USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1937 > Part 7
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Respectfully submitted,
MAYNARD E. S. CLEMONS. Town Counsel
91
REPORT OF ANIMAL INSPECTOR
Report of Animal Inspector
Wakefield, Mass., January 10, 1938.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen:
At this time I wish to submit my report as Animal Inspector for the year ending December 31, 1937.
There have been 183 heads of cattle and 21 cow barns inspected.
There have been 55 dogs placed in quarantine.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE A. BENNETT, Animal Inspector.
Report of Dog Officer
Wakefield, Mass., January 10, 1938.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen:
At this time I wish to submit my report as Dog Officer for the year ending December 31, 1937.
I have answered 217 calls, and have canvassed the town four times for unlicensed dogs.
There have been 42 dogs returned to their rightful owners, 31 dogs gassed and 38 dogs sent to the Animal Rescue League.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE A. BENNETT,
Dog Officer.
92
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Report of Sealer of Weights and Measures
Wakefield, Mass., January 2, 1938
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen.
Gentlemen:
I respectfully submit the following report for the year 1937.
Adjusted
Sealed
Condemned
Platform scales 5000 lbs. or over
3
Platform scales under 5000 lbs.
5
30
Counter scales 100 lbs. or over
2
Counter scales under 100 lbs.
1
27
Spring scales 100 lbs. or over
2
8
Spring scales under 100 lbs.
7
72
Computing scales 100 lbs. or over
2
3
Computing scales under 100 lbs.
7
62
Prescription scales
6
Avoirdupois weights
1
306
Metric weights
68
Apothecary weights
91
Personal weighing
16
Liquid measures
4
Meters 1-inch inlets
14
91
20
Meters over 1-inch inlets
27
27
4
Gasoline pumps
14
99
22
Oil measuring pumps
1
Quantity stop on pumps
50
Yard sticks
29
Cloth measuring devices
2
Fees collected, $138.50.
13250 gallons pumped with meter tester
Respectfully submitted,
JAMES J. DEVLIN,
Sealer.
93
REPORT OF SWEETSER LECTURE COMMITTEE
Report of Sweetser Lecture Committee
SEASON OF 1937 Receipts
Income from invested funds
$ 302.50
Received from sale of tickets
Season tickets sold by pupils
530
397.50
Season tickets sold at lectures
23
17.25
Single tickets sold at lectures
460
115.00
Season tickets sold by stores
178
133.50
Bonney & Dutton
69
Greenwood Pharmacy
20
Smith's Drug Store
25
Nat Eaton's Drug Store
12
Nagle's Drug Store
5
Item Office Total
47
$ 965.75
Expenses
Oct. 13, 1937 Lucius Beebe
$ 100.00
Oct. 20, 1937
Capt. G. T. Plummer
60.00
Oct. 27, 1937 Mrs. Mary L. J. Akeley
150.00
Nov. 3, 1937 Melinda Alexander
100.00
Nov. 10, 1937
Donald B. MacMillan
75.00
Nov. 17, 1937
Rev. Cornelius Greenway
75.00
$ 560.00
Daily Item, Advertising and printing
$ 91.90
Ticket Boys
12.00
Police and Firemen at lectures
30.00
Electrical work
6.65
Machine operator
41.00
Orchestra
54.00
Amplifier
24.00
Telephone, postage, miscellaneous
6.37
$ 265.92
Balance to Sweetser Charities
139.83
Total
$ 965.75
E. V. YEUELL THOMAS F. KENNEY GEORGE E. POTTER CHARLES J. PETERSON CYRUS M. DOLBEARE HARRY I. REED
94
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Report of Sweetser Charity Fund
January 1, 1937 - January 1, 1938 Charlotte R. Fitz, Treasurer
Receipts
Balance brought forward January 1, 1937
$ 384.77 Dividends Wakefield Savings Bank:
3.12
February 1, 1937 August 1, 1937
2.57
Gift from Monday Club, January 7, 1937
10.00
Sweetser Lecture Committee, November 24, 1937
139.83
Total Receipts
$ 540.29
Expenditures
For Charity, January 1, 1937 - January 1, 1938
$ 254.12
Leaving Balance on hand January 1, 1938 As follows:
In Wakefield Trust Company
$ 72.32
In Wakefield Savings Bank 213.85
Total on hand
$ 286.17
$ 286.17
CHARLOTTE R. FITZ,
Treasurer Sweetser Charity Fund.
