USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Southbridge > Town annual reports of the officers of Southbridge for the year ending 1932-1936 > Part 14
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$151.08
1934 APPORTIONED SIDEWALK ASSESSMENT INTEREST
Commitment per warrant
$8.66
Outstanding December 31, 1934 $8.66
$8.66
1934 APPORTIONED SEWER ASSESSMENT
Commitment per warrant
$222.96
Payments to Treasurer
$64.72
Tax Title
24.38
Outstanding December 31, 1934
133.86
$222.96
1934 APPORTIONED SEWER ASSESSMENT INTEREST
Commitment per warrant
$43.10
Payments to Treasurer
$12.26
Tax Title
1.46
Outstanding December 31, 1934
29.38
$43.10
64
1934 UNAPPORTIONED SEWER ASSESSMENT
Commitment per warrant
$140.97
Outstanding December 31, 1934
$140.97
$140.97
1934 UNAPPORTIONED SEWER ASSESSMENT INTEREST
Commitment per warrant $10.54
Outstanding December 31, 1934
$10.54
$10.54
INTEREST ON TAXES
Levy of 1930
$ 31.07
Levy of 1931
554.71
Levy of 1931
(Excise)
.90
Levy of 1932
5,515.07
Levy of 1932 (Poll)
3.15
Levy of 1932 (Excise)
3.02
Levy of 1933
1,963.05
Levy of 1933 (Poll)
51.30
Levy of 1933 (Excise)
75.47
Levy of 1934
111.69
Levy of 1934 (Excise)
13.37
$8,322.80
I desire at this time to thank the citizens and Town Officials for their co-operation throughout the year.
Respectfully submitted,
MEDERIC DUHAMEL,
Collector
65
REPORT OF BOARD OF HEALTH
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen :
The Board of Health organized with Dr. Charles Simpson, Chairman, Dr. Joseph G. E. Page, Clerk, and Mr. Arthur Lavallee the other member of the board.
The year has been void of any unusual conditions and we consider the town in a fairly healthy condition. Several cases of scarlet fever and measles were reported and probably if strict quarantine had been observed some cases would not have occured, but in general, conditions have been fair.
As will be noted by the following reports of the Agent and Nurse, tuberculosis continues to be the largest expense and will continue to be so for some years to come; yet we feel all are being taken care of in a way that is pleasing to the town and board.
Other contagious diseases which call for hospitalization is an item that is increasing each year and must be taken into account in the budget allowed the department.
The collection of garbage and the town dump have been con- tinued during the year. The garbage collection was awarded by contract for the year of April 1, 1934 to April 1, 1935, and the care of the dump was awarded at a certain weekly wage for the same time.
The several clinics, Tuberculosis at the Harrington Hospital, Dental for school children, Pre School, Diphtheria, all free to people of the town, have been maintained and their activities will be found in the following reports of the School Inspectors and Nurse.
66
The Board at this time wishes to thank the public for its co- operation and hopes it may be continued through the years to come. The board does not contemplate any new changes this year, but hopes to see all activities continued. This will call for a small increase in our budget, but we think it is well deserved and will be administered with the usual care.
Very respectfully yours, CHARLES SIMPSON, M. D. JOSEPH G. E. PAGE, M. D. ARTHUR LAVALLEE Board of Health of Southbridge, Mass.
67
REPORT OF SCHOOL PHYSICIAN
To the Board of Health,
Southbridge, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen:
I hereby submit my report covering inspection of Private Schools for year 1934.
Total number of pupils examined 562
Defects found :
Teeth 429
Tonsils
96
Eyes
13
Mal-nutrition
55
Heart
12
Skin condition
4
Poor Posture
1
Not vaccinated
3
Defects corrected :
Tonsils removed
22
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES SIMPSON, M. D.
68
REPORT OF SCHOOL INSPECTOR
To Board of Health,
Gentlemen:
I hereby submit my report as Inspector of school children in Notre Dame School for the year 1934.
