BOSTON UNIVERSITY
LIBRARIES
University Library
,.j,»j..j..j..j..j.^.
Public Document No. 34
FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
State Department of Health
MASSACHUSETTS.
BOSTON:
WEIGHT & POTTER PRINTING CO., STATE PRINTERS,
32 DERNE STREET.
1916.
Publication of this Document
approved by the
Supervisor of Administration.
^00
CONTENTS
and
to amend the Public Health
Laboratories
Report of the Public Health Council
Report of the Commissioner of Health
Act to create a State Department of Health,
Laws .....
Division of Administration .
Division of Sanitary Engineering and Water and Sewage
Division of Food and Drugs
Division of Communicable Diseases
Di^'^sion of Biologic Laboratories .
Division of Hygiene ....
State Examiners of Plumbers
Milk
Legislative Recommendations
Appropriations .....
Expenditures . . . . j
Supplement ......
Water Supply and Sewerage
Water Supplies ....
Incorporated Districts for Supply of Water
Private Water Supplies
Rainfall and Stream Flow in 1915
Sanitary Protection of Public Water Supplie
Supervision of Water Companies
Examination of Sewer Outlets .
Sewage-disposal Systems .
Insanitary Conditions due to Lack of Sewerage
Pollution of Rivers ....
Advice to Cities, Towns and Persons .
Water Supply ....
Ice Supplies ....
Sewerage and Sewage Disposal
Pollution of Streams, etc.
Examination of Public Water Supplies
Examination of Rivers
Water Supply Statistics, Records of Rainfall and
Methods of Sewage Disposal
Division of Water and Sewage Laboratories
Report of Laboratories and Experiment Station
Experiments upon Purification of Sewage
Experiments upon Purification of Water
Report of Division of Food and Drugs .
Inspection of Slaughtering
Dairy Inspection .....
Chemical Examinations made in Laboratory
Prosecutions ......
Confiscations ......
Requests for Extension of Time on Food Products
Quarterly Report of Articles in Cold Storage
Nominations of Inspectors of Slaughtering by Local Boards of Health
Flow
of Streams
in Cold-storage Warehouses
PAGE
1
3
7
11
13
15
21
22
27
27
28
28
29
35
39
39
42
45
46
47
48
49
52
54
55
64
64,67
66, 150
158
230
254
263
293
334
369
371
377
419
431
437
438
442
450
451
451
452
453
BOSTON UNIVERSITY LIBRARIEar
IV
CONTENTS.
Supplement — Concluded.
Report of Division of Food and Drugs — Concluded
Reports of Inspectors of Slaughtering
List of Prosecutions ......
Appendix .......
Division of Communicable Diseases
Establishment of Division ....
Scope of Work ......
Subdivision of Epidemiology ....
Diagnostic Laboratory .....
Work of State District Health Officers
Miscellaneous and Special Work by Division's Personnel
New Lines of Work recommended
Report of Epidemiologist .....
Scope of Work ......
Epidemiological Problems in Massachusetts
Communicable Disease Statistics
General Review of Vital Statistics of State, 1915
Report of Bacteriologist .....
Examinations of Cultures for Diphtheria
Examinations for Tuberculosis
Examinations for Malaria ....
Examinations for Typhoid Fever
Report of State District Health Officers
District Health Officers .....
Work with Local Boards of Health
Diseases Dangerous to Public Health
Infant Mortality ......
Educational Work ......
Hygiene ........
Nuisances .......
Police Stations, Lockups, Houses of Detention, Jails, Prisons, Houses of Cor-
rection, Reformatories, etc
Water Supply and Sewerage
Clerical Work .
Travel ....
Suggestions
Division of Biologic Laboratories
Orgam"zation .
Diphtheria Antitoxin
Schick Reaction
Antimeningitis Serum
Typhoid Prophylactic
Vaccine Virus .
Wassermann Test
Recommendations
Report of Wassermann Laboratory
Summary of Antitoxin Work at Antitoxin and Vaccine
Report of Division of Hygiene
Infant Mortality
Lecture Service
Exhibits .
Health Weeks .
School Hygiene
Pubhcations
Report of Board of State Examiners of Plumbers
Index ........
Laboratory
PAGE
453
456
517
535
540
542
543
554
564
574
590
592
598
600
633
633
654
660,
667
671
672
677
677
681
681
737
740
740
741
742
743
746
746
747
749
751
751
752
752
753
753
754
756
768
769
785
787
788
790
791
791
791
793
799
FIRST ANNUAL REPORT .
State Department of Health
MASSACHUSETTS.
For the fiscal year ending Nov. 30, 1915, the State Department of
Health was constituted as follows: —
Commissioner of Health, All.\x J. McLaughlin, M.D.
Public Health Council.
Allan J. McLaughlin, M.D., Chairman.
David L. Edsall, M.D. George C. Whipple, S.B.
Joseph E. Lamoureltx, M.D. Wm. J. Gallh-an, M.D.
Wm. T. Sedgwick, Ph.D. John T. Wheel-vntiight.
REPORT OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH COUNCIL.
In accordance with the provisions of chapter 792 of the Acts of 1914,
Governor Walsh made the following appointments to the Public
Health Council on Dec. 12, 1914: —
Chairman. — The Commissioner of Health is a member of the Pubhc Health
Council, as provided by section 3 of the above-named chapter, and at its
first meeting, on Dec. 12, 1914, the Council voted that Dr. Allan J. Mc-
Laughlm, appointed as Commissioner of Health by Governor Walsh, be
also made chairman of the Public Health Council. Dr. McLaughlin bears
the rank of surgeon of the United States Pubhc Health Service, and, at the
request of the Governor, was granted a leave of absence from the service by
the United States government in order that he might take up the duties of
Commissioner of Heafth.
Member, Term to expire May 1, 1918. — David L. Edsall, M.D., Cliief, East
MecUcal Service, Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Edsall's first term
expired May 1, 1915, at wliich time he was reappointed for a period of
three j^ears.
2 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Member, Term to expire May 1, 1918. — J. E, Lamoureux, M.D. Dr. Lam-
oureux's first term expired May 1, 1915, at which time he was reappointed
for a period of three years.
Member, Term to expire May 1, 1917. — Wm. T. Sedgwick, Ph.D., Professor of
Biology and PubUc Health, Institute of Technolog5%
Member, Term to expire May 1, 1917. — George C. Wliipple, S.B., Professor of
Sanitary Engineering, Harvard University.
Member, Term to expire May 1, 1916. — Wm. J. Gallivan, M.D.
Member, Term to expire May 1, 1916. — John T. Wheelwright, LL.B. Mr.
Wheelwright was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Dr. M. J. Rosenau,
who was appointed to the Council on Dec. 12, 1914, but who resigned Jan.
27, 1915, in order to accept the position of director and pathologist of the
Division of Biologic Laboratories of this Department.
From the time of the appointment of the Public Health Council to
the end of the fiscal year, Nov. 30, 1915, twenty-seven formal meet-
ings were held, and in addition numerous committee meetings. The
slate of standing committees of the Council is as follows: —
Sanitary Engineering {including Housing and Rural Hygiene). — Professors
Whipple and Sedgwick, Dr. McLaughlin and Mr. Wheelwright.
Preventive Medicine and Hygiene. — Drs. Edsall, Gallivan, McLauglilin and
Lamoureux.
Foods and Drugs. — Professor Sedg\\dck, Drs. Gallivan and Lamoureux, and
Mr. WheelwTight.
Finance, Law and Demography. — Dr. McLaughhn, Professor Whipple, Dr.
Gallivan and Mr. Wheelwright.
In accordance with section 2, chapter 792 of the Acts of 1914, at
a meeting of the Public Health Council on Jan. 11, 1916, the Com-
missioner of Health submitted to the Council a report of the work of
the Department for the fiscal year 1915, together with recommenda-
tions for legislation, and it was voted that this report be approved
and adopted as the report of the State Department of Health for the
fiscal year 1915.
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH.
In accordance with chapter 792 of the Acts of 1914, which follows,
the undersigned was appointed by the Governor as Commissioner of
Health and began his duties as such Nov. 2, 1914. This act provides
for the abolition of the State Board of Health and the substitution
therefor of a State Department of Health.
No. 34.1 ANNUAL REPORT.
Acts of 1914, Chapter 792.
An Act to create a State Department of Health and to amend the
Public Health Laws.
Be it enacted, etc., as follows:
Section 1. There is herebj' created a State Department of Health which
shall exercise all the powers and perform the duties now conferred and imposed
by law upon the state board of health. The state department of health shall
consist of a commissioner of health and a public health council. There shall
also be directors of divisions, district health officers and other emploj'ees as here-
inafter pro^dded.
Section 2. The commissioner of health shall be appointed by the governor,
with the advice and consent of the council, and he shall be a physician skilled in
sanitary science and experienced in pubUc health admmistration. The term of
office of the commissioner of health shall be five years. He shall receive an
annual salary of seventj-'-five hundred dollars and shall devote his entire time to
his ofiicial duties. The commissioner of health shall be the administrative head
of the state department of health. His powers and duties shall be to administer
the laws relative to health and sanitation and the regulations of the department;
to prepare rules and regulations for the consideration of the pubHc health council;
and, A\ith the approval of the public health council, to appoint and remove
directors of divisions, district health officers, inspectors and other necessary
employees, and to fix their compensation, subject to the approval of the governor
and council, within the limitations of appropriations therefor. Directors of
diA-isions and district health officers shall be exempt from ciWl service regulations.
The commissioner of health shall submit annually to the public health council a
report containing reconunendations in regard to health legislation; and he shall
perform all executive duties now required by law of the state board of health and
such other duties as are incident to his position as chief executive officer. He
may direct any executive ofiicer or employee of the state department of health
to assist in the study, suppression or prevention of disease in any part of the
commonwealth.
Section 3. The pubhc health council shall consist of the commissioner of
health and six members, hereinafter called the appointive members, at least
three of whom shall be physicians, and who shall be appomted by the governor,
with the ad\-ice and consent of the council. Of the members first appointed, two
shall hold ofiice until the fii'st day of May, in the year nineteen hundred and
fifteen, two until the first day of May, in the year nineteen hundred and sixteen,
and two until the first day of May, in the year nineteen hundred and seventeen,
and the terms of office of the said members thereafter appointed, except to fill
vacancies, shall be three years. Vacancies shall be fiUed by appointment of the
governor, with the ad\dce and consent of the council, for the unexpired term.
The pubhc health council shall meet at least once in each month, and at such
other times as they shall determine by their rules, or upon the request of any
four members, or upon request of the commissioner of health. The appointive
4 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
members shall receive ten dollars a day while in conference, and their necessary-
travelling expenses while in the performance of their official duties. It shall be
the duty of the pubUe health council to make and promulgate rules and regula-
tions; to take evidence in appeals; to consider plans and appointments required
by law; to hold hearings; to §ubmit annually to the general court, through the
governor, a report, including recommendations as to needed health legislation;
and to discharge other duties required by law; but it shall have no administrative
or executive functions.
Section 4. There shall be in the state department of health such divisions
as the commissioner of health may, with the approval of the public health council,
from time to time determine. The commissioner of health shall appoint and
may remove, with the approval of the pubhc health council, a director to take
charge of each division, and shall prescribe the duties of such division. The
compensation of directors of divisions shall be fixed by the commissioner of
health, within the limits of appropriations therefor, and subject to the approval
of the governor and council.
Section 5. The commissioner of health, with the approval of the public
health council shall, from time to time, divide the state into eight health districts
and shall appoint and may remove a district health officer for each district, with
the approval of the public health council, at a compensation, subject to the ap-
proval of the governor and council, not exceeding thirty-five hundred dollars a
year. The district health officers shall not engage in any other occupation and
shall give their entire time to the performance of their duties. The commissioner
of health may, from time to time, order two or more of said district health officers
to work in one district in order to study, suppress or prevent disease. Each
district health officer shall have all the powers and perform the duties now pro-
vided by law for inspectors of health and further shall, under the direction of the
commissioner of health, perform such duties as may be prescribed by, and shall
act as the representative of the commissioner of health and under his directors
shall secure the enforcement within his district of the public health laws and
regulations. Said district health officers shall be graduates of an incorporated
medical school admitted to practice in the commonwealth, or shall have had at
least five years' experience in public health duties and sanitary science.
Section 6. For carrying out the purposes of this act there shall be appro-
priated for the purposes of the state department of health, over and above the
amount already appropriated for the state board of health for the year nineteen
hundred and fourteen, the sum of ten thousand dollars.
Section 7. Present employees shall be continued in office until their suc-
cessors are appointed and quahfied, or until removed by the commissioner: 'pro-
vided, however, that no employee shall be removed who was appointed, or is now
emploj^ed, under the provisions of the civil service laws and regulations, other
than for cause, except division heads and district health officers who shall be
appointed as hereinbefore provided.
Section 8. Sections one, two and three of chapter seventy-five of the
Revised Laws and all other acts and parts of acts inconsistent herewith are hereby
repealed. [Approved July 7, 1914-
ORGANIZATION OF STATE BOARD OF HEALTH - JULY 7, 1914
UNPAID BOARD OF
SEVEN MEMBERS
ENGINEERING DIVISION
WATER AND SEWAGE LABS.
Chief Engineer
Asst. Engineers
Rodnnen
Draftsman
1
11
4
1
Clerical
6
Messen3er
1
f
■
Chief Chemist
1
Asst. Chemists
8
Laboratory Asst.
1
Clerical
2
LAWRENCE EXPT.STA. |
Asst. Chemists
2
Bacteriologist
1
Laborator^^ Asst.
1
Filter Attendants
2
Laborer
1
Clerical
1
)
D
PATHOLOGICAL LABORATORY
SECRETARY
lAIRY, COLO STORAGE AND
1EAT SLAUGHTERING INSPT.
Supervising Insptr I
Veterinary Inspectors 2
Cold Storage Insptrs. 3
Clerical 3
Messenger 1
FOOD &, DRUG
(Antitoxin and Vaccine)
Director* j
Acting Director I
Expert Assistant I
Laboratory Assts. 5
Other Assistants 2
Janitor I
Part time*
INSPECTION
generalIoffice
1
FOOD e. drug' LABORATORV diagnostic^ LABORATORY
FoodCDrug Insptrs. 4
Special Investigator I
Clerical 5
Messengers 2
ASST. TO THE
SECRETARY
DC
Analyst
Asst. Analysts
Clerical
Bacteriologist I
Laboratory Assts. 2
Clerical I
State Insptraof Health II
Nurse I
Clerical 4
No. 34.] ANNUAL REPORT. 5
The State Board of Health which was thus abolished was organized
as follows: —
An unpaid Board of seven members who possessed all executive and adminis-
trative authority.
A secretary, wdth no administrative or executive authority, except as delegated
to him by the Board, but who presumably carried out the orders of the Board.
An assistant to the secretary whose activities seem to have been ill-defined
and not in accordance with his title, but who seemed to be in charge of eleven
part-time medical inspectors of health.
An engineer, and what was in effect an engineering division under his charge.
A pathologist in charge of a laboratory producing the diphtheria antitoxin
and vaccine, at Forest Hills.
An analyst of food and drugs in charge of a laboratory for examination of
samples of food and drugs at Room 501, State House.
A chemist in charge of the sewage experiment station at La\\Tence and of the
water and sewage laboratory, Room 502, State House.
A supervising inspector in charge of dairy, slaughtering and cold-storage in-
spection, with an office and clerical force at 1 Beacon Street, and five inspectors.
Four food and drug inspectors, under the general control of the secretary.
A bacteriological laboratory for diagnostic purposes, with a bacteriologist in
charge.
A general office with the secretary in charge and a clerical force for files,
records, financial details and miscellaneous activities which did not come under
any of the units mentioned above.
The organization is shown graphically by Diagram No. 1.
The law provided for a Commissioner of Health who "shall be the
administrative head of the department." It was further provided
that the Commissioner of Health "shall perform all executive duties
formerly required by law of the state board of health and such other
duties as are incident to his position as chief executive officer." The
framers of the law, in other words, desired to make responsible one
full-time official " skilled in sanitary science and experienced in public
health administration" instead of an unpaid part-time Board of seven
members.
The intent of the law is further shown in section 4, which provides
that "there shall be in the state department of health such divisions
as the commissioner of health may, with the approval of the public
health council, from time to time determine." This was intended
obviously to place proper responsible heads in charge of clearly
defined divisions in which should be grouped the various scattered
units formerly operating independent of any executive control except
such as could be exercised by the former unpaid part-time Board.
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
To meet the needs of the Department in its reorganization into
divisions, the writer made the following suggestions which were ap-
proved by the Public Health Council: ^ —
Division op —
Director.
Salary.
Administration, . . . .
Communicable Diseases,
Hygiene,
Food and Drugs,
Sanitary Engineering, .
Water and Sewage Laboratories,
Biologic Laboratories, .
E. R. Kelley, M.D.,
S. M. Gunn, .
H. C. Lythgoe,
X. H. Goodnough,
H. W. Clark, .
M. J. Rosenau, M.D.
$4,000 00
1,500 002
3,000 00
5,000 00
4,000 00
1,500 00 2
Because of the wise provision of section 4, chapter 792, quoted on
the previous page, it was possible to create the divisions most sorely
needed first, leaving for future development other public health activi-
ties which ultimately must become divisions. For instance, in the
Division of Hygiene, the work of infant mortality and medical in-
spection of school children is carried for the present, but undoubtedly
the time will come when a Division of Child Welfare will be formed
from these units.
There is also a possibility of improvement in the consolidation of
some of the existing divisions when the time is ripe, especially the
laboratory divisions. At present there are six laboratory units as
given in the following table: —
Laboratory.
Location.
Water and Sewage Laboratory,
Lawrence Experiment Station,
Diagnostic Laboratory,
Antitoxin and Vaccine Laboratory,
Wassermann Laboratory, .
Food and Drug Laboratory,
State House.
Lawrence.
State House.
Forest Hills.
Harvard Medical School .
State House.
Two possibilities for consolidation are worthy of consideration.
First, to combine all laboratory units in one Division of Laboratories,
and second, to divide the laboratory activities into two classes:
1 See Diagram No. 2.
Part time.
ORGANIZATION OF STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH —NOV. 30.1915.
PUBLIC HEALTH COUNCIL
Directort,Chief Engr. I
Asst Engineers 12
Draftsman 1
Clerical 5
Messenger I
ACTIVITIES
Advice to Cities CTowns
in regard to water and
sewage problems
Field surveys and inves-
tigations necessitated
tt7ereby. Special Engineer-
ing projects imposed
by the General Court.
Director t,Chf.Ct?emist 1
Asst Ctie mists 5
Biologist 1
Laboratory Asst. 1
Clerical 2
LAWRENCE EXPT STA.
Asst. Ctiemist 1
Bacteriologist 1
Laboratory Asst 1
FilterAttendant 1
Laborer 1
ACTIVITIES
Investigation of water.
sewage and trade
waste problems.
DirectorandAnalyst I
Assistant Analysts 4
Food £. Drug Inspectors 4
Veterinary ■■ ■■ 3
Cold Storage ■■ •• 2
Clerical 3
Messenger I
ACTIVITIES
Examination of milk.food
£,drugs. Dairy Inspectn.
Cold Storage Inspection.
Slaughtering ■■
Food Economics.
Drug Addictions.
Patent Medicine Frauds.
Clerical
Messengers
ACTIVITIES
Correspondence.
Financial.
Statistical.
Records.
Director I
Epidemiologist I
Dist Healtti Officers 8
Bacteriologist 1
Asst Bacteriologist I
Laboratory Assts 2
Clerical 6
ACTIVITIES
Prevention of all
Communicable Dis-
eases.
Director* I
Asst to Director* I
Health Instructor I
Field Supervisor I
Clerical 2
ACTIVITIES
Infant tvlortality
Child Hygiene.
Industrial Hygiene.
Rural Hygiene.
Health Instruction.
Part time*
BIOLOGIC LABORATORIES
Director* I
Asst. Directors 2
Expert Asst I
Laboratory Assts. 5
Other Assts 3
Technician I
Clerical I
Janitor I
ACTIVITIES
Manf &. Distribution of
Diphtheria Antitoxin
Smallpox CTyphoid vac-
cines. Antimeningitis
serum. Wassermann
tests for Syptiilis.
Part time *
di
At
Cc
H:
Fo
Sa
W£
Bii
th
m
ti<
D
sp
th
fr.
so
la
gi
Wa
La
Di,
An
Wa
Fo
Fi
ar
No. 34.] ANNUAL REPORT. 7
water and sewage laboratories (to be a subdivision of the Sanitary
Engineering Division), and all other laboratories, with the exception
of the Food and Drug Laboratory, to form a subdivision of the
Division of Communicable Diseases. The whole question of laboratory
readjustment has been referred to a special committee of the Public
Health Council, and a solution of the laboratory problem may be
expected within the next fiscal year.
Division of Administration.
Upon my arrival here I found that the first and most imperative
need was to relieve the general office of the chaotic mixture of all
sorts of public health activities with which it was struggling, and to
establish a Division of Administration whose scope would be limited
to the details of records and accounts.
In most departments, the Division of Administration or what cor-
responds to that division is in charge of a chief clerk, or, as in New
York, there is in addition to the Commissioner of Health a deputy
commissioner and a secretary to the Department under whom the
administrative clerical work is presumably done. Li my opinion there
is no need, "in Massachusetts, of either a deputy commissioner, a high-
salaried secretary to the Council or a chief clerk. By apportioning
the duties and responsibilities of correspondence, accounting, pur-
chasing, care of property and filing among competent female clerks,
it is possible for the Commissioner to supervise the work of records
and accounts by giving a short time each day to this work.
I believe that there is a double advantage in this system. The
salary of at least two high-priced men is saved, and the Commissioner
himself obtains a better grasp of financial details and a closer, more
direct control of expenditures. The latter advantage more than com-
pensates for the short time given each day to the work, and for the
present at least, I do not consider there is any need for additional
direction in the Division of Administration. A female clerk, who is
an expert stenographer, is acting as secretary to the Council in a very
efficient manner at a salary of $1,080 per year, whereas a male secre-
tary to the Council would demand at least $2,000 per year and
probably require stenographic and typing assistance as well.
In order properly to safeguard public property and to secure eco-
nomical purchasing, it was necessary to initiate certain well-known
forms, which for some reason were not being employed.
Experience has taught that in an efficient department central buying
is a necessity. It is a very careless procedure to permit individuals
or officials to buy direct, letting the bills come into the central office
8 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
as they may. This encourages extravagance, is likely to produce defi-
cits in appropriations, and the executive officer who permits such loose
methods cannot know what obligations are outstanding. The prac-
tice of indirect buying which was in use has been stopped, and I
have instituted a system which corrects this defect. The plan is as
follows : —
A director of a division who requires material of any sort makes
out his requisition on the central office, retaining a copy. From this
request the central office makes a purchase order on the merchant,
person or firm furnishing the supplies, a copy being retained in the
central office and a copy being sent back to the director of the division
who made the requisition. This copy of the purchase order is checked
by the director of the division as to quantity and condition, and upon
this checked order the bill is paid.
Property Return.
In every well-regulated business, all property is in the custody of
some responsible individual who must make an inventory or property
return of all property at least once each year. All property purchased,
when turned over to division chiefs, should be charged to them and
their receipt taken therefor.
The lack of a property return was probably due to the lack of cen-
tral buying. I caused an inventory to be made of State property in
the various divisions, and hereafter once each year a property return
will be made by each director for his division. Property turned over
to directors of divisions is now charged to their property return and
they must certify to the existence or disposition of such property once
each year.
An effort was made to cut off useless expenditures, and a notable
saving in money expended for medical journals, books and binding was
effected. It is not good policy for a health department to attempt to
compete with large libraries. Complete files of all foreign medical
journals may be obtained from the excellent libraries in Boston. It
is therefore unnecessary for the Department to subscribe for these
expensive publications, and unjustifiable to spend money for binding
an incomplete file of such journals, when the use of the complete files
can be readily obtained without cost to the Department.
Many other minor changes in office administration were made to
facilitate the distribution and action upon routine mail, and for the
simplification of the filing system.
The central buying system is in satisfactory operation, but much
remains to be done in order to secure greater economy in buying sup-
No. 34.] ANNUAL REPORT. 9
plies. I see no reason why supplies which aggregate hundreds and in
some instances several thousand dollars' worth should not be bought on
contract. Therefore, I have given orders to secure competitive bids,
with a view to securing contracts for such supplies.
I believe that money appropriated for a specific purpose should not
be employed for any other purpose, and conversely I do not believe
that money appropriated for the general expenses should be used for
any work which has its own special appropriation. There should be
a penalty, in my opinion, upon any director of a division who incurs
a deficit. Estimates should be made with sufficient accuracy so as to
cover the ordinary average work of the year. There should be an
emergency or contingent fund to be drawn upon only for emergency
or exigency which could not have been foreseen, as large epidemics or
other unusual occurrences.
How Money should he spent.
How much money should be spent by a State Department of Health
in its work of preventing disease among and maintaining the health of
the people? Surgeon Carroll Fox, United States Public Health
Service, has had exceptional experience in the study of health depart-
ments. He has stated that not less than 2 per cent, of the States'
annual appropriations should be allotted to the health departments.
In Massachusetts this would mean that the appropriation for the State
Department of Health should be at least S3G0,000, or about 10 cents
per capita annually. Appropriations for the Department in round
figures since 1910 have been made as follows: —
Year.
Amount.
1910
1911, ....
1912, ....
1913, ....
1914,
1915, ....
1916 (amount requested),
$160,000 00
176,000 00
187,000 00
198,000 00
195,000 00
209,000 00
220,000 00
This is very much less than the amount recommended by Surgeon
Fox as a minimum. I believe that the State Department of Health
should receive not less than 2 per cent, of the total State appropria-
tions, but this idea is one to be developed gradually.
10 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
I believe that the first duty of the new Department was to make
sure that the money (about $200,000) annually appropriated was being
properly spent, and that an adequate return in life saving and disease
prevention was being secured before attempting to obtain greatly in-
creased appropriations. This has been my constant care throughout
the year, and although the total amount expended was only slightly
in excess of the previous year, there were many readjustments of ex-
penditure. Money saved in general expenses was applied to the work
of the new Division of Hygiene. The Wassermann Laboratory was
established, two new directors of divisions and an epidemiologist were
employed, and increased work was done in all of the divisions.
Work in health departments should be adjusted among the factors
in the total mortality according to the relative weight of the factors.
Money should be expended in proportion to the relative weight of the
factors. The relative weight of the factor is determined by the num-
ber of deaths due thereto, the amount of economic loss occasioned
thereby, and the feasibility of prevention and reduction. The table
on page 11 shows the chief factors in Massachusetts mortality which
can be classed as more or less preventable. I have charged each of
these items to one of the divisions, and the director of that division
understands that such items constitute his problem. He is entirely
responsible although he will receive assistance from other division
chiefs in certain phases of his problem. The table contemplates over
40,000 more or less preventable deaths. Of this number, 25,000, or
62 per cent., have been charged to the new Division of Hygiene as its
particular problem.
It has been said that public health is purchasable, and as health
officers we will all subscribe to that statement. It is only fair to state,
however, that a large part of the purchase price must be expended in
education in personal hygiene, or, as we call it in Massachusetts,
health instruction.
I believe that a conservative estimate of the relative weight of that
portion of the public health problem which for its solution depends
upon education would not make less than 50 per cent, of the whole.
In spite of this we have asked for the new Division of Hygiene only
$15,000, or about 7 per cent, of our total appropriation. This is
manifestly only a modest beginning, and not less than $30,000 should
be appropriated for 1917 for child welfare and health instruction
alone. While no direct recommendation for such increase is necessary
at this time, the Public Health Council may very properly accentuate
these facts, so that a recommendation next year will be better under-
stood.
No. 34.]
ANNUAL REPORT.
11
Chief Factors in the Mortality for Massachusetts {53,000 Deaths per Year).
Factor.
Deaths, i
Division charged with its
Reduction.
Division co-operating in its
Reduction.
Infant mortality,
"Wear and tear" diseases, cir-
culatory and urinary systems
Cancer,
Syphilis, .
Pneumonia,
Tuberculosis,
Diphtheria,
Measles,
Scarlet fever.
Typhoid fever,
Whooping cough,
Influenza, .
10,000
12,000
3,500
2,500
(?)
6,000
5,500
600
300
300
280
240
200
Hygiene (child welfare).
Hygiene (health instruc-
tion).
Hygiene (health instruc-
tion).
Communicable Diseases,
Communicable Diseases,
Communicable Diseases,
Communicable Diseases,
Communicable Diseases,
Communicable Diseases,
Communicable Diseases,
Communicable Diseases,
Communicable Diseases,
Communicable Diseases.
Laboratories (Wassermann),
Communicable Diseases.
Laboratories (Wassermann),
Hygiene (health instruction).
Hygiene (health instruction).
Hygiene (health instruction).
Laboratories (antitoxin). Hygi-
ene.
Hygiene (health instruction).
Hygiene (health instruction).
Sanitary Engineering, Water
and Sewage Laboratories,
Hygiene.
Hygiene (health instruction).
Hygiene (health instruction).
' Round numbers.
Division of Sanitary Engineering and Division of Water and
Seavage Laboratories.
The Engineering Division was in existence as a smooth running
unit under the old State Board of Health. It is in charge of a highly
efficient engineer, Mr. X. H. Goodnough, who also possesses executive
ability of a high order.
The division has been operated together with the Water and Sewage
Laboratories and the Lawrence Experiment Station, chiefly under ap-
propriations for purity of inland waters and examination of sewer
outlets.
The work of the Engineering Division has increased enormously
because of the increase in requests for advice from cities and towns.
The appropriations have not kept pace with this increase, as is shown
by the follow'ing table : —
12
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Yeab.
Appropriations
for Purity of
Inland Waters
and Examina-
tion of Sewer
Outlets.
Number of
Requests from
Cities and
Towns for Ad-
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913,
1914,
1915,
$50,000 00
50,000 00
50,000 00
52,000 00
52,000 00
52,000 00
139
176
149
211
273
222
Increase of appropriation, 4 per cent.; increase of work, 60 per cent.
The field work of the engineers in complying with these requests
from cities and towns has increased to such exteAt that for three years
the field force has been overtaxed. A larger sum for field engineering
is undoubtedly necessary, but was not asked for in 1916 because the
expenses of the Lawrence Experiment Station were reduced about
$3,000 and this amount is available for additional field work by the
engineers.
A further readjustment of the expenses of the Water and Sewage
Laboratory will probably be made to permit of a reduction in some of
the chemical routine examinations and an increase in the bacteriologic
examinations of public water supplies.
The splendid work of these two divisions in the past in safeguarding
the public water supplies of the State is best expressed by the enor-
mous reduction in typhoid fever as a typical water-borne disease, as
given in the following table: —
Deaths from Typhoid Fever in Massachusetts per 100,000, 1896-1914-
1896-1900,
1901-1905,
1906-1910,
1911,
1912, .
1913, .
1914,
25.4
18.0
13.8
8.8
7.7
7.8
7.4
In nearly every instance public water supplies in Massachusetts are
deUvered unfiltered to the consumers. Twenty per cent, of the com-
munity is served with ground water, and about 80 per cent, is served
with surface water. The excellent quahty of these supplies is respon-
No. 34.]
ANNUAL REPORT.
13
sible for the very low typhoid fever death rate. With a surface water
supply and a rapidly growing community, the cost of safety is eternal
vigilance. The enormous storage available is the greatest factor in
safety, but under the conditions enumerated, close bacteriologic con-
trol over municipal supplies is necessary. To effect this, more bac-
teriologic examinations should be made.
The Division of Water and Sewage Laboratories is under the direc-
tion of Mr. H. W. Clark, an expert chemist and research worker of
national reputation. In addition to controlling public water supplies,
very interesting problems in trades' wastes are being solved in the
laboratories, and very valuable research work has been done in regard
to depth of sewage filters and activated sludge. These experiments
are fully described in Mr. Clark's report.
Division of Food and Drugs.
Various units existed under the former State Board of Health which
could be classified under the general heading of food and drugs.
There was a food and drug laboratory with an analyst and three
assistant analysts in the State House. There were four food and drug
inspectors, under the control of the secretary. There was a meat
slaughtering inspection and cold storage and dairy division with an
office at 1 Beacon Street, in charge of which there was a supervising
inspector with a clerical force and two veterinary inspectors, and a
cold-storage inspection force of three inspectors.
These units were consolidated in the new Division of Food and
Drugs. The analyst, Mr. Hermann C. Lythgoe, was placed in charge
as director. This consolidation of activities made possible the elimina-
tion of the office at 1 Beacon Street and the position of supervising
inspector, carrying with it a salary of $2,500, was also abolished.
The official who occupied this position was re-employed as a veterinary
inspector at $1,800, which made it possible to dispense with the
services of one cold-storage inspector. By combining the two clerical
forces it was possible to dispense with the services of one stenographer.
The saving of this consolidation was as follows : —
Difference between salary of supervising inspector and veterinary
inspector,
Salary of cold-storage inspector,
Salar\' of stenographer,
Rent of office at 1 Beacon Street,
Miscellaneous office expenses, .
$4,100 00
S700 00
1,400 00
1,000 00
800 00
200 00
14 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
I consider it inadvisable to employ any additional inspectors in the
Food and Drug Division unless they are capable of doing laboratory
work. Laboratory analysts can be employed for the same or lower
salaries than inspectors. There is no reason why a chemist or analyst
should not be able to do inspection work, while an inspector can only
be used in the field. The present system is faulty because of the
difficulty in maintaining a proper adjustment between the field force
and the laboratory. For various reasons the work is subject to fluc-
tuations, and the analysts are at times overworked. If additional em-
ployees are authorized, these should be laboratory workers. They
could then be used in the laboratory when work in the laboratory was
heavy, and sent out on inspection duty when laboratory work was
light.
I believe that a Division of Food and Drugs should contemplate a
broader field than the mere examination of milk, food and drugs.
The question of drug addictions, the misuse of so-called household
remedies, the traffic in dangerous proprietary and quack medicines, all
present fruitful fields for action. The importance of careful studies
of food values and food economics, and of an educational campaign
along these lines, is apparent to any one who takes the trouble to
observe some of our national faults. The average family either wastes
food with reckless prodigality, or buys the family supplies with little,
if any, regard to a correct adjustment of the essentials of a proper
ration.
The relation of a proper ration to health is very close, and many
times ill health and disease are due to an ill-balanced ration costing as
much or more than a properly balanced ration which would maintain
the family in health. Studies have been commenced in the Division
of Food and Drugs upon food values and food economics, and it is
desirable to use the results in a campaign of education with the co-
operation of the Division of Hygiene.
However, the present appropriation must be spent in the enforce-
ment of existing laws, and if the division is to assume a broader
attitude and take up these very necessary phases of the food and drug
problem, either an increased appropriation for these special purposes
or a change in the wording of the existing statutes will be necessary.
Mr. Lythgoe was known to be an expert chemist and analyst, and
as the director of a division he has demonstrated that he is an efficient,
energetic executive officer as well.
No. 34.1 ANNUAL REPORT. 15
Division of Communicable Diseases.
This new division was created to embrace such work as was being
done by the former State Board of Health in the suppression of com-
municable diseases and such additional work as seemed necessary or
desirable. The proper direction of such a division requires the full
time of a competent sanitarian, and such a man was secured in the
person of Dr. Eugene R. Kelley, formerly Commissioner of Health for
the State of Washington, who was appointed director of the new
division.
As far back as 1912, S5,000 had been appropriated for the employ-
ment of an epidemiologist, but for some reason the appointment was
never made. On June 1, 1915, an epidemiologist was appointed and
placed under Dr. Kelley's direction.
Section 5 of the act creating a State Department of Health provided
for eight full-time health officers instead of the twelve part-time health
officers formerly employed. In order to avoid politics and to place
the appointments on a merit system, regulations were adopted by the
PubHc Health Council governing these appointments. These regula-
tions provided for a competitive examination, the details of which will
be discussed more fully in the report of the Director of the Division
of Communicable Diseases, which will be found in the supplement.
