2


Enteritis


1


..


..


2


1


1


5


Hernia


1


. .


1


1


5


2


1


1


1


1


6


Nephritis


1


3


1


1


1


..


3


Eczema


....


212


1


Fracture of spine


1


1


.. .


2


Suffocation


1


...


2


Shock from electric wire


1


1


1


2


1


Gastric ulcer


1


Cirrhosis


1


. .


278


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Social Relations of Decedents.


Married


293


Single


387


Widow


131


Widower


72


Divorced


7


Unknown


-


Total


890


Nativity of Decedents.


Somerville


253


Massachusetts


·


.


.


213


Other New England states


119


Other states


18


Canada


68


England, Scotland, and Wales


26


Ireland


129


Italy


8


Norway and Sweden


17


Russia


8


Other countries


24


Unknown


7


Total


890


Nattbity of Parents of Decedents.


Father. Mother.


Somerville


17


13


Massachusetts


143


146


Other New England states


154


157


Other states


21


19


Canada and provinces


124


129


England, Scotland, and Wales


54


59


Ireland


266


270


Italy


14


13


Norway and Sweden


15


13


Russia


9


9


Other countries


29


26


Unknown


44


36


Total


890


890


.


Of the parents of the stillborn, 26 fathers and 27 mothers were na- tives of the United States, and 41 fathers and 40 mothers were of foreign birth.


Diseases Dangerous to the Public Health.


This Board has adjudged that the diseases known as small- pox, scarlet fever, diphtheria, membranous croup, typhus fever, typhoid fever, chicken-pox, and cholera are infectious, or conta- gious, and dangerous to the public health and safety within the meaning of the statutes. Physicians are required to report im- mediately to the Board every case of either of these diseases and all cases of measles coming under their care, and postal cards con-


279


HEALTH DEPARTMENT.


veniently printed and addressed are supplied to them for the pur- pose. On receipt of a card from a physician, the Superintendent of Schools, the principal of the school in the district in which the patient resides, and the Librarian of the Public Library are notified.


Scarlet Fever .- Seventy-eight cases of scarlet fever have been reported during the year, three of which resulted fatally. In 1901 there were one hundred and thirty cases, five of which re- sulted fatally.


Diphtheria .- Two hundred and twenty-four cases of diph- theria have been reported during the year, nineteen of which were fatal. In 1901 there were three hundred and forty cases, twenty- nine of which proved fatal. Anti-toxin has been provided by the State Board of Health, and placed by this Board in central locations for use by physicians in cases where people are unable to purchase the same. Culture tubes for diphtheria and sputum bottles for suspected tuberculosis have been obtainable at the same stations.




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