Defects found and parents advised to have corrected:
Teeth 377
Tonsils
144
Eyes (wearing glasses)
5
Eye squint
2
Skin rash
8
Mal-nutrition
40
Poor Posture
10
Heart
3
Cleft Palate
1
Mental
6
Not vaccinated
8
Total children examined
602
Defects corrected :
Tonsils removed
19
1
1
1
1
1
Respectfully submitted
JOSEPH G. E. PAGE, M. D.
69
REPORT OF THE AGENT OF BOARD OF HEALTH
To the Board of Health
Gentlemen :
The duties of this office have been pleasant this year, as it is a pleasure to have some minor complaints if those complaints can be settled to the satisfaction of all concerned.
The following contagious diseases have been reported and those diseases requiring it have been placarded to warn outsiders that a contagious disease was present.
Anterior Poliomylitis 2 Lobar Pneumonia 21
Chickenpox
11 Scarlet Fever 34
Diphtheria
3 Pulmonary Tuberculosis. 11
Dog-bite
3 Other Forms 7
Cerebor Spinal
Amebec Dysentery
1
Meningitis
1 Undulant Fever
1
German Measles
1 Measles 222
Opthalma Neonatorium
2 Whooping Cough 30
Total 350
70
Following is a list of deaths that have occured in the town during the year for which this office has issued permits to bury :-
DISEASE OF CIRCULA- TORY SYSTEM
Heart
Mitral Regirgation
1
Angina Pectoris
2
Myocarditis
6
Anterior Sclerosis
21
3 Pulmonary Embolism 1
1 Cororary Embolism
1
1 Lobar Pneumonia
11
Gangrene
2
Formen Ovale
1
DISEASES OF DIGESTA- TIVE SYSTEM
Diabetes 3
Liver
2
Nephritis
6
Colitis
1
Intestinal Obstruction
1
Perforated Diverticular
of Rectum 1
ALL OTHER DISEASES
Cancer
23 Tuberculosis
1
Malnutrition
1
Asphyxia Palleda
1
Cystitis
1 Ale ectasis
1
Whooping Cough
1 Premature
4
Scarlet Fever
1 Still-born
8
Anterior Poliomylitis
1 Accidental
5
Ill defined Sudden Death
23 Suicide
1
Total 168
1
1
1
1
1
1 I
1
Respectfully submitted,
ALBERT R. BROWN,
Agent.
2
Appendecitis
Calculous Cholieystitis 2
Stomach Obstruction
1
DISEASES OF NERVOUS SYSTEM
5 Cerebral Hemorrhages 18
Convulsions 1
DISEASES OF RESPIRA- TORY SYSTEM
Coronary Thombosis
Cardio Renal
Septo Endocarditis
Broncho Pneumonia 3
DISEASES OF INTESTI- NAL SYSTEM
71
REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF MILK
To the Board of Health.
Gentlemen :
I hereby submit my report for the year ending December 31, 1934.
I have issued the following licenses during the year.
Peddlers
29
Stores
29
Oleomargarine
6
The condition of the milk supply I think has improved dur- ing the year. I have, in company with a representative of the Board of Agriculture, made a very good inspection of all farms selling milk in town. This has been because of a new law requiring all dairy farms to have a certificate from that department.
This State Inspector tells me that our dairies compare favor- ably with those in other towns and states where he has visited.
Minor corrections were advised and will have to be checked by the Inspector this year. This work coupled with the test for tuberculosis made by the State tends to make the supply purer and cleaner.
I wish to thank the public and the Board for their help in this work.
Very truly yours,
ALBERT R. BROWN,
Inspector of Milk.
72
REPORT OF PLUMBING INSPECTOR
To the Board of Health.
Gentlemen:
I hereby render my annual report for the year ending Decem- ber 31, 1934.
During the year the following fixtures have been installed:
Water Closets 131
Washtrays 26
Baths
98
Sinks 89
Bowls
111
Urinals
4
Floor Drains
5
Bar Fixtures
13
Cellar Connections
4
On this work I have made 63 water tests and 128 final in- spections, besides making several other visits to the above work for inspections and advice.