The Division of Communicable Diseases is charged with the reduc-
tion or eradication of communicable disease. Its largest problems are
tuberculosis, pneumonia, syphilis, diphtheria, measles, scarlet fever,
typhoid fever, whooping cough and influenza. Its organization con-
sists of a director, an epidemiologist and clerical force, a diagnostic
laboratory, and a field force of eight full-time district health officers.
Very interesting details are being worked out to improve methods of
graphic presentation of disease prevalence, compiling returns, following
up statistical reports, and various other office routine methods.
The work of the Diagnostic Laboratory has increased enormously,
about 12,000 examinations being made in 1914, and about 17,000 in
1915, an increase of over 40 per cent. This was done without increase
of appropriation, but was accomplished by overworking the personnel.
This condition must be met and relieved, and additional money is
necessary for the diagnostic laboratory.
The field force of eight district health officers has been very active,
because, in addition to their work in this division, they have been
made general representatives of the State Department of Health in
their districts and given authority and responsibility accordingly.
They have acted as advisers to local boards of health, and to them and
16 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
to Dr. Kelley belongs the credit of establishing tuberculosis dispen-
saries in the cities and towns in the Commonwealth with a population
of 10,000 or over. They have made a complete survey of the State
in regard to the manner in which medical inspection of schools is
being carried on, and they have executed a multitude of other duties
with the maximum of efficiency and the minimum of friction. A great
deal of Dr. Kelley's time and some of the time of the district health
officers has been given to the investigation of the milk problem, the
results of which are published in the report of the Milk Board.
A complete and interesting account of the work of this division is
given in Dr. Kelley's report, and I will discuss only some of the most
important problems in a general w^ay.
Tuberculosis.
Certain general conditions affect our ability to deal with the tuber-
culosis problem. Poverty, alcoholism, bad housing and overcrowding
are some of these potent though indirect factors in a general condition
or environment most favorable to a high prevalence of the disease.
Attacks on these conditions may be classed as indirect attacks upon
tuberculosis. Our direct attack should follow three lines: —
1. Hospitalization of hopeless cases in the terminal months of their
illness.
2. Establishment and maintenance of dispensaries.
3. Improvement of physique of children who are below par physi-
cally.
While taking an active interest in anything which will improve
general conditions, we are attempting to follow out vigorously the
direct attack upon tuberculosis along the lines mentioned above.
The effort to secure hospital facilities for the hopeless cases nearer
home than the State sanatoria was necessary because of two reasons: —
1. Difficulty of retaining patients in the sanatoria during the ter-
minal months of their illness because of the distance from home and
friends.
2. Capacity of State sanatoria was overtaxed by second and third
stage cases which should be cared for locally.
It is extremely desirable to provide accommodations near home for
the hopeless cases, and if these cases are cared for locally, the State
sanatoria will be available for that type of case in which sanatorium
treatment is most effective, viz., in the incipient stage.
The administration of the excellent law providing for the establish-
ment of hospitals, including tuberculosis hospitals (Revised Laws,
No. 34.] ANNUAL REPORT. 17
chapter 75, section 35, as amended by Statute 1906, chapter 365,
Statute 1911, chapter 613, Statute 1912, chapter 151, and Statute
1914, chapter 647), had two serious defects: —
1. Small cities with a population of from 10,000 to 25,000 might
have been required to build from 10 to 20 bed hospitals, which would
be not only very expensive to run, but would possibly have inefficient
medical service.
2. Still smaller towns with a population of from 1,000 to 10,000
would not be required to build hospitals or bear any share of the
expense of caring for tubercular cases, although they have their share
of tuberculosis as well as the larger cities and towns.
After a hearing and statement by the Commissioner of Health
before the public health committee of the General Court, the following
resolve was passed: —
Resolved, That the state department of health be authorized and dh-ected to
investigate with reference to the advisability of establisliing county or district
hospitals for the care and treatment of cases of tuberculosis, from cities and towns
having less than fifty thousand inhabitants. Said department shall report the
result of its investigation to the next general court on or before the second
Wednesday in January, and shall accompany its report with such recommenda-
tions for legislation as it may consider to be advisable.
In accordance with this resolve a searching and complete investiga-
tion was made to discover the most economical arrangement in dis-
tricts of communities under 50,000 population. Experience has shown
that the most economical unit for a tuberculosis hospital should have
from 50 to 75 beds, and the districts mapped out by the Department
provide for hospitals about this size. A report, with recommendations,
will be submitted to the General Court outlining the districts which
may be formed of communities having less than 50,000 population.
The law providing for the establishment and maintenance of tuber-
culosis dispensaries in cities and towns of 10,000 population or over
(Statute 1911, chapter 576, as amended by Statute 1914, chapter 408)
has been enforced by the Department, and at the present time all
such cities and towns are complying with this law.
A thorough and intensive survey of the entire State has been made
to determine in what manner medical inspection of schools is being
carried on in the various communities, as provided by chapter 502,
Acts of 1906, under the supervision and direction of the following
Board appointed by me on June 4, 1915, and assisted by the eight
district health officers: —
IS STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Dr. Wm. J. Gallivan, representing the Public Health Council.
Prof. S. M. GuNN, Director, Division of Hygiene, Chairman.
Dr. Eugene R. Kelley, Director, Division of Communicable Diseases.
Dr. Wm. H. Coon, District Health Officer, Recorder.
Chapter 502, Acts of 1906, provides for compulsory medical inspec-
tion of schools. In all towns, except one, and in seventeen cities, the
school physician is appointed and serves under the local school com-
mittee; in one town and sixteen cities, the school physician is under
the local board of health. Exclusive of Boston, about S100,000 is
spent annually in this work, which is done without central control or
supervision.
The possibilities of medical inspection of school children in preventive
medicine are not being realized as fully or as rapidly as is desirable.
There is a lack of a central directing authority competent to ensure
uniformity of methods and co-ordination of effort along the lines of
prevention rather than the detection of disease. Our greatest hope
for ultimate success in the suppression of tuberculosis, for instance,
must lie in the prevention of its development in the child with a pre-
disposition for or latent infection of tuberculosis.
Syphilis.
Syphilis as a public health problem has received careful considera-
tion from this Department during the past year. This subject has
been neglected in the past, although as a problem of preventable con-
tagious disease, and in opportunity for life saving, prevention of blind-
ness, insanity and pauperism, it is second only to tuberculosis.
Syphilis is a preventable disease. We have exact knowledge of its
cause, its modes of transmission, its prevention and its cure, yet we
are not able to say that it is being reduced. What is its relative im-
portance as a public health problem? It is responsible for more
deaths than diphtheria, typhoid fever, scarlet fever, measles, whooping
cough and influenza combined, and it is probably responsible for from
two thousand to three thousand deaths each year in Massachusetts.
Syphilis seldom appears on a death certificate. Hidden away under
a dozen technical titles are thousands of deaths really due to syphilis.
The economic loss due to syphilis is appalling. It increases enor-
mously our expenses for the blind, pauper and insane. In Massa-
chusetts one-fourth of the entire expenses of the State government are
incurred in the care of its insane. That is, of an amount something
over $18,000,000, $4,500,000 is expended in equipping and maintaining
No. 34.] ANNUAL REPORT. 19
the institutions under the State Board of Insanity. At least 10 per
cent, of insanity is due to syphihs, a preventable and curable disease,
so that the State of Massachusetts expends at least $450,000 annually
for syphilitic insane. Under these circumstances it would seem sound
business policy for the State to expend some money in the prevention
of syphilis.
We have in salvarsan a specific remedy, which, if used in the early
stages of syphilis, not only cures the individual but prevents him from
infecting others. With our exact knowledge of the cause of the
disease and possession of a specific remedy, why do we not eradicate
it? Three reasons may be cited which in themselves are sufficient to
explain our failure to even reduce the ravages of syphilis: —
1. The prohibitive price of (and since the war, inability to obtain)
salvarsan;
2. The natural desire for concealment and secrecy of the individual
infected with a venereal disease which is looked upon as a social dis-
grace; and
3. Lack of knowledge of the prevalence of the disease, and exact
methods of diagnosis.
Salvarsan is made in Germany and patented in the United States.
Its price before the war was from $3 to S4.50 per dose. At present,
owing to the war, it cannot be obtained from Germany.
I believe that United States patents were never intended to deprive
the people of any State of a substance which is necessary for their
health and welfare. I further believe that the State of Massachusetts
would be within its rights in manufacturing or in some other way
procuring salvarsan for free distribution to residents of Massachusetts,
in view of the fact that it cannot be obtained from Germany. Sal-
varsan can be made by our chemists. It is being made now in
England, Japan and Canada, and also in Philadelphia, Pa.
I believe it is the plain duty of the State government to solve this
problem, and that an act should be passed providing for free salvarsan
for residents of Massachusetts. The draft of such a bill will be pre-
pared and submitted to the Legislature at the proper time.
Health officers can never expect to handle syphilis as an ordinary
contagious disease. Placarding houses, quarantining cases, and other
measures involving publicity are unthinkable in a disease involving
social disgrace. No experienced health officer who hopes for results
is foolish enough to attack syphilis in this way.
Reporting of disease is exacted for two reasons: first, to give knowl-
edge of and control over cases in an infectious state; and secondly,
for statistical information. The reporting of syphilis, giving patients'
20 STATE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
names, should not be required, and the reporting by number should
depend upon voluntary co-operation rather than compulsion. The
lack of exact methods of diagnosis has been partially corrected by the
establishment of a State Wassermann Laboratory for the diagnosis of
syphilis. The Wassermann Laboratory of the State Department of
Health, which commenced work June 1, 1915, is now examining over
one thousand specimens each month.
I believe that whenever a physician reports the data of a case of
syphilis, omitting the name and address, and submits a specimen of
blood which is found positive in our laboratory, the State should send
him the salvarsan free with which to treat the case. The number, or
other distinguishing mark sent in by the physician in lieu of the name
of the patient, should be replaced by a serial number given by the
State Department of Health, and the physician then requested to
make future reports or references under the serial number.
The Wassermann Laboratory was operated for six months in 1915
for something less than $3,000, but to continue this very necessary
work for the full fiscal year 1916 will require at least $5,000. This
amount has been included in the estimates for 1916.
I realize that syphilis is not a word to conjure with, but I do be-
lieve that in view of its great importance in loss of life, production of
blindness and insanity, and enormous economic loss. Legislatures should
pursue a liberal policy and spend considerable money in combating this
great plague.
Some of our larger hospitals and dispensaries are doing splendid
work in destroying the infection in the carrier of syphilis. Many
other hospitals and dispensaries should pursue a more liberal policy.
These other hospitals now refuse to admit syphilis in the early stages,
although they admit aortitis, aneurism, locomotor ataxia, and other
diseases which are really syphilis in a later stage.
As a compensation salvarsan should be furnished free to hospitals
and dispensaries. The time to eradicate the infection of syphilis is
in the early stage. The general public must be educated in the
appalling results of neglected syphilis, and dispensaries, hospitals and
private physicians should be encouraged and assisted in treating the
early cases, without allowing them to become cases of locomotor
ataxia, general paralysis, heart disease or apoplexy.
It is said that to advertise the marvelous effect of salvarsan, and to
place it within the reach of the poor, is to put a premium upon vice
and to absolve the syphilitic from the just punishment of his sins. As
health officers let us be practical and consider syphilis as a public
health problem, leaving the academic discussion of its moral and
No. 34.] ANNUAL REPORT. 21
social aspects to others. We may relieve the unfortunate sufferer
from the punishment of his own misdeeds, but we are also preventing
this punishment from falling upon women, children and other innocent
victims. Thousands of cases are acquired innocently from syphilitics,
and our plain duty is to prevent these infections by eliminating the
carriers of the disease without regard to their social or moral status.
Thousands of prisoners and inmates of Federal, State and municipal
institutions are discharged each year, and these are turned loose with-
out much regard to their being carriers of disease. In Massachusetts
I believe that every inmate of a public institution should be tested
for syphilis, and not discharged from that institution until he or she
has been properly treated and shown to be no longer capable of in-
fecting others.
As a sanitarian and practitioner of preventive medicine I desire to
accentuate especially the necessity of early treatment in syphilis.
The cardinal principle of our preventive campaign must be proper
treatment in the early stages. In the first and second stages of
syphilis the spirochetes are more easily reached and destroyed by
salvarsan, hence the chances of complete cure are vastly better than
if treatment is delayed. The important point in early treatment,
from the health officer's view, is that the infection is destroyed, and
open sores and lesions, which are practically certain to cause other
cases, are prevented.
Division of Biologic Laboratories.
These laboratories are engaged in the making of certain biologic
products and tests for the prevention, cure or diagnosis of some of the
most important communicable diseases. The products and tests are
free to citizens of the Commonwealth.
In the past year over 200,000 doses of diphtheria antitoxin were
made and distributed. In order to determine the susceptibility or
immunity of an individual to diphtheria, we now have the Schick
reaction, a skin test, which is very valuable in saving antitoxin. In-
dividuals shown to be insusceptible by the Schick test need not be
treated with antitoxin. The laboratory is now prepared to demon-
strate to physicians and health officers how to use and to interpret
the Schick reaction.
There were 31,355 ampoules of typhoid prophylactic produced and
distributed in 1915, an increase of about 6,000 over the amount pro-
duced and distributed in 1914.
There were 1,100 packages of antimeningitis serum distributed in
22 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
1915. This is a curative serum, but the laboratory is prepared to
furnish it in larger quantity if cerebrospinal meningitis should in-
crease after the war. A vaccine of distinct prophylactic value can be
prepared at short notice for use as a protective inoculation if the
necessity for this should arise.
There were 139,140 doses of vaccine virus made and 104,922 doses
distributed in 1915. Owing to the prevalence of foot and mouth
disease, it was difficult to obtain calves and unusual precautions were
necessary. In order to start afresh and be certain that no infection
with foot and mouth disease had occurred, it was necessary to destroy
a large amount of stock vaccine. The package in which the vaccine
virus is distributed has been improved, and the cost of the same les-
sened. The circular of instructions which accompanies each package
has also been rewritten, and it is recommended that the incision or
scratch method be used in place of the old method of scarification.
Special care is taken and elaborate tests made to determine the purity
and potency of the vaccine.
The Wassermann test is a complex technical method of diagnosing
syphilis from a specimen of human blood. Its great value will be ap-
preciated after reading the statement in regard to syphilis as a public
health problem in another part of this report. In June, 1915, the
AYassermann Laboratory was established, and at our present rate will
make over 18,000 tests in the next year.
We were extremely fortunate in securing as director of the division,
on a part-time basis, Prof. M. J. Rosenau of Harvard University,
thus ensuring expert supervision of the highest type as to potency and
purity of biologic products, accuracy of method, and interpretation of
biologic tests. Professor Rosenau, besides being professor of preventive
medicine and hygiene at Harvard University, was for many years
director of the Hygienic Laboratory of the United States Public Health
Service in Washington. As head of this laboratory Dr. Rosenau had
charge of all measures taken by the Federal government to ensure
potency and purity in biologic products.
Further details of the work of this division will be found in Pro-
fessor Rosenau's report.
Division of Hygiene.
Health officers are justified in being proud of the achievements in
the prevention of disease and the reduction of the death rates which
are recorded in recent years, due largely to official activity. We have
now reached a point, however, where further progress demands the
hearty support of the individual citizen, and a wider application of
No. 34.] ANNUAL REPORT. 23
the principles of personal hygiene by the individual citizen himself.
This means education of the people in their obligations to their neigh-
bors and in the simple gospel of disease prevention.
In this campaign we have enlisted the practicing physician as an
educator in preventive medicine, and I am confident we may count
on his earnest effort and loyal support. There are the great thousands,
however, who never or rarely call a physician, and who furnish the bulk
of infant and tuberculosis mortality.
I am sure that all practical health officers have found that the
greatest defect in the average health organization has been the lack
of a medium for carrying effective sanitary instruction into the home.
To reach these people, two very effective agencies are in our hands,
and great results may be obtained if these agencies are properly
directed, so that uniformity of procedure and co-ordination of effort
can be secured under a central authority. I refer to the possibilities
of public health or visiting nurses and to the hygiene of school children.
In view of the great reductions already effected in the mortality rates
for tuberculosis, typhoid fever, diphtheria, and other diseases, largely
due to official activity, it may be said in Massachusetts that further
reductions will be in direct ratio to the number of women employed in
public health nursing.
The successful visiting nurse requires, besides a knowledge of the
prevention of disease, tact, patience, and kindly solicitude for the
welfare of the poor. Compare the results possible in life-saving by the
work of such a woman with the results obtained from the work of
the male sanitary inspector at the same or even a larger salary.
When we consider the difficulty of carrying health instruction into
the home, and the apathy, indifference, skepticism and ridicule with
which the doctrines of disease prevention, however simple, are too
often received, the prospect for speedy results is not encouraging. We
must concede that this part of the health officer's problem, in which
success depends upon the voluntary co-operation of the individual, is
much more difficult than that which may be solved by the passage and
enforcement of laws and ordinances. The skepticism, the apathy, the
passive and even active resistance displayed toward health instruction
comes largely from an adult population whose early training did not in-
clude hygiene. The unteachable, unresponsive, I-know-it-all individual
will probably persist in reaching the goal for which he is headed and
will eliminate himself in a generation. The effective teaching of the
principles of hygiene to the school children, especially in the lower grades,
will develop an adult population in the next generation that will be
neither apathetic nor skeptical, but will assist the health departments
24 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
of the future to teach hygiene where it will be most effective, viz.,
among the school children.
A very large part of the adult population, however, is not only
teachable but hungry for the knowledge of how to live a little longer.
Thousands of deaths due to what has been called the "wear and tear"
diseases should have been postponed for years. Our efforts to show
the necessity for hygienic living in preventing premature aging of our
blood vessels and degeneration of vital organs should be unremitting,
but here again, if we apply this instruction properly and effectively to
the school child, we will not, in the next generation, face a constantly
increasing death rate due to the "wear and tear" diseases.
To care for this problem of health instruction the new Division of
Hygiene was created. Its scope will include infant mortality, child
welfare, medical examination of school children, industrial hygiene, and
health instruction in general. It will devote much of its energies to
educational methods through literature, lectures illustrated by moving
pictures and lantern slides, and personal instruction by its exhibits and
health instructors. No special legislation can absolve this Department
from its obligation "to take cognizance of the interests of life and
health among the citizens of the commonwealth." This obligation
does not exempt any age group. The hygiene of the child before and
after entering school, and the hygiene of the worker from the time he
leaves school, are as much our concern as the hygiene of all other citi-
zens in the Commonwealth. We have, therefore, in our new Division
of Hygiene, contemplated child welfare work, including the hygiene of
school children and industrial hygiene, although certain phases of
these two fields are covered by the work of other departments of the
State government.
I believe that there should be but one State Department of Health,
and that no State money should be expended for the prevention of
disease unless under the supervision and control or by the advice of
the State Department of Health. When other departments of the
State government feel impelled to enter the field of hygiene or pre-
ventive medicine, they should consult with and ask the help of the
State Department of Health rather than attempt to build up miniature
health departments of their own.
The possibilities of this division in life-saving and disease preven-
tion exceed those of all the other divisions combined. When we
consider the possibilities in prevention of the 10,000 deaths included
under infant mortality in Massachusetts each year, the possibilities in
prevention of tuberculosis in the school child, the possibilities of "fitting
the girl and boy to their job" upon leaving school, and the possibilities
No. 34.] ANNUAL REPORT. 25
in prevention of cancer and the so-called "wear and tear" diseases of
middle life, we may appreciate the opportunities of the new Division
of Hygiene.
In many of the important questions in the field of child hygiene
now confronting the Division of Hygiene, little or nothing has been
done by the State.
A uniform system of prenatal work should be extended to the point
where proper obstetric advice and care are secured for the mother.
This involves the question of adequate supervision of midwives and
maternity hospitals. It is probably not feasible to eliminate midwives
entirely and at once. Even if possible, by the application of drastic
law, we should be prepared with some efficient substitute to take the
place now filled by the ignorant midwife among the very poor. The
midwife as an institution should not be legalized and perpetuated, as
at best she can never be anything but a poor makeshift for good
obstetric care. The extension of prenatal clinics, maternity hospitals,
and of expert obstetrical advice and care to the poor is the answer to
the midwife problem. The midwife will be eliminated in time by the
competition of such prenatal clinics and maternity hospitals as place
good obstetric advice and care within the reach of the poor.
There should be a close supervision of day nurseries and of other
agencies which care for children from the nursing period to school age.
There should be an accurate survey and record of the physical and
mental condition of every school child made at least once each year,
and from these records proper advice given either to maintain this
physical and mental standard or to better it, if necessary.
Imagine the possibilities of advice to children who are below par
physically in preventing tuberculosis and increasing resisting power to
all diseases! This advice would not always be heeded, but it at least
could be given in all cases, and in many instances would be heeded.
Special care should be exercised by the State in safeguarding the health
and proper development, physically and mentally, of children in insti-
tutions, to ensure a sanitary environment, proper food and exercise,
and proper habits of personal hygiene. There should be the same care-
ful physical and mental survey as in the case of school children, and
the special needs of defective children should be outlined at least once
each year.
The same careful system of physical and mental records should be
employed to advise the adolescent in selecting a vocation and in pre-
venting the girl or boy from becoming a "square peg in a round hole."
A complete survey of the State has been made to determine what is
being done in the matter of inspection of school children. These
26 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
records will form the basis from which a uniform effective system may
be evolved. The law requiring medical school inspection is being
carried out in the various communities according to the individual
inclinations of the local authorities. In some cities and towns it is
being efficiently done; in others, it is worthless as an instrument in
preventing disease and improving the physical condition of the child.
By placing stress upon the enormous importance of the maintenance
of health and the improving of the physical condition of the child in the
prevention of diseases other than communicable, I do not wish to be
misunderstood as underrating the importance of the communicable
diseases. We must keep all the ground we have gained in the fight
against tuberculosis, diphtheria and typhoid fever, and in syphilis we
have a communicable disease problem, until this year untouched,
which will demand our best efforts and which promises brilliant results.
I wish to accentuate further the fact that the campaign of health
instruction, while primarily aiming to improve physical standards, to
increase resisting power and to inculcate "safety first" habits of pro-
tection against disease, strikes at the heart of the communicable
disease problem by decreasing the susceptible material by arming the
susceptible with a knowledge of how to avoid infection.
The Division of Hygiene, although in existence but a few months,
has carried out an extensive investigation of infant mortality, and
now has knowledge of the conditions and mortality rates of 353 com-
munities in the State. Special intensive studies are being made where
the rates are highest. In Lowell a particular study was made of deaths
of infants whose mothers were mill workers. The results of such
studies as this will be followed by educational work in the locality
studied.
In the month of November alone, forty lectures were given and over
5,000 persons reached in this direct manner. The lectures are illus-
trated by moving pictures and lantern slides.
Child welfare exhibits have been prepared and will be sent out in
charge of health instructors. These exhibits have, besides panels with
effective illustrations, utensils, clothing and materials for demonstrating
to mothers how to care for their infants.
The division has had charge of the Monthly Bulletin for the past
five months and has greatly improved this educational instrument.
A baby book entitled "The Baby and You" has been printed and
is now ready for distribution. It is planned to place this book in the
hands of every mother as soon as possible after the birth of her child.
Obviously the Division of Hygiene contains several divisions in em-
bryo. The work of child hygiene will develop into a Division of Child
No. 34.] ANNUAL REPORT. 27
Welfare within a comparatively short time; industrial hygiene will
also become a division in due time. In the meantime, these activities
will be fostered and allowed to grow up in the Division of Hygiene
until ready for independent existence as divisions.
The Department was particularly fortunate in securing for the
director of the new Division of Hygiene Prof. Selskar M. Gunn of the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Although on a part-time
basis, Professor Gunn, because of his dynamic force, has been able to
accomplish more than other available men would have accomplished
on full time. To initiate the work of a new division, combining really
the material for three divisions, and to launch it successfully on the
very small amount of money available, required just the resourceful-
ness, the energy and excellent judgment which Professor Gunn has
displaj'ed.
Housing.
The subject of housing is so important and bears such a close rela-
tion to some of our greatest health problems that the following Board
has been appointed to study the question in Massachusetts: —
Prof. G. C. Whipple, representing the Pubhc Health Council.
Mr. X. H. GooDxouGH, Du-ector, Division of Sanitary Engineering, Chairman.
Prof. S. M. GrxN, Director, Division of Hj-giene.
Mr. A. D. Weston, Division of Sanitary Engineering, Recorder.
This Board is now at work studying existing and proposed laws and
ordinances and a report will be made late in 1916.
State Examiners of Plumbers.
At a meeting of the Public Health Council of the State Department
of Health on July 6, 1915, it was voted to appoint Mr. David Craig
as first examiner of the State Examiners of Plumbers, to fill the va-
cancy caused by Mr. Edward C. Kelley's resignation.
A brief report of the work carried on by the State Examiners of
Plumbers will be found in the supplement.
Milk.
In Massachusetts the question of milk had been a subject of bitter
controversy for years, and I was asked to take sides before I had been
in office one month. It was deemed inadvisable to make legislative
recommendations until Massachusetts conditions had been studied one
year under existing law. During the past year a comprehensive study
of the milk problem has been made by the following Board : —
28 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Dr. J. E. Lamoureux, representing the Public Health Council.
Dr. E. R. Kelley, Director of the Division of Communicable Diseases, Chairman.
Mr. H. C. Lythgoe, Analyst and Director of the Division of Food and Drugs.
Mr. E. H. Williams, Assistant, Engineering Division, Recorder.
The above Board was appointed on March 29, 1915, and has been
assisted in its investigations by the eight district health officers em-
ployed by the Department. It is believed that all available pertinent
facts in regard to the milk problem have been secured by this Board,
and their report, with the recommendations of the Public Health
Council, will be published in the near future.
Legislative Recommendations.
The following specific recommendations are submitted to the Public
Health Council in regard to necessary health legislation: —
1. An act providing for district hospitals for the care and treatment of cases
of tuberculosis from cities and towns having less than 50,000 inhabitants.
2. An act providing for the detail of a district health officer or other medical
officer of the State Department of Health for duty with the State Board of Edu-
cation, for the purpose of supervising the medical inspection of school children.
3. An act authorizing the State Department of Health to manufacture or
procure salvarsan, for free distribution to citizens of the Commonwealth.
4. An act relative to the production, distribution and sale of milk.
Appkopriations.
The appropriations for the year ended Nov. 30, 1915, as recom-
mended by the Commissioner of Health in the annual estimates made
under the provisions of section 26, chapter 6 of the Revised Laws,
were as follows: —
For the general expenses of the Department, $36,400 00
For the inspection of food and drugs, 17,500 00
For the salary of the director of the Division of Food and Drugs, . 3,000 00
For the production and distribution of antitoxin and vaccine, . 24,000 00
For water supply and sewage disposal, 56,800 00
For the State Inspectors of Health, 37,500 00
For the salary of the director of the Division of Communicable
Diseases, 4,000 00
For the salary of an epidemiologist, 3,500 00
For the maintenance of a diagnostic laboratory, .... 5,300 00
For slaughtering inspection and cold storage, 12,000 00
For the prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum, .... 500 00
For the State Examiners of Plumbers, 5,200 00
For printing the annual report, 4,000 00
Total, $209,700 00
No. 34.] ANNUAL REPORT. 29
Expenditures.
The expenditures under the different appropriations for the year
ended Nov. 30, 1915, were as follows: —
General Expenditures.
Appropriation, $36,400 00
Credit by transfer to other appropriations, by cash received from
various sources and returned to State treasury, .... 3,201 83
$39,601 83
Salaries, $23,467 22
Traveling expenses, 1,502 93
Express charges, 110 11
Printing and binding, 4,155 10
Books and subscriptions, 446 45
Educational work and advertising, 2,164 41
Stationery, maps and blue prints, 799 63
Postage and postal orders, 2,438 15
Telephone and telegraph messages, 452 45
Type'UTiting supphes and repairs, 313 20
Laboratorj^ supplies, 251 77
Sundry office supphes, 922 77
Health Council, per diem, 1,521 26
Extra services, 429 60
Messenger, 209 64
Rent, 200 01
Miscellaneous, 91 52
Total, $39,476 22
Expenditures under the Provisions of the Food and Drug Acts for the Year ended
Nov. SO, 1915.
Appropriation, $17,500 00
Credit by transfer to appropriation for director of Division of Food
and Drugs, and by cash received from various sources, . . 1,043 60
$18,543 60
Salaries of analysts, $6,056 26
Salaries of inspectors, 6,239 29
Salaries of office assistants, 1,100 00
Traveling expenses, 2,735 89
Purchase of samples, 423 29
Apparatus and chemicals, 886 33
30 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Express, SlO 94
Printing, 49 60
Books, maps and stationery, 430 46
Telephone and telegraph messages and postage, .... 134 25
Sundry laboratory supplies, 81 95
Typewriting supplies and repairs, 150 50
Services (cleaning laboratory), . . • 143 00
Extra services, 85 83
Miscellaneous, 14 62
Total, S18,542 21
Expenditures for the Productioyi and Distribution of Antitoxin and Vaccine for
the Year ended Nov. SO, 1915.
Appropriation, $24,000 00
Transferred from extraordinary expenses, as authorized by the
Governor and Council, 1,627 70
From 1914, balance to cover bills incurred during 1914, ... 6 20
Credit by cash paid to State treasury, account of scales returned, 6 88
$25,640 78
Salaries, $12,296 81
Apparatus, chemicals and laboratory supplies, 4,134 29
Traveling expenses, 47 44
Express charges and carting, 158 12
Books, stationery and typewriting supplies, 229 47
Printing, 429 09
Purchase of animals, 832 84
Horseshoeing and stable equipment, 10 40
Services of veterinary surgeon, 22 00
Food for animals, 3,546 18
Rental of telephone, messages and postage, 123 63
Extra ser\dces, 415 90
Water, gas, electric lighting and heating, 462 54
Labor and materials, 476 33
Ice, 128 45
Rent, 2,012 49
Miscellaneous, 314 16
Total, $25,640 14
No. 34.]
ANNUAL REPORT.
31
Far carrying out the Provisions of the Act to protect the Purity of Inland Waters,
for the Examination of Seicer Outlets, and for the Examination of the Sanitary
Condition of Certain Rivers and Water Courses.
Appropriation for the j'ear ended Nov. 30, 1915, . . . . S56,800 00
Salaries, including wages of laborers at LawTence Experiment
Station, ...
Apparatus and materials,
Traveling expenses,
Express charges,
Printing and binding,
Maps, blue prints and books.
Stationery, drawing materials and type\\Titing supplies.
Telephone, telegraph messages and postage.
Extra ser\'ices,
Services, collection of samples and reading gauges,
Labor,
Rent,
Miscellaneous,
Total,
$43,706 01
3,518 71
3,913 11
1,622 78
356 37
214 50
1,497 35
208 45
12 00
721 45
71 10
150 00
152 77
$56,144 60
Expenses under the Provisions of the Act to provide for the Establishment of Health
Districts and the Appointment of State Inspectors of Health {Chapter 537, Acts
of 1907; Chapters 405 and 543, Acts of 1910; Chapters 603 and 609, Acts of
1911) for the Year ended Nov. 30, 1915.
Appropriation, 837,500 00
Credit by paid to State treasury, 170 56
S37,670 56
Salaries, S27,209 04
Traveling, 7,614 74
Express, 10 60
Printing, 398 37
Books and maps, 24 43
Postage, 615 19
Tj-pewTiting supplies, 153 58
Extra services, 671 38
Telephone and telegraph, 292 42
Office supplies, 282 43
Laboratory and experimental work, 366 87
Research field work, 18 36
Miscellaneous, 13 15
Total, §37,670 56
32 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Expenditures for the Maintenance of a Diagnostic Laboratory for the Year ended
Nov. 30, 1915.
Appropriation, $5,300 00
Credit by received from Peter Gray, account of copper box (re-
funded), 1 00
$5,301 00
Salaries, $4,094 41
Laboratory supplies, 435 14
Printing, 304 85
Stationery, 53 47
Mailing cases, 317 32
Office supplies, 38 25
Typewriting supplies and repairs, 4 95
Traveling, 2 24
Miscellaneous, 16 23
Total, S5,266 86
F(yr carrying out the Provisions of the Act relative to Slaughtering Inspection and
the Inspection of Food Products treated by Cold Storage.
Appropriation for the year ended Nov. 30, 1915, .... $12,000 00
Credit by paid to State treasury, account of sale of branding outfits, 381 60
$12,381 60
Salaries, S9,690 58
Travefing, 2,136 81
Printing, 63 27
Branding outfits, 352 45
Stationery and oflfice supplies, 21 35
Telephone and telegraph, • • 14 36
Postage, 55
Extra services, 25 00
Typewriting supphes, 4 25
Purchase of samples, 12 16
Miscellaneous, 4 10
Total, S12,324 88.
No. 34.] ANNUAL REPORT. 33
For carrying out the Provisions of the Act relative to the Prevention of Ophthalmia
Neonatorum (Chapter 458, Acts 1910).
Appropriation for the year ended Nov, 30, 1915, .... SoOO 00
Ophthalmia outfits, §500 00
Total, $500 00
A. J. McLaughlin,
Commissioner of Health.
SUPPLEMENT.
[35]
Division of Sanitary Engineering.
137J
DIVISION OF SANITARY ENGINEERING.
Director and Chief Engineer, X. H. GOODNOUGH.
Dr. Allan J. McLaughlin, Commissioner of Health.
Sir: — I have the honor to submit the following report of the
Division of Sanitary Engineering for the year ending Nov. 30, 1915.
Respectfully,
X. H. GOODNOUGH,
Director mid Chief Engineer.
Water Supply and Sewerage.
The Department received during the year 224 applications for ad-
vice with reference to water supply, sewerage, sewage disposal and
matters relating thereto. Of these applications, 54 were in relation
to public water supplies, 90 to wells and springs, 22 to sources of ice
supply, 35 to sewerage, drainage and sewage disposal, 4 to the pol-
lution of streams, and 19 to miscellaneous matters.
Water Supplies.
Public water supplies were introduced during the year in the towns
of Dartmouth, Groveland, Salisbury and Shrewsbury. The water sup-
ply of Groveland is obtained from the works of the city of Haverhill,
that of Dartmouth from the works of the city of New Bedford, and
the others are from independent sources. A new water district was
established during the year in the town of Easton to supply the vil-
lages of South Easton and Eastondale. The supply is obtained from
the works of the city of Brockton.
Of the 353 cities and towns in the State, 211, which contained by
the census of 1915 a population of 3,528,769, are provided with public
water supplies. The remaining towns, 142 in number, contained by
the census of 1915 a population of 164,541.
The following towns, having by the census of 1915 a population in
excess of 3,000, are not yet provided with public water supplies: —
Tewksbury, 5,265
Warren, 4,268
Templeton, 4,081
Somerset, 3,377
Auburn, 3,281
Westport 3,262
Water supplies are greatly needed in most of these towns, especially
in Somerset, Templeton and Warren, in which there are large villages
dependent wholly for water for domestic purposes on wells and springs.
The results of analyses of the waters of many of the wells in the
thickly populated areas in each of the above towns indicate that
practically all are very badly polluted and unsafe for domestic use.
40 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
There is also a considerable number of towns, having by the census
of 1915 a population between 2,000 and 3,000, in many of which water
supplies are very badly needed. These towns are the following*. —
Sutton, 2,829
Seekonk, 2,767
Bourne, 2,672
Hanover, 2,666
Swansea, 2,558
Wilbraham, 2,521
Dighton, 2,499
Acushnet, 2,387
Wihnington, 2,330
Rehoboth, 2,228
Charlton, 2,213
Harwich, 2,179
Belchertown, 2,062
Georgetown, 2,058
Upton, 2,036
In many of the above-named towns the wells are badly polluted
and a serious danger to the public health.
During the past year an examination has been made of the wells in
the town of Rowley, which is not provided with a public water supply.
