The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, May 29, 1904, Page 12

THE SAN FRANCISCO SUNDAY CALL T L L ® ™ s zed sweeps tk ent's € rts it int which i ¢ cotton and . . te Dr. Can- ey riologist who re if he finds presence phtheritic germ or use is mployes of »ut cost to t r n is used and yapors arising > heated flu fill the m witk es which destroy lurking ¥ house and he verifies the re- from the smallpox patient removed to house is then fm- ted and whoever hee th the victim is only t bare the arm for the purpose of vaccination. Vac- cination itself is a great preventive of this dreadful disease, as In most in- ot rever should nces those Who haye smallpox were vaccinated. Such vaccination be performed at least every The diseases in which quarantine are chicken-pox, measles, cough, scarlet fever, hoid feve ow fever, plague, leprosy and in the history of s are taken to pre- ould consumption to another disease, the patient is at same manner well known that itracted the 1 used by reulc m place sputed, g the ¥ fterward M. D., following rules to be »usehold management and intectious diseages t.should be placed in a the rooms occupied of the family. This 1 doors opening into the should be covered with with a disinfecting Ragan, kept wet ol R sheet must be nough to allow two or three inches lie on the ground. ect a room in the carpet may be easlly re- peries, books t these are | carry the dise tendants should be @ These should w be boiled in w of the attendants shoul ecting fluid each ed, and in case of diphtheria, if the patient coughs in th endant's face, me of the to the attend urfac roughly v i at once with a disinfectant sc ion. The floor of the sick room must not be swept dry. We have learned of the dangers of dust, hence the rule should t mop or wash the floor, baseboa window sills and fram with clothes wrung out of the disinfecting fluid “All dishes, table utensils, ete., used in the sick room be placed i boiling water or before being taken room F ers brought to th ill from contagious disease sho be per- mitted in the room. All harges from the 1..outh and nose in diphtheria, scarlet fever, membraneous croup measles or whooping cough should be received upon pieces of old soft cotton ot linen clothes and burned at once. A cheap and effective cloth for ail pur- poses in the sick room is the ordinary cheesecloth, which may be sterilized by simply boiling or by the addition to the boiling water of some of the dis- infecting fluids.” It must be conceded - all good citi- zens that a better qua! y of milk is now being sold In this city than here- tofore. This is due to the crusade at present waged by the Health Depart- ment. The ordinance of the city fath- ers provides that there must be three and two-tenths butter fat in milk. It after a chemical test the milk falls be- low this standard the dairyman or the party selling the same is liable to ar- rest and fine. At least a score of sam- ples are taken each day from milk wagons by the milk and food inspec- tors of the Health Department. In each Instance where a sample is taken from a can, a like sample Is handed to the driver, so that there may be no cause for dispute. Both samples are sealed and one is turned over to the Indus- trial Chemist, who makes what is known as a Babcock test. As a rule he butter fat in milk runs above the standard set by the Supervisors, and the dairyman is unmolested. Should it a warrant is sworn out for the arrest of the milkman and he is haled into the Police Court. The Board of Health has recommend- ed to the Supervisors that they raise the stardard to three and a half and if this is done the public will get a still better quality of milk. All stores selling milk are subject to 1 below supervision vy the Health Department. In order that milk may be sold, a per- n t be secured. This costs noth- to seil lacteal fluid without 'a t makes the proprietor amenable to the law tors visit groceries delicatessen Inspe and stor and depots where milk is sold and bring {n sam- ples. Sellers are warned to shake their cans each time before selling milk, so that the butter fats in milk, which give sustenance to the body, are properly distributed. If this was not done the first buyer would receive all the cream and the next customer would only obtain skimmed milk. Every particle of meat that comes from the slaughter-houses in Butcher- town is examined by an expert of the Health D rtmént. If he finds that the carce is diseased or unfit for human consumption, he is given the power to condemn it and if an attempt is made to dispose of it the seller is liable to arrest. These inspectors are spprised by the wholesalers when there will be a “killing” and on the day set the officer visits the slaugh- ter-house and watches the killing with a very critical eye. Tubercular cattle are seized and condemned at once. As a result of this watchfulness the meat consumed in this city is of a high quality. Food inspectors go from store to store and examine the products on sale and when they find food unfit for consumption they condemn it. Gro- cerymen are compelled to keep their places in a sanitary condition. They must of necessity do this, or lose their customers. The inspector has the au- thority to go behind the counter and examine the foodstuffs for sale or go into the basement, where the stock is stored, and if in his judgment the article is unfit to eat, places a quar- antine label on the stuff and brings a sample to the Industrial Chemist. If the latter, after a careful analysis, finds the fdod wunfit, the inspector pours coaloll over it and the grocer is warned to err no more. At the present time the Health De- partment is gathering samples of Jellies, honey, vinegar, olive ol and drugs for chemical analysis, and if the £00ds do not come up to the standard the balance of the stock is condemned. This has its good effect. Pure food is what the people desire and it is the alm of the present Health Board to see that they obtain that what they pay for. Complaints of all nature come to the Health Department. Photographs sometimes accompany the complaints to prove beyond peradventure of a doubt that the