All work has been done according to the by-laws. While there have been minor mistakes all have been cheerfully corrected.
I wish at this time to thank the Board of Health, the public and the plumbers for their co-operation.
Respectfully submitted,
ALBERT R. BROWN,
Inspector of Plumbing.
73
REPORT OF HEALTH NURSE
To the Honorable Board of Health.
Dear Sirs:
I hereby submit my report as Board of Health Nurse for the year ending December 31, 1934.
TUBERCULOSIS CLINIC
Since this clinic was established nearly two years ago, the same routine has been followed, namely, clinics held in the Harrington Memorial Hospital, the third Wednesday of every month, with two clinicians from the Rutland State Sanatorium in charge. Doctors in the clinic area (Monson, the Brookfields, Wales, Holland, Brimfield, Sturbridge, Dudley, Oxford, and Charlton) are notified so they may send their patients, and receive complete reports of physical and x-ray findings with recommendations.
This project has been of paramount importance in the pro- motion of health education. It has stimulated contacts and x-sanatoria patients to request frequent examinations, thereby securing helpful information in the prevention and spread of tuberculosis.
The follow-up work on several of these cases consists of daily visits to take temperatures, pulse and specimens of sputum for examination.
Patients `examined 202
New Patients 127
Patients re-examined
75
X-Rays taken 160
Childhood type found 12
74
Pulmonary type found
12
Non-tubercular 178
Towns represented 19
Recommended for Sanatorium Treatment
15
Admitted to Sanatoria
Resident 11
Non-Resident 4
Recommended by
Physicians 21
Child Guardianship 19
Public Welfare
0
CHADWICK CLINIC
This year completes the ten year program for the detection of tuberculosis in school children. However, where there is a remaining group of twelve or more, the State clinicians will continue to examine as they are making a study of this project.
A new service for the same purpose will be available for the children in the seventh, ninth and eleventh grades as soon as the preliminary work is finished. Children with request slips signed by parents will be given the tuberculin test and all positive reactors x-rayed and examined. The staff of the Wor- cester County Tuberculosis Sanatorium will do the work, as- sisted by the personnel of the Southern Worcester County Health Association, and the local school and Board of Health nurses.
PRE-SCHOOL CLINIC
On April twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh the pre-school clinics were held in the Town Hall, by the school physicians, to examine the children who planned to enter school in Septem- ber. One hundred and four children attended, representing about one third of the entering class. Since the success of these clinics is measured by the number of defects corrected, it is interesting to note the results. Twenty children, of the sixty
75
found with defective teeth, had corrections, seventeen, of the thirty-five with diseased tonsils, had them removed, and six, of the fifteen underweight, had attained normal weight be- fore school opened. This shows considerable effort and co-opera- tion on the part of the parents, to have their children begin school physically fit.
DIPHTHERIA CLINIC
The regular procedure in this clinic was changed in order to follow the State Health Department recommendations to reach a greater number of young children, in what is con- sidered the most hazardous age period, namely, six months to six years. Toxoid instead of toxin-antitoxin was used since it is the preferable immunizing agent for pre-school age.
This extremely important health measure was given as much publicity as possible, through the press, the insurance agents, the school children and by sending letters to parents. One hundred and ninety-nine attended the clinics, and will be given the schick test early next spring.
DENTAL CLINIC
Under the auspices of the committee for dental health survey, the U. S. Health Service conducted a survey of school children to determine the dental needs throughout the country. Purpose- To develop and recommend feasible dental programs based on findings of the completed surveys. Southbridge was selected to participate in the survey as a sample of an industrial com- munity. The River Street elementary and a seventh and eighth grade in the Junior High school were examined by the local dentists, who donated their services. An individual record for each child was forwarded to the committee, where it will be tabulated and in due time results from this gigantic survey will be available.