The population is largely concentrated in the main village, and an
examination of the mortality statistics in this village, made by the
Department, has shown that typhoid fever has been excessively
prevalent in this town for a period of twenty years or more and that
cases have occurred from time to time at more or less frequent inter-
vals in nearly all parts of the village throughout that period. The
results of analyses show that the water of the wells in the thickly
settled portions of this town is polluted by sewage, in many cases
most seriously. At most of the dwelling houses in the village the
water supply is obtained from a well on the premises, and the sewage
is disposed of by discharging it into a vault or cesspool, also on the
premises and usually at no great distance from the well. The ground
on which the village stands is composed largely of strata of gravel and
fine sand or clay, which extend to a considerable depth and are un-
derlaid by a very fine sand and lower down by ledge. The water
supply is usually obtained from wells averaging some 3 feet in diameter
and 20 feet in depth, and, if dug to the average depth, they seldom
fail, even in the driest years, since the level of the ground water
beneath the village does not vary very greatly in height from year to
year. The water obtained from these 'wells is derived from the rain-
No. 34.] WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE. 41
fall, a portion of which sinks into the ground. As the town has no
sewerage system, a large portion of the water which is withdrawn from
the wells is returned to the ground in the form of sewage through the
cesspools and other receptacles, and much of it evidently again finds
its way to the wells.
There is no way of securing water which is safe for drinking from
the ground in the thickly settled portion of this town, and for the
protection of the public health a public water supply from some
suitable source should be introduced at the earliest practicable time.
With a proper public water supply, the present method of disposing
of the sewage would probably not be objectionable and could be con-
tinued for many years, unless the population becomes more dense
than is the case at the present time.
There have been numerous cases of typhoid fever in the village of
Somerset also, and similar occurrences have taken place in Harwich
and other villages where the density of population produces condi-
tions such as those described in the town of Rowley.
Among the towns in which a decided effort has recently been made
to secure a public water supply are Warren and Belchertown, places in
which such supplies are greatly needed. In each town a large majority
has voted repeatedly for the introduction of water, but a provision
of the law which requires a two-thirds vote has prevented the carry-
ing out of legislative acts granting the right to these towns to secure
a public water supply. Considering the necessity of a public water
supply in these and many other places, and the importance of a good
water supply in the protection of the public health in communities of
considerable size, it is unfortunate that a two-thirds vote is required
for the introduction of a water supply system. The custom was intro-
duced many years ago when the question of the success of a pub-
lic water supply was considered to be a matter of considerable doubt.
Experience has amply shown that a public water supply quickly be-
comes self-supporting in towns of such size as those under consider-
ation, and the continuation of the requirement of a two-thirds vote
for the introduction of such a supply seems now unnecessary and
objectionable.
A further hindrance to the introduction of public water supplies
by towns and districts results from the change from the former
method of establishing a sinking fund for the payment of bonds
issued for such purposes to the practice of issuing serial bonds, the
effect of which is to require a much larger payment for interest and
the retirement of bonds in the earlier years after the introduction of
a water works system than was formerly the case. At the present
42 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
time, if a town issues bonds on a thirty-year basis at 4 per cent., the
interest and bond payment together amount in the first year to 7^ per
cent., whereas the average amount needed for the payment of the
bonds and interest, if carried out on the sinking fund basis of a fixed
annual sum, would only be about 5f per cent. The serial bond
method of payment, however, appears to be the more desirable one,
at least in the case of the small towns, but the present law makes
it necessary that one-thirtieth of the bonded indebtedness shall be
paid off in each year from the time the construction of the works is
begun. This provision is undoubtedly a desirable one in the case of
many public works, but in the case of a public water supply a year
is usually required in which to complete the works, and another year,
and sometimes two years, usually elapses before the water has come
into general use. As soon as a general use is established, the town
or district finds itself in receipt of an income usually nearly or quite
sufficient to care for the maintenance of the works and pay a part,
if not all, of the interest and bond retirement requirements of the
legislative act under which the works were built. Under these circum-
stances, there seems to be no good reason why a bond should be
paid off in the first or second year at least after the construction of
the works is begun. It merely means that the town has to borrow-
considerably more money than would otherwise be needed for the
construction of its works, since provision must be made for the pay-
ment of a bond before the works are completed and of another one,
or perhaps two, before they have come into general use. No public
interest would be injured, while on the other hand a considerable
advantage would accrue, if the first annual payment in the case of
the original introduction of a water works were deferred for as much
as three years after the construction of the works was begun.
Incorporated Districts for the Supply of Water.
Under the conditions existing in Massachusetts, it is usually im-
practicable when a town introduces a public water supply to extend
the service to all the inhabitants of the town. The system is com-
monly restricted, in the beginning at least, to the most thickly settled
portion of the town, usually the principal village. When a town con-
tains two or more villages, as is often the case, it may not be practicable,
on account of distance or difference in elevation, to extend the works
to the secondary center without considerable expense. It furthermore
often happens that a large percentage, if not a majority, of the inhab-
itants of the town live in scattered farmhouses in areas which would
No. 34.] WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE. 43
not be supplied by works designed for the most thickly populated
section, and, in consequence, it is often impracticable for the in-
habitants of the thickly settled section to obtain a water supply
through a vote of the town, however badly such a supply may be
needed in that section. In such cases some other method than town
ownership must be adopted if the water supply is to be obtained.
Two methods have been employed in such cases; one, the introduction
of works through a water company; and the other, the creation of a
fire, water or water supply district, which constructs and owns the
works. The number of water companies supplying towns in Mas-
sachusetts is not large; nevertheless there are 43 towns in which
water is supplied by water companies, largely on account of the fact
that the inhabitants of those portions of the town desiring water were
unable to secure the two-thirds vote required for the introduction of the
works by the town. The number of towns in the State in which fire,
water and water supply districts have constructed works for similar
reasons is 28.
It has also happened in several of these towns that, when a water
supply became necessary in other villages than the one originally sup-
plied, a second district has been created, and thus there are often two
water or fire districts in the same town, each maintaining an entirely
distinct system of water works supplying water from separate sources.
Such an arrangement is objectionable from the point of view of munic-
ipal economy and may be objectionable in other ways. A notable
case of the objections to such an arrangement has been brought to
the attention of the Department during the past year.
Under the provisions of chapter 169 of the Acts of the year 1887,
the North Easton Water Company was incorporated and authorized
to supply the inhabitants of the town of Easton, or any part thereof,
with water for domestic, manufacturing and other purposes, including
the extinguishment of fires. This act contained a provision that the
town of Easton, or the incorporated district therein known as the
North Easton Village District, should have the right to take, by
purchase or otherwise, the franchise, property, etc., of the water
company and operate the works thereafter under the powers of a fire
district, and the works are now owned and operated by the North
Easton Village District. This district as established occupies a nearly
rectangular area about If miles long in a northwesterly and south-
easterly direction and a little less than 1^ miles wide, located near the
extreme northeastern corner of the town. It comprises an area of
about 2j square miles, the total area of the town being 29.4 square
miles. The northwesterly limits of the district are approximately
44 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
parallel to the northwesterly boundary of the town and only an
average distance of about .25 of a mile therefrom. The extreme
easterly limits of the district are .7 of a mile from the boundary of
the city of Brockton.
In the year 1915 a second district was established within the town
of Easton known as the South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water
District. This district comprises a section of the town about 5 miles
long and averaging a little over 1 mile in width lying along the
easterly border of the town adjacent to Brockton and West Bridge-
water. Its northerly limit is about 2j miles south of the boundary
between Easton and Stoughton, and this limit extends from the
boundary of the North Easton Village District to the boundary line
of the city of Brockton. The North Easton Village District is sup-
plied with water from wells situated in the valley of a tributary of
the Coweeset River within the limits of the district. The South
Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water District is supplied from
separate works through an extension of the pipes of the city of
Brockton.
The arrangement of the two districts herein described leaves in the
extreme northeasterly corner of the town of Easton an area about 2j
miles long in a northerly and southerly direction and from f to 1|
miles in width which does not form a part of either district and is
practically wholly cut off from the remaining portions of the town.
This district, known as Unionville, is inhabited by about ninety-
families, and, in response to a petition of certain inhabitants thereof,
the State Department of Health during the past year investigated the
condition of the water supply in Unionville, as a result of which it
was found that many of the wells in use were badly polluted, and the
Department is informed also that many of them have failed during
the dry seasons that have occurred in recent years. The best prac-
ticable plan of supplying this village with water cannot be deter-
mined without an engineering investigation. It is probable that a
supply could best be obtained in connection with the works of the
North Easton Village District, but it is possible to supply water to
this locality from the works of the city of Brockton, and the village
might be supplied from the works of the South Easton and Easton-
dale Fire and Water District, though the cost of a supply from the
latter district would very probably be considerably greater than if
water were obtained from the North Easton Village District, and the
system would be less economical in other ways. In view of the
circumstances, it is desirable that legislation be enacted which will
enable the village of Unionville to secure a much needed general
water supply.
No. 34.] WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE. 45
Private Water Supplies.
The Revised Laws of Massachusetts provide that the State De-
partment of Health shall have the general oversight and care of in-
land waters and of all streams and ponds used by any city, town or
public institution, or by any water company or ice company as sources
of water supply, and of all streams and water courses tributary
thereto, and the Department is further empowered to cause examina-
tions of such waters to be made to ascertain their purity and fitness
for domestic use or their liability to impair the interests of the public
or of persons lawfully using them, or to imperil the public health.
It is finally provided that plans relating to the introduction of systems
of water supply shall be submitted to the Department for its advice
before the works are constructed. No provision whatever is made in
these laws for the examination of private water supplies and none
are examined, except in connection with investigations made by the
Department for specific purposes, relating usually to questions con-
nected with the investigation of causes of contagious disease. The
examination of private water supplies is, consequently, left to the
owner or occupant of the premises upon which the supply is situated.
The number of public water supplies in the State of Massachusetts
barely exceeds 200, while the number of private supplies probably
exceeds 30,000 and may be greatly in excess of that figure.
The extension of the work of the examination of water supplies to
all private sources, a question which is raised from time to time, is of
course impracticable, except at great cost, and on the whole is probably
unnecessary. There are certain classes of private supplies, however,
to which it seems desirable in the interest of the public health that
the oversight of the State should be extended. One of these is the
water supplies of summer hotels and boarding houses and places of
public resort, such as picnic groves, camp grounds, etc. The sanitary
conditions of such premises can be looked after efficiently by the local
boards of health, but such boards are not usually equipped with
means for the proper investigation of the water supplies of such places.
It not infrequently happens that the State Department of Health is
requested to make examinations of the water supplies of camps and
other resorts suspected of being the sources of communicable diseases,
and a considerable number of such examinations has been made in
past years. It would be much better, however, if the water supplies
of such places were maintained under supervision at all times and the
danger of diseases arising from such places avoided.
Another class of private water supplies somewhat intimately con-
46 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
nected with the public health comprises the supplies used in the
washing of utensils on farms and at dairies from which the public
milk supply is derived. The expense of a proper examination of a
water supply is a considerable one and is often a more serious tax
than a farmer or dairy owner feels able to incur. Examinations of many
such sources have been made in the past at times of prevalence of
contagious disease, and it would no doubt be much better if provi-
sion for such examinations were made by law and sources found to be
dangerous improved or eliminated.
While the cost of such work would be considerable, it would not
only aid materially in the further reduction of typhoid fever and
similar contagious diseases, but would also no doubt be a material
advantage to the State, especially in the case of summer hotels and
boarding houses, since it would inform the public as to the safety or
danger of the water supply of such places. Such examinations would
no doubt aid materially also in securing better water for use in con-
nection with dairy farms and in removing in advance a common
source of suspicion in cases where contagious disease is found to exist.
A third class of private water supplies which may also have a
marked effect upon the public health is the spring waters which are
sold extensively for drinking in many of the cities and towns of the
State. These waters have been examined by this Department from
time to time in past years with the result that a number of objection-
able sources were eliminated. It is now many years since funds have
been available for making these examinations. Their importance
appears to justify a sufficient appropriation for the thorough examina-
tion of these sources and the elimination of those which may be
injurious to health.
Rainfall and Stream Flow in 1915.
The total rainfall throughout the greater part of Massachusetts
in the year 1915 has differed but little from the average of the past
forty years, having been on the whole slightly less than the normal,
as shown by some of the longer rainfall records available in the State.
While, however, the average rainfall has differed but little from the
normal, its distribution has been most exceptional. In the month of
January the total precipitation throughout the State, excepting in the
extreme northwesterly and northeasterly sections, was generally about
twice as great as the monthly normal. In February the precipitation
was about the normal for that month throughout the State. The
month of March was absolutely without precipitation throughout the
No. 34.] WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE. 47
State, with the exception of a small area in the mountains west of the
Connecticut River. The longest records of rainfall available fail to
show the occurrence in any previous year of a rainless month of
March at any station within the limits of Massachusetts. In the
months of April, May and June the rainfall was extremely deficient in
all parts of the State, though the amount of water in storage was
generally somewhat greater than at the same time in the very dry
year of 1911. On the early morning of July 1 occurred the most ex-
cessive fall of rain in a limited time that has been recorded anywhere
in Massachusetts for many years. The total precipitation at Boston
in the period from 1.30 to about 8.00 a.m. on that date amounted to
4.3 inches, the greater part of which fell in the period from 1.30 to
4.30 A.M. The precipitation continued excessive through July and
August throughout the greater portion of the State, except in the
southeast. In the months of September, October and November the
rainfall was again deficient, and in December it exceeded the average.
The efi'ect of this distribution of the rainfall on the water supplies
of the State has naturally been very different from that which or-
dinarily obtains. The heavy precipitation in July and August raised
the level of the ponds and reservoirs and increased the storage of the
ground water supplies so that no case has come to the attention of
the Department in which a shortage of water was experienced at any
time during the year. The rainfall for the month of July was greater
than in any year since 1897, and the flow of streams in that month
probably greater than in any year since 1889. The conditions in the
month of August were much the same as in July and the flow of
streams excessive for that time of year. The quantity of water in
storage at this date (Jan. 10, 1916) is greater than for many years, and,
with an average rainfall in the coming winter and spring, it is reasonable
to expect that all storage will be completely filled before the beginning
of summer in 1916.
Sanitaky Protection of Public Water Supplies.
Under the authority of section 113, chapter 75 of the Revised Laws,
the Department has from time to time made rules and regulations for
the sanitary protection of sources of water supply. The water sup-
plies so protected are* included in the following list: —
Abington and Rockland.
Amherst.
Andover.
Attleboro.
Braintree.
Brockton and Whitman.
Cambridge.
Chester.
48
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Chicopee.
Concord.
Danvers and Middleton.
Easthampton.
Fall River.
Falmouth.
Fitchburg.
Gardner.
Great Barrington (Housatonic).
Greenfield.
Haverhill.
Hingham and Hull.
Holden.
Holyoke.
Hudson.
Leicester (Cherry Valley and Roch-
dale) .
Lincoln and Concord.
Lynn.
Marlborough.
Maynard.
Montague.
Northampton.
North Andover.
Northborough.
Norwood.
Peabody.
Pittsfield.
Plymouth.
Randolph and Holbrook.
Rockport.
Russell.
Rutland.
Salem and Beverly.
Springfield.
Springfield and Ludlow.
Stockbridge.
Taunton.
Wakefield.
Westfield.
West Springfield.
Weymouth.
WiUiamsburg.
Winchester.
Worcester.
Rules and regulations made under the law cited above are enforce-
able by local authorities and are so enforced in the various cities and
towns. The rules generally prohibit the cutting of ice on ponds used
directly as sources of public water supply, but it has been the custom
of local authorities to grant permits for ice cutting in cases where
such use had been a practice before the water supply was introduced.
The examinations of ponds and reservoirs while ice cutting was in
progress have shown that the process results in the pollution of the
water and is likely to cause sickness among those who use the water
for drinking. It has been found impracticable to protect from pol-
lution the water of ponds and reservoirs upon which ice cutting is
carried on, even by the most careful inspection, and the practice
should be discontinued on all ponds and reservoirs from which water
is supplied directly for drinking.
Supervision of Water Companies.
Under the provisions of chapter 787 of the Acts of the year 1914,
entitled "An Act to provide for the Supervision of Water Companies
by the Board of Gas and Electric Light Commissioners," the duties
No. 34.] WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE. 49
of the State Department of Health in relation to this subject ceased
on July 7, 1914, except as to questions pending when that act be-
came effective. Those matters were finally acted upon before the end
of the year 1914. In 1915 an act was passed, chapter 21 of the Gen-
eral Acts of the year 1915, under which the State Department of
Health may be required to furnish to the Board of Gas and Electric
Light Commissioners engineering services and advice for its assistance
and guidance in proceedings relating to the petition of any water
company for authorization to issue capital stock or bonds, and in all
matters connected with the determination by that Board of any ques-
tion relating thereto and before any authorization is given by the
Board of Gas and Electric Light Commissioners to issue capital stock
or bonds. Only a very little work, and that of an informal character,
has been required of the Department by the Gas and Electric Light
Commissioners during the past year, but as matters of importance
relating to those questions may come up at any time, it is recom-
mended that an appropriation be made available to the Department
for engineering expenses under that act. It is impracticable to esti-
mate the amount of money likely to be required for carrying out the
requirements of that act, but, under the circumstances, an appropri-
ation of $1,000 would appear to be a reasonable sum to provide in
191G for the use of this Department in cases where engineering advice
and assistance are requested by the Gas and Electric Light Com-
missioners.
Examination of Sewer Outlets.
All main sewer outlets discharging into the sea or into tidal waters
have been examined during the year, and special attention has been
given to the distances to which sewage could be traced from such
outlets and its effect upon the waters into which it is discharged and
upon adjacent shores. At the outlet of the main drainage system of
the city of Boston at Moon Island, where the sewage is stored in
reservoirs and discharged in the first two hours of the outgoing tide,
the conditions now prevailing differ but little from those of former
years. The quantity of sewage discharged at this outlet in 1915
averaged about 100,000,000 gallons per day. In the course of the
passage of this sewage from the city to the Moon Island outlet, it
passes through settling tanks, or deposit sewers, so called, at the
pumping station at Calf Pasture, thence through the tunnel and main
outfall sewer to the reservoirs, where it is stored before discharge.
In consequence of these conditions, the sewage becomes considerably
decomposed, and putrefactive processes set in before it reaches the
50 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
place of disposal. The sewage is discharged through an outlet located
at the surface of the water and covers a large area by the time the
reservoirs are emptied. The odor in the neighborhood of the outlet
and over much of the area in which the sewage is visible is offensive
for a considerable time after the discharge, though the sewage very
soon becomes thoroughly mingled with the harbor waters and its
presence ceases to be noticeable.
At the outlet of the north metropolitan sewerage district at Deer
Island the average quantity of sewage discharged during the year
1915 amounted to 60,000,000 gallons per day. The conditions about
this outlet have remained much the same as in former years. The
sewage is discharged continuously throughout the twenty-four hours
and is rarely noticeable upon the surface of the sea beyond a distance
of half a mile from the outlet. Greasy matters in the sewage, how-
ever, form a sleek, so called, upon the surface of the water, which is
traceable often for considerably greater distances, though having no
other noticeable effect upon the condition of the harbor waters. This
outlet is located at the level of low water close to Deer Island Light
and is objectionable to the keepers of the light. A new outlet is now
being constructed through which the sewage will be discharged a
short distance beyond its present location in about 50 feet of water
at low tide.
The sewage of the south metropolitan sewerage district is discharged
at two outlets about 1 mile north of Nut Island at the bottom of one
of the main channels of the harbor, where the water is approximately
30 feet in depth at low tide. The outlets are used alternately, except
at times when there is an excessive flow of sewage due to rain, when
both outlets are used. During the past year a third outlet has been
constructed at a point 1,400 feet north of Nut Island to provide re-
lief at times of high flow in the main sewer. The average daily
quantity of sewage discharged at the Nut Island outlets during the
year 1915 was 51,000,000 gallons per day. The sewage discharged at
these outlets is greatly diluted before reaching the surface of the sea
and is noticeable over only a small area in the immediate neighbor-
hood of the points of discharge, though sleek is noticeable at times
at greater distances.
The outlet of the main sewerage system of the city of New Bed-
ford has been in use continuously during the past year, and the
quantity of sewage discharged there has amounted probably to about
50 per cent, of the total quantity discharged from the city sewers.
The main intercepting sewer is being extended rapidly, and within a
short time nearly all of the dry-weather flow of sewage from the city
No. 34.] WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE. 51
will be discharged through the new outlet. This outlet is located in
Buzzards Bay about two-thirds of a mile southeast of Clark's Point,
where the water is 30 feet in depth at low tide. When examined
during the past year, the sewage was noticeable in the surrounding
sea water only for a maximum distance of about 200 feet, and evidence
of its presence could not be detected by chemical or bacterial analysis
beyond a limit of about one-fourth of a mile from the outlet. In
fact, notwithstanding the large quantity of sewage discharged here,
the outlet is very difficult to find.
No changes have been made in the system of sewage disposal at
Fall River during the past year. Plans for the improvement of the
Quequechan River, involving the construction of a main sewer to
discharge the sewage and storm water from the Quequechan valley
into Mt. Hope Bay, were approved by the Department in the latter
part of the year, but the construction of these works has not yet
been undertaken.
Early in the year plans for the collection and disposal of the sewage
of the town of Danvers, including an outlet into Salem Harbor, were
considered by the Department, and, in view of the advantage to
Danvers of a sea outlet for its sewage and the great desirability of a
change in the location of the present sewer outlet of the city of
Beverly, the Department recommended that the question of a com-
mon outlet be considered by these municipalities. No definite action
in the matter has yet been taken by the city and town concerned.
The sewer outlet at Salem discharges near the surface of the sea
at low tide, and, in consequence, the sewage spreads at times over a
wide area. While there is no evidence that it affects any of the
neighboring shores, the outlet could be greatly improved if extended
to deep water a short distance beyond its present location. The force
main through which the sewage is conveyed from the Salem pumping
station to this outlet was constructed for the use of the city of Salem
only but is now used for the disposal of the sewage of both Salem
and Peabody. While adequate for the purpose at present, a larger
main will be needed at no distant time, and when such a main is
constructed a new outlet in deep water should be provided.
The investigations relative to the disposal of the sewage of the city
of Lynn, and the removal of the great nuisance that now exists along
the shores of the harbor in the neighborhood of the present sewer
outlet, have been carried on during the year under the direction of
the joint board consisting of the State Department of Health and the
municipal council of the city of Lynn. The results of these investi-
gations will be presented in a separate report.
52 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
At the other main sewer outlets discharging into the sea or tidal
waters there has been no change worthy of note during the past year.
Plans for a proposed temporary outlet into the sea for the sewage
of the town of Hull were approved by this Department in 1914, the
proposed outlet to be located in Hingham Bay on the westerly side
of the town. The town has prepared plans for disposing of the sewage
of the central portions of the town, including Nantasket Beach, by
constructing a sewer from the neighborhood of the highlands at the
southerly end of Nantasket Beach to an outlet into the sea off Aller-
ton; and the temporary outlet was designed to give relief to certain
areas in the town which are badly in need of sewerage until such
time as the main sewer leading to the permanent outlet has been
completed. The proper protection of the public health requires the
removal of the sewage from about the dwelling houses in these areas
at the earliest practicable time.
Sewage-disposal Systems.
The sewage-disposal system of the city of Fitchburg, which was
completed late in 1914, has been operated regularly during the greater
part of the year. The operation of the works was interrupted for a
considerable time late in the year to make certain changes and re-
pairs. The treatment works consist of five preliminary settling tanks
with separate compartments for the digestion of sludge, 2.14 acres of
trickling filters 10 feet deep, containing crushed stone 1 to 3 inches in
size, and four secondary settling tanks for the sedimentation of the
effluent after it passes the filters. While the works were in operation
the analyses showed that they removed about 87 per cent, of the sus-
pended solids contained in the sewage and somewhat less than 70 per
cent, of the organic matter, as shown by the albuminoid ammonia.
The revolving screen and new trickling filter at Brockton have been
in constant operation during the year, and analyses show that on an
average 76 per cent, of the suspended solids and about 60 per cent,
of the organic matter have been removed from the sewage. The sand
filters at these works, which have an aggregate area of 30 acres, have
not been maintained at the standard of former years. The capacity
of these works is inadequate for the efficient purification of all of the
sewage now being delivered at the works.
New works for the disposal of sewage from the town of Franklin
were completed during the year. The works consist of a main sewer
in the valley of Mine Brook which collects the sewage from all of the
thickly settled parts of the town, with the exception of a small dis-
No. 34.]
WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE.
53
trict in the extreme easterly part of the main village, and conveys it
to settling tanks and filter beds located in the valley of Mine Brook
a short distance west of tiie village of Unionville. The disposal works
consist of settling and dosing tanks for the sedimentation of the
sewage and eleven sand filter beds having an aggregate area of about
3.24 acres. The effluent of these filters is discharged into Mine Brook.
At Framingham considerable improvement has been made in the
operation of the filters by the removal of clogged sand from some of
the beds and by the construction of additional underdrains.
At Pittsfield additional filters have been constructed during the
year, increasing the area available for the disposal of the sewage by
about 50 per cent.
At Hopedale the filtration works have been improved and the area
enlarged by the construction of additional beds, making an aggregate
filtration area of about 3.79 acres.
The new filters at Attleboro have operated satisfactorily during
the year, and the same may be said of nearly all of the other prin-
cipal sewage-disposal works in the State. In some cases, however, as
at Southbridge, less care has been exercised than necessary to secure
the best results, and in two or three cases, especially at Gardner and
Natick, better methods of applying the sewage to the filters would
improve the effectiveness of the works.
The folloAving is a list of the principal sewage disposal works in
operation in the State: —
Amherst.
Andover.
Attleboro.
Billerica.
Brockton.
Clinton.
Concord.
Easthampton.
Fitchburg.
Framingham.
Franklin.
Gardner.
Hopedale.
Hudson.
Leicester.
Lenox.
Longmeadow.
Marion.
Marlborough.
Maynard.
Medfield.
Milford.
Natick.
North Attleborough.
Northbridge.
North Brookfield.
Norwood.
Pittsfield.
Southbridge.
Spencer.
Stockbridge.
Westborough.
Worcester.
54 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Insanitary Conditions due to lack of Sewerage.
About one-half of the cities and towns in the State *which have
public water supplies are provided with systems of sewerage. While
the introduction of a public water supply always increases materially
the quantity of sewage requiring disposal in a city or town, it by no
means follows that the introduction of a sewerage system becomes
essential at once upon the introduction of a public water supply.
The need of sewerage in a populous area varies with the geological
conditions, and a number of towns of considerable size having public
water supplies have been able to maintain satisfactory sanitary con-
ditions without sewerage where the porosity of the soil and depth to
ground water are adequate for the proper disposal of the sewage in
vaults and cesspools. There are many towns, however, in which it is
nearly impracticable to maintain proper sanitary conditions in the
thickly settled portions at the present time owing to lack of sewer-
age, chief among these being the towns of Braintree, Bridgewater.
Danvers, Mansfield, Marblehead, Reading, Rockland, Saugus, Stough-
ton, Weymouth and Whitman. At best it is usually necessary to
clean out vaults and empty cesspools at more or less frequent intervals,
a process in itself inevitably involving a very considerable nuisance.
Moreover, in the disposal of such waste great care is necessary to
prevent danger of the pollution of sources of water supply.
It often happens, however, that, owing to an impervious soil or the
saturation of the ground by the increasing quantity of sewage dis-
charged into cesspools in a growing community, the maintenance of
proper sanitary conditions in the thickly built-up section of a town
becomes practically impossible. In the spring and at times of heavy
rain at other seasons of the year, sewage overflows from the cesspools
to the nearest drain or water course, with the result that conditions
are created which are likely to be injurious to health. In the towns
mentioned above the conditions are very objectionable in the densely
populated areas, and it is impracticable to attempt to obtain relief
by the enforcement of health regulations unless an adequate means
of sewage disposal is first provided.
In practically all of these towns action has already been taken by
the town toward the introduction of a sewerage system by the prepa-
ration of plans and estimates of the probable cost of the necessary
works, but as yet no further action has been taken toward the intro-
duction of sewerage works. In some of these towns the method of
disposal of the sewage presents a serious problem and requires co-
operation with other municipalities or districts, as in the case of
No. 34.] WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE. 55
Danvers, already mentioned, and also in the case of Reading. In the
latter case, by direction of the Legislature of 1914, plans for the dis-
posal of the sewage were made by this Department and the metro-
politan water and sewerage board, acting jointly, and were presented
in a report to the Legislature of 1915 (House Document No. 6). As
a result of this investigation, it was found that it would be very dif-
ficult and expensive for the town to dispose of its sewage within its
own limits and that the best method of disposal was the discharge of
the sewage into the north metropolitan sewerage system through an
extension of the Stoneham branch of that system.
Pollution of Rivers.
The pollution of rivers in 1915 has on the whole been somewhat
less noticeable than in other recent years on account of the fact that
the flow of streams in the months of July and August was greater
than has occurred in those months in a period of a quarter of a
century. With a deficient rainfall in the months of September, Oc-
tober and November, the flow of streams fell to less than the average,
and the eflFect of the pollution of streams became in some cases more
marked than in previous years.
In many of the river valleys the factories have recently begun to
operate more fully than has been the case for a number of years, and if
present conditions should continue stream pollution is likely to be
more serious in the coming year than has hitherto been the case,
unless the rainfall and stream flow are much greater than usual.
The most seriously polluted rivers in Massachusetts at the present
time are the Blackstone, the Neponset, and the north branch of the
Nashua below Fitchburg and Leominster, and the condition of these
streams in the latter part of the summer and through the autumn was
very objectionable. The Hoosick, the Assabet, the French and the
Taunton rivers are also in places very badly polluted.
Assabet River.
The condition of the Assabet River shows no material change from
former years. In the upper portion of its course below Westborough
and Hudson this river was formerly very seriously polluted, but in
later years the condition of its upper waters has not been objection-
able. The examinations of the past year show a slight increase in
pollution above Maynard. At Maynard the river receives a very
large quantity of manufacturing wastes, including a considerable
quantity of sewage from the town, and, while partial works have al-
56 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
ready been installed for the treatment of the manufacturing wastes at
Maynard, the pollution of the river shows no material change in the
past three years. The river is a very badly polluted one, and more
efficient treatment of the manufacturing wastes and sewage at May-
nard is necessary before the river can be maintained in a satisfactory
condition. Plans for a sewerage system are under consideration by
the town of Maynard, and experiments are now being made upon the
treatment of the manufacturing wastes discharged from the mills,
the efficient purification of which involves many difficulties and a
considerable expense.
Blackstone River.
The pollution of the Blackstone River was carefully investigated
in 1913 by direction of the Legislature, and a description of the sources
of pollution of that stream was presented in the report of the State
Board of Health for 1913 (House Document, No. 2163, session of
1914).
During the past year a new sewer has been completed by the city
of Worcester which carries a much larger quantity of sewage to the
disposal works, thus relieving appreciably the pollution of the stream
above the disposal works as compared with the previous year. Farther
downstream at Millbury, Uxbridge and Blackstone the river shows
evidence of more serious pollution than in any former year since
examinations of the river were begun by this Department nearly
thirty years ago.
Charles River.
The Charles River, which has hitherto received comparatively little
contamination, has shown evidence of a greater degree of pollution in
the past year than has ever thus far been recorded. These conditions
are doubtless due, in part, to the overflow of sewage from inadequate
sewage-disposal works at the Medfield State Hospital, plans for the
enlargement of which are now under consideration. This river is used
to a very great extent as a source of public water supply, the water
being drawn from wells and filter galleries adjacent to the river,
especially at Dedham, Brookline, Newton and Waltham.
In view of the conditions, it is of the utmost importance that the
river be kept free from sewage pollution.
The recent installation of a sewerage system and purification works
at Franklin, which were designed of sufficient size to receive also
such manufacturing wastes as might reasonably be admitted thereto,
should assist materially in maintaining the purity of the Charles
River, provided the manufacturing wastes discharged from the fac-
No. 34.] WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE. 57
tories in that town are also properly cared for. Further improvement
will no doubt be made in the condition of the river when the sewerage
system for the town of Wellesley, now under construction, has been
completed.
Chicopee River.
The Chicopee River in the lower part of its course has been less
polluted recently than in former years. Farther upstream, below
Spencer and below Palmer, there have " been somewhat greater evi-
dences of pollution during the past year than has formerly been the
case. Among the tributaries of the stream, Chicopee Brook, flowing
through Monson, has shown a greater degree of pollution in the past
year than ever before, and the same is true of the Ware River for a
considerable distance above its junction with the Chicopee River. The
pollution of Chicopee Brook is caused by sewage and manufacturing
waste from the town of Monson, and the conditions have now become
such that sewage-disposal works are necessary to prevent the gross
pollution of this stream. A sewage-disposal system has also become
necessary in the town of Ware to prevent the offensive pollution of
that stream in the lower portion of its course.
The condition of the other tributaries of the Chicopee River has
remained about the same as in former years.
Concord River.
The Concord River is formed by the junction of the Assabet and
Sudbury rivers at Concord. The Assabet River, as already indicated,
is very seriously polluted, chiefly by manufacturing wastes and sewage
in the town of Maynard, and the pollution is noticeable down to the
point where this stream joins the Sudbury River. On the Sudbury
River the chief pollution is that which is caused by the discharge
of manufacturing wastes from the woolen mills at Saxonville. There
has been little change in the conditions affecting the pollution of the
Sudbury River as compared with former years, though somewhat
more organic matter has been present in its waters than was formerly
the case.
The Concord River receives very little pollution throughout the
greater portion of its course. At North Billerica, about 4 miles above
its mouth, the river receives a small amount of pollution from the
mills at that place, though its condition is not objectionable until it
enters the city of Lowell. Within the limits of Lowell the Concord
River is badly polluted by sewage and manufacturing wastes down to
the point where it joins the Merrimack River.
58 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Connecticut River.
The condition of the Connecticut River has been rather better
throughout its course in Massachusetts than has been the case for
several years, this condition being due no doubt to the fact that the
flow of the stream in the warmer portion of the year was much greater
in 1915 than for many years. The river in general is not seriously
polluted, but objectionable conditions are found in the vicinity of
certain sewer outlets in the various cities and towns along its bank,
chiefly in Holyoke and Springfield. In many cases nuisances about
sewer outlets along the river have been relieved by extending the
sewers to a point of discharge in the bed of the stream at a sufficient
distance from the river bank to prevent the sewage from returning
thereto until it has mingled thoroughly with the river water.
Of the smaller tributaries of the Connecticut River, the Mill River
at Northampton shows considerable improvement above the main
sewer outlet as compared with last year. The better condition of the
stream this year is probably due largely, however, to the excessive
flow of water during the summer season as compared with ordinary
conditions.
The Manhan River also shows improvement as compared with
former years, a condition doubtless due to the same cause.
The main sewer of the town of Amherst, designed to convey the
sewage of the greater portion of that town to the Connecticut River,
has been under construction during the past year and is now nearly
completed. With the completion of this sewer it will be practicable
to relieve greatly the serious pollution of the Fort River, one of the
smaller tributaries of the Connecticut.
French River.
The French River has become one of the most seriously polluted
rivers in the State. The pollution of its upper waters is caused chiefly
by manufacturing waste, and the amount of such pollution is great
enough to produce objectionable conditions in the river at several
points along its course above the town of Webster. At Webster the
river receives the manufacturing wastes from a large woolen mill and
from cotton mills and print works in addition to the sewage of the
town, and the condition of the stream below Webster during much of
the past summer has been very objectionable. The outlets from which
sewage and manufacturing wastes are discharged into the river at
Webster are located within about 1.5 miles of the boundary line of
the State of Connecticut, and the effect of the gross pollution of the
No. 34.] WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE. 59
stream at Webster is very marked at the point where the river passes
out of Massachusetts. The circumstances require that the sewage and
also the more objectionable of the manufacturing wastes discharged
into the river shall be purified if the stream is to be maintained in
proper sanitary condition.
Hoosick River.
The condition of the Hoosick River below North Adams has been
better during the past year than in any recent summer season, an
improvement which is due no doubt to the great dilution caused by
the heavy rainfall of July and August. The north branch has shown
somewhat greater evidences of pollution than in previous years, though
its condition is not objectionable. The waters of the south branch
below Adams have been less polluted than usual, a condition which
is due undoubtedly to greater dilution.