95
REPORT OF CONTRIBUTORY RETIREMENT BOARD
Report of Contributory Retirement Board
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Wakefield, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen: %
Pursuant to acceptance by the Town of Chapter 318, of the Acts of 1936, covering Contributory Retirement Systems, the Board of Selectmen ap- pointed the following as members of the Retirement Board: James M. Henderson, for a term of three years; Charles C. Cox, for a term of two years; and Leonard H. DeMarco, for a term of one year.
The Retirement Board organized on July 1, 1937, by the election of Leonard H. DeMarco as chairman, and Charles C. Cox as secretary. Up to the end of 1937, the Board has met on an average of once a week. There were approximately two hundred and fifty (250) employees eligible to enter the Retirement System, of whom twenty-eight (28) employees had previously elected to be placed under the Veterans' Retirement Act. As of December 31, 1937, the membership in the system numbers one hundred and fifty-nine (159), and of this number there have been retired: Police Department, one; Water and Sewer Department, four; Light and Gas De- partment, two; School Department, two; Assessors, one; or a total of ten. There are at present six applications for retirement pending. In addition, there are eleven employees who are over seventy years of age, who were granted permission to continue in the service for a period not to exceed two years from July 1, 1937, and are eligible for retirement at any time during 1938, the maximum cost of which will be approximately $3,800.00.
Up to the close of the year, there has been paid out in pensions, to retired members, the sum of $2,034.24. At the present time, the total amount of monthly pension payments is $562.18. The total amount of contributions from members, deducted from payrolls, as of December 31, 1937, is $4,985.76, and a like amount to be appropriated by the town, together with three per cent interest, guaranteed under the law.
There is presented below a Cash Statement up to December 31, 1937.
Receipts
Appropriated by the Town for payment of pensions $ 4,500.00 Appropriated by the Town for expense Ret. Board 500.00
Transferred from Reserve, expense Ret. Board 400.00 $ 5,400.00 4,985.76
From members' contributions
Total
$ 10,385.76
96
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Payments
For pensions to retired members
$ 2,034.91
For expense of Retirement Board Clerical Assistance
$ 464.70
Filing Cabinet
30.00
Accounting Books, Card System
123.38
Office Supplies, Stationery, Print- ing, etc. 64.14
$ 682.22
$ 2,717.13
$ 7,668.63
Balance The above balance is made up of the following Funds:
Annuity Savings
$ 4,963.88
Annuity Reserve
21.21
Pension Accumulation
2,465.76
Expense
217.78
$ 7,668.63
Respectfully submitted,
LEONARD H. DeMARCO, Chairman, JAMES M. HENDERSON, CHARLES C. COX, Secretary, Contributory Retirement Board
97
REPORT OF W. P. A. AGENT AND CO-ORDINATOR
Report of W. P. A. Agent and Co-ordinator For the Year 1937
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Gentlemen:
The following report on WPA activities during the year ending Decem- ber 31, 1937, is hereby submitted:
The type of work this year has changed materially from that of previous years. Less work on playground and drainage development has been done and more of a construction nature. The remodeling of the old Lafayette School Building and the construction of a new Pumping Station to serve the town's needs at the wells, the town's auxiliary water supply, have been a departure from previous procedure. Also an extensive program of street building has been begun. As a result the percentage of expense to the town has been materially increased, amounting to 23% as compared with 17% previously. This year $60,465.37 of the town's money was ex- pended along with $199,365.78 of Federal Funds, as compared with $54,922.67 of town money and $267,087.74 of Federal Funds in 1936.