76
The following items were covered, showing the results of our examination :
Total number examined 182
1. Is dental treatment indicated ?
Yes 154
No 28
2. Has child ever received dental treatment?
None 63
Fillings 102
Prophylaxis 70
Extractions
84
3. Number of teeth which have been filled 9
Deciduous
Permanent 128
4. Number of treatments indicated
Extractions-Deciduous 165
Extractions-Permanent 144
Prophylaxis
136
Fillings-Deciduous 78
Fillings-Permanent 299
5. Number of missing teeth
(Extracted permanent only) 95
6. Condition of gums
Normal 171
Diseased 11
7. Is orthodontic treatment indicated as a
health measure
Yes 20
No 162
8. Malocclusion
None 130
Slight
40
Extensive 12
77
The dental clinic was opened every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, from nine to eleven forty-five, from October first to June first.
Number of children who reported to clinic 481
Number of extractions 170
Number of Fillings 243
Number of Cleanings 310
Number of children who received certificates 138
Three girls were sent to the Sterling Health camp last sum- mer, for a four weeks vacation. Two were selected from recom- mendations of the tuberculosis consultation clinic as suspicious cases, and one underweight. Each one gained from three to four and a half pounds. Funds from sales of Christmas seals were used to maintain them, also to pay for three tonsil opera- tions.
Twelve hundred and thirty-five children were examined by the school medical inspectors, assisted by the nurse, and as usual many defective teeth and tonsils were found. Heretofore, parents were notified by the children bringing home slips checking defects and recommending a visit to the family physician. This method has been unsatisfactory and this year home visits will be made as much as possible, in order to personally interview the parents, and explain the necessity for correction of defects. At the same time it will be possible to ascertain the financial status of the family, which is the main handicap that retards this work.
Infantile Paralysis, Scarlet Fever, and Diphtheria cases were placarded and instructions given concerning care and precau- tions. The three cases of Diphtheria (two in one family) oc- curred among non-immunized children.
At this time I wish to thank all organizations and individuals who have co-operated and assisted in any way.
Respectfully submitted,
MARGUERITE C. HOULE, R. N.
78
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF SLAUGHTERING
To the Board of Health.
Gentlemen:
I hereby submit my report as Inspector of Slaughtering for the year ending December 31, 1934.
Number of Carcasses of Beef inspected 33
Number of Carcasses of Lamb inspected 15
Number of Carcasses of Veal inspected 211
Number of Carcasses of Swine inspected 158
417
Respectfully submitted,
ARMAND W. GENDREAU,
Inspector of Slaughtering
79
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF ANIMALS
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen.
Gentlemen:
I hereby submit my report for the year ending December 31, 1934.
As your Inspector of Animals I have made 83 inspections of barns the past year.
I find 517 head of cattle, 53 hogs, 6 goats and 24 sheep.
I quarantined 7 dogs having bitten persons. After fourteen days they were released as they showed no symptoms of rabies.
Respectfully submitted,
ARMAND W. GENDREAU,
Inspector of Animals
81
REPORT of the SEALER of WEIGHTS and MEASURES
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Southbridge, Mass.
Sirs: I hereby submit to you the report for the Department of Weights and Measures for the year 1934.
82
DEVICE
Adjusted
Sealed
Condemned
SCALES
Platform scale over 5000 lbs.
2
5
Platform scale to 5000 lbs.
33
5
Counter scale under 100 lbs.
1
38
Beam scale over 100 lbs.
4
4
Spring scale over 100 lbs.
3
Spring scale under 100 lbs.
1
66
1
Comput. scale under 100 lbs.
5
82
Personal weighing scale
18
4
Prescription scale
1
6
WEIGHTS
Avoirdupois
267
Apothecary
55
Metric
39
CAPACITY MEASURES
Liquid
75
Dry
2
Gasoline pumps
30
2
Gasoline meters
12
53
Kerosene pumps
6
Oil pumps
2
Stops on pumps
136
Oil jars
7
Vehicle tanks
1
Yard measures
27
I
83
REWEIGHINGS AND INSPECTIONS
Bread
203
Butter
52
Confectionery
101
Flour
63
Meats and Provisions
266
Cord Wood
4
Clinical Thermometers
32
Markings on Bread
203
Markings on Food Packages
561
Oil Jars
208
Coal in Bags
44
Peddlers
46
Transient Vendors
2
G. R. LARIVIERE,
Sealer of Weights and Measures.