Housatonic River.
An examination of the Housatonic River shows improvement in
the condition of the river in 1915 as compared with previous years.
More care has been taken recently to prevent the entrance of sewage
into the stream at Pittsfield, and during the past year practically all
of the sewage has been pumped to the disposal works. These works
have been enlarged about 50 per cent, during the past year, an im-
provement which will aid materially in preventing the discharge of
unpurified or partially purified sewage into the river, but with this
enlargement the works are no more than sufficient to care for the
present quantity of sewage. The condition of the river at points
below Pittsfield has shown improvement as compared with former
years, a condition which is doubtless due, in part at least, to the
great dilution caused by the heavy rainfall during the summer.
Merrimack River.
The condition of the Merrimack River from the point where it
enters the State down to the city of Lowell has been about the same
as in former years. Between Lowell and Lawrence its condition has
been somewhat better than in former years, an improvement doubt-
less due to greater dilution. It is probable that more wool-scouring
waste was discharged into the river at Lawrence than for several
years, and below Lawrence the river has contained more organic
matter than ever before, but farther down, near the mouth of the
river, its condition has been about the same as in previous years.
60 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doer.
The following recommendation contained in the report of this Depart-
ment in 1913 has not yet been carried out: —
. . . It appears to the Board advisable that a limit be placed upon the
time in which these objectionable wastes shall be allowed to discharge into the
stream, and that a limit of time should also be specified within which the
work of improving satisfactorily the condition of the sewer outlets in the cities
and towns along the river shall be completed.
Nashua River.
The main intercepting sewer designed to intercept the dry-weather
flow from the sewers of the city of Fitchburg, which formerly dis-
charged into the stream at numerous points along its course through
the city, has now been completed nearly to its extreme westerly
limits, and during 1915 most of the dry-weather flow of sewage has
been conveyed to the disposal works, situated near the extreme
southeasterly boundary of the city. The sewage has been treated
in the settling tanks and trickling filters at the disposal works during
much of the year, though the operation of the works was discon-
tinued for a time in order to make necessary repairs. The condition
of the north branch of the Nashua River below the city, but above
the disposal works, has been less objectionable than in former years.
Below the disposal works the river has shown improvement, though
its condition when the disposal works were not in operation was worse
than in any former year. A similar condition was found to exist
throughout the greater portion of the length of the river to the point
where it joins the south branch at Lancaster.
The town of Leominster began during the past year the necessary
preliminary investigations for the construction of a system of sewage
disposal, and plans for disposal works are in preparation.
Neponset River.
The Neponset River has shown no material change during the past
year as compared with the previous year, though its condition in the
past three years has been somewhat better than formerly. A general
description of the conditions along this stream an,d references to the
works constructed for the prevention of its pollution will be contained
in a report relative to the improvement of the Neponset River to be
presented to the Legislature by this Department.
No. 34.1 WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE. 61
Taunton River.
The Salisbury Plain River, a tributary of the Taunton River, con-
tinues to show improvement below the city of Brockton as compared
with previous years. The Town River, another tributary of the
Taunton, has shown, on the other hand, a marked increase in pol-
lution below Bridgewater, and the condition of this stream is rapidly
becoming objectionable, a condition which is due, in part, to the
effluent discharged from the Brockton filter beds, to which reference
has already been made. The Coweeset River, one of the tributaries
of the Town River which receives effluent from the Brockton filter
beds, has been very seriously polluted during the past year. The
Nemasket River, another tributary of the Taunton, is polluted badly
by the sewage of Middleborough, and the Three Mile River, a tribu-
tary of the Taunton which enters the main river below the city of
Taunton, is badly polluted, chiefly by wool scouring and other manu-
facturing wastes in the town of Norton and the city of Taunton. The
Taunton River itself below the point where it receives the sewage of
the city of Taunton has shown a decided increase in pollution during
the past summer as compared with any previous year. The limit of
time within which the city of Taunton was to have constructed works
for the purification of its sewage has expired, but the works have not
yet been constructed.
Other Rivers.
Of the remaining principal river basins in the State, the most im-
portant are the Millers, the Deerfield and the Westfield. The Millers
River is polluted by sewage at Winchendon, Athol, Orange and Millers
Falls, and this pollution has been greater, judging by the chemical
analyses of the water, than in any previous year. The sewage ef-
fluent from Gardner, which has not been well purified, has also had an
unfavorable effect upon the stream during the past year. In general,
the appearance of the river and its tributaries is not objectionable,
except in the immediate neighborhood of sewer outlets.
The Deerfield River is practically an unpolluted stream throughout
the greater part of its course. Just above its mouth, however, it is
polluted considerably by the sewage of the town of Greenfield which is
discharged into the stream after passing through settling tanks. While
the conditions below this sewer outlet have not been seriously objec-
tionable during the past year, there is no doubt that, in order to
maintain the river in proper sanitary condition, further treatment of
the sewage of Greenfield will be required at no distant time.
The Westfield River, like the Deerfield, receives comparatively little
62 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
pollution throughout the greater part of its course. Its chief pollution
is that caused by the sewage of the town of Westfield which is dis-
charged into the stream without treatment at points below the town.
The conditions produced by the disposal of sewage at this point have
not been objectionable during the past year.
The Quinebaug River above Southbridge receives very little pollu-
tion. At Southbridge considerable quantities of manufacturing wastes
are discharged into the river, and the stream is also polluted con-
siderably by sewage and a poorly purified effluent from the sewage-
disposal works of the town. With proper care, the disposal works are
capable of treating all of the sewage effectively and preventing the
further serious pollution of the river. Its condition has not, however,
been seriously objectionable during the past year.
North River in Salem and Peabody.
The condition of the North River in Salem and Peabody has shown
no very material improvement during the past year. The sewerage
system of Salem and Peabody has not yet been completed by the con-
struction of a pump well of suitable design to avoid the necessity of
backing up the sewage in the main sewer in order to operate the
pumps. Considerable work has been done by manufacturers in the
town of Peabody in the installation of tanks for the removal of solid
matter from their wastes, which aids in the creation of deposits in the
main trunk sewer. It is unlikely, however, that a very material im-
provement in the condition of the North River can be effected until a
suitable pump well has been provided and the backing up of the
sewage in the trunk sewer prevented. More care must also be taken
in maintaining the settling tanks at the various factories.
Improvement of the Neponset River.
The work of improving the channel of the Neponset River, under
chapter 655 of the x\cts of 1911 and acts in addition thereto, was com-
pleted early in the year, so far as provided for in those acts. The re-
sults of investigations upon the further improvement of this river,
together with a description of the work already done, will be presented
in a separate report.
Drainage of Wet Lands.
The unexpended balance of $24,547.55 of the appropriations aggre-
gating $25,000, which the departments of agriculture and health were
directed to expend in the drainage of wet lands, under the provisions
No. 34.] WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE. 63
of chapter 759 of the Acts of 1913 and chapter 596 of the Acts of 1914,
was early in January, 1915, transferred to the State Forester, to be
used for the employment of the unemployed.
The subject of the improvement of wet lands is a very important
one and will doubtless be taken up again at no distant time. In the
meantime it is advisable that definite information be collected relative
to the extent and character of the larger areas of swamp lands in the
State, and that such preliminary studies be made of the areas most
suitable and available for drainage as will show with reasonable ac-
curacy the probable cost of the drainage of such areas and their prob-
able value after improvement. A great amount of such work is now
being carried on in several States, especially in the west and south,
where agricultural lands are at least no more valuable after improve-
ment than many of the accessible areas of swamp and marsh lands in
Massachusetts. Such, an investigation would involve no great expense
and its results would be of great value in ascertaining the advantages
and probable cost of improving such areas.
In conclusion, attention is called to the need of additional funds for
carrying out the laws relative to the protection of inland waters if
the increase in the pollution of streams lately noticeable is to be
checked and their excessive pollution prevented. For the effective
protection of the waters of the State, purification works must be
established in increasing numbers, and if the State is to continue to
give such aid as it can with expert advice to cities, towns and man-
ufacturers in the construction, maintenance and effective operation of
works for the protection of water and the disposal of sewage and other
objectionable wastes, it will be essential that additional funds be
provided for the work. The requisitions upon the Department for
advice and assistance in matters relating to water, sewerage and the
disposal of wastes have increased rapidly in the last few years, and,
with the renewed industrial activity recently noticeable, these demands
cannot longer be met effectively within the limits of the amount now
provided for this work.
64 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Adyice to Cities, Towns and Persons.
Under the provisions of the Revised Laws (chapter 75, section 117)^
the State Board of Health is required to
consult with and advise the authorities of cities and towns and persons having,,
or about to have, systems of water supply, drainage or sewerage, as to the most
appropriate source of water supply, and the best method of assuring its purity
or as to the best method of disposing of their drainage or sewage with reference
to the existing and future needs of other cities, towns or persons which may be
affected thereby. It shall also consult with and advise persons engaged or
intending to engage in any manufacturing or other business whose drainage or
sewage may tend to pollute any inland water as to the best method of preventing
such pollution, and it may conduct experiments to determine the best methods
of the pmification or disposal of drainage or sewage. No person shall be required
to bear the expense of such consultation, advice or experiments. Cities, towns,
and persons shall submit to said board for its advice their proposed system of
water supply or of the disposal of drainage or sewage, and all petitions to the
general court for authority to introduce a system of water supply, drainage or
sewerage shall be accompanied by a copy of the recommendation and advice of
said board thereon.
During the year 1915 advice has been given to the following cities,,
towns and persons who have applied for such advice under the pro-
visions of this act or under special acts relating to water supply and
sewerage.
Official communications were made during the year under the pro-
visions of acts relating to water supply and to sources of ice supply,
as follows: —
Water Supply.
Arlington.
ArUngton (well).
Attleboro (well of J. E. Blake
Company).
Attleboro (well in Hebron ville).
Belchertown.
Bernardston.
Billerica (wells of Boston & Maine
Raihoad car shops).
Bridgewater (well).
Canton (Massachusetts Hospital
School).
Canton (American Fireworks Com-
pany).
Chelmsford (wells) (two).
Chelsea (well of Rossi Bros. Com-
pany).
Chicopee (Willimansett).
Dalton.
Dana (springs at Dana Center School) »
No. 34.
ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS.
65
Deerfield (Boston & Maine Railroad,
East Deerfield) (two).
Dracut (well at Kenwood School).
Duxbury.
Eastham (well).
East Longmeadow (well).
Easton (North Easton Village Dis-
trict) .
Easton (South Easton and Eastondale
Fire and Water District).
Easton (Union ville) .
Enfield (spring).
Essex (Town Farm).
Fairhaven (well at Fort Phoenix).
Fall River (four).
Falmouth.
Fitchburg (two).
Framingham.
Framingham (well in Saxonville).
Franklin (wells).
Gardner (well).
Georgeto"v\Ti.
Georgeto\^•n (wells) (two).
Greenfield.
Hanover.
Hanover (wells) (two).
Harwich (wells in Harwich Center).
Holj^oke (Valley Paper Company).
Hubbardston (well).
Ips'v\'ich.
Ipswich (well at Rose Tree Inn) (two).
Lawrence (well at Everett Mills).
LawTence (well at Wood Worsted
Mills).
Lawrence (well at Washington Mills).
Lenox.
Lenox (spring in Lenox Dale) .
Lowell (two).
Lowell (United States Cartridge Com-
pany) (two).
Lowell (spring).
Lunenburg.
LjTin (H. P. Hood & Sons).
Mansfield.
Marblehead.
Marion.
Marshfield (Webster Terrace Land
Company) .
Medfield (well).
Medford (Fulton Spring).
Milton (well).
Monson (State Hospital) (two).
Montague (Turners Falls) (two).
New Bedford.
North Adams (two).
North Attleborough (Webster Com-
pany) (two).
Northbridge (Rockdale).
Northfield (Northfield Schools).
Norwell (well at school).
Orange (well at school).
Oxford (ToA\Ti Farm).
Palmer (wells and springs).
Peabody (four).
Peabody (Crj'stal Spring).
Provinceto\vTi (wells).
Reading (well).
Rowley (wells) (four).
Salem (two).
Salem (springs).
Salisbury,
Sandwich (water supply of Massachu-
setts Volunteer INIiUtia).
Somerset (well).
Southborough (well).
Southborough (well at Winchester
Place) (two).
Southbridge (well).
South Hadley (South Hadley FaUs).
South Hadley (Hadley Mills).
Sterling (spring).
Stoughton (well).
Sutton (wells).
Swansea (Swansea Dye Works).
Templeton (well in Baldwinsville).
Tewksbury (wells at schools).
TowTisend (To-^nsend Center).
TjTigsborough (spring).
Warren.
Watertown (well).
Way land.
Webster (well).
66
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Wellesley.
Weston (Riverside Recreation
Wellesley (spring in Metropolitan
Grounds).
Park Reservation).
Weston (well at boys' camp).
Westfield.
Westport (wells) (two).
West Newbury (well).
Wilmington (well at High School).
Weston (Hubbard estate).
Winchendon (wells).
Weston (Blake estate).
Ice Supply.
Colrain.
Palmer.
Duxbury.
PeppereU.
Falmouth.
Pittsfield (Berkshire Street Railway
Franklin.
Company).
Greenfield.
Salisbury.
Harvard.
Southbridge.
Mansfield.
Springfield.
Newton.
Official communications were made during the year under general
and special acts relating to sewerage and sewage disposal, as fol-
lows : —
Amherst.
Andover (three).
Beverly.
Bridge water.
Brockton (Brockton Gas Light Com-
pany).
Canton (Springdale Finishing Com-
pany).
Danvers.
Danvers (Danvers Leather Company)
(two) .
Deerfield (South Deerfield).
Dracut (American Woolen Company).
Edgartown (North School).
Fall River.
Foxborough.
Framingham (two).
Gardner (proposed isolation hospital)
(two).
Gardner (Gardner State Colony).
Haverhill (five).
Hopedale (Draper Company).
Huntington.
Lakeville (Lakeville State Sanato-
rium).
Leicester.
Marion.
Marlborough.
Maynard.
Methuen (Barker School).
Nahant.
Northfield (Northfield Hotel Com-
pany).
Norwood (Winslow Bros. & Smith
Company) (two).
Peabody (T. H. O'Shea Leather Com-
pany).
Peabody (J. F. Ingraham Company).
Peabody (Thayer-Foss Company).
Pittsfield.
Sahsbury (Salisbury Beach).
Stoneham.
Wakefield.
Wellesley.
Westborough.
Westfield.
West Springfield.
Wrentham (State School).
No. 34.]
ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS.
67
Miscellaneous.
Attleboro (Y. IM. C. A.) (two).
BelchertowTi (proposed school for
feeble-minded) .
Beverly.
Braintree.
Conway (proposed school for feeble-
mmded).
Danvers (two).
Fairhaven.
Gardner (contagious disease hospital).
Lyzm.
New Bedford.
Norwood (Norwood Civic Associa-
tion).
Peabodv.
Pittsfield (Coolidge Memorial Hos-
pital).
Phnnouth.
Quincj'.
Sherborn (Jacob Lander).
Southborough.
Southwick (proposed school for feeble-
minded).
Watertown.
Winchester.
Wintlirop.
Wobmn.
Woburn (F. C. Parker & Son Com-
pany).
Woburn (Woburn Gas Light Com-
pany).
WATER SUPPLY.
The following is the substance of the official action taken during
the year in reply to applications for advice relative to water supply: —
Arlington.
May 15, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Arlington, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request of May 1, 1915, for an
examination of the w^ater of the Arlington Reservoir and advice as to
its condition, the Commissioner of Health has caused the reservoir
and its surroundings to be examined by the engineer of the Depart-
ment and samples of the water to be analyzed.
The results of the analyses show that there has been a marked
increase in the quantity of chlorine and nitrates as compared with
its condition ten years ago and that the hardness has materially
increased. The quantity of organic matter present in the water is
about the same as was the case ten years ago, while the color at the
present time is considerably less.
The microscopical examination shows a considerable increase in the
number of vegetable organisms present in this water as compared
with its condition ten years ago.
There has been a marked increase in the population on this water-
shed in recent years and there are also extensive areas of cultivated
land within this watershed. While there is no evidence that the water
68 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
receives direct pollution, it evidently receives much filtered sewage,
and much larger quantities of nitrates doubtless enter the reservoir
than was the case in earlier years. These conditions are favorable to
the presence and growth of microscopic organisms. The bottom of
the reservoir was never prepared for the storage of water and this
condition, together with the quantities of nitrates that evidently find
their way into the reservoir, is very favorable for maintaining growths
of microscopic organisms, of which the water contains large numbers
at the present time. These organisms are found in practically all
ponds and reservoirs, the numbers varying with the food supply pres-
ent in the bottom of the reservoir or in the water which enters it
from the watershed. Reservoirs which have been thoroughly pre-
pared for the storage of water by the removal of all soil and organic
matter from the area flowed and which receive their waters from un-
inhabited or sparsely settled watersheds affected but little by pollu-
tion from dwelling houses and cultivated lands contain few organisms,
the number rarely being sufficient to affect the appearance, taste or
odor of the water even upon close inspection. On the other hand, in
reservoirs, such as that at Arlington, containing considerable food sup-
ply in the reservoir itself and a very large supply in the waters which
feed it, organisms are usually present in large numbers, even in such
abundance as to give the water an objectionable appearance and an
offensive taste and odor. These conditions are not known to be in-
jurious to health, even if the water is used for drinking, and it is not
probable that the water of the Arlington Reservoir will cause objec-
tionable conditions in the neighborhood or injury to the health of
those who may resort to the reservoir for bathing or who may use
the waters drawn therefrom for that purpose.
Attempts made to restrict the growths of organisms in this reser-
voir by the use of chemicals, such as copper sulphate, were made
several years ago, but the character of the organisms growing in this
water is such that this treatment was found to have comparatively
little effect in reducing organic growths.
The water could of course be made more satisfactory by filtration,
though the expense would be likely to be considerable. There appears
to be no reason, however, for fearing any danger to health from the
conditions about this reservoir or the use of its water for bathing at
the present time.
No. 34.] AD^^CE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 69
Belchertown.
June 4, 1915.
To the Committee on Water Supply, Belchertown, Mass., Mr. F. M. Fuller, Chairman.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on May 14, 1915, an application for its approval, under the provisions
of chapter 287 of the Special Acts of the year 1915, section 2, of the
taking of water for the supply of Belchertown from Chambray Brook,
supplemented with water from the system of tubular wells near Jabish
Brook east of the village, the use of which was approved by this de-
partment as a source of water supply for Belchertown in a communi-
cation to the Belchertown Water Company under date of Oct. 22,
1913.
In response to this application, the Commissioner of Health has
caused the sources of supply to be examined and samples of the
water to be analyzed. It appears from the information presented
that Chambray Brook, above the point at which the water would be
taken for the supply of the village of Belchertown, has a drainage
area by actual survey of 0.G3 of a square mile and that the small in-
take reservoir which it is proposed to construct on this brook in the
beginning will be located at an elevation of about 200 feet above the
summit of the hill on which the main village of Belchertown is located.
The investigations also show that it is practicable to build a storage
reservoir having a capacity of 6 million gallons on this brook by the
construction of a dam about 36 feet in height and that the amount
of storage can be made greater in case of need by the construction of
a higher dam. It is also practicable, instead of constructing a storage
reservoir, to take water from the system of tubular wells already ap-
proved by this department as a source of water supply for Belcher-
town.
The results of an analysis of the water of Chambray Brook show
that, while it has at times considerable color, it is very soft and in
other respects of good quality for the purposes of a public water sup-
ply and, since the watershed contains only a very few buildings, it
will be practicable to protect the purity of the supply without serious
difficulty or expense.
The quantity of water which Chambray Brook will yield under
present conditions would not be sufficient in a very dry year to supply
all of the water that is likely to be required for Belchertown, but with
a small intake reservoir having a capacity of about one million gallons
as proposed, however, enough water is likely to be obtained in the
beginning and until the water supply comes into general use. It will
70 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
be practicable without serious difficulty to supplement the supply
readily from the system of tubular wells near Jabish Brook, and with
this arrangement, using the wells whenever the flow of Chambray
Brook is insufficient, there is no doubt that an adequate supply of
good water for all the requirements of Belchertown can be provided
at all times.
Having considered the circumstances, the State Department of
Health hereby approves the taking of water from Chambray Brook,
supplemented when necessary with water from the tubular wells near
Jabish Brook, for the supply of the town of Belchertown under the
provisions of chapter 287 of the Special Acts of the year 1915, and
also approves the location of the intake dam and reservoir at Cham-
bray Brook, as indicated on the plan presented, and the location of
the wells approved by the department under date of Oct. 22, 1913.
It is important, in order to secure an adequate quantity of water
for the town at all times, that the works shall be constructed in
strict accordance with the plans of your engineer, and it is also im-
portant that a weir be placed at some suitable point in Chambray
Brook above the proposed intake reservoir and the flow of the stream
accurately measured to determine its yield and the quantity of stor-
age that will be necessary or desirable to provide for the best prac-
ticable development of this stream. The present season has thus far
proved an extremely favorable one for such an investigation, and it is
recommended that the weir or measuring station be placed in opera-
tion at the earliest possible time and daily observations made thereon
at least during the remainder of the present year.
Bernakdston.
Aug. 14, 1915.
To the Water Supply Committee, Bernardston, Mass., Mr. Hugh E. Adams, Chairman.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on June 14 an application for advice as to a proposed water supply
for Bernardston accompanied by plans of suggested works and a report
by your engineer relative thereto.
It appears from the information submitted that two schemes of
water supply for the town have been considered, by one of which the
water will be supplied by gravity from a reservoir to be constructed
on Mill Brook about 1| miles west of the village, while by the other
scheme the water will be taken from the ground at a point in the
valley of Mill Brook about an equal distance southwest of the village.
The first cost of the works would be about the same if either plan
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 71
were adopted, but the cost of maintenance would be much greater in
the case of the ground water source, the water of which would have
to be supplied by pumping.
The Commissioner of Health has caused the locality to be examined
by the engineer of the Department, has considered the plans and
information presented and has caused a sample of water from the
proposed location of the reservoir on Mill Brook to be analyzed.
The results of the examination show that the water of Mill Brook
is clear, colorless and odorless and naturally of very good quality for
domestic use. There is some doubt as to the exact area of the water-
shed above the point at which it is proposed to construct the reser-
voir, but it is probable that the watershed is ample, with a reservoir
having a capacity of about 2,500,000 gallons as proposed, to supply
an adequate quantity of water for all the requirements of the village
of Bernardston at the present time. The watershed is for the most
part mountainous and contains very few dwelling houses, but these
places are so situated that it is advisable that they be acquired by
the town in case the water supply is taken from this stream in order
to protect the supply from danger of contamination; and the cost of
acquiring the dwelling houses within the watershed should be included
in determining the probable cost of the works for taking water from
this source.
An examination of the proposed location for a ground water supply
does not disclose any very definite indications as to the practicability
of obtaining an adequate supply of good water for the village in this
locality. A test of the ground water by means of wells will be neces-
sary before definite conclusions can be reached as to the practicability
of obtaining a supply of good water for the village from this locality.
An examination of the valley of Falls River above the village shows
that the indications are fully as favorable for obtaining a supply of water
from the ground at a point on the easterl}^ side of the river a short
distance north of the village and also at a point on the westerly side
of the river about f of a mile north of the village as are found in the
location at present under consideration.
It is probable that if an adequate supply of good water can be
obtained in either of the more favorable localities in the valley of
Falls River above the town, the cost of the works would be consider-
ably less than the cost of works for taking water from Mill Brook,
including the expense of protecting the purity of the latter source;
and considering the circumstances, it is desirable that test wells be
driven in the localities indicated north of the village to determine
whether a sufficient supply of ground water of good quality for the
72 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
requirements of the village can be secured there. If the conditions
are found to be favorable for obtaining an adequate ground water
supply in that region, a careful estimate of the cost of the necessary
works and of the cost of operation and maintenance should be pre-
pared for comparison with the estimated cost of works for taking
water from Mill Brook, including the cost of acquiring the lands
necessary for the protection of the purity of that supply.
If you decide to make investigations for a ground water supply in
the valley of Falls River, the Department will, if so requested, make
the necessary analyses of water from test wells, and when these results
and the estimates of the cost are available will give you further advice
as to the most desirable source of supply for the town to adopt.
BiLLERiCA (Boston and Maine Railroad Car Shops).
Oct. 21, 1915.
To Mr. Edwin Mulready, Commissioner of Labor, State Board of Labor and Indus-
tries, Boston, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request for an examination of
the water used in the car shops of the Boston & Maine Railroad in
North Billerica and advice as to its use for drinking, the State De-
partment of Health has caused the sources of supply used by that
company at that point to be examined and samples of the water to
be analyzed.
The results of the examination show that the water from which the
supply for drinking is obtained is drawn from eight tubular wells
which are located in the factory grounds just northwest of the power
house, whence it is pumped through a separate system of pipes, in
which it is cooled by ice, to the various fountains at which the water
is supplied for drinking.
Analyses of water at various points on the tubular well system show
that it is turbid and colored and that it contains a much greater
quantity of organic matter than is found in good well waters, to-
gether with an excessive quantity of iron. There is no indication that
the water is seriously polluted, and its objectionable condition is un-
doubtedly due almost wholly to the excess of iron which the water
contains which makes it objectionable for drinking and other uses,
chiefly in this case on account of the disagreeable taste and odor.
The wells are located in gravelly soil but there are large deposits
of organic matter in the immediate neighborhood and, considering the
large quantity of water drawn from the wells, it is probable that the
disagreeable character of the water is due to water which has come
No. 34.] AD\1CE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 73
in contact with organic matter in the ground in their neighborhood.
The water could doubtless be purified and rendered satisfactory for
drinking by efficient filtration, but the expense of such an improve-
ment and its maintenance would probably be greater than the cost of
the introduction of a new supply from some suitable location in the
neighborhood.
Oct. 21, 1915.
To the Boston & Maine Railroad, Boston, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to a request from the Commissioner of
Labor, the State Department of Health has examined the wells from
which water is obtained for drinking at your shops in Billerica and
has advised the Commissioner that the water contains a greater quan-
tity of organic matter than is found in good well waters and an ex-
cessive quantity of iron which make it objectionable for drinking and
other uses. A copy of this communication is appended hereto.
A test well driven last year in the valley of a small brook one-third
of a mile or more southwest of the wells from which your present
supply for drinking is drawn was found to contain water of good
quality. It is advisable, in the opinion of the Department, that a
further test be made in this region by putting in additional wells, and
if the results are favorable a pumping test should be made to deter-
mine the probable quantity and quality of the water obtainable from
the ground in that region.
The Department will assist you in such further investigations, if
you so request, by making the necessary analyses of water and will
give you further advice relative to the water obtainable in this region
if the results of the tests are submitted.
Canton (Massachusetts Hospital School).
Jan. 18, 1915.
To the Board of Trustees, Massachusetts Hospital School, Canton, Mass., John E. Fish,
M.D., Superintendent.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for advice as to the use
of water from a deep tubular well near your boiler house, the Com-
missioner of Health has caused the locality to be examined and
samples of the water to be analyzed.
From the information presented, it appears that the well has been
driven through from 35 to 50 feet of sand and gravel, then through
varying strata of clay and sand to rock, which is reached at a depth
of 238 feet. Drilling was then continued into the rock to a total
depth of 400 feet.
74 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Water was pumped continuously from this well from Wednesday,
October 28, to Friday, December 4, and measurements of the quan-
tity indicate that the yield during this period amounted to about 25
gallons per minute, while larger amounts were pumped occasionally
for short periods. The test was made during a very dry period but,
considering the fact that the well was being drawn from for the first
time, it is not probable that it would yield continuously in a very dry
season as great a quantity of water as was pumped during this test.
It is probable, however, that the well can be depended upon to yield
continuously as much as 15 gallons per minute, or 21,000 gallons per
24 hours, and at times it may possibly yield a somewhat larger quan-
tity. The quantity of water at present supplied from the works of
the town of Canton amounts apparently to an average of about 15
gallons per minute, so that the well can probably be relied upon to
yield as much water in a very dry period as is now drawn from the
water supply of the town of Canton. In wet seasons the yield of the
well may be considerably larger than this estimate.
The quality of the water of the well is shown by analyses of two
samples, one of which was collected just before the end of the period
of pumping. They show that the water, while somewhat hard, con-
tains very little organic matter and is in most respects of good quality
for domestic purposes. The quantity of iron, however, is larger than
is usually found in good ground w^aters, though not at the present
time sufficient to make the water objectionable for domestic use.
There appears to be no objection to the use of this water for the
supply of the school at the present time, but there is danger, judging
from experience with similar wells, that the quantity of iron will in-
crease and the water become objectionable for some domestic uses.
It is advisable, under the circumstances, that the water be analyzed
from time to time and, if deterioration should occur due to an increase
in the amount of iron, provision can probably be made to filter the
water when necessary.
The Department will make the necessary analyses of water, if you
so request, as soon as the works for using the water have been
installed.
Chicopee (Willimansett).
Sept. 21, 1915.
To Hon. William J. Dunn, Mayor of Chicopee, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to a communication to this Department
from a resident in the neighborhood of Massachusetts Avenue in Wil-
limansett requesting advice as to obtaining water for the families resid-
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 75
ing in that vicinity, the State Department of Health has caused the
locality to be examined and a sample of the water from Willimansett
Brook, which is said to be used as a source of water supply for several
of the families in this region, to be analyzed.
The results of an analysis of the water from Willimansett Brook
show that it is badly polluted, and an examination of the surround-
ings shows that the stream is exposed to pollution. The use of water
from this source for domestic purposes is likely to be injurious to the
public health, and it is recommended that the inhabitants in the
region be warned of the danger of such use.
It is understood that petitions have been presented by inhabitants
in this region to the authorities of Chicopee for an extension of the
public water supply service of the city to Massachusetts Avenue but
that no action has been taken on these petitions. It appears, how-
ever, that one of the water pipes of the city of Chicopee passes the
westerly end of Massachusetts Avenue, and it is recommended that,
pending the laying of a water pipe in this locality, a tap from the city
main be provided at some convenient point near the westerly end of
Massachusetts Avenue, from which the inhabitants in that region
can obtain water for drinking. It is further recommended that, for
the protection of the public health, a water main be extended in
Massachusetts Avenue at the earliest practicable time.
Dalton.
JuxE 9, 1915.
To the Board of Water Commissioners of the Dalton Fire District, Dalton, Mass., Mr.
F. G. Craxe, Chairman.
Gentlemen: — The Commissioner of Health received from you on
May 13, 1915, an application for approval by this Department of the
use of the northerly arm of the Windsor Reservoir as a basin for the
storage of water for the public water supply of the town of Dalton,
accompanied bj' a plan of the proposed reservoir and information con-
cerning the area of its watershed.
According to the plan presented, the dam will have a length of
about 510 feet and a maximum height of about 28 feet. The top of
the dam will be at elevation 1,450, or 2.77 feet above the elevation
of the spillway of the main dam of the Windsor Reservoir. The new
reservoir will have a maximum depth of water of about 24 feet, an
average depth of about 12 feet, and will have a tributary watershed
apparently of about 1.6 square miles.
The Department has caused the locality to be examined by its
76 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
engineer and samples of water from the Windsor Reservoir and from
May Brook, which will be the chief feeder of the proposed new reser-
voir, to be analyzed. The results show that the water of May Brook
is very soft, has little color, and is in other respects of good quality
for domestic use.
Regarding the quantity of water which the proposed source will
yield, the information at present available indicates that, if the intake
at the proposed new reservoir is placed at a level 12 feet below high
water, it will probably be capable of yielding about 400,000 gallons
per day. If the intake is placed at a level 16 feet below high water,
the quantity made available will be increased by about 35,000 gallons
per day.
The plan of enlarging the water supply of Dalton by the construc-
tion of this reservoir appears to be a practicable and satisfactory one,
and by the carrying out of the plan a large additional supply of good
water will be secured. Since the surface of the new reservoir will be
raised nearly 3 feet higher than that of the present Windsor Reser-
voir, it is important that all soil and organic matter be removed from
the new area to be flowed, and it is also advisable that when the
Windsor Reservoir is drawn down to provide for the construction of
the new dam any objectionable organic matter that may be found on
the bottom above the proposed dam shall be removed or covered in
such a way that the quality of the water is unlikely to be affected
thereby. There are two dwelling houses within the watershed of the
reservoir, both of which are situated not far from the shores of the
proposed new basin. The house on the northerly side of the road
crossing May Brook just above its entrance into Windsor Reservoir
should be controlled by the district in order that pollution of the water
by drainage therefrom may be prevented. There does not appear to
be danger of serious pollution of the water of the reservoir by drain-
age from the house on the southerly side of the road at the present
time, and it is probable that, with careful supervision, danger of pol-
lution from this house can be prevented. Rules and regulations for
the sanitary protection of this water supply will be established by the
Department, however, upon request of your board if found desirable.
The Department of Health hereby approves the taking of an addi-
tional supply of water for the Dalton Fire District from May Brook
and a section of the Windsor Reservoir as shown upon a plan filed
in this office May 6, 1915.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 77
Deerfield (East) (Boston & Maine Railroad).
March, 26, 1915.
To Mr. J. H. Fltnn, Division Superintendent, Boston & Maine Railroad, Greenfield,
Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request of Feb. 25, 1915, for an
examination of certain water supplies at East Deerfield used for the
supply of railroad employees in that locality, the Commissioner of
Health has caused the sources of supply to be examined and samples
of their waters to be analyzed.
The ice house spring, so called, was found to be polluted some time
ago, and you were advised that the water was exposed to pollution.
Subsequently, the spring was covered and its use prevented for a
time, but recently the cover has been removed and the water is again
being used. An analysis of the water of the spring shows that it is
badly polluted and dangerous for drinking.
The water of the reservoir located a little over half a mile west of
the East Deerfield station is also badly polluted and unsafe for domes-
tic use.
The Atwood spring, so called, was examined some time ago and
found to be unsafe for use. A further examination does not show any
improvement in the conditions affecting this spring.
The Y. M. C. A. house is supplied from a reservoir on a hill about
400 feet from the house and 25 feet above the lower floor. The reser-
voir was practically empty at the time of the examination and the
water being supplied in the house contained a larger number of bac-
teria than are found in good drinking water. The reservoir is exposed
to pollution and is an unsafe source from which to take water for
drinking.
There are a number of other open springs in this region which are
used for drinking and which are unsafe for that purpose on account
of their exposure to pollution. It was also found in the course of the
investigation that water from the Deerfield River is supplied for cer-
tain purposes at the Holbrook House in these yards. This water is
badly polluted and, while it is not intended for drinking, it is probably
used at times for that purpose. Much sickness has occurred recently
among the employees of the Fitchburg Division of the Boston & Maine
Railroad in the neighborhood of East Deerfield and in the region be-
yond the Connecticut River, and investigations of this sickness point
to a source of infection in the neighborhood of the Deerfield yards.
It is of the greatest importance for the protection of the public
78 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
health that a supply of safe drinking water be provided for the em-
ployees of the railroad in this region and that danger of the use of
any of the polluted springs and reservoirs on the railroad property
or elsewhere in this section be prevented as effectively as is prac-
ticable.
Aug. 26, 1915.
To the Boston & Maine Railroad, Boston, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request, an examination has
been made of the water of a tubular well recently put in by you near
the roundhouse in the East Deerfield yards, and a sample of the water
has been analyzed.
The results of the analysis show that this water is badly polluted
and unsafe for drinking and other domestic purposes.
A general examination of the conditions about these yards shows
that, so far as can be judged from surface indications, it will be dif-
ficult, if not impracticable, to secure a supply of good water in this
region by means of wells. It is possible that a supply could be ob-
tained from the higher lands south of the yards by means of a small
reservoir or other collecting works, but whether a satisfactory supply
could be obtained in this way is doubtful. The best practicable plan
of obtaining a supply of good water for the yards appears to be by
connection with the water supply system of one of the adjacent towns,
and it is recommended that this matter be taken up at once and a
supply of good water secured for these yards at the earliest practicable
time.