Taking into consideration the total Government payroll for Wakefield persons working in Wakefield and elsewhere, which equalled $231,315.78, and adding the town contribution of $60,465.37, the total amounts to $291,781.15, with the town's share of the expense 201/2 %.
Since May, 1937, the WPA authorities in Boston have assumed the assignment of all persons and recommendations of this office have been declined. As a result many assignments have been made where a partially disabled or unqualified person has been assigned to a project requiring good physical condition or the knowledge of some trade for its proper prosecution. As a direct result the previous efficiency and morale of workers have been seriously affected and most of the projects have not been finished when the Federal Funds were exhausted.
In May the quota of 315 workers was cut to 220 and soon after, all aliens were dropped from the lists. The Sewing and White Collar Projects ran out of Federal Funds and the workers were dropped. As a result of the foregoing decreases, there were only about 135 persons working on July 15. The Sewing Project for 17 persons was reinstituted but a total of 10 persons were all that was allowed. Persistent requests for increases made by the Board of Selectmen to the WPA gradually brought increases in the number of workers so that at the end of the year 193 persons were at work.
The second principal difficulty in getting satisfactory production has been the limited number of hours of work. Many classes of mechanics work only 12 to 15 hours a week, and when they return on the following
98
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
week they usually do not work on the construction they previously left as it is necessary to run two shifts on projects to prevent the dragging out over too long a period, with the attendant disturbance of conditions and possible hazards to the public.
No serious accident has occurred this year and the minor injuries have been very few. To each Project is assigned a First Aid Man who has passed the First Aid Course, and all injuries are immediately given attention.
The Transient Camp at Camp Curtis Guild was discontinued this year and many of the men took up residence in Wakefield, adding to the number on the Wakefield list of eligible workers.
Due to the remodeling of the old Lafayette School, the Sewing Project and Commodities Distribution Center were shifted to the Hamilton School.
The National Youth Administration group of girls assisting in the WPA Office was dropped in June. Two N. Y. A. girls are employed at the Library.
The WPA authorities still operate the Nursery School at the Franklin School with two teachers assigned.
At least a score of Wakefield persons have been employed by WPA during the year, out of town, exclusive of those assigned to State Beau- tification work.
At the close of the year of 1937 there were over 300 people eligible for WPA assignment.
Appended is a schedule which details the expenditures on the various projects carried on this past year.
I wish to thank the various Boards of the Town and the Superintend- ents of the different departments for their willing and earnest co-opera- tion and also to especially thank Mrs. Vera North for her loyalty and effort as Secretary of the local WPA Office. Her knowledge of require- ments, sympathy for the WPA workers and untiring zeal have won the commendation and praise of WPA officials.
Respectfully submitted,
J. T. WHITNEY,
WPA Sponsor's Agent and Co-ordinator.
.
Sponsor Number Name of Project
1937
Fed. Funds Spent 1937
Town Funds Spent Total
A ppropriation Spent 1937
Bond Issue Spent 1937
Lafayette School Fund Spent 1937
Material
Breakdown Equipment
Other Costs $ 138.89
9
Trimming Trees
1,374.92
1,355.42
1,020.23
9.57
16
Gypsy Moth
9,342.00
5,092.30
73.12
73.12
22
Nasella Playground
4,860.12
2,384.15
13.08
.10
24
Miscellaneous Street Repairs
4,030.84
3,807.10
2,974.49
946.52
403.37
363.79
179.36
27
Sidewalks (6057)
ยท 2.30
28
Sidewalks (8215)
37,064.07
32,932.56
9,652.05
6,021.44
2,923.99
2,297.35
800.10
32 .