85
REPORT OF CEMETERY COMMITTEE
Report of the Cemetery Commission.
The Cemetery Commission organized for the year of 1934 with George H. Hartwell as Chairman and S. W. Williams as Clerk. The major part of the Cemetery income is derived from interest received from Banks in which the permanent fund is invested. Due to the reduction in Bank interest rates our in- come has been affected to the extent that it has been possible to do only routine work during the year.
Due to this condition there has been no attempt to make any improvements. Our endeavor has been to keep the Cemetery in such condition that it would present to those visiting it a neat and attractive appearance. The many favorable comments received assure us we have succeeded in this endeavor. The total amount collected by the Cemetery Department for the year was $785.99.
Respectfully submitted, GEORGE H. HARTWELL, Chairman, DANIEL T. MORRILL, WARDWELL M. EDWARDS.
87
REPORT OF TOWN ENGINEER
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Southbridge, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen:
The Engineering Department has this past year devoted practically all of its time to the various projects under the Civil Works Administration and later the Emergency Relief Administration.
The only other construction voted on at the Annual Town Meeting under the Engineering Department's supervision to be let by contract was the concrete sidewalks on Mechanic, Chapin, Summer and Everett Streets, and a gravel walk on Wall Street. Plans and specifications were prepared for the above concrete walks. On June 4th bids were received and publicly opened, read, and the contract was awarded to the low bidder. The Engineering Department recommended that the construction of the gravel walk on Wall Street be deferred until a sanitary sewer which we had planned as an E. R. A. pro- ject be completed.
We have prepared plans, specifications and estimates for the following projects, some of which were started in the fall of 1933.
1. Collier Street
2. Hudson Ave., Litchfield Ave.
3. Oakes Ave.
4. Prospect St.
5. Harrington St.
Storm Water Drain Sanitary Sewer Sanitary Sewer Sanitary Sewer Sanitary Sewer
88
6. Pleasant St.
Sanitary Sewer
7. Wall St.
8. Marcy St. Elementary School
Sanitary Sewer Storm and Roof Drains
9. Cole Trade School
Playground
10. Storm Water Survey Roof drains connected to sanitary sewer system
11. Sewerage Disposal Plant Renovating sand filters
The Department wants to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Oza Bonin and Mr. Alexander Taylor for their permission to lay the sewer line extending to Wall Street over their land. By their action it was possible to have more direct lines and better flow of sewerage. By starting the line on Mill Street it was possible to keep the finished grade of the Street two feet below the sill of the lowest house on the street thus averting additional costs of damages to property of abutters. It was also possible to avoid crossing Mckinstry Brook, at which point provisions would have been necessary to prevent any distur- bance to the pipe line by high water or floating ice jams.
On May 18th work was started on the reconstruction of two sand filter beds. The specifications for this job were approved by the State Department of Public Health, and were prepared in accordance with present Engineering standards and methods. after numerous laboratory tests were made of the filtering material in the beds and of the new material to be placed. The underdrains were relayed and doubled in number. The tiles were placed with the upper half of the bell removed and com- pletely surrounded by not less than twelve inches of clean screened stones. Two beds have been completed and three more are now in the process of renovation. We have recommended to the Sewer Commissioners that these beds be operated at a rate not to exceed 100,000 gallons per day per acre every two to three days, so as to insure proper and indefinite purification of the effluent.