In the course of the examination of the yards at East Deerfield it
appeared that the sanitary arrangements for the railroad employees
using these yards are inadequate and unsatisfactory, and it is recom-
mended that as soon as a satisfactory wat.er supply has been provided
the question of proper sanitary arrangements be taken up.
DUXBUKY.
July 16, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Duxbury, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on June 30, 1915, the following application for advice as to the quality
of the water of certain wells in Duxbury used as sources of domestic
water supply.
There are two (2) wells here in Duxbury that there is a question as to whether
the water therein is fit for domestic use. If agreeable to you I would like the
water therefrom analyzed so as to determine its purity. . . .
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 79
In response to this request, the Commissioner of Health has caused
the wells indicated to be examined and samples of their waters to be
analyzed. The water of the well at the Peterson place, so called, on
Powder Point Avenue showed at the time of the examination the
presence of considerable numbers of bacteria, though in the condition
in which it was found at this time the water may not be unsafe for
domestic use. There are sources of pollution in its immediate neigh-
borhood, however, and there is great danger that the quality of the
water will deteriorate at any time and become unfit for domestic use.
It is recommended that the further use of the water of this well for
drinking and other domestic purposes be discontinued.
The water of a well on the Sarah E. Roberts estate on Tremont
Street contained at the time of the examination a considerably greater
quantity of organic matter than is found in good well waters and a
considerable number of bacteria. In its present condition the water
may, however, be safe for drinking.
The surroundings of this well are such that it seems probable that,
if it were effectually covered and the water drawn through a pump,
instead of by a bucket and chain as at present, the quality of the
water would improve. It is possible also for waste water to flow back
into this well. With more efficient protection, it is probable that the
water of this well could continue to be used with safety for domestic
purposes.
Eastham (Well).
Sept. 8,. 1915.
To the Board of Health, Eastham, Alass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request, received through Dr.
A. S. MacKnight, State District Health Officer, the State Depart-
ment of Health has caused an examination to be made of the well at
the Mayo house, where a case of typhoid fever occurred recently, and
has caused a sample of the water to be analyzed.
The results of the analysis of a sample of water collected and sent
in by you show that it is low in bacteria and of good quality for
domestic use. There is no indication from this analysis that the
water would be injurious for drinking.
An examination of the premises shows that there are a vault and
cesspool in the immediate neighborhood of the well and, while there
is no present evidence that the water is being contaminated, it is
advisable that danger of pollution by sewage be prevented by remov-
ing the vault and cesspool to a distance of at least 100 feet from the
well.
80 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
With this change it is probable that the water of the well can con-
tinue to be used with safety, provided no sewage or other polluting
matter is deposited upon or into the ground in its immediate neigh-
borhood.
Easton (North Easton Village District).
June 23, 1915.
To Mr. William H. Ames, Chairman, Board of Water Commissioners of the North
Easton Village District.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request of May 18, 1915, for an
examination of the wiater of a well located near your pumping station
at North Easton and advice as to the use of the water for drinking,
the Commissioner of Health has caused the well and its surroundings
to be examined by one of the engineers of the Department and samples
of the water to be analyzed.
The well, which is known as No. 2, is 8 inches in diameter and 67
feet in depth and is said to have been sunk largely in rock.
The results of the analyses show that the water entering this well
has at some time been considerably polluted by sewage but subse-
quently quite well purified in its passage through the ground before
entering the well, and in the condition in which it was found at the
time of the recent examination the water is probably safe for drink-
ing. It is not unlikely that the quality of the water will change if
water is drawn continuously from this well for the supply of the
town, and there is much danger that deterioration in the quality of
the water would occur with continued use.
In view of the circumstances, the source cannot be regarded as a
desirable one from which to take water for the supply of the town.
If it is found necessary to use it, however, provision should be made
for frequent analyses of the water in order that if deterioration occurs
it may quickly be detected and the further use of the water prevented.
Easton (South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water
District).
Aug. 23, 1915.
To the Board of Water Commissioners, South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water
District, Mr. William N. Howard, Chairman.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on Aug. 14, 1915, the following application for the approval by this
Department, under the provisions of chapter 232 of the Special Acts
of the year 1915, of the taking and use of water from Silver Lake for
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 81
the water supply of the South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water
District through a contract with the water commissioners of the city
of Brockton made under the provisions of said act.
In order to comply with the conditions of the special act of 1915, chapter 232
in relation to the South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water District, it
becomes necessary to secure a certificate of approval by the State Department
of Health of the source of supply and location of dams, reservoir, wells, etc., in
compliance ^^^th section two of said act.
The South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water District is under contract
with the city of Brockton, which city is furnishing the district with water from
its regular supply which is Silver Lake, which source of supply has already been
approved and is under constant inspection by the State Department of Health.
The attorneys who are passing upon bonds require, however, that a certificate
of approval from the State Department be furnished as the law states. . . .
The Department has considered the results of examinations of Silver
Lake, the proposed source of supply, by the engineer of the Depart-
ment and finds that the water is of good quality for domestic use and
the supply adequate for the requirements of the South Easton and
Eastondale Fire and Water District in addition to those of the city
of Brockton and the towns now supplied by that city from Silver
Lake.
The State Department of Health hereby approves the use of water
taken from Silver Lake and supplied through the works of the city of
Brockton for the water supply of the South Easton and Eastondale
Fire and Water District under the provisions of chapter 232 of the
Special Acts of the year 1915.
Easton (Unionville).
Nov. S, 1915.
To the Board of Water Commissioners of the North Easton Village District, North
Easton, Mass.
Gentlemen: — At the request of the Unionville Improvement So-
ciety of North Easton for advice as to the condition of the wells in
Unionville, the State Department of Health has caused the wells used
as sources of water supply at ten dwelling houses in various parts of
that village to be examined and samples of their waters to be analyzed.
The results of the analyses show that all of these wells are more
or less polluted, several of them very seriously, so that in their pres-
ent condition they are not safe sources from which to take water for
domestic purposes. The Department is further informed that in
82 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
recent dry seasons many of the wells have furnished an inadequate
quantity of water for domestic requirements and that some of them
have become wholly exhausted, the latter including the well used to
supply the public school in the village.
It appears that there are some ninety families living in the area
lying between the northeasterly boundary line of the North Easton
Village District and the boundary lines of Stoughton and Brockton
■and that this locality can be more readily supplied with water from
the North Easton Village District than in any other way. The cost
of extending works to supply water to Unionville from North Easton
would not be excessive, and the amount added to the valuation of
the district if its area were extended to include this section of the
town would be considerable. The works of the North Easton Village
District can be made adequate without special difficulty or expense
to supply all of the water required, both to North Easton and the
area that would be added if the North Easton system were extended
to Unionville.
In view of all the circumstances, it appears to this Department
that the most practicable way in which Unionville can obtain a water
supply, which is greatly needed for the protection of public health
and comfort in that village, is by connection with the water works
system of the North Easton Village District, and it does not appear
that such an extension would be seriously objectionable to the latter
district, either from a financial standpoint or in any other respect.
The Department will be pleased to confer with you relative to this
matter at the earliest practicable time, since it is very important that
the inhabitants of Unionville shall be enabled to provide themselves
with a suitable system of water supply for domestic use, and if such
a supply can be obtained from the North Easton Village District the
necessary legislation can be obtained at the coming session of the
Legislature.
Enfield (Spring).
Nov. 6, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Enfield, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to a request for an examination of the
water of the spring used to supply the house of Mr. George Horr of
Enfield and advice as to its quality for drinking, and especially as to
its liability to cause lead poisoning, the State Department of Health
has caused the spring and its surroundings to be examined and a
sample of the water to be analyzed.
The spring is located in an unpolluted region and the water is
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 83
naturally of good quality for domestic use. Samples of the water
collected from a faucet in the house of Mr. Horr, however, showed
the presence of a very large quantity of lead, both in the standing
and in the running water. The water also contained a comparatively
large quantity of carbonic acid for several days after the sample was
collected. The quantity of lead found in these samples was ten times
as great as the minimum amount that has been known to cause lead
poisoning, and it is recommended that the use of this water, both for
drinking and cooking, be discontinued until a pipe of some suitable
material can be laid in place of the lead pipe now in use.
Pipes of block tin or of lead lined with tin, if properly made, or of
iron lined with cement could be used with this water and danger of
lead poisoning avoided, though it would be essential, if a lead pipe
lined with tin were used, that the portion of the pipe which enters
the spring should be wholly of tin or of iron.
If a change is made in the character of the pipe and a pipe such as
those suggested is used, the water of this spring' would be safe for
drinking.
Essex (Town Farm).
March 8, 1915.
To Messrs. Caleb M. Cogswell, John P. Story and George S. McIntire, Board
of Selectmen, Essex, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request of Feb. 19, 1915, the
Commissioner of Health has caused the water supply on the Town
Farm to be examined and samples of the water to be analyzed.
The results of the examination show that the supply is obtained
from two large wells near the Conomo Point Road, the old well, so
called, being located about j of a mile southeast of the Town Farm,
and the new well about 400 feet farther south. There are no dwelling
houses or other buildings in the neighborhood of the wells.
The information submitted indicates that the water is supplied to
about seventy-five cottages, occupied only in summer, and to a few
other buildings, the population supplied in summer being about 750
persons, while the number using the water in winter is very small.
The water is pumped to a tank holding about 50,000 gallons and dis-
tributed through a galvanized iron pipe.
The results of the analysis of a sample of water collected recently
from a tap at the Town Farm show that the water is turbid and
colored and contains a much greater quantity of iron than is found
in good well waters. In its present condition, the water is probably
safe for drinking, but the quantity of iron present is great enough to
84 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
make the water objectionable for some domestic uses. It is advisable
that a further examination of this water be made in the summer
season in order that the condition of the water may be determined
at a time when the draft from the wells is greatest.
Fall Rivek.
Feb. 2, 1915.
To the Reservoir Commission, Fall River, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on Nov. 9, 1914, the following application for approval of the pur-
chase or taking of certain lands in the town of Westport for the pur-
pose of protecting the water supply of the city of Fall River:
~The Reservoir Commission of the City of Fall River respectfully make appli-
cation to the State Department of Health under the laws of the year 190S, chap-
ter 499, entitled "An Act to provide for the Protection of Sources of Water
Supply," namely, — to acquire by purchase or otherwise lands in the Town of
Westport on the easterly side of North Watuppa Pond. The said pond being
the water supply of the City of Fall River. These lands are within the water-
shed of the said pond and at present are a danger and a menace to the purity of
the water supply of the said city. We annex hereto plans and description of
said lands.
The Commissioner of Health has caused the lands in question to
be examined and, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 499
of the Acts of the year 1908, the Public Health Council gave a hear-
ing upon the petition at its office, Room 143, State House, on Jan.
26, 1915, after notice published in newspapers of the city of Fall
River and circulated in the town of Westport. At this hearing no
person appeared to object to the proposed purchase or taking of the
lands in question by the city of Fall River for the purpose of pro-
tecting its water supply.
From the information presented, it appears that these lands are
within the drainage area of North Watuppa Pond, the source of water
supply of the city of Fall River, and that they are now occupied in
part by piggeries or used for the disposal of refuse in such a way that
there is danger that the water supply of the city may be polluted
therefrom.
After the hearing, the Public Health Council voted to approve the
purchase or taking of the lands in question, consisting of four parcels
now or formerly owned by Arthemise M. Freelove, Mary Sumler and
Jonathan Borden, the location of which is shown upon the plan filed
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 85
with your application entitled "Reservoir Commission Fall River,
Mass. Plan showing Lands in North Westport Mass. Supposed to
be Owned by Arthemise M. Freelove, Mary Sumler and Jonathan
Borden. To accompany petition of City of Fall River for authority
to acquire lands in Westport. Scale: 1"=200' Nov. 2, 1914 City
Engineering Dept. R. C. No. 40." These lands are bounded, meas-
ured and described as follows:
. . . Beginning at the southwesterly corner of the land to be described at a
drill hole in the top of a stone bound set into the ground about Three Hundred
and twenty (.320) feet easterly of the easterly line of the Ancient Proprietor's
Way leading northerly from the "Old Bedford Road" so called; said point being
the Fifth (5th) bound stone, mentioned in the record of condemnation of land
in Westport by the Reservoir Commission of the City of Fall River, March 7,
1896 and thence in the recorded line of said condemnation by Jand of said City
of Fall River, in a course North Forty-Eight (48) degrees Twenty-fom- (24)
minutes Forty (40) seconds East FWe Hundred and Fifty and Fifty-four One
Hundredths (550.54) feet or to a drill hole in the top of a stone bound set into
the ground, being the Sixth (6th) bound stone mentioned in said condemnation;
thence by land of Said City in a course North, Eleven (11) degrees Fiftj^-five
(55) minutes Thirty (30) seconds East Four Hundred and Thirty-one and Eighty
One-hmidredtlis (431.80) feet or to a drill hole in the top of a stone bound set
into the gromid, being the Seventh (7th) bound stone mentioned in said con-
demnation and in the southerly line of land now or formerly of Thomas Francis
for a corner; there making an interior angle of about Ninety (90) degrees and
rumiing in an Easterly direction by said last named land about Three Hundred
and Seventy (370) feet or to land now or formerly of Albert S. Sherman for a
corner; there making an interior angle of about Ninety-two (92) degrees and
running in a southerly direction by land last named and land of the City of
Fall River (formerly owned by Thomas B. Sherman) about Eight Hundred and
Seventy-four (874) feet or to land now or formerly of Cynthia M. Wordell, for
a corner; there making an interior angle of about Eighty-eight (88) degrees and
running in a Westerly cUrection by land last named about seven Hundred (700)
feet or to the point of beginning.
The above described tract contains about Three and Sixty-two One Hun-
dredths (3.62) Acres of land now or formerly owned by Arthemise M. Freelove,
about One and Ninety-two One Hundredths (1.92) Acres now or formerly
owned by Mary Sumler and about Three and Sixty-Seven One Hundredths
(3.67) Acres now or formerly owned by Jonathan Borden in which Arthemise
M. Freelove has certain title.
The above description is approximate, some of the distances, angles and
areas being scaled from a plan and is subject to revision from surveys to be
made if the land is to be acquired.
86 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Sept. 2, 1915.
To the Watuppa Ponds and Quequechan River Coynmission, Fall River, Mass., Messrs.
Philip D. Borden, Charles B. Woodman, John W. Coxjghlin, Daniel J.
Sullivan, William B. Hawes.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on Aug. 27, 1915, the following application for the approval of certain
plans for improvements in the sanitary and other conditions in the
valley of the Watuppa Ponds and Quequechan River in the city of
Fall River.
The Watuppa Ponds and Quequechan River Commission, acting under author-
ity of chapter 767, Acts of 1913, and of chapter 238, Acts of 1914, and chapter
367, Special Acts of 1915, in amendment thereto, is
. . . authorized and directed to cause a careful investigation of the whole subject
of the nuisances in and along the Une of the Quequechan river or upon or about lands
or flats or waters adjacent or near to said river, and of the needs of the city for the
increase, purification, protection and control of its water supply and the conserva-
tion and improvement of the waters of the Watuppa ponds and of all brooks, streams
and water sources contributing thereto; and to make necessary survej-s and exam-
inations and prepare and submit to the state board of health for its approval, com-
prehensive plans, showing in detail full and complete methods for abatement of the
nuisances aforesaid, for the control and direction of the waters of the Quequechan
river, for proper drains for surface water and sewers for sewage, and for the increase,
purification, protection and control of the water supply of the city.
In accordance with these acts detailed plans have been prepared under the
direction of this Commission by its consulting engineers. Fay, Spofford and
Thorndike, Boston, for the abatement of the nuisances aforesaid and for the
protection, control and direction of the waters of the South Watuppa Pond and
the Quequechan River including such drains for surface water and sewers for
sewage as appear necessary for these purposes. From time to time, during the
progress of our work, our engineers have submitted preliminary plans to the
Chief Engineer of your Department, and have held conferences with him in
order that we might secure the benefit of his criticisms and advice and be sure
that the work was being carried out along lines satisfactory to your Department.
In our original scheme for the improvement it was proposed to conserve the
surface water draining into the Quequechan River by discharging it into the
South Watuppa Pond. At a conference on August 3, 1915, representatives of
your Department informed our engineers of their decision that, to prevent
further pollution of the w^aters of the South Watuppa Pond, arrangements
should be made by which this smiace water can ordinarily be discharged into
the Tamiton River. Our plans have accordingly been revised so that this may
be done, and a complete set in final form was filed with your Department by
our engineers on August 20, 1915.
The Commission now respectfully suggests the formal approval of these plans
by your Department.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 87
In connection with the application, plans and descriptions of the
proposed works have been filed by your engineers showing (1) a main
conduit fo be constructed from the vicinity of the Sand Bar at the
outlet of South Watuppa Pond along the Quequechan River to a point
just above the Watuppa Dam to provide for the flow of the river and
for the supply of water to the mills for condensing, washing and other
purposes; (2) a system of sanitary sewers discharging into tide water
to take the sewage and wastes from the mills which are now dis-
charged more or less directly into the stream; (3) a system of surface
water drains to relieve the existing overtaxed combined sewers, thereby
making practicable the discontinuance of overflows from these sewers
which at present discharge into the Quequechan River at Plymouth
Avenue and Quequechan Street; and (4) the filling of certain areas
of flats on either side of the proposed conduit to a height at least
equal to full pond level of the South Watuppa Pond.
The State Department of Health has caused the Watuppa Ponds
and Quequechan River to be examined and numerous samples of their
waters collected at various points to be analyzed in connection with
the investigation of this proposed work and has carefully considered
the plans and estimates of cost now presented for its consideration.
The analyses show that, while the waters of South Watuppa Pond
are of good quality, the waters of the Quequechan River show rapidly
increasing pollution below the South Pond, and in the drier portion
of the year the river is grossly polluted throughout much of its course.
These conditions are worse during the warmer and drier portion of
the year when, by the drawing down of the pond and the lowering
of the w^ater in the river, extensive flats in its neighborhood covered
with deposits from sewage are exposed. Growths of organisms of
various kinds take place on the flats and in the water and increase
the nuisance. The nuisance is further aggravated by the fact that
the water of the river is used very largely for the cooling of engines
and, in consequence, its temperature is raised to a high degree in the
drier portion of the year.
It is essential for the protection of the health of the people of the
city that these objectionable and unsanitary conditions be removed
as soon as practicable. The problem involves also other considera-
tions which, in the interest of the continued prosperity of the city,
require a material change in the condition of this river. On account
of the high temperature to which the water is raised in the summer
season, its value for cooling is rapidly growing less, while, on account
of the pollution of the water, its use for mechanical and manufactur-
ing purposes is "also becoming unsatisfactory. Furthermore, the pres-
88 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
ent channel of the river is of an insufficient depth to make available
for use the great quantity of water that can be made available from
these ponds.
Information submitted as to the flow of the Quequechan River in-
dicates that it falls as low as 8 million gallons per day and sometimes
to smaller quantities in dry years, whereas with a deeper channel and
better regulation a constant flow of 20 million gallons, or possibly
somewhat more, can be maintained at all times, including the driest
years.
The plans now presented by your commission are designed to abate
the nuisance existing in the valley of the river and to secure the full
value of this water supply for the industries of the city by providing
for the complete separation of the hot and cold water, by permitting
a constant supply of cold water much larger than the present minimum
flow of the river to be discharged down stream in dry seasons, by
providing an ample supply of cold water to all the principal mills
along the stream by making available water stored in the South Pond
at depths lower than that to which it is now possible to draw the
pond, and, finally, by providing for the return of the hot water from
the mill condensers to the South Pond, where it will be cooled and
made available for further use. The plans provide for a main conduit
consisting of a single structure with three separate channels super-
imposed on each other, to be laid along the present line of the Que-
quechan River south of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Rail-
road from the Sand Bar, so called, at the outlet of South Watuppa
Pond to a point about 350 feet above the Watuppa Dam. In this
conduit the cold water channel is placed at the bottom, and the hot
water channel at the top of the structure, and between the two is a
surface water channel for the removal of the storm water from the
watershed draining to the Quequechan River in this region to an out-
let below the Watuppa Dam. The inlet for cold water and the outlet
for hot water are widely separated, and provision is made at the
outlet of the hot water conduit for separating any oil that may be-
come mingled with the hot water before it is discharged into the pond.
Provision is also made for turning the hot water into either the sur-
face water channel or the cold water channel in case of need for the
prevention of interference by ice. There is also provision for an
overflow into the South Pond from the surface water channel in case
the latter should become surcharged in an excessively heavy rain.
At the lower end of the conduit near the Watuppa Dam, structures
are provided for the discharge of water down the old channel of the
river, which is estimated to have a carrying capacity of about 250
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. ^ 89
cubic feet per second, and a new outfall sewer having a capacity of
535 cubic feet per second is to be provided for the removal of sewage
and storm water. This new sewer can also be used in emergencies
for the removal of flood waters from the South Pond.
The plans of sewerage and drainage submitted with the application
provide for the separation of the sewage from the storm water in the
valley of the Quequechan River and for maintaining separate systems
in this valley in the future. In the beginning, however, it is only
proposed to construct such sewers as are necessary to effect a partial
separation, and especially to reduce and practically prevent the over-
flow of mingled sewage and storm water into the Quequechan River.
The plans provide for conveying the sewage to tide water through
the proposed new outfall sewer previously referred to, having a capac-
ity of 535 cubic feet per second, at the lower end of which outlet pipes
are to be provided, one to discharge the higher flows below high water,
while the other will convey the dry weather flow of sewage to an
outlet in the Taunton River at a depth of 35 feet below mean high
water.
The plans as a whole, in the opinion of the Department, provide
adequately for removing the nuisance in the valley of the Quequechan
River, for providing proper sewerage and drainage systems in this
valley, for conserving the waters of the ^Yatuppa Ponds, and for
securing to the city certain other very important improvements, and
the plans are hereby approved.
It is necessary, in the opinion of the Department, that provision
be made in the construction of these works and in their operation to
prevent danger of an injurious flood in this valley by making further
provision for the temporary storage or disposal of flood waters. Past
experience has shown that the North Pond has risen as much as 14|
inches in a single day, and, with the changes that are being made by
the diversion of water from the watershed of the North Pond to the
South Pond, there is danger that the water in the South Pond will
rise to a greater height in a future similar flood, especially if the
North Pond should happen also to be full at the time of its occur-
rence. Such floods probably do not occur oftener than once or twice
in a century, but it is nevertheless important to guard against the
danger of serious damage from such an occurrence, and it is recom-
mended that provision be made for allowing the water of the South
Pond to rise temporarily above full pond to a level which would be
equivalent to approximately the storage in the upper two feet of the
South Pond. It will probably be practicable to provide for such an
emergency without causing serious expense if arrangement for such
90 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
an occurrence is made in the near future. If it is not found prac-
ticable to allow the water to rise to so great a height without causing
serious damage, the level of the South Pond should be kept sufficiently
below full pond to provide for such a flood.
The Department also advises that all pollution, so far as practicable,
be kept out of the South Pond since this water, if unpolluted, will
continue to be of good quality, while, if allowed to become polluted,
objectionable organic growths would be likely to appear wdiich would
make the condition of the lake objectionable, and the quality of the
water might become seriously impaired for manufacturing and other
uses. It is furthermore possible that water from the South Pond may
be required at some time in the future for the domestic water supply
of the city of Fall River, The consumption of water in the city is
increasing steadily, and in the past few years quite rapidly, and with
the recent reduction in its drainage area the quantity of water drawn
from the North Pond will soon equal the yield of that source in a
series of very dry years.
Since final plans for increasing the water supply of the city have
not yet been selected, the South Pond should be kept in such condi-
tion that its waters may be used temporarily or permanently for that
purpose with as little expense as practicable for the removal of sources
of pollution.
Dec. 10, 1915.
To the Watuppa Water Board, Fall River, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on Dec. 8, 1915, the following communication requesting its advice as
to permitting the cutting and harvesting of ice on North Watuppa
Pond.
The Watuppa Water Board is about to issue permits for the cutting and
harvesting of ice on the north pond and I am directed to send j'ou a copy of the
permit containing various rules and regulations for the protection of the water
during the time of such cutting and harvesting.
Will you please look these rules and regulations over and advise us if they
meet with your approval and if not to suggest to us other rules and regulations
which in j-our opinion will best protect the pond from pollution.
Kindly give this matter your earliest attention. . . .
The question of the practicability of harvesting ice on North
Watuppa Pond was carefully considered by this department in the
winter of 1914 when ice cutting was carried on there presumably
under the most careful inspection by your department, as recom-
mended by this Department in its communication of Jan. 10, 1914.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 91
In spite of this careful inspection, the results of the examination
by this Department at that time showed that the pond was being
badly polluted, as stated in its communication to you of April 13,
1914, as follows:
. . . Samples of water were taken for bacterial analysis at pomts along the
shores, all of them showing pollution, and at one place where ice was being
harvested the water on the top of the ice of the pond was found to contain
850,000 bacteria per c. c, including many of those characteristic of sewage.
These conditions occurred in spite of the emplojTnent by your department of
numerous inspectors to prevent the pollution of the pond or its watershed, and
the results show clearly the impracticabihty of preventing the pollution of a
water from which ice is harvested in considerable quantities. It may be added
that similar conditions were found on several other water supplies during the
past winter from which ice is harvested in considerable quantities for domestic
pm-poses and where inspection is also provided by the city or town to prevent
pollution of the water. The results, in the opinion of the Board, are conclusive.
They show that it is impracticable to protect adequately the purity of the water
of North Watuppa Pond and continue to use it as a source of ice supply. . . .
In the opinion of the Department, the proper protection of the
health of the inhabitants of the city of Fall River requires that the
cutting of ice from North ^Yatuppa Pond as practiced in the past
shall be discontinued. If your board decides to again grant permits
for the cutting or harvesting of ice from this pond, notice should be
given to all the inhabitants of the city to boil all water used for
drinking while ice cutting is in progress and to • continue to do so
until the end of six weeks after ice has disappeared from the pond.
Full copies of the communications of this Department of April 13,
1914, and of Dec. 31, 1914, are appended hereto and made a part of
this communication.
Dec. 27, 1915.
To the Watuppa Water Board, Fall River, Mass., Mr. James J. Kirby, Clerk and
Registrar.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health has considered
your letter of Dec. 15, 1915, in reply to its communication of Decem-
ber 10 relative to the cutting of ice on North Watuppa Pond, the
source of water supply of the city of Fall River.
The Department has not advised you as to the rules and regula-
tions which you submitted for the protection of the water during the
time of ice cutting, because experience has already shown that inspec-
tion is ineffective and inadequate for the protection of the purity of
the water.
92 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
This experience was acquired during the period of cutting ice under
the inspection of your department in the winter of 1913-14. At that
time the process was inspected by employees of this Department, and
conditions were found which showed that the pond was being grossly
polluted during the period that ice cutting was carried on. These
conditions were reported to you in a communication from this De-
partment dated April 13, 1914, and have been repeated in subsequent
communications.
Considering the gross pollution that resulted from the cutting of
ice on North Watuppa Pond under your inspection at that time, the
Department can see no justification whatever for placing in jeopardy
the Uves of the inhabitants of the city by a continuation of the use
of the pond for that purpose.
Since the powers delegated to your board to permit the cutting of
ice on the sources of your water supply must be exercised subject to
such recommendation and direction as shall be given from time to
time by this Department, and since this Department has repeatedly
recommended that such permits be not granted, it now directs that
they shall not be granted by you for such ice cutting, and hence the
powers delegated to you to grant any such permit no longer exist.
Falmouth. ^^^ 24, 1915.
To the Board of Water Commissioners of the Town of Falmouth, Mass.
Gentlemen : — In response to your request for an examination of
the water supplied to Falmouth from Long Pond and advice as to
the cause of the objectionable condition complained of by water takers
at the present time, the Commissioner of Health has caused the pond
to be examined and samples of the water to be analyzed.
The results of the examination show that the water of Long Pond
contains at the present time large numbers of the organism Uroglena
which is the cause of the objectionable taste and odor in the water.
While the presence of this organism in large numbers makes the water
very objectionable, the use of water under these conditions is not
known to be injurious to health. Complaint caused by the presence
of the organism Uroglena generally occurs during cold weather, and
the condition of this organism in the pond at the time of the recent
examination and its absence from the samples collected from taps in
town indicate that the growth is diminishing in intensity and will
probably disappear as soon as the temperature of the water increases.
Experience at other places indicates that less complaint is likely to
occur if the flushing of pipes is omitted until the organism has dis-
appeared from the waters of the pond.
No. 34.1 ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 93
FiTCHBURG. •
Jan. 12, 1915.
To Messrs. Thomas C. Sheldon, Arthur A. Train and Frank H. Foss, Boa/d of
Water Commissioners, Fitchburg, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on Nov. 11, 1914, the following petition for approval by this Depart-
ment, under the provisions of chapter 697 of the Acts of the year
1914, of the taking of certain sources of water supply in Ashburnham
and Ashby:
By chap. 697, Acts of 1914, this city is authorized to increase its water supply
by the building of reservoirs on the Falulah brook watershed at Shattuck's and
Lovell's sites, so called, take and develop Ashby reservoir in the town of Ashby
and also Watatic, Ward, Stodge Meadow and Rice ponds with the Souhegan
river in the towns of Ashby and Ashburnham according to plans formulated by
Metcalf & Eddy, Boston.
This is all subject to the approval of the Massachusetts Department of
Health.
By the act we are required to take Ashby reservoir within one year of its
passage, which will be by June 1915, so it seems best to us in view of this fact
and the financial condition of the city that we rebuild at once the dams at
Ashby reservoir to raise the high water mark to an elevation of 13 feet (ele^•ation
1,007 above sea level) above the present high water mark, storing about 747,-
000,000 gallons.
Following this to construct a reservoir at Shattuck's on Falulah brook to hold
about .300,000,000 gallons ^\ith liigh water mark at elevation of 905 above sea
level.
We have these surveys and plans nearly finished and ask that you look over
the sites and reservoirs as per our plans and if satisfactory give your approval.
The application was accompanied by a plan showing the present
outlines of the Ashby Reservoir, its outline when raised 13 feet to
elevation 1,007 above sea level, and an area of land not exceeding 5
rods in width to be taken about the reservoir when raised as proposed.
It appears, from the information presented with the application, that
it is proposed to reconstruct the Ashby Reservoir at the present time
by building two new dams and to divert its waters into Falulah Brook
and subsequently into a new reservoir to be known as Shattuck Reser-
voir, to be constructed on Falulah Brook with a high water mark at
elevation about 905 above sea level.
As to the treatment of Ashby Reservoir in preparation for the stor-
age of water for domestic purposes, it is understood that you propose
for the present simply to clear thoroughly the additional land which
94 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
will be flowed by raising the reservoir and that no further preparation
will be made at the present time. The water of Ashby Reservoir will
for the present, and until the construction of the Shattuck Reservoir,
be ,drawn into Falulah Brook and will flow in this brook a distance of
approximately 2 miles to the Falulah Reservoir, whence it will be
drawn for the supply of the city. After the construction of the Shat-
tuck Reservoir, the water will flow into that reservoir a distance of
nearly a mile and thence in part to Falulah Reservoir and in part to
the Scott Reservoir, which supplies the high-service system.
Ashby Reservoir has a muddy bottom and there is little doubt that
when flowed to the new high water level under the plan proposed the
water will at times be objectionable in appearance, taste and odor for
domestic use. It will be necessary, however, for the Ashby water to
flow a long distance in Falulah Brook, and its quality will no doubt
be improved thereby. In case it should still be objectionable at times,
the use of the reservoir can be avoided when desirable by utilizing the
water of the other sources. The circumstances are such, moreover,
that if it is ultimately found advisable to improve further the bottom
of this reservoir, it can be isolated from the system and the work can
be carried out when necessary. If, however, part of the material re-
quired for the construction of the dams can be obtained by stripping
parts of the area to be flowed without adding greatly to the cost, it
would be best to strip as much of the new area to be flowed as may
be found practicable for this purpose.
The State Department of Health has considered your application
and the plan presented and hereby approves the taking of Ashby
Reservoir as a source of supply for the city of Fitchburg and also the
taking of land about the shores of the proposed reservoir as shown
upon the plan presented. The Department also approves the loca-
tion of the dams at this reservoir as shown upon the plan submitted.
Aug. 27, 1915.
To the Board of Water Commissioners of the City of Fitchburg, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health has considered
your application received on Aug. 6, 1915, for the approval by this
Department of the purchase or taking by the city of Fitchburg, under
the provisions of chapter 697 of the Acts of the year 1914, of certain
parcels of land in the neighborhood of the Ashby Reservoir and the
pipe line leading therefrom to Falulah Brook, shown on plans sub-
mitted with the application, and has caused the parcels indicated to
be examined by its engineer.
It appears from the examination that these parcels in some cases
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 95
contain buildings, drainage from which would tend to pollute your
water supply, and in other cases are so located that it is important
for the city to control them for the protection of the purity of the
water in the reservoir.
After consideration, the Department voted to approve the taking of
the lands in question as shown upon the plans filed with your applica-
tion which bear the following titles: — (1) "Fitchburg Water Works,
Fitchburg, Mass. Ashby Reservoir Showing Area Flowed 5-rod
Taking and Adjacent Property. Nov. 1914. Scale 1 in.= 200 ft.";
(2) "Land owned by Henry B. Houghton near Ashby Reservoir. July
1915. Scale 1 in.= 200 ft."; (3) "Land owned by Levi W. Mayo near
Ashby Reservoir. July 1915. Scale 1 in. = 200 ft.", these plans hav-
ing been filed in this Department on Aug. 6, 1915.
Framingham.
Feb. 26, 1915.
To the Board of Water CommissioJiers, Framingham, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for advice as to the
probable effect of the water supplied to the town of Framingham upon
lead pipe if used for services, the Commissioner of Health has caused
the sources of supply to be examined and samples of Framingham
water placed in contact with lead service pipes to be analyzed.
It is understood that the water supply of Framingham is drawn in
part from the filter gallery near Farm Pond and in part from the Sud-
bury Aqueduct, the greater portion of the water at the present season
of the year coming from the filter gallery.
The results of the test show that this water when standing in con-
tact with new lead service pipes for a period of a few hours takes up
a quantity of lead much in excess of the minimum quantity known
to have caused lead poisoning. Under the circumstances the use of
lead pipe in connection with this water will involve danger of injury
to health.
Franklin (Wells).
Aug. 14, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Franl-U7i, Mass., Mr. J. Newton Blanchard, Agent.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request the State Department
of Health has examined the water of two wells in Franklin, — one
located on the property of Miss Frances King on High Street and the
other at the corner of West Central and School streets, — for the pur-
pose of advising as to the safety of these sources for domestic use.
96 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
The results of an analysis of the water from the well on the King
place show that, while some of the water entering the well had prob-
ably been polluted, it was quite well purified in its passage through
the ground before entering the well, and in the condition in which it
was found at the time of the examination was probably safe for drink-
ing. There are sources of pollution at no great distance from this
well, however, and considering the circumstances it is not advisable
to use the well as a source of domestic water supply.
An examination of the water of the well located at the corner of
West Central and School streets shows that this water has been very
badly polluted and the source cannot be regarded as a safe one from
which to take water for domestic use.
It appears that the public water supply of the town of Franklin is
available for use on both these premises, and it is recommended that
water from the public supply be provided and the further use of water
from these wells discontinued.
Georgetown.
May 17, 1915.
To the Board of Selectmen, Georgetown, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The Commissioner of Health has considered your
application for advice as to a proposed water supply for the town of
Georgetown and has caused the locality to be examined by the en-
gineer of the Department.
The results of an examination show that the conditions affecting the
water supply for Georgetown have changed very little since the time
of the previous consideration of this question in 1897. The two ponds
located close to the village, Rock Pond and Pentucket Pond, are each
of them of ample capacity to supply a much greater quantity of water
than would be required for the uses of Georgetown, but the waters of
these ponds are highly colored and affected by growths of organisms
and would be objectionable for domestic use. While the water of
these sources might be purified, there is no doubt that a ground water
supply, if a suitable source can be found within the limits of the
town, would be far more desirable than the water of any of the avail-
able surface sources, even after purification.