complaint is just. One man sent samples of vermin captured in a cheap lodging-house to prove that the place was unfit for habitation. One indignant citizen wanted a rooster re- moved because it crowed at the wrong hour; another wanted cheese con- demned because the odor was not to his liking; still another complained against a house cat that held noctur- nal concerts outside his window, de- LBV S BUSHNEL— spite all efforts to shoo it off. Scores of complaints of a just kind come to the office daily and these are abated as quickly as possible. When a complaint comes in, it is turned over to the inspector\ and he visits the place, and if the nuisance is caused by filthy premises orders the place to be put in a sanitary condition. If the nuisance is caused by unsanitary plumbing, the complaint 1is turned over to the plumbing department and an expert visits the premises and makes a careful investigation. Should he find a lack: of darinage or a dozen and one things that may cause sickness, ascertains the name of the owner of the prem- ises and a notice is sent him to begin work immediately. Unfortunately owners are slow to obey and a second notice is sent. In the meantime the occupant of the house rails against the Health Department for not doing its duty, whereas the delay is actually caused by the landlord’s disinclina- tion to do the work. If, after the last notice is sent and nothing is done, the PROTECTING. - THE -PUBLIC - HEALTT +] PDEPUTY HEALTH OFICER 7 e W HERE Z HEALTH department has cthe power to arrest the owner for maintiining a nuisance. The Police Court Judges usually up- hold the department, as they appre- ciate the necessity of sanitary plumb- ing. The department of the Board of Health has supervision over all buildings in course of erection or plumbing repair. Before plumbing work can be done on the building the master plumber must go to the Health De- partment and secure the necessary permit. If he fails so to do and does the work not according to lawful re- quirements is liable to arrest and can be compelied to tear out all faulty plumbing and do the work over agaln. No one the right to do plumbing unless he has passed a proper exam- ination and is regis The Board of Health has inaugu- rated a system of daily school inspec- tion that promises magnificent results. Physiclans have been assigned to the varfous schools of t city and dally children w are suffering the ills that flesh is heir If a child has tonsilitls, whoop- ing cough or unsightly sores on the face or hands or has any contaglous or infectious disease, he or she is sent home for proper treatment. The doc- tor gives the pupil a printed blank on which he has written what ails the scholar and also advises the parents to consult the family physician. When the latter signs the card stating the child has recovered and is fit to return to school the pupil is allowed to re- join the class. This system is work- ing great good. Incipient cases of diphtheria have thus been discovered and the danger of a spread of a con- tagious disease passed, as the system of inspection is very rigid. If a child has suffered from a con- tagious disease and desires to return to school, he or she must apply to the Health Office for a permit and this is handed the principal, who allows the child to resume study. The Board of Health is actively en- gaged In a campaign against unsani- tation. Barber shops will soon be compelled to exercise greater caution in handling cups, brushes, razors and other appliances used in tonsorial work. The danger of infection through the use of articles that have not been properly sterilized is appa- rent to all. Rules and regulations for their guidance are being prepared and will be placed in every barber shop, ine ho to." Mitict s MAKES and it is earnestly hoped that citizens will assist the board in the enforce- ment of these rules. The telephone company has been appealed to to Dlace sanitary mouth-pleces over thelr telephones to prevent the spread of disease. Bacteriological examinations of phones have shown the presence of diphtheritic and tubercular germs and the danger of contracting these germs is great in case the public phones are not properly protected. The Health Officer has ordered all lung testing machines taken out of the so-called “penny arcades,” on account of the danger of contracting contagious dis- eases. The streetcar companies and the raliroads are disinfecting their cars under the direction of the Health Officer. Expectoration on streets is also prohibited and the Chief of Police is enforcing the ordinance. Chinatown is being placed in a sani- tary condition. This reeking quarter is cleaner and healthier than ever be- fore in its history. The Board of Health has a wrecking crew and dis- infectors In the Celestial quarter and these men are actively engaged In tearing out areas, pulling down rotten walls and forcing the owners to clean up their cellars. The board has the power to force the owners to vacate the premises and place them in proper condition. The owners complain, but their protests are unheeded, as the health of the community is at stake. The Chinese live in squalor and seem to thrive, but the danger of the spread of contagious disease is too great and the Health Inspectors are constantly on the alert to prevent a violation of the sanitary laws. It is a well-known fact that rats spread disease and a crusade agai the rodents Is also in progress. Dainty rare-bits coated st with phosphorized paste are placed on boards in the sewers of the city and the rodents are dying in great numbers. Cubes of bread covered with Pasteur virus, poison that is harmless to human be- ings or animals other than rats, are being spread over Chinatown and in places where rodents are plentiful and the Health Department is pleased to report that h reds of rats are being destro; \ It is, therefore, pparent that the Health Depa watchful eye on tions of this city. ¥ the co-operation of work through its citizens. All nuisances should be re- ported to the Health Department, either by letter or telephone, and it will be the aim of the department to see to it that they are abated.