Repairs to School Buildings
323.76
222.93
1,981.11
24.79
24.79
3.75
36.24
49
42
Recreation
39.52
43.99
43
World War History
761.69
760.65
403.39
109.25
36.90
71.85
.50
44
Painting Fire Stations
454.10
419.00
203.54
69.05
69.05
46
Town Hall Painting
1,685.00
1,607.50
641.15
641.15
631.45
9,70
48
Park, Hopkins and Prospect Sts.
1,944.00
772.50
453.68
453.68
305.85
147.83
.08
50
Infirmary Repairs
529.02
276.29
276.29
276.29
52
Moulton Playground
12,073.78
12,048.20
1,977.17
1,977.17
836.51
945.21
195.45
53
Forest Glade Cemetery
12,833.63
12,376.52
2,599.10
2,451.17
1,603.31
833.59
14.27
35-54
Butler Avenue
3,003.70
473.54
7,081.97
1,064.32
949.06
108.76
6.50
57
Sawing Wood
1,082.00
947.31
96.23
96.23
19.96
31,20
45.07
59
Precast Curbing
8,576.00
7,566.02
2,814.79
2,814.79
2,142.72
419.38
252.69
62
Water Pipes, Strathmore Road
2,022.00
1,295.18
418,20
418.20
407.70
10,50
63
Pumping Station
7,922.00
7,553.90
4,095.66
4,095.66
3,602.08
358.01
135.57
58-70
Fox Road and Swain Place
10,694.63
10,156.25
5,364.71
1,614.82
3,749.89
3,329.46
1,425.75
609.50
75
New Street Construction
25,595.00
7,522.67
4,420.62
1,690.00
2,159.49
571.13
Central Street
731.87
292.92
380.03
58.92
Gladstone Street
331.88
331.88
137.40
143.81
50.67
Oakledge Road
54.80
54.80
54.80
76
Sewing Project (New)
6,034.00
2,086.69
103.42
103.42
3.20
6.96
93.26
78
Strathmore Road Construction
1,532.00
703.80
2,804.61
527.43
398.91
99.63
28,89
61-79
Lafayette School
61,693.00
53,737.67
20,533.72
3,533.72
17,000.00
18,042.67
1,271.21
1,219.84
Commodities
*1,794.00
*1,794.00
360.52
360.52
6.12
39.04
315.36
Medical
185.55
185.55
185.55
Miscellaneous WPA
1,436.89
1,436.89
1,008.34
390.25
38.30
Miscellaneous, Road Construction
22.46
22.46
Administration
3,497.40
3,497.40
42.60
251.40
3,203.40
State Projects
898.10
898.10
898.10
$ 33,626.42
$ 9,838.95
$ 17,000.00
$ 39,464.24
$ 12,966.64
$ 8,034.49
Non-Town Projects:
State Projects
*$ 12,000.00
*
2,040.00
N. Y. A. Workers
1,110.00
Wakefield Persons Assigned Outside
* 16,800.00
$231,315.78
4
Sewing Project
$ 16,288.28
$ 16,272.28
$ 578.11
$ 252.16
$ 32.47
$ 80.80
9.57
73.12
.10
36
Drainage
29,506.00
9,378.12
40,48
40.48
7,159.48
3,809.30
98.81
83.51
49
Greenwood Playground No. 2
1,833.56
1,761.20
2,903.12
75.05
.72
74.25
766.00
6,498.38
2.30
Fed. Funds Available
WPA
* Estimated.
.
$199,365.78
Nursery School Project
22.46
Converse Street
4,420.62
731.87
99
REPORT OF BOARD OF ASSESSORS
Report of Board of Assessors
Wakefield, Mass., January 13, 1938.
To the Citizens of Wakefield:
We herewith submit the Annual Report of the Assessors' Department for the year ending December 31, 1937.