A careful examination of the region about Rock and Pentucket
ponds shows that, judging from surface indications, the conditions
are probably favorable at several points in the neighborhood of these
ponds for obtaining water from the ground by means of tubular wells
or other suitable collecting works. The most favorable of these loca-
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 97
tions, so far as can be judged from a surface examination, is in the
neighborhood of the Parker River just above the point where it is
crossed by the highway near Rock Pond. The land close to the river
in this region is meadow and may contain a considerable depth of
peat, which might have an unfavorable effect upon the water of wells
located in this ground, but a few hundred feet back from the river
on the northerly side, there are gravelly or sandy lands where the
conditions appear to be favorable for obtaining water from the ground.
A similar condition exists on the south side of the river, though this
location may be a somewhat greater distance from the town than the
north side of the stream. Favorable conditions are also found in the
neighborhood of Pentucket Pond, especially on its southwesterly side,
where the soil appears to be very coarse and porous, but several cot-
tages have been constructed in this region and the cost of w^orks here
might be greater than in the location mentioned above. It is also
possible that the water of wells near the southwesterly side of Pen-
tucket Pond might be affected by the nearness of the population in
the village. The conditions are also apparently favorable for obtain-
ing water from the ground along the southwesterly side of Rock Pond,
though the number of cottages in this region might make it difficult
to obtain a satisfactory supply without a greater expense than would
be necessary in the case of lands northwest of the pond. There are
also other localities in which it seems probable that a ground water
supply can be obtained in considerable quantity.
It is recommended that as your next step in making investigations
for a water supply for Georgetown tests be made by sinking wxlls
first in the neighborhood of the Parker River above Rock Pond and,
if the results are unsatisfactory there, that they be continued in other
locations where favorable conditions are found. If a location is found
where the test wells penetrate a porous soil which yields water freely,
the tests should be continued to determine whether these conditions
extend over a considerable area, and samples of the water should be
examined to determine its suitability for domestic use. As soon as
a location is found in which water is obtained freely from the test
wells, it will probably be advisable to make a further test by pump-
ing from a group of wells at such a rate and for such a length of time
as may be necessary to determine the suitability of the source for the
requirements of the town of Georgetown. In case you decide to make
further investigations, the Department will assist you by making such
analyses of the water as may be necessary, and when the results of
tests are available will give you further advice as to a source of water
supply for the town.
98 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Greenfield.
Nov. 29, 1915.
To the Board of Water Commissioners, Greenfield, Mass., Mr. George F. Merrill,
Superintendent.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health has considered
your application for advice as to a proposed extension of your filter
desio-ned for filtering Green River water into the well near that stream
and has caused the locality to be examined by one of its engineers
and samples of the soil at the site of the proposed filter to be analyzed.
The plan now proposed provides for enlarging the filter bed near the
well by extending the area on the side toward the well for an average
width of about 24 feet so that the southerly edge of the filter will be
at all points about 80 feet distant from the well. It is also proposed
to lay a pipe along the edge of the filter nearest the well about I5 feet
beneath the surface of the filter and about 5 feet below the adjacent
ground between the filter and the well, through which it is proposed
to discharge water from Green River into the ground during the winter
season only, since it is found that cold weather interferes considerably
with the operation of the present open filter bed.
The results of the analyses of the material from two test pits within
the limits of the proposed extension of the filter show that the soil
in these test pits is a coarse gravel containing many large stones,
mingled, however, with fine material apparently in sufficient quan-
tity to produce an effective size of sand ranging from .26 to .32 of
a millimeter, which, if generally continuous throughout the area be-
tween the filter and the well, should produce an effective filter.
The proposed pipe line from which water is to be discharged into
the ground beneath the edge of the filter is to be laid with open joints,
and it is probable that water will filter freely into the ground for a
time. There are times, however, when Green River water carries con-
siderable silt, and it is likely that the amount of water that will filter
into the ground will diminish in the future, and it may be necessary
in time to take up, clean and relay the distribution pipe in order to
insure its satisfactory operation. If the proposed pipe line operates
satisfactorily and if it is found that the water is satisfactorily purified
when applied to the ground in this way, the capacity of the works in
the winter season may perhaps be still further increased and the satu-
ration of the ground be made more effective by laying additional dis-
tribution pipes beneath the surface of the open filter which can be
used in the cold weather. It is important of course that the sub-
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 99
surface distribution pipes be used only when necessary in winter and
the open filter used at other times.
You have also requested advice as to covering the open filter with
a layer of finer material in order to prevent the clogging of the filter
by silt, which is sometimes present in a considerable quantity in the
river water. The analysis of a sample of sand sent in by you from
a sand bank southwest of the filter shows that it has an effective size
of .29 of a millimeter, and this sand would be of excellent quality for
filtration.
In the opinion of the Department, by covering the filter with this
sand, it W'ill be practicable to scrape it at the necessary intervals and
secure its efl&cient operation with less difficulty than under present
conditions.
Hanover.
Mat 14, 1915.
To the Water Supply Committee of the Town of Hanover, Mass., Mr. Fred W. Phillips,
Chairman.
Gentlemen: — The Commissioner of Health received from you on
April 13, 1915, through your engineer, Mr. E. Worthington of Ded-
ham, an application for advice as to a proposed source of water sup-
ply for the town of Hanover, to be taken from the ground by means
of tubular wells or other works to be located in the neighborhood of
Silver Brook near the point where it joins Third Herring Brook in
the northeastern part of the town of Hanover, and in response to this
application has caused this locality to be examined by the engineer
of the Department and samples of water from test wells in this locality
to be analyzed.
The information furnished by sinking test wells at several points in
this region shows that the wells in most cases penetrated a porous
stratum from which water could be drawn quite freely, and the indi-
cations are that this porous stratum may extend over a considerable
area in this neighborhood. The watershed draining toward this lo-
cality is quite extensive and, so far as can be judged from the tests
thus far made, the indications are favorable for obtaining enough water
from the ground in this region for all the requirements of the town of
Hanover.
Analyses of samples of water from several of the test wells indicate
that the ground water in this region is likely to be of good quality for
domestic use. There are no sources of pollution in the region in which
the test wells were located which appear likely to affect unfavorably
100
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
the quality of the water taken from the ground, and the location ap-
pears to be as favorable a one as it is practicable to secure from which
to take water for the supply of the town.
In view of the favorable results of the preliminary investigation, it
is recommended that a further test of the practicability of obtaining
an adequate supply of good water for Hanover be made by sinking
a number of wells in this locality and pumping from them at a rate
of at least 300,000 gallons per day for a period of at least ten days.
It is important that the water pumped during the test be carefully
measured and that it be disposed of by discharging it into the brook
at a sufficient distance below the wells to avoid danger of its affecting
their yield. It is also important that careful observations of the
fluctuations in the ground water level be made before, during and
after the period of pumping and that samples of water be collected
for analysis at frequent intervals during the test.
When you are ready to proceed with this test, the Department will
make the necessary analyses of water and will give you further advice
as to taking a water supply for the town of Hanover from the ground
in this region as soon as the results of further tests are available.
Harwich (Wells in Harwich Center).
Feb. 27, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Harwich, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to a request for an examination of cer-
tain wells in the village of Harwich Center in which a number of cases
of typhoid fever recently occurred, the Commissioner of Health has
caused certain of the wells to be examined and samples of their w^aters
to be analyzed.
The results of the analyses show that all of the wells examined con-
tained a larger quantity of iron than is found in good well waters,
which makes them objectionable for many domestic uses. This con-
dition has been found in all of the wells examined in this village.
The resujlts of an analysis of the water of the well on the premises
of H. H. Murphy indicate that it is badly polluted and unsafe for
use.
The well in the rear of the Highland Hotel is also very badly pol-
luted and cannot be regarded as a safe source from which to take
water for drinking.
The water of the wells on the premises of John H. Drum and C. F.
Smyser shows no marked evidence of sewage pollution, but these
waters contain a larger quantity of organic matter than is found in
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 101
good well waters and are affected by an excess of iron which makes
them objectionable for domestic use.
A general water supply is very greatly needed in this village, and
it is recommended that the town cause an investigation to be made
at the earliest practicable time with a view to obtaining a general
water supply for domestic purposes. The Department will assist you
in making investigations for a water supply, if you so request, by
making examinations of any sources which you may desire to have
considered and will advise you as to any plan for a system of water
supply that you may desire to present. Many towns having less popu-
lation and valuation than the town of Harwich are already provided
with public water supplies, and the Department will be pleased to
supply you with information concerning them, if you wish.
Ipswich.
Jan. 18, 1915.
To the Municipal Water and Light Commission, Ipswich, Mass., Mr. George A.
ScHOFiELD, Chairman.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for an examination of
the water of Bull Brook and advice as to its use as ^ temporary source
of water supply by the town of Ipswich, the Commissioner of Health
has caused the brook and its watershed to be examined and a sample
of the water to be analyzed.
The results of the examination show that the water of Bull Brook,
above the point at which you propose to take it for the water supply
of Ipswich, is not exposed to serious danger of pollution at the present
time. An analysis of the water shows that the color is less than usual,
while in other respects it shows no material change from the previous
examinations.
In the opinion of the Department, the source is a safe one from
which to take an additional supply of water for the town of Ipswich
at the present time.
Lenox.
June 9, 1915.
To the Lenox Water Company, Lenox, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The Commissioner of Health received from you on
May 7, 1915, an application for advice as to the proposed new reser-
voir to be built just below the present large reservoir of the Lenox
AYater Company, accompanied by a general plan of the proposed
works.
The plan provides for constructing a dam about 250 feet in length
102 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
across the brook which forms the outlet of your present reservoir at
a point about 350 feet below the dam of the main reservoir. The
construction of this dam will create a reservoir having an area of
approximately one acre and an available storage capacity to a depth
of 8 feet of 1,750,000 gallons. It is estimated that the works will
cost about $12,000.
Information is presented with your application showing measure-
ments of the flow of the brook above and below the Root Reservoirs
and as to the quantity of water used by the town as shown by the
records of the Venturi meter recently installed on the main leading
from Root Reservoir to the distributing reservoir. Observations indi-
cate that the average consumption of water during the greater part
of the month of May was about 254,000 gallons, exclusive of a small
amount yielded by the watershed of the distributing reservoir.
The Commissioner of Health has caused the location of the pro-
posed reservoir to be examined by the engineer of the Department
and has considered the information presented. The additional water-
shed that will be made tributary to your water supply system by the
construction of the proposed reservoir is insignificant and the chief
advantage to be obtained from the construction of this reservoir will
be the interception of leakage past the dam of the Lower Root Reser-
voir. There are indications that this leakage is considerable when the
reservoir is full or nearly so, and it probably diminishes gradually as
the reservoir is drawn down. It is impracticable without actual obser-
vations of the flow of the brook with different amounts of water in
the Lower Root Reservoir to determine the additional quantity that
will be obtained by the construction of the new dam, but an inspec-
tion of the locality indicates that the amount of water intercepted may
average from 50,000 to 100,000 gallons per day. The amount will
vary in different seasons, being less in dry seasons when the reservoir
is low and greater in wetter seasons when the water in the Root Reser-
voir is maintained at higher levels than has been the case in recent
years. The construction of this reservoir will not add to the calculated
yield of the works as stated in a communication to you from this de-
partment under date of May 4, 1914, but it will intercept a consider-
able amount of water which has hitherto been lost by leakage past the
dam, and if the new dam is carefully built and the leakage effectually
prevented at the cost estimated in your application, the construction
of the dam is advisable.
It is recommended that the bottom of the proposed new reservoir
be carefully prepared for the storage of water by the removal of all
soil and vegetable matter from the area to be flowed.
No. 34.] ADMCE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 103
By the installation of the Venturi meter on the main pipe leading
to your distributing reservoir, it will now be practicable to determine
very closely the quantity of water used by the town. It will also be
practicable, by means of the fifty meters secured for use on services
where the consumption of water is thought to be large, to determine
whether excessive quantities of water are used or wasted on the estates
to which these meters are applied during the summer season. It is desir-
able that all of these meters be read at as frequent intervals as prac-
ticable during the coming summer, not only to note the total quantity
of water drawn but the variations in flow under varying weather con-
ditions. It is advisable also that the gates, blow-offs, etc., recom-
mended in the previous communication be installed as soon as prac-
ticable. It is also important that the works for drawing water from
Laurel Lake be maintained in condition for use during the coming
year, since the rainfall thus far during the present year is much below
the average and there is great danger of another shortage of water
unless exceptionally heavy rains shall occur within the next few wxeks.
If the deficiency in rainfall continues, it will be advisable to begin
drawing water from Laurel Lake at an earlier time than usual.
Lowell.
Aug. 24, 1915.
To Mr. Jaimes H. Carmichael, Commissioner of Water Works and Fire Protection,
Loivell, Mass.
Dear Sir: — The' State Department of Health has considered your
request for advice relative to certain proposed connections between
the water pipe system of the city of Lowell and that of the Proprietors
of the Locks and Canals on the Merrimack River, to be used only at
times of serious fires, and has considered the plans and other informa-
tion presented therewith.
The plans provide for connections at the present time to be located
at three points, viz., one at East Merrimack Street near the Concord
River between the Prescott Spinning Mill and new mill of the Massa-
chusetts Cotton Mills, one in Jackson Street opposite the Appleton
Company's coal shed, and the third at the corner of Race and Hall
streets. Memoranda as to the proposed connections and the main-
tenance thereof are submitted with your application as follows: —
The Insurance Companies, both Mutual and Stock Companies, have ex-
pressed a strong desire that there be one or more connections between the water
systems for extinguishing of fires belonging to the "City and to the Locks &
104 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Canals, to be used especially in case of a breakdown in the mains of the Locks
& Canals system during an extensive conflagration.
In pro\ading such connection, the City will no doubt require that it shall be
impossible for water to flow from the Locks & Canals pipes into the City pipes,
but that water may when desired by the City flow from the City pipes into
those of the Locks and Canals pipes.
To accomplish this a connecting pipe, say 12 inches in diameter, should be
provided first with two water tight positive gates, one near the City main and
one near the Locks & Canals main, to be under lock and key of the City, with
no access thereto by any other party.
Between these two gates are to be two check valves as constructed by the
Factory Mutual Insurance Companies opening towards the Locks & Canals
main and closed towards the City main. Between these two check valves is to
be a chamber that may be entered and may at any moment be inspected through
glass, having a small drain open to a sewer by which this chamber may be or-
dinarily kept free from water and any leakage from any of the gates or valves
be detected.
In addition there should be adjacent to the positive gates a pressure gauge
attached to the City pipe; another attached to the Locks & Canals pipe and
still another connecting with the chamber between the check valves, all placed
side by side indicating to the City the difference in pressure in the two systems
and guiding the City not to allow either of the positive gates to be opened unless
the pressure in the City main is ample to prevent any water passing from the
Locks & Canals main towards the City main.
This apparatus put in and maintained by the City at the expense of the
Locks & Canals would appear to be a complete safeguard to the health of the
City and three of them being situated as follows, viz.: one in East Merrimack
Street, connecting the City 24 inch main with the Locks & Canals 24 inch main,
or one of its 20 inch branches: a second one on Jackson Street near the Hamil-
ton Manufacturing Co.'s counting room connecting the City's 16 inch main with
the Locks & Canals' 12 inch main; and a third, one on Hall Street connecting
the 20 ini'h City main with the 16 inch Locks & Canals main, — would provide
means of saving mill property after the Locks & Canals system had been more
or less disabled and preventing a conflagration sweeping across the mill property
to the City property beyond.
The Department of Health has caused the question submitted to be
considered by its engineer and has examined the plans and information
presented. It is desirable that, if practicable with safety to the health
of the city, some means should be provided whereby the two pipe
systems, those of the city of Lowell and those of the Proprietors of
the Locks and Canals, could be available to the fullest practicable
extent for use in case of fire in the city of Lowell.
The plan presented appears to this Department to provide a prac-
ticable and reasonably safe method by which the pressure in the water
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 105
supply system of the Locks and Canals can be supplemented from tl^e
pipes of the city of Lowell in case of a draft at the time of a fire
greater than the Locks and Canals mains are capable of supplying
without serious loss of head. The plan of the proposed connection
in East Merrimack Street, which is to be followed in the construction
of the other connections, appears to the Department to be a suitable
one to adopt. This connection should be constructed in accordance
with the specifications of the memoranda quoted above, and for addi-
tional safeguard the Department suggests the adoption by your de-
partment of a set of rules substantially as follows, to be posted in
each connection chamber, in the offices of the Department of Water
Works and Fire Protection of the City of Lowell, and in those of the
Proprietors of the Locks and Canals on the Merrimack River.
L The keys of this chamber are to be kept in the possession of a
person or persons designated from time to time by the Department of
Water Works and Fire Protection of the City of Lowell.
2. This chamber shall be opened only by a person or persons author-
ized to do so by the Department of Water Works and Fire Protection
of the City of Lowell.
3. The condition of the chamber, of the gates and of the check
valves, gages, etc., shall be carefully inspected by the Department of
Water Works and Fire Protection of the City of Lowell and by the
Proprietors of the Locks and Canals upon such dates and at such
times as shall be mutually agreed upon but at least once in each
calendar year.
4. The date of the last inspection and the names of the persons
making the inspection shall be posted in each of the connection cham-
bers and in the offices of the Department of Water Works and Fire
Protection of the City of Lowell and of the Proprietors of the Locks
and Canals.
5. A written report of each inspection and of the conditions found
shall be made, both to the Department of Water Works and Fire Pro-
tection of the City of Lowell and to the Proprietors of the Locks and
Canals.
6. The maintenance of the connection chamber shall be in charge
of the Department of Water Works and Fire Protection of the City
of Lowell.
It is also important that the Department of Water Works and Fire
Protection keep available at all times a competent person to take
charge of the operation of the gates in each chamber, and each person
given such charge should be instructed carefully in his duties. The
department should also post upon the walls of each chamber full in-
106 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
structions as to the observation of the gages and the operation of the
gates with reference thereto. These rules should provide that when
the use of the connections seems likely to be required the person in
charge of each connection chamber shall observe carefully the gages,
and when the pressure in the Locks and Canals mains falls below that
of the city of Lowell to the extent of a certain fixed number of pounds,
both positive gates shall be opened at once and shall be allowed to
remain open until the pressure in the Locks and Canals mains rises
within a fixed amoujat of that in the city mains, when at least one of
the positive gates should be closed at once. The determination of the
number of pounds that the Locks and Canals gage should be allowed
to drop below the city gage before opening the connections will de-
pend somewhat upon circumstances and should be fixed by the De-
partment of Water Works and Fire Protection of the City of Lowell.
It is probable that a difference of 10 pounds would be a reasonable
one; that is, when the pressure in the Locks and Canals mains be-
comes 10 pounds lower than that in the city mains the positive gates
would be opened, and when the pressure in the Locks and Canals
mains again rises to within 10 pounds of the pressure in the city mains
the positive gates would be closed.
After the emergency has passed, both positive gates should be
closed and the water in the check valve chamber discharged to the
sewer. It will be essential also that some provision be made for keep-
ing enough water in the trap of the sewer connection to prevent any
gases which may be present in the sewer at any time from entering
the chamber. If it is deemed impracticable to do this, the sewer con-
nection should be made with a positive gate with a satisfactory ar-
rangement for opening it whenever it becomes necessary to discharge
water from the chamber.
In the opinion of the Department, if the works are constructed ac-
cording to the plans submitted and are maintained in accordance with
the suggestions herein contained, danger of contamination of the water
of the city through these connections can be avoided.
Dec. 16, 1915.
To Dr. C. E. Simpson, State District Health Officer, Lowell, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request, the State Department of
Health has caused an examination to be made of the water supplied
at the house at 89 Varnum Avenue to determine the presence of lead,
the results of which show that the quantity of lead, both in the
sample collected during ordinary use and in the sample collected after
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 107
water had been standing in the pipe for a considerable time, was less
than the minimum amount known to have caused lead poisoning.
An examination has also been made of the water from a tap at 22
Phillips Street, the results of which show the presence of an excessive
quantity of lead, even in ordinary use, while the quantity obtained
from a sample that had been standing in the pipe for a considerable
time was nearly five times the minimum quantity known to have
caused lead poisoning.
The water in both cases is supplied from the works of the city of
Lowell and copies of these analyses are appended hereto.
Lunenburg.
Feb. 2, 1915.
To the Lunenburg Water Company, Lunenburg, Mass., Emerson W. Baker, Esq.,
President.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on Jan. 16, 1915, the following application requesting approval of a
certain source of water supply for the town of Lunenburg under the
provisions of chapter 339 of the Acts of the year 1914:
Under the provisions of Acts of the year 1914, chapter 339, the Lunenburg
Water Company hereby make application to j^our Honorable Board for approval
of the source of water supply under said Act, by driven and artesian wells,
located in Carr's Meadow, so called, in said Lunenburg, upon which test wells
have recently been driven and operated.
Investigations for a water supply for Lunenburg have been carried
on in various localities in the town, the most favorable conditions be-
ing found in the locality known as Carr's Meadow, situated about f
of a mile south of the center of the main village of Lunenburg. In
the latter part of 1914 a test was made in this locality by sinking a
tubular well, and samples of water taken from this well indicated that
the ground water in the region was probably of good quality for do-
mestic use. Furthermore, the test well yielded water quite freely when
pumping with a hand pump and, in view of the conditions, it was
determined to make a further and more thorough test for obtaining
a water supply for the town in this locality.
For the purpose of this test, nine additional wells were driven in
two lines, making an angle of 45 degrees with each other, the length
of one line being 95 feet and the other 120 feet, with five wells in each
line. In sinking the wells a deep layer of sand and gravel was found
extending down to a maximum depth of 22^ feet beneath the surface
108 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
and growing coarser toward the bottom. Hardpan is said to have
been encountered beneath this gravel layer.
A pumping test was then made by pumping continuously from nine
wells for a period of five days between Dec. 31, 1914, and Jan. 5, 1915,
and during this test samples were collected daily for analysis and ob-
servations were made upon the variations in the height of the ground
water in an observation well selected for the purpose. During the
test water was pumped at an average rate varying from 151,000 to
184,000 gallons per day, the average rate throughout the test being
about 175,000 gallons per day.
The Commissioner of Health has caused the locality to be examined
and has considered the information presented relative to the location
and surroundings of the wells and the results of tests as to their prob-
able yield and the probable quality of the water to be obtained there-
from.
The results of the chemical analyses of samples collected during this
test show that the water is clear, colorless and odorless and in all
respects of good quality for domestic use. The test was made near
the end of a period of exceptionally dry weather and, judging from
the information presented, it is probable that the wells in this loca-
tion will yield an adequate quantity of water for all the requirements
of Lunenburg at the present time and can be extended without serious
difficulty and expense so as to be made adequate for a considerably
larger population if necessary in the future.
The Department hereby approves the taking of water from the
ground in the locality in question as a source of water supply for the
Lunenburg Water Company, under the provisions of chapter 339 of
the Acts of the year 1914.
Mansfield.
March 16, 1915.
To the Board of Health, MansHeld, Mass., Dr. W. H. Allen, Chairman.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for an examination of
the water supply of the town of Mansfield and advice as to its condi-
tion, and also for an examination of certain wells on the estate of
Joseph Smith and advice as to their use in connection with the milk
supply, the Commissioner of Health has caused the sources indicated
to be examined and samples of their waters to be analyzed.
The water supply of Mansfield shows improvement since the town
acquired the land for the protection of this source in 1911, and in the
condition in which it was found at the time of this examination the
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 109
water was practically free from bacteria and of excellent quality in
other respects.
An analysis of the water of the well in the field at the rear of the
house on the Smith estate shows some evidence of previous pollution,
but at the time of the examination the water was being quite thor-
oughly purified in its passage through the ground before entering the
well. The well is exposed to danger of pollution from the surface of
the ground and in the manner of drawing the water, and the number
of bacteria present in the water at the time of this examination was
large. It is probable that if the curb of this well were raised above
the level of the surrounding ground and securely covered so as to pre-
vent the entrance of surface water or of watei* falling from the pump
upon the platform, the source would be a safe one from which to take
water for domestic purposes.
The water of the well to the west of the house has not yet been
examined chemically, but the number of bacteria present was high,
due probably to the method of drawing the water from the well. It
is likely that if the curb about this well also was raised above the
level of the ground and the well was securely covered so as to prevent
the entrance of surface water, it would supply water of good quality.
It would be essential, however, to provide a different method of draw-
ing the water from that in use at present, by which no doubt the well
may receive considerable bacterial pollution.
If it is decided to improve the conditions about these wells, a further
examination of their waters wall be made by this Department, if so
requested, to determine the condition of the water after danger of
surface pollution has been eliminated.
Marblehead.
To Herbert J. Hall, M.D., Marblehead, Mass. ' '
Dear Sir: — In response to your request for advice as to the prob-
able effect upon the water supply of Marblehead of the burying of
cattle, some of which were afl3icted with the foot and mouth disease,
at a point in Swampscott not far from the boundary of the town of
Marblehead, the Commissioner of Health has caused the locality to
be examined and has considered the information presented.
It appears that on Dec. 5, 1914, during an epidemic of foot and
mouth disease, about thirty-nine cows were buried at a point about
2200 feet southwest of well No. 2, so called, one of the principal sources
of water supply of the town of Marblehead, quicklime being used in
the burial of the cattle.
no STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
The Marblehead water supply, coming chiefly from well No. 2, is a
ground water source derived from the rainfall which percolates into
the ground in a large area about the well and filters slowly through the
ground about the well. It is impossible to say definitely whether the
ground water from the neighborhood of the point where the cattle are
buried filters toward the well, but in case this happens, it is likely that
the water would be thoroughly purified before reaching the well, and
there is no likelihood whatever that any injury would result to the
quality of the water which would make it injurious to the health of
those who use it for drinking. Moreover, before being supplied for
drinking, this water is again filtered through the well-designed filter
plant constructed at th'e pumping station.
Under the circumstances, there need be no apprehension, in the
opinion of this Department, that the burial of the cattle at the point
in question will have an injurious effect upon the health of those using
the water supplied to the town of Marblehead from the works at
Loring Avenue.
Maeion. Sept. 15, 1915.
To the Board of Water Commissioners, Marion, Mass., Mr. George M. Delano,
Chairman.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request of Aug. 26, 1915, for
advice as to the use of water from the new wells in the northerly part
of the town, the State Department of Health has caused the wells and
their surroundings to be examined and further samples of their waters
to be analyzed.
The results of the analyses show that the quality of the water
remains practically the same as during a pumping test of last year,
and we are unable to give you at the present time any more definite
advice concerning the matter than was given under date of Nov. 19,
1914, the essential points of which were as follows:
. . . The results of the analyses of samples of water collected during the
test indicate very clearly that part at least of the water entering these wells has
at some time been badly polluted. The chlorine, residue and hardness were
more than twice as great as in the water of your present sources of supply, and
the nitrates were more than seven times as great.
In the condition in which the water was found during the test, however,, it
was probably safe for drinldng. There is, however, an objection to the use of
such a water for the supply of the town for the reason that, when water is drawn
in such quantities as will be necessary for all requirements in the drier part of
the year, the quality is likely to change, and it may deteriorate to such an extent
as would make it unsafe for drinking. . . .
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. Ill
Under the circumstances, so long as the water remains about as
found at the time of the recent test, there appears to be no serious
objection to its use, but as the quality may change with pumping, it
is desirable that analyses be made at frequent intervals so that if
deterioration should occur to such an extent as to render the water
unsafe for drinking its use could be discontinued.
It appears to be practicable to obtain a very considerable quantity
of water at this location but, in view of its quality and danger of
deterioration if large quantities are drawn, it is advisable that this
source be maintained and operated strictly as an emergency supply
and your main supply be drawn from the original source to the full
extent that that source will yield.
MoNsoN (State Hospital).
Aug. 11, 1915.
To the State Board of Insanity, Mr. Charles E. Ward, Treasurer, State House, Boston,
Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for an examination of
the water of certain test wells recently driven at the Monson State
Hospital, and advice as to its quality, the State Department of Health
has caused the wells and their surroundings to be examined and sam-
ples of their waters to be analyzed.
The results of the analyses show that the waters taken from test
wells Nos. 1, 2, 4, and 5 are soft and in their present condition of good
quality for all domestic purposes. The information supplied as to the
character of the soil in which the wells were sunk shows that it is
coarse and porous to a considerable depth and water could be pumped
very freely from all of the wells with a hand pump. These indications
are favorable to obtaining a considerable quantity of water from the
ground in this region by means of tubular wells. While the quality
is good at the present time, the wells are located quite near the
Quaboag River which receives considerable pollution, and also at no
great distance from the sewage disposal area of the hospital. In view
of these conditions, the Department is of the opinion that, if water
from this source is to be used for the purposes of a domestic water
supply in the hospital, a test of the probable yield and equality of the
water obtained from these wells be made by pumping continuously
from a group of five or six wells in this region for a period of at least
a week and at a rate of as much as 100,000 gallons per day. Samples
of water should be collected daily during this test to determine whether
any deterioration takes place. If you decide to make a further in-
112 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
vestigation the Department will assist you by making the necessary
analyses of water and will give you further advice as to the use of
water from these wells when the results of further tests are available.
Nov. 10, 1915.
To the State Board of Insanitij, State House, Boston, Mass.
Gentlijmen: — In response to your application of Oct. 21, 1915,
for advice as to taking water for the supply of the Monson State
Hospital from the ground northeast of the main building and lying
between the railroad and the Quaboag River just below the mouth
of Chicopee Brook, the State Department of Health has caused the
test wells in the location indicated to be examined and has considered
the results of a test made by pumping from the wells continuously
for a period of several days between October 1 and October 8.
During this test the quantity of water drawn from the wells
amounted to an average of somew^hat over 200,000 gallons per day.
Observations of the height of water in test wells in the neighborhood
of the group of wells from which water was being drawn show that
the height of the ground water fluctuated apparently with the height
of water in the Quaboag River, near which the wells are located, one
of the wells being within about 57 feet of the river and the others at
greater distances up to about 200 feet from the river.
The results of the test indicate that a quantity of water adequate
for the present requirements of the institution can be obtained from
the ground in the region in which this test was made.
The results of analyses of samples of water collected from time to
time during the test show considerable variation but indicate on the
whole that water of good quality for domestic use can be obtained from
the ground in this region. If a large quantity of water were drawn
from the ground in this region a portion of it would be likely to come
from the Quaboag River by filtration through the ground, and it is im-
practicable to tell from this limited test to what extent the well water
is likely to be affected in quality by water filtering from the river toward
the wells, especially in the drier portion of the year. So far as can
be judged, however, from the tests thus far made, any water which
finds its way to the wells from the river is likely to be thoroughly
purified so long as the quantity of water drawn does not greatly
exceed the amount of water required for the present supply of the
institution. If much larger quantities of water should be drawn from
the ground in the neighborhood of these wells, it is possible that the
quality of the water would be unfavorably affected by filtration from
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 113
the river, and there is a further danger that the ground water in this
region under those circumstances might be affected by effluent from
the filter beds located several hundred feet west of the wells.
The quantity of water required by the institution at the present
time, however, is not large, and, in the opinion of the Department,
the source is an appropriate one from which to take water for the
use of this institution at the present time. It is recommended that
analyses of the water be made from time to time in order that should
serious deterioration occur the use of the wells can be discontinued.
Montague (Turners Falls).
Feb. 3, 1915.
To the Board of Water Commissioners of the Turners Falls Fire District, Turners Falls,
Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request, an examination has
been made of the water of Lake Pleasant and of a tap in Turners
Falls to determine the condition of the water and the cause of the
objectionable taste and odor by which the water supplied to the con-
sumers is at present affected.
The results of the examination show that the cause of the trouble
is the presence of large numbers of the organism Dinobryon, one of the
Infusoria, which has been known when present in such numbers as
are found in this case to cause objectionable tastes and odors in the
waters of other ponds and reservoirs.
There is no practicable way of preventing the appearance and
growth of such organisms in Lake Pleasant, and their effects can best
be removed by filtration of the water. Such abundant growths as
this, however, are uncommon in the water of this lake which is usually
of good quality for domestic use and, even when affected by these
organisms, there is no reason to believe that the water when used for
drinking is injurious to health. It will be best to avoid opening hy-
drants or drawing any larger quantity of water through the pipe
system than necessary while the organisms remain in the water of
the lake, but as soon as the numbers begin to diminish it will be advis-
able to flush the pipes thoroughly.
It is probable that, if the water near the intake were examined
daily, any improvement in its quality could be noted, but this De-
partment will, if you desire, have samples examined microscopically
once or twice a week, if you will collect the samples, and will advise you
promptly as to the numbers of organisms found on each examination.
It is impossible to advise you as to how long these objectionable con-
114 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
ditions will continue. Usually they disappear after a period of three
or four weeks, but they may continue for a considerably longer time
while ice remains upon the pond.
May 6, 1915.
To the Board of Water Comviissioners, Turners Falls, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The Commissioner of Health has considered your
letter of April 29, 1915, and enclosures, and also your communication
of April 26, 1915, relating to seining fish from Lake Pleasant, the
source of water supply of the Turners Falls Fire District and adjacent
communities.
The proposed method of seining the lake is not described but is
presumably to be carried out with the use of nets operated by men
in boats and on the shore. The nets and other equipment necessary
for the work must be hauled to the lake and the work must be done
upon its shores and waters.
The operation necessarily involves considerable disturbance of the
waters of the lake and the danger of introducing infectious matter,
and under the circumstances the removal of the fish from the lake as
proposed is not recommended.
New Bedfokd.
Oct. 21, 1915.
To Mr. R. C. P. CoGGESHALL, Superintendent Water Department, New Bedford, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request for an examination of the
water supply of New Bedford, concerning which a recent communica-
tion to your department states that the chemical analyses made by this
Department indicate considerable pollution, the State Department of
Health has caused your sources of supply to be examined by its engineer
and has considered the results of analyses of water as shown by the
records in this Department and by samples collected recently from
various parts of the system.
The water supply of New Bedford is taken from Little Quittacas
Pond, which is supplemented with water flowing from Great Quit-
tacas Pond, the water of these ponds being derived from an aggregate
watershed area of 12.85 square miles, of which the area of the ponds
comprises 2.35 square miles.
Analyses of the water of Great Quittacas Pond, which is the larger
of the sources, show that there has been little variation in the quality
of this source for many years. The amount of chlorine in the water
is approximately normal for the region, and the average amount pres-
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 115
ent in the samples of water examined in 1914, for example, was a
little less than was present in the samples examined in the year 1897,
indicating that there has been no increase in the pollution of the
water at least within a period of seventeen years. In other respects
there is no evidence of deterioration within the long period covered
by the examinations of this source.
The water of Little Quittacas Pond also, which has normally a low
color, shows no material change for many years, except a slight in-
crease in color due to an increasing admixture of the water of Great
Quittacas Pond, which has a higher color.
A careful examination of the entire area of the watersheds of these
ponds shows no evidence that pollution is entering the ponds or their
tributaries at any point throughout the extent of their watersheds.
x\t the extreme upper end of Black Brook, a tributary of Great Quit-
tacas Pond, there are two small villages, but no pollution was found
to be entering the streams from any of these buildings, and very few
of them are located in the neighborhood of the streams.
Many years ago the city wisely purchased the shores of these ponds
throughout their extent and thus secured immunity from danger of
pollution of the water by settlements in the neighborhood of the ponds.
Their shores are clean and free from debris, and the works in general
are in excellent condition from a sanitary point of view. The only
dwellings in the country about the ponds are located remote from
their shores in a region composed of a porous gravelly soil, from which
there is no danger that serious pollution can find its way into the
ponds.
Finally, bacterial examinations of the water at different points
throughout the system during the present year show that the number
of bacteria is very low and that the objectionable kinds are absent.
The results of these investigations show that the water supply of
New Bedford as taken from these ponds is entirely satisfactory from
a sanitary point of view and that no treatment of the water, whether
by chlorine or any other process, is necessary.
North Adams.
June 24, 1915.
To I\Ir. John Martin, Commissioner of Public Works, North Adains, Mass.