The Town of Southbridge has made good use of the Federal Funds allotted, using them to defray the labor cost on needed
89
repairs and improvements. Projects were selected on which the material cost borne by the Town was a small portion of the total expenditures. We believe that with proper cost account- ing of the different operations on the various jobs, a material saving can be effected. The data would show just what opera- tions are too costly and then provisions made to reduce them.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE R. TASSE
Town Engineer
91
REPORT OF FEDERAL EMERGENCY RELIEF ADMINISTRATION
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Town of Southbridge, Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
The E. R. A. of M. was organized on April 1, 1934 to succeed the C. W. A. The original work of the E. R. A. was to complete projects which had been started under C. W. A. These projects included the Hudson Ave., Beech Street, Collier St., Oakes Avenue, West St., Pleasant St., High School, Marcy St., School, River St., Infirmary, Brush Cutting, and Chapin Street. These projects were for the construction of sewers, painting of public buildings, grading of streets, widening of roads, construction of catch basins. These projects were all completed as soon as possible.
Under the E. R. A., the following projects were undertaken: -Sewer Beds, Disposal Plant, Gypsy Moth, Pleasant St. Sewer, School Street repairs, Cole Trade School, Marcy Street storm water drains, Wall Street sewer, Mechanic St., bridge, Painting of Town Barn, construction of Waterholes, Harrington St. sewer, Dry-Wells for Town Hall, Survey for determining water drains, Prospect Street Sewer.
These projects gave work at different times to six hundred and eleven men. The last payroll for the month of December showed that three hundred and twenty-eight men were em- ployed. This was the largest number of men for any one week employed during the year.
92
There were nine hundred and fifty-eight persons who registered for work relief during the year. A large number of these were cases who already had one member of the family working on the E. R. A., or persons who had sufficient in- come to meet the budgetary requirements of the family, which they declared were dependent on them. There were no women employed during the year, although a project for this purpose was forwarded for approval late during the month of December 1934.
There were three hundred and seventy-three investigations made by the Social Division. These took place at the homes of the applicants.
Employment was given to a large number of persons who were physically handicapped, thus affording relief to many who had no other source of income. All the work was per- formed by manual labor as far as possible. Machinery was used only when absolutely necessary. This was a saving for the Town of Southbridge. Costs of materials and machinery were paid by the Town of Southbridge. Costs of labor were paid by the Federal Government.
Respectfully submitted,
WILFRED R. GRAVEL
Local E. R. A. of M.
93
REPORT OF BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
To the citizens of Southbridge:
The expenditures for the year 1934 were considerably lower than the previous three years of depression, due to some im- provement in industrial conditions and also to the activities of the E. R. A. to assist the unemployed. In addition to the local relief projects, the Federal Emergency Relief Administra- tion contributed a large amount of food and clothing distributed under the supervision of the Board of Public Welfare. The commodities sent by the government are not to reduce the recipients of public aid or their local allowances but given so they will profit by these commodities.
A total number of 254 families representing 1216 persons and 22 single resident persons residing in their own homes were aided on the Temporary Aid account, 19 families having a settlement in other cities and towns, 46 unsettled cases, 11 cases aided in public institutions, 13 obstetrics, 89 hospital cases (76 of the hospital cases treated at the Harrington Memo- rial Hospital).
Under the Mother's Aid account 16 widowed mothers re- presenting 59 persons were provided with sufficient aid to enable them to bring up their children properly in their own homes under the supervision of the local and State departments.
During the year 46 cases of Old Age Assistance were aided under the supervision of the local board and State department of Public Welfare. 2 settled out of town, 2 unsettled, 3 closed, 9 taken by death.
The Infirmary under the direction of Mr. Joseph N. Payant
94
assisted 33 cases during the year. A new heating system was installed during 1934 and is very satisfactory.
Total Expenditures 1934
Temporary Aid
$49,498.77
Mothers Aid
9,288.91
Old Age Assistance
10,845.74
Infirmary
6,633.14
Total
$76,557.94
Temporary Aid Outstanding
33.41
Infirmary Outstanding
129.26
$76,720.61
Total Expenditures
$76,720.61
Total Receipts
18,419.27
Net Expenditures
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