State Tax
$ 37,375.00
Charles River Basin (Loan Fund)
2,226.69
Metropolitan Parks Loan S. Fund
8,945.52
Metropolitan Planning Division
140.70
Metropolitan Parks Loan Fund Ser. 2
1,024.22
Metropolitan Parks Loan Fund (Nantasket Main- tenance)
778.83
Wellington Bridge Maintenance
19.79
Metropolitan Sewerage Loan S. Fund
14,486.66
Abatement of Smoke Nuisance
219.74
Auditing Municipal Accounts
76.83
Care of Civil War Veterans
540.00
West Roxbury - Brookline Parkway
7.46
Total State and Metropolitan Charges County Tax
33,029.63
Total State, Metropolitan and County Charges Under-estimated Charges in 1936:
$ 98,871.07
State Tax
$ 1,625.00
Metropolitan Parks Loan S. Fund
394.88
Metropolitan Planning Division
63.77
Metropolitan Parks Loan Fund Ser. 2
296.30
Metropolitan Parks Loan Fund (Nantasket Maintenance)
56.16
Ocean Avenue, Revere Highway
840.99
Ways in Malden, Braintree, Weymouth and Hingham
.90
Total Under-estimated Charges for 1936 to enter into the 1937 Tax Levy
$ 3,278.00
Total State, Metropolitan and County Charges
$ 98,871.07
Total Charges to enter into Levy for State, Metropolitan and County Charges
$102,149.07
Charges for Town Purposes
$936,278.78
Transferred from Overlay Surplus to Reserve
19,000.00
$ 65,841.44
100
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Old Age Assistance (1933) Overlay for 1937
748.00 22,823.79
Total Gross Levy
$1,080,999.64
Estimated Receipts
$272,041.50
Transfer from Light Department to Treasury
27,697.57
Transfer from Overlay Surplus to Reserve
19,000.00
4854 Polls at $2.00 each
9,708.00
Total Receipts
$ 328,447.07
Net Levy
$ 752,552.57
Rate of Taxation, $36.20 per $1,000
TOWN VALUATIONS
Buildings
$15,911,950.00
Land
3,931,105.00
Personal
945,690.00
Total Valuations
$20,788,745.00
Loss in Valuations 1937
$ 189,575.00
Bonded Debt of Town January 1, 1937
$ 628,500.00
Payments made in 1937
123,500.00
Balance of Bonded Debt
$ 505,000.00
New Bonds issued July 1, 1937
66,000.00
Bonded Debt of Town January 1, 1938
$ 571,000.00
Assets of Town including Land and Buildings, Municipal Light Plant, Water Works, Sewer, and Tangible Personal Property
4,762,509.00
Less Bonded Debt
571,000.00
Assets above Liabilities
$ 4,191,509.00
PROPERTY EXEMPT FROM TAXATION
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Land and Buildings
$ 140,500.00
Literary Institutions
200,400.00
Benevolent Institutions
23,350.00
Organizations of Veterans
7,700.00
Houses of Religious Worship
593,400.00
Cemeteries, Land and Buildings
69,200.00
Total
$1,034,550.00
REPORT OF BOARD OF ASSESSORS
101
Number of Polls assessed (a gain of 21 since date of Tax Levy)
4,875
Number of Motor Vehicles assessed
4,460
Valuation of Motor Vehicles
$ 1,102,970.00 $ 30,952.44
Excise Tax committed in 1937
Number of Dwelling Houses assessed
3,405
Number of Persons, Partnerships and Corporations assessed
4,293
Value of Assessed Stock in Trade
$
206,825.00
Value of Machinery assessed
$ 179,345.00
Value of Real Estate assessed
$19,843,055.00
Value of Live Stock assessed
$ 20,350.00
Value of all other Ratables assessed
$ 539,170.00
Number of Horses assessed
28
Number of Cows assessed
136
Number of Swine assessed
47
Number of Fowl assessed
9,797
Number of Acres of Land in Town
4,000
Number of Acres, Lake Quannapowitt
247.94
Number of Acres, Crystal Lake
82.86
Number of Acres, Town Common
2.5
Number of Acres, Park at Lakeside
6.75
Number of Acres, Hart's Hill Park
23.06
Number of Acres, Cemetery on Church Street
4.14
Number of Acres, Cemetery on Lowell Street
35.00
Area of Town Rockery
4,300 Sq. Ft.