Dear Sir: — The State Department of Health has considered your
request for advice as to the probable effect upon the quality of the
water of the Notch Brook Reservoir of the continued use of fertilizers
upon certain lands adjacent to that reservoir in the city of North
116 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Adams, a plan of which was submitted with your application, and
has caused the locality to be examined by the engineer of the De-
partment.
The watershed of the Notch Brook Reservoir is practically unin-
habited and the water drawn from it is naturally of good quality for
domestic use. It is affected at times, in common with most ponds
and reservoirs, by growths of microscopic organisms which, however,
while they are not known to be injurious to health, impart to the
water at times a disagreeable taste and odor.
The use of fertilizers upon the lands in question, which are located
on the westerly side of the reservoir and slope quite steeply down to
the water, undoubtedly results in the introduction into the reservoir
of substances which have a tendency to foster organic growths. The
watershed of the reservoir is now practically uninhabited and the city
of North Adams has secured control of all of the areas from which
objectionable drainage can enter the reservoir, with the exception of
the lands in question.
In view of the circumstances, the Department recommends that
these lands be acquired by the city at the earliest practicable time
and that the use of fertilizers thereon be thereafter prevented.
June 24, 1915.
To Mr. John Martin, Commissioner of Public Works, North Adams, Mass.
Dear Sir: — The State Department of Health has considered your
request for an examination of your water supply system, especially
the Beaman Reservoir, preliminary to putting this reservoir into serv-
ice for the water supply of the city, and in response to this request
has caused the water works system of North Adams to be examined
by the engineer of the Department and samples of the water to be
analyzed.
The results of analyses of the water of the Notch Brook Reservoir
show that no material change has taken place in the quality of the
water of this source for several years.
The new Beaman Reservoir was partially filled and completely
drained out several times between January and April and filled to
overflowing in May, since which time it has remained full. Several
analyses of the water have been made by this Department, including
bacterial analyses of samples taken at the time of the recent inspec-
tion. The results show that the quality of the water has improved
rapidly since the reservoir was first filled and that in its present con-
dition it is of good quality for domestic use. A careful examination
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 117
of the surroundings of the reservoir shows that all sources of pollution
have been removed and that all objectionable buildings have been
either removed from the watershed or were in process of removal at
the time of this inspection.
The shores of this reservoir and its surroundings are in excellent
condition and, in the opinion of this Department, the waters of the
Beaman Reservoir may now be used at any time for the supply of
the city.
NOKTHBRIDGE (RoCKDALE).
Nov. 11, 1915.
To the Paul Whitin Manufacturing Company, Northbridge, Mass., Mr. Paul Whitin,
Manager.
Gentlemen: — In connection with an investigation as to the occur-
rence of a number of cases of typhoid fever in the village of Rockdale,
the State Department of Health has caused the sources of water sup-
ply in use in the village to be examined and samples of their waters
to be analyzed.
It appears that the original supply was drawn from a reservoir or
filter gallery located in a small valley west of the village and at a suf-
ficient elevation to provide a small supply of water by gravity. Sub-
sequently, a number of tubular wells were driven close to the westerly
side of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad and about
225 feet south of the most southerly dwelling house on Railroad Street
in the village, and water is pumped from these wells to the village and
to the reservoir used in connection with the filter gallery.
At the time the investigations were made previous to introducing
the driven well supply, a test of the ground water in this region was
made by pumping from a test well in this locality for several days.
During the test analyses of the water indicated that some of the water
entering the well had been polluted but subsequently purified in its
passage through the ground, and in the condition in which it was
found at that time the water was of good quality for domestic pur-
poses. It was suggested, however, that if a large quantity of water
were drawn from the ground in this locality the quality might deterio-
rate. The village has grown rapidly since that time, and recent exam-
inations show that the water of these wells, which are located rather
nearer to dwelling houses than the original test well, has greatly de-
teriorated, though there is no indication that the water has yet
reached such a condition as to be injurious to health.
In view of the marked deterioration in the quality of this water,
however, these wells cannot be considered as safe sources from which
118 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
to take water for domestic use since the quality of the water would
probably continue to deteriorate in the future and eventually become
injurious.
It appears that, while the tubular wells and filter gallery furnish
the domestic water supply for the village, the pressure from these
sources is not regarded as sufficient for fire purposes, and at times of
fire water is admitted to the distribution pipes under pressure from
the fire protection system of the mill in which Blackstone River water
is used and also from a reservoir filled with Blackstone River water
located on an elevation northeast of the village and much higher than
that of the domestic supply reservoir. There are apparently two con-
nections between the fire supply and the town supply and it appears
that when a fire occurs, as happened on September 27th last, the
water from the Blackstone River supply is pumped into the village
mains until the fire is extinguished. It is furthermore found that it
is the practice to notify the inhabitants by a signal as to the opening
of the gate from the fire supply into the village distribution mains and
that the inhabitants are instructed not to use the w^ater supply during
the progress of the fire. On the date mentioned, after the connection
between the systems was closed, the village mains were thoroughly
flushed for the removal of the water from the Blackstone River, which
is said to be the usual practice. When the water from the mains was
analyzed about one month after the occurrence of the fire, there were
no indications of the presence of objectionable bacteria in the village
mains. Nevertheless, the practice of introducing Blackstone River
water into the town pipes is a very objectionable one and should be
discontinued at the earliest possible time.
The Department recommends that an adequate supply of water
from some source of known purity be provided for this village under
pressure adequate for all purposes at the earliest practicable time.
As soon as such a supply is available the connections between the
fire protection supply in the mill, which draws water from the Black-
stone River, and the pipes of the village system, through which water
is supplied for dom^estic use, should be completely removed so that it
will not be possible for Blackstone River water to enter the distribu-
tion pipes of the village under any circumstances. Until a new supply
under adequate pressure has been provided, if it is necessary to intro-
duce water from the Blackstone River to the mains in case of fire,
the precautions which you have previously taken should be very
closely observed, and the inhabitants of the village should further-
more be notified to boil all water used for drinking.
The Department will assist you in investigations for a new supply
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 119
by making the necessary analyses of water and will give you further
advice in the matter, if you so request, when the results of investiga-
tions are available. The present is a favorable time for making such
investigations and, if the work is begun without delay, it may be
practicable to provide a supply of good water under suitable pressure
for the requirements of the village within a few weeks.
NORTHFIELD (NORTHFIELD SCHOOLs). , ,
July lo, 191o.
To Mr. Ambert G. Moody, Clerk, The Northfield Schools, East Northfield, Mass.
Dear Sir: — The State Department of Health has considered your
application for advice as to a proposed filter to be located in Bonar
Glen on Louisiana Brook and has caused the proposed location to be
examined and samples of the water to be analyzed.
The plan in general provides for purifying the water of Louisiana
Brook, and in case of necessity water from Perchog Brook, and using
it for the domestic supply of the Northfield Schools. The plan shows
a filter 80 feet by 35 feet, which is to contain a depth of 4| feet of
filtering material over 6 inches of graded gravel and underdrains.
From the filter the water will flow to a pump well 15 feet by 50 feet
by 10 feet in depth having a capacity of 56,000 gallons, whence it will
be pumped for the supply of the schools.
Of the samples of sand submitted by your engineer, it is recom-
mended that the sand obtained from the sand bank near the filter,
which furnishes material having an effective size of about .22 of a
millimeter, be used in the construction of the filter. The total filter-
ing area will amount to about tV of an acre and, if the quantity of
water used amounts to 125,000 gallons daily as estimated by your
engineer, the rate of filtration would be a little less than 2,000,000
gallons in 24 hours.
In the opinion of the Department the filter, if constructed as pro-
posed and properly operated, will provide for the efficient purification
of the water of the brooks which you propose to use. It is of the
greatest importance that during the time that the water of these
brooks, or either of them, is being used special care shall be taken to
prevent polluting matters from entering these streams. It will also
be advisable, before the filter is put into use in each year, to operate
the filter and waste the water into the brook for several days and to
have the filtered water analyzed before the use of the filter is begun.
By observing the suggestions herein contained, it is probable that
the filtered water from these streams can safely be used as an auxiliary
120 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
water supply for the schools. The use of the filtered water from the
brooks should, however, be regarded as an emergency water supply,
and efforts should be continued to secure a supply from some unpol-
luted source by gravity, if practicable, and the filter kept thereafter
for use only in emergencies.
OxFOED (Town Farm).
June 4, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Oxford, Mass., Dr. Robert S. Fletcher, Chairman.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request of May 11, 1915, for
an examination of the drinking water used at the Oxford Town Farm
and advice as to its quality, the Commissioner of Health has caused
the well and its surroundings to be examined and a sample of the
water to be analyzed.
The results of the analysis show that the water of the well is natu-
rally of good quality for domestic purposes, and the well is not ex-
posed to danger of pollution by sewage. It appears, however, that
the water is supplied through lead pipes and a determination of the
amount of lead in the water as drawn from the pipe shows that it
contains a quantity of lead much greater than the minimum amount
that has been known to cause lead poisoning. Under the circum-
stances, the use of this water as drawn through lead pipe is probably
injurious to the health of those to whom it may be supplied for
drinking.
The Department recommends that the lead pipe through which
this water is conveyed be wholly removed and a pipe of some suitable
material which will not be attacked by the water, or if attacked will
not cause injury to health, be substituted therefor. A pipe of block
tin or of iron lined with tin or with cement could be used with safety
with this water, and it is recommended that a pipe of one of these
kinds be substituted at the earliest practicable time for the lead pipe
now used. In the meantime and until the lead pipe is removed, it
is recommended that a supply of drinking water be provided from
some suitable source not affected by lead pipe.
The cause of the odor complained of in this water has not been
ascertained, but there is no reason to believe that the water would be
injurious to health if drawn through a proper pipe, and a change in
the pipe may result in the removal of the odor.
It would be well in changing the pipe to provide for the aeration
of the water before it enters the pipe, if it is practicable to do so.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 121
Palmer (Three Rivers).
Dec. 22, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Palmer, Mass., Mr. W. C. Hitchcock, Clerk.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health has considered
your application for advice as to the quality of the water of a well
near the mill pond in Three Rivers and has caused the well and its
surroundings to be examined and a sample of the water to be analyzed.
The results of the examination show that the well is sunk in gravel
about 30 feet from the edge of the river and that there are no build-
ings within a long distance of the well. The only possible source of
pollution is the disposal of privy waste upon a garden about 100 feet
from the well. The well was not in use at the time of the examina-
tion, and the results of an analysis of the water show that it contains
rather more organic matter than is found in good well waters. It is
probable, however, that, if the disposal of privy waste in the neigh-
borhood of the well were discontinued, the water of this source could
be used with safety for drinking. It is recommended, however, that,
in case a large quantity of water is to be drawn from the well for that
purpose, another examination be made while the well is in use to de-
termine the quality of the water under those conditions.
An examination has also been' made at your request of the water
of the deep well in the lumber yard of the Palmer Mill at Three
Rivers. This well, as you were advised on July 14 of last year, was
found at that time to be very badly polluted, and the Department
recommended that its further use be discontinued. A recent analysis
shows that the water contains more organic matter than at the time
of the previous examination, and the use of the water of this well for
drinking or other domestic purposes cannot be recommended.
As to the water supplied from springs for use in the Hastings tene-
ments at Three Rivers, you have already been advised that these
springs cannot be regarded as safe sources of water supply, and it was
recommended by this Department in July, 1914, that their further
use should be discontinued. If another supply has been provided in
these tenements from some other source than those thus far exam-
ined, the Department will, upon request, cause an examination of the
supply to be made and advise you concerning it.
122 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Peabody.
Jan. 15, 1915.
To the Commission of Public Works, Peahody, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on Jan. 11, 1915, the following petition for its advice and approval,
under the provisions of chapter 698 of the Acts of the year 1913, of
the taking of certain lands for the protection of the purity of the
water of Spring Pond:
Pursuant to a vote of the Commission of Public Works of the Town of Pea-
body, at a meeting held Jan. 7, 1915, I write in accordance with the provisions
of ciiapter 698 of the Acts of 1913, to obtain advice and approval of the taking
or acquisition of the land and property in the Town of Peabody shown upon a
plan by George A. Barnaby, Engineer, dated Oct., 1913, a copy of which plan is
on file in your office, for the purpose of protecting the water supply of the Town.
The lands which it is proposed to acquire are located in the Overlea
District, so called, between Spring Pond Road and the Peabody-Lynn
town line in the town of Peabody, and as their acquisition by the town
appears to be necessary for the proper protection of the purity of the
water of Spring Pond, the Public Health Council on Jan. 12, 1915,
approved the taking of these lands which are shown upon a plan filed
in this office on Jan. 4, 1915, entitled "Plan of Spring Pond Water-
shed showing Houses Included and Town's Property Westerly Side of
Pond. Scale 1 In. = 100 Ft. October 1913. George A. Barnaby,
Engineer", and in more detail upon a plan submitted on Dec. 18,
1914, entitled "Tracing from A Plan of House Lots at Overlea. Sur-
veyed By I. K. Harris. Scale 1 In.= 50 Ft. March 1914."
April 6, 1915.
To Mr. John Boyle, Chairman, Commission of Public Works, Peabody, Mass.
Deae Sir: — Your letter to the State Department of Health re-
ceived March 31, 1915, requesting advice as to the purchase of land
whereon are located the driven wells in the Cedar Pond valley, an
answer to which is desired before the town meeting on April 7th, has
been referred to me.
While the time available is too limited to make it practicable for
the Department to make an investigation sufficient to advise you very
definitely in this matter, the questions are much the same as those
submitted to this Department last year with regard to the water sup-
ply of Peabody.
It appears from the report of your Board for 1914 that pumps hav-
ing a capacity of 3,000,000 gallons in 24 hours have been installed at
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 123
the wells and that between May 1st and December 5th last, a period
of about 7 months, an effort was made to pump all of the water pos-
sible from the tubular wells. The result, as stated in this report, is
that the total quantity pumped in this period was about 94 million
gallons, or an average of about 430,000 gallons per day. If in a very
dry year like 1914 it is impracticable to obtain more than 430,000
gallons per day between May 1st and December 5th, it will probably
not be practicable to obtain an average amount throughout a very
dry year that will exceed double this quantity, and, in fact, the daily
yield for such a year may be considerably less than double the average
daily yield of the drier part of 1914.
The information available indicates on the whole that the addition
of the tubular wells to the water supply of Peabody would not in-
crease the supply sufficiently to meet present needs without still con-
tinuing to draw upon Cedar Pond.
The quantity of iron in this water during the year 1914 ranged
from about .2300 parts in 100,000 in January to .3800 parts in 100,000
in September. The amount fell slightly to .3000 parts in February,
1915, and rose to .3800 parts in March, 1915. The quantity of iron
in the water of Suntaug Lake was .0075 parts in 1912, .0080 parts in
1913, and .0110 parts in 1914. In Spring Pond the average quantity
of iron present in 1912 was .0248 parts in 100,000, in 1913 it was .0300
and in 1914 .0325 parts in 100,000. A sample from this pond collected
in January, 1915, showed .0420 parts in 100,000, and one collected in
March, 1915, showed .0450 parts in 100,000.
It will be seen that the quantity of iron in the water of the wells
is increasing, as you were advised in my previous letter would probably
be the case, and you will also note that the average quantity of iron
present in the water of the ponds is also constantly increasing.
It appears from the conclusions of your Board that the quantity
of iron in the water has become so great as to make it objectionable
in coloring skins in the Peabody factories. The quantity has probably
also become great enough to begin to cause trouble in other ways, and
it is obvious that the use of the well water can not be continued
without filtration.
It is impracticable to determine how much the cost of filtering the
well water would be without an engineering study to serve as a basis
for estimates. In any case, should the town decide to take the water
of the wells, it would still be necessary to provide at once a further
additional supply beyond the quantity which the wells and the present
sources will yield, in order to provide adequately for the present needs
of Peabody in a very dry year.
124 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
It is not advisable under the circumstances to adopt the tubular
wells as a permanent supply at the present time. It is of the greatest
importance that the town shall secure as soon as practicable an ade-
quate supply for present needs and probable future requirements, in
order to avoid danger of injuring the interests of the town by neglect
to provide sufficient water of satisfactory quality for all proper domes-
tic and manufacturing purposes.
When a definite plan has been selected, it can then be determined
whether the tubular wells should properly form a part of such a sup-
ply and, if so, how the water should be treated in order that it may
be made fit for all the uses of the town. Until this question is studied
thoroughly it will be impracticable for this Department to advise you
whether or not the wells can reasonably be utilized as a part of the
permanent sources of water supply of the town of Peabody.
April 15, 1915.
To the Commission of Public Works, Peabody, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on March 24, 1915, the following petition for its consent to and ap-
proval of the purchase or taking of certain lands in the cities of Lynn
and Salem for the purpose of protecting and preserving the purity of
the water of Spring Pond, one of the principal sources of water supply
of the town of Peabody: —
Pursuant to a vote of the Commission of Public Works, at a meeting held
Jan. 28th, 1915, I write in accordance with the provisions of chapter 499 of the
Acts of 1908, to obtain advice and approval of the taking or acquisition of the
land and property in the Cities of Lynn and Salem shown upon plans by George
A. Barnaby, Engineer, dated October, 1913, and March, 1914, ... for the
purpose of protecting the water supply of the Town. . . .
In response to this petition a public hearing, required by chapter
499 of the Acts of the year 1908, was held in Room 143, State House,
Boston, on Tuesday, April 13, 1915, notice of said hearing having
been given by publication in newspapers circulating in the cities of
Lynn and Salem and the town of Peabody.
After the hearing, at which no one appeared to oppose the taking
of the lands in question by said town of Peabody, the Public Health
Council upon consideration voted to consent to and approve of the
purchase or taking by the town of Peabody of the lands in question
which are in two parcels and are shown upon two plans filed in this
office on March 30, 1915, one of which is entitled "Plan of Spring
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 125
Pond Watershed showing houses included and Town's Property. West-
erly Side of Pond. Scale 1 in.— 100 ft. October, 1913. George A.
Barnaby, Engineer," and the other entitled "Plan showing Parcels
A-B-C purchased by Town in 1909 also additional Watershed Line
near Fay Estate. Scale 1 inch= 100 feet. March, 1914. George A.
Barnaby, Engineer".
Oct 21 1915
To the Commission of Public Works, Peabody, Mass. ' '
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on Oct. 1, 1915, an application for its advice as to the taking and use
of Cedar Pond as a source of water supply for the town of Peabody,
and in response to this application has considered the information
available as a result of examinations of this proposed source of water
supply and has examined the results of analyses of its waters.
Cedar Pond has apparently an area of about 12 acres, according to
surveys by your engineers, and a storage capacity of about 5 million
gallons. Its drainage area, as measured from the State map, is about
500 acres, and this area contains a considerable number of dwelling
houses, though most of them are located remote from the pond.
Analyses of the water show that it is highly colored and contains
a considerable quantity of organic matter and is often affected by a
noticeable taste and odor. The pond is not a desirable source from
which to take water for drinking, though the water would not be ob-
jectionable if discharged into Spring Pond and thus given the benefit
of long storage before it is used by the town. The source has in fact
been used by the town in this way in past years as an emergency
source at a time when the quantity of water available for the supply
of the town had become seriously reduced. The addition of this
source permanently, however, to the water supply of Peabody w^ould
add comparatively little to the yield of your present sources of water
supply and would not postpone for more than a limited period the
time within which an additional supply will have to be provided to
meet the requirements of the town in a series of dry years. Further-
more, the taking of these waters would decrease the amount of water
available for riparian owners who use the water for manufacturing
along the brook below the outlet of the pond, and the cost of damages
would probably be large in proportion to the quantity of water that
the town would add to the available yield of its sources by the taking
of this water.
Under the circumstances, it is not advisable, in the opinion of this
Department, for the town of Peabody to take Cedar Pond as a per-
manent source of water supply for the town.
126 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Provincetown (Wells).
April 8, 1915.
To Mr. J. A. Cook, Chairman, Board of Health, Provincetown, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request of March 24, 1915, for an
examination of a sample of water from a certain well in Provincetown,
which is believed to be the source of infection of a case of typhoid
fever, the Commissioner of Health has caused the well indicated to be
examined and a sample of the water to be analyzed.
The well in question is located at 135 Commercial Street, and con-
sists of a pipe driven into the ground in the cellar of the house. There
are numerous sources of pollution in the immediate neighborhood of
the well, and the results of the analysis show that the water is grossly
polluted and unfit for domestic use, and it is recommended that the
further use of the water of this well be prevented at once.
An examination was also made of the well on Kiley Street in a
house in which a case of typhoid had recently occurred. It was im-
practicable to obtain a sample of water from this well, but its location,
— directly under the sink in the kitchen and only about six feet from
the discharge pipe from the sink, — indicates that it is probably un-
safe for domestic use. The public water supply of the town is avail-
able to this place and should be supplied to this dwelling, and the
further use of the water of this well prevented.
Row^ley (Wells).
Feb. 4, 1915.
To Mr. Joseph A. Dodge Edgehrook Farm, Rowley, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request of Jan. 4, 1915, for an
examination of the water of a well at your house in Rowley in which
a case of typhoid fever has occurred, the Commissioner of Health has
caused the well and its surroundings to be examined and a sample of
the water to be analyzed.
The results of the analysis show that the water contains a much
greater quantity of organic matter and much higher numbers of bac-
teria than are found in good well waters. There are sources of pol-
lution at no great distance from the well and, considering the circum-
stances, the source cannot be considered a safe one from which to take
water for drinking, and it is recommended that its further use for
that purpose be discontinued.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 127
Feb. 12, 1915.
To the Board of Selectmen and Board of Health, Rowley, Mass.
Gentlemen: — Upon notification by you in the latter part of last
year of the existence of certain cases of typhoid fever in Rowley, an
investigation was made to determine, if practicable, the probable
source of the disease.
It was found that, while in one or two cases the disease may have
been contracted out of town, the infection for the most part was prob-
ably caused by conditions existing in the village. A general examina-
tion was then made of the sanitary conditions in the town, and es-
pecially in the main village, and in the course of this investigation
the sources of water supply and methods of sewage disposal have
received careful consideration.
The study of the occurrence of typhoid fever in the town of Rowley
shows that this disease has been unusually prevalent there over a
period of many years, cases of the disease having occurred repeatedly,
usually with intervals of several months and sometimes of several
years, in certain portions of the village. The general examinations
show that the sanitary conditions of the town are in most respects
satisfactory, but the examination of the well waters at houses where
cases of typhoid fever have occurred has shown that in all cases these
waters are grossly polluted.
In view of the conditions found at these places, the examination
was extended generally throughout the main village, and samples of
water were collected from sixty-three wells in all parts of the village.
The results of these examinations show that the waters of practically
all of the wells used as sources of water supply are polluted, and most
of them grossly polluted, evidently by sewage from vaults and cess-
pools used for the disposal of the sewage of the various dwelling
houses.
In view of these conditions, the Commissioner of Health is of the
opinion that the wells from which the inhabitants of the village ob-
tain their supplies are unsafe sources from which to take water for
drinking and, considering the excessive prevalence of typhoid fever
in this town for a period of many years, it is recommended that the
town take such action as is necessary to provide a public water supply
from a source of known purity at the earliest practicable time. Until
such a supply is available, the Commissioner recommends that you
notify the inhabitants of the village of the danger involved in the
further use of the well waters in this village for drinking and to boil
all water taken from these wells before using it for that purpose.
128 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Nov. 9, 1915.
To the Board of Selectmen, Rowley, Mass., Mr. J. N. Dummer, Secretary.
Gentlemen: — In accordance with your request of Oct. 19, 1915,
for an examination of the water of a well owned by Mrs. Stephen
Pierce and located on Jellison Road, Rowley, the State Department
of Health has caused the well and its surroundings to be examined
and a sample of the water to be analyzed.
It appears that the well is of the ordinary dug type lined with brick
and is used as a source of water supply by two families in neighboring
houses.
The results of the analysis show that the water of this well is very
badly polluted and unfit for domestic use.
The Department recommends that the further use of the water of
this well for domestic purposes be discontinued.
On Feb. 12, 1915, this Departinent sent a communication to your
board relative to the serious pollution of the ground water throughout
the main portion of the village of Rowley and its relation to the con-
tinued prevalence of typhoid fever in the town over many years,
recommending that the question of a public water supply for the
thickly settled portion of the town be taken up at once for considera-
tion. The Department requests information as to what action the
town has taken toward the prevention of the great amount of unneces-
sary sickness in the town of Rowley and the efficient protection of the
public health there by the introduction of a supply of pure water.
Salem. t io imr
Jan. 12, 1915.
To the Salem and Beverly Water Supply Board, Salem, Mass., Hon. Nathan Matthews,
Chairman.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on Dec. 10, 1914, the following application for the advice and approval
of the Department, under the provisio"ns of chapter 700 of the Acts
of the year 1913, of a plan for a canal and conduit designed as a part
of a works to divert water from the Ipswich River into Wenham Lake:
The Salem and Beverly Water Supply Board organized under chapter 700 of
the Acts of 1913, hereby applies to your board for its approval of the plans pre-
pared by Messrs. Hazen & Whipple for the diversion of the Ipswich River water
to Wenham Lake by means of a canal, pumping plant and conduit, as more par-
ticularly appears in a report signed by Mr. Hazen under date of Nov. 27, 1914,
enclosed herewith, and four several plans dated Nov. 17, 1914, also herewith
submitted. If the department wishes the specifications which accompanied Mr.
Hazen's plans a copy will be sent.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 129
The application was accompanied by a plan showing the location of
the proposed works. Upon this plan is shown the line of a proposed
canal extending from a point near the right or eastern bank of the
Ipswich River about 4,200 feet below the point where it is crossed by
the Newburyport turnpike to a proposed pumping station to be located
about 700 feet northwest of Cherry Street; thence a force main to
discharge into a conduit which extends to low ground about 700 feet
southeast of Cherry Street whence an open channel is shown leading
to an outlet on the southerly side of Cedar Street at the edge of a
shallow basin connecting with Wenham Lake.
The Commissioner of Health has examined the locality and the
Public Health Council has considered the application and plans pre-
sented and has conferred with the Chairman of the Salem and Beverly
Water Supply Board and a representative from the town of Topsfield.
After consideration it was voted to approve the plan submitted by
the Salem and Beverly Water Supply Board under the provisions of
chapter 700 of the Acts of the year 1913 subject to the following
conditions:
1. The point of intake at the Ipswich River to be fixed at a subse-
quent time by the State Department of Health.
2. The times of pumping into the lake to be subject to the regula-
tion of the State Department of Health.
3. The banks of the canal to be constructed and maintained in such
manner and form as the State Department of Health shall direct, with
a view to preventing water from the surface of Wenham Swamp from
entering the canal.
4. A covered conduit or pipe line to be substituted for the open
channel from the divide south of the proposed pumping station to
Wenham Lake, the outlet to be placed at or near the shore of the
lake about 400 feet south of Cedar Street.
5. Bacterial examinations of the water of Ipswich River and Wen-
ham Lake to be made monthly and reported to the State Department
of Health.
No provision is made in the plan for a measuring station, which
remains to be established before water is diverted.
June 23, 1915.
To the Salem and Beverly Water Supply Board, Salem, Mass., Mr. Nathan Mat-
thews, Chairman.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on May 11, 1915, the following petition for the approval by this
Department, under the provisions of chapter 309 of the Special Acts
130 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
of the year 1915, of the point of taking of the waters of the Ipswich
River by the cities of Salem and Beverly.
The Salem and Beverly Water Supply Board hereby applies, under the pro-
visions of special acts of 1915, ch. 309, to the State Department of Health for
authority to take and divert the waters of the Ipswich River and its tributaries
at a point approximately six hundred feet easterly of the bridge of the Newbury-
port branch of the Boston and Maine railroad over said river, as more particu-
larly shown by a plan herewith submitted by Mr. F. A. Barbour of even date.
The petition was accompanied by a plan showing the proposed point
of taking.
In response to this petition the State Department of Health has
caused the locality to be examined by its engineer and on June 23,
1915, gave a hearing in regard to this question after notice to the
Salem and Beverly Water Supply Board and to the boards of select-
men of the towns of Topsfield and Wenham. At this hearing no ob-
jection was made to the taking and diversion of the waters of the
Ipswich River by the Salem and Beverly Water Supply Board at the
point designated in the petition and shown upon the plan submitted
therewith.
After consideration, the Department passed the following vote:
Voted, That the State Department of Health hereby designates as the ])oint
on the Ipswich River at which the Salem and Beverly Water Supply Board
may take and divert the waters of the Ipswich River and its tributaries for
the purposes set forth in chapter 700 of the Acts of the year 1913, as amended
by chapter 309 of the Special Acts of the year 1915, a point on said river 600 feet
easterly of the bridge of the Newburyport Branch of the Boston and Maine
Railroad, as shown upon a plan filed in this office on May 11, 1915, entitled
" Salem and Beverly Water Supply Board. Map to accompany application to
State Department of Health under Special Acts of 1915, Chapter 309. May
11, 1915. F. A. Barbour, Engineer."
Salisbury.
May 15, 1915.
To the Salisbury Water Supply Covipany, Salisbury, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request, the State Department
of Health has considered your plan of water supply for the town of
Salisbury on which you indicate as the source of supply ground water
in the valley of Chase Pond Brook, so called, in the northerly part of
the town, and has considered the results of the examination of the
locality by members of the Department.
It appears from the information available that the watershed of
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 131
this brook is practically uninhabited and that the water flowing in
the brook consists chiefly of ground water of good quality for the
purposes of a public water supply. Measurements of the flow of the
brook in the latter part of the year 1914, in a very dry season, indi-
cate that the quantity of ground water obtainable in this valley is
suflScient for the present requirements of the town of Salisbury.
In view of the circumstances, the Department approves the taking
of ground water from the valley of Chase Pond Brook as a source of
water supply for the Salisbury Water Supply Company, under the
provisions of chapter 243 of the Special Acts of the year 1915.
When the works now under construction for obtaining ground water
in this valley have been completed to such an extent as will make it
practicable to determine the probable yield and the quality of the
water, the Department will advise you further as to these works and
as to extensions of the collecting system if and when such extensions
are found desirable.
Sandwich (Massachusetts Volunteer Militia).
July 15, 1915.
To Frank P. Williams, M.D., Colonel, Medical Department, M. V. M.. Surgeon-
General, State House, Boston, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In accordance with your request, the Commissioner
of Health has caused a further examination of Peter's Pond in Sand-
wich to be made and samples of the water to be analyzed.
The results of the examination show that the conditions have not
changed materially since the pond was examined by this Department
two years ago. In its present condition it may safely be used as a
source of domestic water supply. Whether or not it would be safe
to use after a camp has been located near the shores would depend
on the care that is taken to prevent the pollution of the water by
bathing or by sewage or refuse from the camp. If the danger of such
pollution is considerable, it would be advisable to install a few tubular
wells and secure the water for the supply of the camp from the ground
in that manner rather than from the pond.
It is understood that the pond is also used as a source of domestic
water supply by one or more of the cottages near its shore, and it is
important that danger of the pollution of the water supply of these
cottages shall be prevented.
132 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
SOUTHBOROUGH (WiNCHESTEE PlACE).
June 29, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Southborough, Mass., Mr. Charles F. Choate, Jr., Chairman.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request of May 27, 1915, for
an examination of the water supply of the Winchester place on Main
Street, Southborough, the Commissioner of Health has caused the
locality to be examined by one of the engineers of the Department
and samples of water from a well used as the source of water supply
by the occupants of these premises to be analyzed.
The well from which the water supply is taken is the same source
that was in use last year, and the results of the recent analyses again
show that this water is grossly polluted and likely to injure the health
of those who may use it for drinking. It is recommended that the
further use of this well as a source of domestic water supply be effec-
tually prevented.
The sewage of the buildings on the Winchester place is at present
discharged into two cesspools, both of which are adjacent to a barn
in the rear of the property and about 25 feet from the well.
The information submitted to the Department indicates that these
cesspools have been in use for less than a year and that the sewage
has overflowed upon the ground in their neighborhood and caused
complaint from adjacent estates. At the time of the examination by
this Department, the odor in the barn cellar was extremely offensive
and the ground beneath a layer of sand in the bottom of the barn
cellar was saturated with sewage. Sewage was also standing upon
the surface of the ground at one or two points south of the barn, and
there were indications that the sewage had percolated into the cellar
of a building on adjacent property.
The past four months has been an exceptionally favorable time for
the disposal of sewage by means of cesspools on this property on
account of the fact that there has been an extreme deficiency of rain-
fall during this period; in fact, there has been almost a continuous
deficiency in rainfall for a period of more than a year. Notwithstand-
ing these favorable conditions, the quantity of sewage discharged from
this property not only saturates the soil throughout a large portion of
it, but causes the sewage to stand in places upon the surface of the
ground.
These facts show clearly that it is impracticable to dispose of the
quantity of sewage at present discharged from these buildings by
means of cesspools within the property without causing a nuisance
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 133
in the neighborhood. In the opinion of the Department, the further
occupancy of these buildings should be prevented until provision has
been made for the disposal of the sewage in such a manner as will
prevent further nuisance and danger to the public health.
To the Board of Health, Southborough, Mass. ' '
Gentlemex: — In accordance with your request of July 23, the
State Department of Health has caused the well near the highway on
the Winchester place in Southborough to be examined and a sample
of the water to be analyzed.
The well in question is of the ordinary type dug to a depth of about
28 feet and, when examined, contained from eight to ten feet of water.
It is located very close to the street line and in a populous district.
There are three cesspools on the property within a distance of less
than 100 feet from the well.
The results of the analysis of the wa'ter show that it has been grossly
polluted by sewage and is unfit for domestic use. The Department
recommends that the further use of the water of this well for drinking
and other domestic purposes be effectually prevented.
SOUTHBRIDGE (WeLl).
Aug. 13, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Southbridge, Mass., Mr. Albert R. Brown, Agetit.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for an examination of
a well at a farmhouse in Southbridge, which you have reason to be-
lieve is seriously polluted, and also for an examination of a source of
ice supply from which ice is taken for domestic purposes in the town,
the State Department of Health has caused the localities to be exam-
ined and samples of the water and ice supplies in question to be
analyzed.
An examination of the well, which is located on the Lombard place
about a mile south of the center of the town, shows that there are
sources of pollution in its immediate neighborhood, and an analysis
of the water shows that it is grossly polluted and unsafe for domestic
use. It is recommended that the further use of the water of this well
for domestic purposes be prevented.
The source of ice supply referred to in your application is a reser-
voir which it appears was formerly used for the water supply of the
town. The reservoir has considerable population on its watershed but
there were no indications of serious direct pollution of the water at
134 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
the time of this examination. The sample of ice taken from the ice-
house on the shore of the pond was found, upon examination, to be
of good quality for domestic use.
In the opinion of the Department, this reservoir can safely be used
as a source of ice supply while the conditions remain as at present.
It is important, however, that snow ice, including the first inch of ice
that forms upon the pond, be removed before using.
South Hadley (South Hadley Falls).
June 18, 1915.
To the Board of Water Commissioners, South Hadley Falls, Mass., Mr. Charles
O'Gara, Chairman.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request of May 4, 1915, for
advice as to the advisability of granting the request of a gas company
asking permission to lay mains across Buttery Brook at two places,
the Commissioner of Health has caused the locality to be examined
and has considered the condition of the South Hadley water supply
and the character of the water obtained from the sources now in use.
There appears to be no reasonable objection to the construction of
gas mains across Buttery Brook at the points proposed.
The results of the examination show, however, that there are many
possible sources of pollution wuthin the watershed of Buttery Brook
and that there is much danger of injury to the health of the inhabit-
ants of the town if the use of this source is continued under present
conditions. The cause of this danger is due to the large population
situated upon this watershed in the village of Fairview, located partly
within the town of South Hadley and partly within the limits of the
city of Chicopee. The city of Chicopee has recently constructed a
sewer to remove the sewage from the portion of the Fairview water-
shed within the limits of that municipality, but nothing appears to
have been done toward providing proper sewerage for the population
within the limits of South Hadley.
It is probable that, if sewerage wer.e provided in connection with
the general sewerage system for all of the houses within this water-
shed in the village of Fairview, the danger of the pollution of the
water supply would be lessened, though with so large a population on
the. watershed it will be extremely difficult to prevent all pollution of
the brook which enters your reservoir.