Respectfully submitted by Wakefield Assessors,
HUGH CONNELL, Chairman DAVID SLINEY ARTHUR C. VERGE, Secretary
102
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Report of Board of Health
-
To the Citizens of Wakefield:
It seems fitting to continue a four-year comparison of infectious and reportable diseases to present a picture of the health conditions for the four-year periods.
1934
1935
1936
1937
Tuberculosis
9
16
7
16
Diphtheria
5
0
0
0
Pneumonia
9
9
11
18
Poliomyelitis
1
4
0
1
Measles
89
5
32
434
Mumps
8
2
34
33
Chicken Pox
14
34
5
10
Septic Sore Throat
0
1
0
3
Scarlet Fever
10
3
21
45
Typhoid Fever
0
1
0
(8)
Paratyphoid
Dog Bites
26
71
55
42
The Board of Health feels that interesting and enlightening infor- mation for the townspeople is presented in the following list of diseases legally reportable in Massachusetts.
Actinomycosis
Measles
Anterior Poliomyelitis
Meningitis
Anthrax
a. Meningococcus
Asiatic Cholera
b. Pfeiffer Bacillus
Chicken Pox
Mumps
Cholecystitis of Typhoid Origin
Paratyphoid Fever A
Diphtheria
Paratyphoid Fever B
Dog Bite
Pellagra
Dysentery
a. Amebic
b. Bacillary
Scarlet Fever
Encephalitis Lethargica
Septic Sore Throat
German Measles
Small Pox
Glanders
Tetanus Trichinosis
Hookworm Disease
Infectious Disease of the Eye:
a. Ophthalmia Neonatorum
b. Suppurative Conjunctivitis
c. Trachoma
Leprosy Lobar Pneumonia Malaria
Tuberculosis (all forms)
Typhoid Fever Typhus Fever
Undulant Fever
Whooping Cough Yellow Fever
Plague Rabies
103
REPORT OF BOARD OF HEALTH
The Health Nurse, Miss Russell, has made the following visits to homes in connection with the above-named infectious and reportable diseases.
Tuberculosis - including contacts
652
Scarlet Fever
102
Measles 410
Whooping Cough
3
Mumps
10
Dog Bites
5
Venereal
8
Miss Russell has, during the year 1937, made the following hospital visits in connection with the needs of Wakefield patients, either being hospitalized or in connection with their admittance to various T B Sanatoriums:
2 trips to Essex County Sanatorium, Middleton, Mass.
9 trips to Middlesex County Sanatorium, Waltham, Mass.
28 trips to North Reading State Sanatorium, North Reading, Mass. 1 trip to Rutland State Sanatorium, Rutland, Mass.
2 trips to Newton Hospital, Newtonville, Mass.
1 trip to Lakeville State Sanatorium, Middleboro, Mass.
2 trips to Melrose Hospital, Melrose, Mass.
1 trip to Tresian Private Hospital, Waltham, Mass.
It seems wise to continue the comparison of cost of these reportable diseases.
1934
1935
1936
1937
Tuberculosis
$2,250.89
$2,198.67
$3,336.65
$6,598.93
Scarlet Fever
104.62
189.00
413.00
1,039.00
Other Contagion
189.30
479.29
551.67
668.70
As heretofore under heading of other contagion is carried the expenses arising from dog bites, anti-rabic clinic, anti-rabic treatment of humans, if any; typhoid fever, or other forms of reportable diseases. In the future, under a recent state regulation, anti-rabic treatment of humans will be reimbursed by the county, only when the dog which has bitten the human is licensed. Any treatment caused by an unlicensed dog must be paid for by the town.
From this condition it appears that extra care must be taken to see that all dogs are licensed at once on the date when such licenses are payable.
The Board of Health will continue its anti-rabic clinic for dogs and ask all dog owners to present their dogs for immunization.
The amount of T. B. subsidy payable to Wakefield by the state for 1937 will be $1,773.57.
For the third year successively there has not been a single case of diphtheria. This record gives added force to the belief in the value of diphtheria immunization. This work, as in the past, is done by Dr. Charles E. Montague, school physician.
At the present time, January 1, 1938, Wakefield has patients as follows
104
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
at TB hospitals: Eight at Middlesex County Sanatorium, Waltham, Mass .; two at Lakeville State Sanatorium, Middleboro, Mass .; one at North Read- ing State Sanatorium, North Reading, Mass. This compares with two- one and one, respectively, a year ago.
The Board of Health, acting under Section 128, Chapter 94, with the approval of the State Department of Public Health, appointed Dr. Cor- nelius Thibeault as Inspector of Slaughtering. No slaughtering was done in Wakefield for the year 1937.
The Board of Health again stresses the wish that all refuse which gathers around the house be taken to one of the three dumps, which have the care of the Board-Salem Street, Aborn Avenue, or Green Street.
This Board has made arrangements for opening a dump on North Avenue, notices of which will be made public later.
May we hope for full co-operation of the townspeople in the care of refuse to the end that the whole town may be clean, and its approaches attractive.
WESLEY S. GOODWIN, Chairman CARL E. ALLISON, M. D. NED C. LOUD, Secretary
Tuberculosis Dispensary Report
The annual report of the Tuberculosis Dispensary is herewith respect- fully submitted.
The Dispensary is open the first and third evenings in the month from 8 to 9 and the second and fourth Tuesday afternoons from 3.30 to 4.30.
We have examined at the dispensary during the year patients dis- charged from sanatoriums, contact cases, suspicious cases of tuberculosis, and a number of underweight children. Eighty-one examinations were made.
A great many cases examined at the Dispensary are sent to North Reading State Sanatorium for further chest examination, X-rays and Von Pirquet tests. Miss Russell makes the appointments and arranges for transportation, if the patients are unable to provide transportation. Seventy patients were examined at North Reading Sanatorium this year, ten at Middlesex County Sanatorium, and several at the Massachusetts General Hospital. We have several patients who are taking Pneumo- thorax treatment at the Middlesex Sanatorium - two having treatment every two weeks, one every four weeks. One patient had to have Alpine Lamp treatment for tubercular glands. This treatment was given at the
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REPORT OF HEALTH OFFICER
Massachusetts General Hospital. Transportation was provided by the Health Department.
We have at the present time eight patients at the Middlesex County Sanatorium, two at Lakeville State Sanatorium, one at North Reading State Sanatorium.
Respectfully submitted, IRA W. RICHARDSON, M.D., Dispensary Physician.
NELLIE B. RUSSELL, R. N. Dispensary Nurse.
Report of Health Officer
To the Board of Health.
Gentlemen:
I herewith submit my report as Health Officer for the year ending December 31, 1937.
I have been in daily attendance at the office throughout the year and find the work has increased somewhat from that of preceding years in that general complaints have become more numerous. Overflowing cess- pools and unsanitary accumulation of rubbish, in congested areas, have been the cause of many complaints.
The latter presents a problem to which the town will have to give serious and constructive consideration in the near future.
Garbage complaints, in many instances, have not been justified be- cause of unsatisfactory containers which cannot be readily handled by the collectors. In this respect, I would recommend an underground con- tainer, if possible; otherwise the installation of a uniform receptacle with a cover which cannot be removed by dogs or other animals.
It will be noted that fewer permits have been issued this year for the keeping of swine, a practice that in time should be regulated by the Board to meet the present day trend toward a residential community.
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