In view of the circumstances, further provision should be made for
the protection of the health of the inhabitants of South Hadley from
the danger of the use of Buttery Brook Reservoir as a source of water
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 135
supply. This probably can be clone by filtering the water supplied
to the town, though the cost of construction and maintenance of filters
would add considerably to the cost of your water supply system.
The examinations that have been made of the water of the Leaping
Well Reservoir, which is also used as a source of water supply for
South Hadley, show that this water contains at times excessive num-
bers of organisms which make the water very objectionable for domes-
tic use, but, notwithstanding the growths by which this reservoir is
affected, its water would doubtless be safer for drinking than that of
the Buttery Brook Reservoir.
The Commissioner of Health recommends that an improved water
supply be provided for the use of the town of South Hadley at the
earliest practicable time, either by filtering the water of the present
sources through proper filtration works, or by securing water of good
quality from other sources.
Sterling (Speing).
Feb. 24, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Sterling, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to a request from the State Inspector
of Health for an examination of the water of a spring used as a source
of water supply on the premises of Charles Greenwood where a case
of typhoid fever recently occurred, the Commissioner of Health has
caused the spring and its surroundings to be examined and a sample
of the water to be analyzed.
The results of the analysis show that at the present time the water
of the spring is of good quality and safe for domestic use.
An examination has also been made of the well at the Walton farm
from which place milk was obtained for use b}^ the Greenwood family.
This well is located beneath the cellar of the house near the wall under-
neath the sink.
The analysis shows that the water is very badly polluted and unfit
for use. It is recommended that the further use of the water of this
well be prevented.
Stoughton (Well).
June 21, 1915.
To Mr. William T. Allex, Stoughton, Mass.
Dear Sir: — The Commissioner of Health, in reply to your request
of May 29, 1915, for advice as to the use of the water of a well at
Glen Echo Park in Stoughton, has caused the well and its surround-
ings to be examined and a sample of the water to be analyzed.
136 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
It appears that this well is likely to be used by a considerable num-
ber of people during the coming summer who live in cottages in the
immediate neighborhood.
The results of the examination show that the water of the well con-
tains more organic matter than is found in good well waters, but in
the condition in which it was found at the time of the recent exam-
ination the water was probably safe for drinking. There are, however,
numerous sources of pollution in the immediate neighborhood of the
well when the cottages in its neighborhood are occupied in the sum-
mer season, and sewage is being discharged in a considerable quantity
upon the ground about it. There is much danger that the quality of
the water would deteriorate and the source become an unsafe one
from which to take water for domestic purposes.
It is advisable that a water supply be provided for the use of the
inhabitants of this neighborhood from a well or other source located
at a sufficient distance from cottages or other buildings to prevent
danger of the contamination of the water by sewage therefrom.
Sutton (Wells).
Feb. 5, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Sutton, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to a request from Mr. C. N. Woodbury
of Sutton, the Commissioner of Health has caused an examination of
a well on his premises to be made, and a copy of the recommendations
of the Commissioner relative thereto is enclosed herewith.
During this investigation an examination was also made of the water
of the town well located in front of the town hall on South Street near
Main Street in Sutton. The results of this examination show that the
water of the town well is of much the same character as that found
in the Woodbury well and, in the opinion of the Commissioner, this
well also is an unsafe source from which to take water for drinking.
It is recommended that the town take up at the earliest practicable
time the question of providing an adequate public water supply for
use in the thickly settled districts of the town. The Department will
be pleased to assist in such investigations by making the necessary
analyses of water from any sources which you desire to have consid-
ered and will advise you relative to a water supply when you have the
results of investigations to present.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 137
Feb. 5, 1915.
To Mr. C. N. Woodbury, Sutton, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request for an examination of a
well recently put in at Sutton, from which you propose to sell water
for drinking, the Commissioner of Health has caused the well and its
surroundings to be examined and a sample of the water to be analyzed.
The results of the analysis show that the water contains a much
larger quantity of organic matter and a larger number of bacteria than
are found in good well waters and that it is also very hard.
Judging from the information presented, the well is sunk to a depth
of about ISO feet, largely in rock, and an examination of the surround-
ings shows that sewage is discharged either upon or into the ground
at a number of places at no great distance from the well by which the
ground water is exposed to pollution. There are also other sources of
pollution at no great distance and, under the circumstances, the well
cannot be regarded as a safe source from which to take water for
drinking and should not be used for that purpose.
TOWNSEND (TOWNSEND CeNTEr).
July 1, 1915.
To Mr. Albert S. Howard, Toimisend, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request of June 15, 1915, for
advice as to the quality of the water of a well located between the
Squannacook River and Wilson Brook which you propose to use as
a source of water supply for certain dwelling houses in the village of
Townsend Center, the Commissioner of Health has caused the well
and its surroundings to be examined by one of the engineers of the
Department and a sample of the water to be analyzed.
The results of the analysis of a sample of water taken from the test
well show that, while some of the water entering the well has been
slightly polluted, it has subsequently been well purified in its passage
through the ground, and in the condition in which the water was found
at the time of this examination it was safe for drinking.
The circumstances are such, however, that the character of this
water will probably depend to a considerable extent upon the quan-
tity of water drawn from the ground in this location. If the quantity
drawn is limited to the amount required by the schoolhouse and one
or two dwelling houses for domestic purposes, it is likely that the
quality of the water will continue to be satisfactory while the condi-
tions in this region remain as at the present time. If, however, a
larger quantity of water should be drawn, there is danger that de-
138 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
terioration would occur on account of the nearness of the source to
populated portions of the village of Townsend. Under the conditions,
it is necessary that, if the water drawn from the ground in this locality
is used for domestic purposes, the quantity be limited as suggested
herein.
Tyngsborough (Spring). j^^^ 24, 1915.
To Dr. Charles E. Simpson, Slate District Health Officer, Lowell, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request of July 8, 1915, the State
Department of Health has made an examination of the water supplied
to the family of H. F. Cady in Tyngsborough to determine whether
it is affected by an excess of lead.
The results of the analyses show that the water is drawn through
a lead pipe f of an inch in diameter and about 1000 feet in length
running to the house from a spring on the hill southwest of the build-
ings. The results of the analyses show that the water when standing
over night contained nearly f of a part of lead, and more than I of a
part of lead in 100,000 was found in the sample when the water was
running. This is more than seven times the minimum quantity of
lead known to have caused lead poisoning.
The quality of the water of the spring appears to be satisfactory in
other respects, and if the pipe were changed and a pipe of other mate-
rial substituted therefor, the water of the spring would probably be
safe for drinking. A pipe of tin or of lead lined with tin would be
satisfactory, but the most desirable pipe to use would be an iron pipe
lined with cement. Such a pipe can be obtained ready to lay at a
reasonable cost, and the substitution of such pipe for the lead would
not involve an excessive expense.
It is recommended that the lead pipe be removed without delay
and that the further use of this water for drinking and cooking be
discontinued at once until a pipe which will not be attacked by the
water has been provided.
Warren. ,, , H,^-,r
March 1, 1915.
To the Water Supply Committee, Warren, Mass., Mr. Frank E. Gleason, Chairman.
Gentlemen: — The Commissioner of Health has considered your
application for advice with reference to a water supply for the town
of Warren and has caused the locations in which investigations for a
water supply have been made to be examined by the engineer of the
Department and samples of water from test wells in these localities
to be analyzed.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 139
The sources now being considered with a view to obtaining a water
supply for Warren are those which have already been considered in
connection with previous investigations, viz., the region about Comins
Pond south of the tovv-n and the valley of the Quaboag River north-
east of the town.
The results of analyses of samples of water from test wells near
Comins Pond indicate that the ground water in that region is of excel-
lent quality for water supply purposes, and so far as these limited
tests show, the soil conditions are favorable for obtaining water freely
from the ground. The watershed is somewhat limited, however, and
a thorough test will be necessary to determine whether an adequate
quantity of water for the requirements of ^Yarren can be obtained
from the ground in this region.
The tests made in the valley of the Quaboag River above ^Yarren
indicate that the ground water in this region also is naturally of excel-
lent quality for domestic purposes. The tests have not been carried
far enough, however, as yet to show whether an adequate quantity of
water for tlie supply of Warren can be obtained from the ground in
this region, though one of the wells examined yielded water very freely
w4ien pumping with a hand pump.
From the investigations thus far made, it is likely that good water
can be obtained in either location, but the conditions in the valley of
the Quaboag River appear on the whole to be more favorable for obtain-
ing an adequate quantity of water for Warren on account of the larger
watershed available than is the case in the neighborhood of Comins
Pond. It is recommended that you continue the investigations by sink-
ing a sufficient number of test wxlls in the vallej' of the river above
Warren to ascertain w^hether a porous stratum exists in this locality
from which it is likely that an adequate quantity of good water can be
obtained for the supply of the town. If as a result of further tests
the conditions are not found to be favorable there, further tests should
then be made in the valley near Comins Pond.
The conditions in the town of Warren are such that a public water
supply is very greatly needed there for the adequate protection of the
public health, and it is recommended that measures be taken to pro-
vide such a supply at the earliest practicable time.
The Department will assist you in further investigations, if you so
request, by making the necessary analyses of water and will give you
further advice with reference to a water supply for Warren when the
results of further tests are available.
140 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Wayland.
Oct. 22, 1915.
To the Wmjland Water Board, Cochituate, Mass., Mr. Clarence S. Williams, Clerk.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health has considered
your appHcation of Oct. 4, 1915, as to a certain proposed plan of im-
proving the water supply of Wayland, has considered the plan pre-
sented by your engineer, and has examined the results of analyses of
the water of your present sources of supply.
The results of these analyses show that the water of the lower basin
on Snake Brook, from which your supply is drawn, is one of the most
highly colored waters used for water supply purposes in the State.
The water is also at times affected by growths of organisms which
impart to the water a disagreeable taste and odor. These conditions,
while objectionable, are not known to be injurious to health, and since
the water of your reservoir does not appear to be exposed to serious
danger of pollution at the present time, the water is undoubtedly safe
for drinking.
The water of the upper basin, so called, located just above the
lower basin, is more highly colored and contains a larger quantity of
organic matter than the water in the lower basin, and there is further-
more a swamp above the upper basin having an area of about 32.4
acres, through which the water flows very slowly, and it undoubtedly
derives a large part of its color and organic matter through contact
with the vegetable matter in this swamp.
^ According to the reports relating to the water works, a large part
of the original area flowed by the reservoir was covered with a thick
vegetable growth when the reservoir was originally constructed, but
since that time considerable money has been expended in improving
the lower basin and removing mud and other organic matter from the
shallow portions. The upper basin, however, is still quite shallow and
has a mud bottom.
The plan now submitted provides for the construction of a small dike
across the lower end of an arm of the lowxr basin through which the
water of the upper basin overflows and for laying a pipe from the
wasteway of the lower basin up to a manhole to be constructed on
the west bank of the upper basin just above the proposed dike. This
pipe is designed to remove flood waters, which would naturally pass
through the lower basin around that basin to an outlet into the waste-
way below the dam. The proposed pipe line and appurtenances ap-
pear to be adequate for the purpose for which they are designed, the
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 141
cost of the works would be comparatively small, and it is probable
that the construction of these proposed works would result in some
improvement in the quality of the water supplied to the town, but
the water would undoubtedly continue to be highly colored and would
contain at times growths of organisms which would impart to it a
noticeable taste and odor. The improvement would be more effective
if, in addition to the proposed works, the swamp above the upper
basin were properly drained so that water from the watershed about
it would be conveyed quickly to the reservoir and water were pre-
vented from standing upon the swamp for any considerable time, but
even with this improvement added, the water supplied to the town
would still have the characteristics which make it objectionable at
the present time, though in a less marked degree.
The water could be materially improved by proper filtration, but
filtration is impracticable without pumping since the head under which
the water is supplied is naturally very small.
In view of the unsatisfactory quality of the water and the low pres-
sure under which it is supplied, and especially in view of the probable
cost of an effective improvement of this water, it seems advisable for
the town to investigate the practicability of securing a supply of
ground water either from Natick, from which water is obtained occa-
sionally under .present conditions, or from independent works, which
might be located in the neighborhood of Lake Cochituate at no great
distance from the village. The initial cost of a new supply would not
be great and, while there would be the added cost of pumping, it
would be practicable to extend the works to supply other very thickly
settled portions of the town, and the cost of a new supply under the
circumstances would not be likely to be a serious added burden above
the cost of the improvements proposed in the present source.
Considering the circumstances, it is the opinion of this Department
that it is inadvisable to attempt improvement of the present supply
unless the improvement is going to be great enough to insure a water
of satisfactory quality, and the Department recommends that you
investigate the practicability and cost of obtaining a water supply
from the town of Natick or from independent sources in the neighbor-
hood of the village, designing the works with a view to supplying
other portions of the town, to which it is advisable that the public
service be extended.
142 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Wellesley. q^^ 21, 1915.
To the Water and Electric Light Department, Wellesley, Mass., Mr. Charles E. Fuller,
Manager.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for an examination of
the water of certain new tubular wells shown on a plan submitted
with your application which you desire to add to the collecting system
of water supply for the town of Wellesley, the State Department of
Health has caused the wells and their surroundings to be examined
and samples of the water to be analyzed.
The results of the examination show that these wells are located
south of Worcester Street a short distance below Longfellow's Pond
in a region at present free from possible sources of pollution. The
wells vary from 28 to 40 feet in depth and yielded water very freely
when pumped with a hand pump. They are sunk in porous material
and are likely to furnish a considerable addition to the yield of your
present system of water supply.
Analyses of the water of the wells indicate that it is of about the
same quality as that of your present system and, in the opinion of
the Department, these wells are suitable sources from which to take
an additional water supply for Wellesley.
An examination has also been made, in accordance with your re-
quest, of the water of the old filter gallery near the pumping station,
the results of which show that this water at the present time is of
good quality and safe for drinking. It is possible that a continued
draft from the filter gallery may be followed by a change in the char-
acter of the water, and it is advisable, if water is to be drawn from
this source, that it be analyzed from time to time in order that its
use may be discontinued if the quality should deteriorate to such an
extent as to require such action.
An analysis of the water of the new driven well on the Morse land
on the southerly side of Rosemary Brook indicates that the ground
water in this locality is probably of good quality for domestic purposes.
Wellesley (Metropolitan Park Reservation).
June 9, 1915.
To the Metropolitan Park Commission, Boston, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
through Mr. John L. Gilman, Superintendent Charles River Upper
Division of the Metropolitan Park Reservation, an application for an
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 143
examination of a spring located in the Metropolitan Park Reservation
in ^Yellesley and advice as to the quality of the water for drinking,
and in response to this application the Commissioner of Health has
caused the spring to be examined and a sample of the water to be
analyzed.
The results of the analysis show that the water of the spring has
been at some time polluted but subsequently quite well purified in its
passage through the ground before entering the spring, and in the con-
dition in which it was found at the time of this examination the water
was probably not injurious for drinking. There are several dwelling
houses on the ground not far from the spring the sewage from which
is disposed of in cesspools, two of them within about 160 feet of the
spring, and it is possible that the quality of the water maj' deteriorate
and the water become unsafe for drinking.
If the use of the water is to be continued, it should be analyzed from
time to time and, if serious deterioration occurs, its further use for
drinking prevented.
Westfield.
April 1, 1915.
To the Board of Water Commissioners, Westfield, Mass., Mr. John L. Hyde, Engineer.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for advice as to im-
proving the water supply of Westfield by metering the services and
by the construction of a storage reservoir on the Granville supply,
the Commissioner of Health has examined the information presented
as to the water supply of Westfield and has considered the conditions
affecting the purity of your sources of supply.
The supply is now drawn in part from a storage reservoir in Mont-
gomery, the capacity of which is given as 184 million gallons, in part
from a distributing reservoir, holding about 4,500,000 gallons, two
miles below the storage reservoir, and in part from the watershed of
Tillotson Brook and an adjacent stream known as Japhet Brook,
having an aggregate drainage area of 6.25 square miles, on which there
are no storage reservoirs.
It appears that during the dry summer and autumn of 1914 the
quantity of water used was such as to reduce the amount available in
your storage reservoir to 76 million gallons, and you estimate that if
business conditions had been normal the amount would have been
reduced to less than 50 million gallons. In either case the quantity
of water available in the latter part of 1914 was too small to be re-
garded as an adequate provision for an emergency in a growing town
like Westfield. With normal business conditions, had the dry season
144 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
begun earlier or continued longer, as has been the case in certain
earlier years for which records of rainfall are available, the town would
undoubtedly have experienced a shortage of water.
The plan of metering all of the services in the town, which it is
understood you now propose, is an excellent one to adopt under the
circumstances, since, unless meters are introduced, the consumption
of water will inevitably increase and become very excessive at no
distant time. The quantity of water used per capita in 1914 in the
town of Westfield exceeded considerably the maximum consumption
of water in any city or town in the State in which practically all of
the services are metered, and the general use of meters in Westfield
would undoubtedly reduce very considerably the quantity of water
required for the supply of the town. The amount of reduction in th.e
consumption of water that could be effected by the general use of
meters cannot be very definitely predicted. It appears that 21.6 per
cent, of the quantity of water used in 1914 passed through 69 meters,
indicating that there are a number of large users of water in the town,
and it is not to be expected that any permanent reduction would be
effected in the use of water by manufacturers in the future. It is
likely, on the contrary, that the amount will increase materially as
business conditions improve. Nevertheless, the general introduction
of meters will undoubtedly effect a considerable saving in the use of
water, possibly as much as 20 per cent, in the beginning, and, while
the consumption of water per capita will doubtless increase in the
future, the general metering of the supply will prevent the use of
water from becoming excessive.
Even if meters are generally applied, the necessity for provision for
an additional supply will not be postponed, since if the town con-
tinues to grow the increase in the consumption of water will in any
case require an enlargement of the supply in the immediate future.
The plan of enlarging the supply by the construction of a reservoir
at the Junction site, so called, above the present point of intake on
Tillotson Brook, has been carefully investigated, and you have already
been advised by this Department that this site is the most favorable
location at which to construct a reservoir, and this method appears
to be the best practicable plan of increasing the water supply of the
town. The adoption of this plan will also have the very great ad-
vantage that it will provide for improving the quality of the water
on this watershed by storage before it is introduced into the town.
A storage reservoir of the capacity proposed would be a most potent
instrument in the destruction of disease-producing bacteria, and the
construction of the proposed reservoir on this watershed would elim-
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 145
inate the great danger that now exists of pollution of the water of
this source by visitors to the watershed and by the inhabitants still
dwelling upon it.
In view of all the circumstances, it appears to the Department of
the highest importance, both in providing an adequate water supply
for the future requirements of this growing town and for the protec-
tion of the health of the users of water, that the work of the con-
struction of this reservoir be begun without delay and completed at
the earliest practicable time.
Weston (Hubbard Estate).
Oct. 22, 1915.
To Mr. Charles W. Hubbard, Westo7i, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In accordance with your request for an examination
of the condition of your water supply, which supplies some twelve
dwelling houses in Weston, and advice as to its quality, the State
Department of Health has caused the sources of supply to be exam-
ined and samples of their waters to be analyzed.
The sources examined are three wells located in the valley of a'
small tributary of Charles River which enters that stream about 800
feet above the Park Road Bridge. The principal well, which is located
at a point about 1,600 feet from the river and about 25 feet south of
the brook, is about 12 feet in diameter and about 25 feet in depth,
having been sunk to ledge. There appear to be no dwelling houses
on the watershed of this well, and analyses of the water show that
at the time of this examination it was of good quality for domestic
use.
The remaining wells are located near the mouth of the brook, one
about 350 feet and the other about 150 feet from the river. There
appear to be no sources of pollution in the region about these wells,
and an analysis of the water of the lower well indicates that the water
is of good quality for domestic use.
The well located about 300 feet from the river is used but little at
the present time and was not examined. The quality of the water at
the time of a former examination was found to be satisfactory.
An analysis of a sample of water taken from the house of one of
the water takers to determine the probable cause of criticism of the
quality of the water shows the condition of the water at this place
to be much the same as that in the well. The water contained a
somewhat greater quantity of iron than is found in the water from
other points on the system, and it is not unlikeh^ that criticism of the
146 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
quality of the water may be due to lack of flushing of the pipe through
which the water is supplied.
It is probable that a thorough flushing at such intervals as may be
found necessary would remove any possible cause of complaint.
Weston (Blake Estate).
June 4, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Weston, Mass., Mr. Robert N. Hoyt, Agent.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for an examination of
the water supply of the Blake estate in Weston and advice as to its
use for domestic purposes, the Commissioner of Health has caused the
source of supply indicated to be examined and samples of the water
to be analyzed.
According to the information available, this water supply is taken
from a well 20 feet in diameter and 34 feet deep, from which the
water is pumped to an open reservoir having a capacity of 250,000
gallons, whence it is supplied to some twenty water takers, the total
quantity of water used averaging somewhat over 13,000 gallons per day.
There appear to be no sources of pollution on the watershed of the
well, and analyses of the water indicate that it is of good quality for
domestic use. The water as stored in the reservoir deteriorates some-
what on account of its exposure to light and is apparently affected
somewhat by growths of microscopic organisms, the presence of which
in water used for drinking is not known to be injurious to health.
In the opinion of the Commissioner of Health, this source of water
supply is safe for domestic use and can continue to be used with
safety while the conditions about it remain as at the present time.
Weston (Riverside Recreation Grounds).
July 23, 1915.
To the Metropolitan Park Commission, 14 Beacon Street, Boston, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for advice as to a pro-
posed water supply for the Riverside Recreation Grounds in the town
of Weston, the State Department of Health has examined the results
of a test made by pumping from a group of three wells on the south-
westerly bank of the river just below the railroad embankment of the
Boston & Albany Railroad, and has caused the locality to be exam-
ined by one of its engineers.
It appears that a group of three tubular wells 2| inches in diameter
have been sunk at the location indicated to a depth of about 37 feet
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 147
at a point about 100 feet below the foot of the railroad embankment
and 35 feet from the river. These wells are said to have penetrated
a stratum of coarse sand after passing through about 17 feet of river
silt and 13 feet of very fine sand or clay. A test of the yield of these
wells was made on June 18 and 19 by pumping continuously from the
wells for a period of 31 hours at a rate of about 68,000 gallons per
day, and samples of water were collected during the course of this
test.
The results of the analyses show that the water, while somewhat
harder than the waters obtained from this valley for the supplies of
Dedham, Newton, Brookline and Waltham, is on the whole of good
quality and suitable for domestic use. The results of the test indicate,
furthermore, that an ample quantity of water for the present require-
ments of the Recreation Grounds can be obtained from wells in the
location in which this test was made.
The only important sources of pollution in the region about these
wells are the cesspools on the Recreation Grounds, and it is under-
stood that provision has been made for discontinuing the use of these
cesspools and discharging the sewage into the sewerage system of the
city of Newton.
Under these conditions and in view of the results of the test, the
Department is of the opinion that water from wells in the location in
which the test was made may safely be used for drinking and other
purposes on the Recreation Grounds.
Westport (Wells). ^^^ 15^ 1915
To the Board of Health, Westport, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for an examination of
certain wells in Westport at houses in which cases of typhoid fever
have occurred, the Commissioner of Health has caused the wells in-
dicated to be examined and samples of their waters to be analyzed.
Three of these wells, located respectively at the houses of Manuel
Perry, Frank Verria and Anton Verria, have been examined at pre-
vious times. The well of Manuel Perry, concerning which the State
Board of Health advised on Oct. 7, 1912, that the further use of the
well should be discontinued, shows by the recent examination a very
great deterioration in quality, indicating that its use is unsafe. The
previous recommendation of this Department should be immediately
carried out and the further use of this water for drinking or other
domestic purposes prevented.
The well at the premises of Anton Verria was found to be so objec-
148 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
tionable at the time of the previous examination in 1913 that it was
recommended that the further use of this well should be discontinued.
The recent examination again shows that the water of this well is
grossly polluted, and the recommendation of the Department made
two years ago should be carried out at once.
The well at the premises of Frank Verria shows no great change
from its condition at the time of the previous examination. Certain
improvements recommended at that time have been made, but others
have not yet been carried out. It is probable that this well might
be used with safety for drinking if the stone curbing of the well were
laid up in cement mortar from a level 3 or 4 feet below the present
top of the well to a height of a foot above the surface of the ground
about it to prevent the entrance of surface water, and by covering
the well so as to prevent pollution getting into it from the top, as
advised in the communication of this Department on June 16, 1913.
The well on the premises of Clifton L. Tripp appears to be so lo-
cated that it is not exposed to serious danger of pollution by sewage
from the house or barn. This well could probably continue to be used
with safety, provided it is properly walled up and covered as recom-
mended in the case of the well of Anton Verria. A pump should be
provided at this well so arranged that the waste water will not flow
back through the platform into the well. With the changes suggested,
the water of this well may probably be used with safety.
To the Board of Health, Westport, Mass. '
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for an examination of
the water of a well located west of the barn on the premises of Anton
Verria, the Commissioner of Health has caused the well to be exam-
ined and samples of the water to be analyzed.
There are sources of pollution at no great distance from the well,
and the analyses show that the water is grossly polluted and unsafe
for drinking and other domestic purposes.
The character of the water of the other well on these premises,
referred to in the communication of this Department under date of
May 15, 1915, is such that it is not probable that any cleaning such
as you suggest would be likely to result in securing water from this
well which would be safe for drinking and other domestic purposes.
In addition to the foregoing, the following cities, towns and persons
have been advised relative to spring waters, waters used for the supply
of factories, public wells or wells used by a number of families; but
No. 34.] AD\1CE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 149
as these matters are for the most part of minor importance, the com-
munications have not been printed. Copies of them are on file in the
office of the Department: —
Arlington, well.
Attleboro, well of J. E. Blake Company.
Attleboro, well in Hebronville.
Bridgewater, well.
Canton, well and spring of American Fireworks Company.
Chelmsford, wells (two).
Chelsea, well of Rossi Brothers Company.
Dana, springs at Dana Center School.
Dracut, well at Kenwood School.
East Longmeadow, well.
Fairhaven, well at Fort Phoenix.
Framingham, well in Saxon ville.
Gardner, well.
Georgetown, wells (two).
Hanover, wells (two).
Holyoke, well of Valley Paper Company.
Hubbardston, well.
Ipswich, well at Rose Tree Inn (two).
Lawrence, well at Everett Mills.
LawTence, well at Wood Worsted jVIills.
Lawrence, well at Washington Mills.
Lenox, spring in Lenox Dale.
Lowell, water supply of United States Cartridge Company (two).
Lowell, spring.
Ljom, well of H. P. Hood & Sons.
Marshfield, well of Webster Terrace Land Company,
Medfield, well.
Medford, Fulton Spring.
Milton, well.
North Attleborough, well of The Webster Company (two).
Norwell, well at District No. 1 School.
Orange, well at North Orange School.
Peabody, Crystal Spring.
Reading, well.
Rowley, well of H. C. Foster.
Salem, springs.
Somerset, well.
Southborough, well.
South Hadley, well at Hadley Mills.
Swansea, well at Swansea Dye Works.
Templeton, well in Baldwinsville.
Tewksbury, wells at schools.
150 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
"Watertown, well.
Webster, well.
West Newbury, well.
Weston, well at boys' camp.
Wilmington, well at High School.
Winchendon, wells.
ICE SUPPLIES.
The following is the substance of the official action taken during the
year in reply to applications for advice relative to ice supplies: —
COLRAIN.
Dec. 16, 1915.
To Mr. George S. Mathys, Colrain, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your application for advice as to the
use of ice to be cut from a pond on the Deerfield River for domestic
purposes, the State Department of Health has caused the pond and
its surroundings to be examined and has considered the results of
analyses of the water of the river, by which the pond will be chiefly
supplied.
The pond is located below one of the main dams on the Deerfield
River by means of which the water is diverted into the stream at a
point considerably below the pond from which the ice is to be taken.
Under the circumstances, the water of the pond will be made up of
water occasionally overflowing or leaking past the dam above the
pond and water from the tributary watershed between the dam and
the pond. The Deerfield River receives very little pollution above
this ice pond, and the local watershed is practically free from sources
of pollution. At times of freshet, however, or overflow from the river
above at a time when ice has formed on this pond, the ice may become
flooded by river water.
In view of the conditions, the Department is of the opinion that
the only practicable way of obtaining ice of good quality for domestic
purposes from this pond will be to remove the first inch of ice that
forms upon the pond, and also all ice that forms above it by flooding,
and to retain for use only the clear ice that forms beneath the flrst
inch. It is also important that all ice containing particles of foreign
matter be rejected.
If these recommendations are followed, it is probable that the clear
ice from this source may safely be used for domestic purposes.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 151
DUXBURY.
March 26, 1915.
To Mr. Charles W. Eaton, Secretary, Board of Health, Duxbury, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request of March 3, 1915, for an
examination of Tack Pactory Pond, so called, and advice as to its use
as a source of ice supply, the Commissioner of Health has caused the
pond and its surroundings to be examined and samples of the water
and ice to be analyzed.
The results of these examinations show that the pond is not exposed
to serious danger of pollution and the ice taken therefrom is of good
quality for domestic use.
You have also requested an examination of the water of a well at
Chase's Bog, so called, used for drinking and domestic purposes by
the inhabitants of buildings in that locality.
The results of an examination of this well show that there are
sources of pollution in its immediate neighborhood, and an analysis of
a sample of the water shows that it is grossly polluted and unfit for
domestic use. It is recommended that further danger of the use of
the water of this well for drinking, and other domestic purposes be
prevented.
Falmouth.
Feb. 2, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Falmouth, Mass., Mr. T. L. Swift, Chairman.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for an examination of
Nye's, Morse's and Jones's ponds and advice as to their use as sources
of ice supply, the Commissioner of Health has caused an examination
of these ponds to be made and samples of the water and ice therefrom
to be analyzed.
The results of the analyses show that the ice taken from each of
these ponds was practically free from bacteria and of good quality for
domestic use.
A further examination has also been made of the ice from Shiverick's
Pond, which has been examined in previous years. The results show
that the ice formed there during the present season is of good quality
for domestic use, the ice both at the surface and bottom of the cake
having been found to be practically free from bacteria.
In using ice from these ponds, all snow ice and ice containing par-
ticles of foreign matter should be rejected.
152 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Franklin.
May 24, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Franklin, Mass., Mr. J. Newton Blanchard, Agent.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for an examination of
Green's Pond, so called, located about a mile south of the railroad
station in Franklin, and advice as to its use as a source of ice supply
for domestic purposes, the Commissioner of Health has caused the
pond and its surroundings to be examined and a sample of the water
to be analyzed.
The results of the analyses show that the water at this time was
highly colored and contained a large quantity of organic matter, much
of which was apparently of vegetable origin.
There is a piggery, together with several receptacles for sewage, in
the immediate neighborhood of the pond which it is understood the
owner proposes to remove before the pond is used as a source of ice
supply.
In the opinion of the Department, judging from the results of the
examination of the locality, there is no reason to doubt that, if all of
the sources of pollution in the immediate neighborhood of the pond
were removed and the watershed kept free from pollution, the pond
might safely be used as a source of ice supply for domestic purposes.
Greenfield.
April 29, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Greenfield, Mass.
Gentlemen: — At the request of Dr. Lyman A. Jones, State In-
spector of Health, this Department has considered the question of the
probable effect of the location of a piggery at the Hawkes place, on
the Turners Falls Road, upon the use of Graves Pond, so called, as
a source of ice supply. «
The information presented indicates that the place is to be used as
a piggery for the disposal of the garbage of the town and that the pigs
will have access to the small brook flowing from Maynard Pond into
Graves Pond. A recent examination has shown that Graves Pond is
not exposed to danger of serious pollution which would affect the
safety of its use as a source of ice supply, provided the ice were
treated in the manner recommended in a communication from this
department on April 28, 1913. It is very probable, however, that if
the location proposed should be used as a piggery, the brook entering
the pond would be seriously polluted and the pollution of the pond
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 153
might become so serious as to make it an ol)jectionable source from
which to take ice for domestic purposes.
In locating a piggery for the purpose proposed it is important that
it should not be so placed as to pollute any pond, spring or stream
used as a source of water or ice supply for domestic purposes.
Aug. 13, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Greenfield, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for an examination of
ice ponds used by the Greenfield Ice and Trucking Company as
sources of ice supply for domestic use and for the Boston & Maine
Railroad, the State Department of Health has caused the sources of
supply to be examined and further samples of water and ice from one
of the sources to be analyzed.
It appears from this examination that there has been no material
change in the conditions affecting the use of Wrights Pond and May-
nard Pond as sources of ice supply since the last examination of those
sources was made, and the Department sees no reason to amend the
advice already given to your Board relative to the use of ice from
those sources.
The examination of Graves Pond shows that, while there have been
some changes within its watershed, the soil in the area about the pond
is quite porous and there is no indication that the water is being pol-
luted to such an extent as to affect the quality of the ice at the present
time. An analysis of a sample of ice from this pond shows that its
quality is, on the whole, somewhat better than at the time of the
previous examination in 1913. In the opinion of the Department the
ice fropi this pond may safely be used for domestic purposes provided
the recommendation contained in the previous reply is carried out, —
that is, that all snow ice, including the first inch of clear ice that
formed upon the pond, be removed before using and all ice containing
particles of foreign matter be rejected.
Harvaed.
May 24, 1915.
To Mr. L. Kingston Savage, Harvard, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request for an examination of
Bare Hill Pond and advice as to the quality of the ice cut therefrom,
the Commissioner of Health has caused the pond and its surroundings
to be examined and samples of the water and ice to be analyzed.
The results of the analyses show that there is ver}- little pollution
154 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
of the pond in the season of the year when ice is cut, and the circum-
stances are such that the ice is not exposed to serious danger of
pollution.
The results of an analysis of a sample of the ice show that it is of
good quality for domestic purposes.
It is advisable in selling ice from this source to remove from the
ice, before using, all of the snow ice, including the first inch of clear
ice that formed upon the pond. It is also recommended that all ice
containing particles of foreign matter be rejected.
Mansfield.
Oct. 21, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Mansfield, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health has considered
your application for advice as to the character of the ice taken from
certain ponds in Mansfield and has caused the ponds and their sur-
roundings to be examined and samples of the water and ice to be
analyzed.
Willis Pond, one of the sources concerning which information is
desired, is located on a small tributary of the Canoe River in the
northeasterly part of the town. Its watershed contains few habita-
tions and the water is not exposed to serious danger of pollution.
The pond is quite shallow, however, and the ice in an ice house near
the shore of the pond appeared to contain considerable foreign matter.
An analysis of a sample of this ice shows that it contains more organic
matter and a larger number of bacteria than are found in good ice.
It is probable, however, that ice which could safely be used for domes-
tic purposes could be obtained from this pond, provided all snow ice
and the first inch of clear ice that formed upon the pond be removed
before using and all ice containing particles of foreign matter rejected.
Kingman & Hodges' Pond, another source concerning which advice
is desired, is located on the Rumford River in the southerly portion of
the village of Mansfield. The watershed of this pond includes a large
part of the villages of Foxboro and Mansfield and contains within
its limits probably 3000 persons. One of the tributaries of this pond
is polluted by sewage discharged from the town of Foxboro, and this
and other tributaries receive considerable pollution in the course of
their flow through the town of Mansfield.
At the time of a previous examination in 1905 your board was
advised that "The analysis shows the first inch of ice frozen and the
snow ice above to be dangerously polluted and unfit for use. The
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 155
clear ice below the first inch might be used if free from foreign matter."
The results of the recent examination show that the pollution of the
pond has increased and analyses of the water and of ice cut there-
from show that, while the ice might be used for refrigerating purposes,
it cannot be considered safe for domestic use where it is likely to come
in contact with food or be placed in drinking water.
Newton. q^^ ^9^ 1915
To the Crystal Lake Ice Company, Newton Center, Mass., Mr. Robert M. Clark,
Treasurer and General Manager.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for an examination of
Crystal Lake in Newton and advice as to its use as a source of ice
supply, the State Department of Health has caused the lake to be
examined and samples of the water and ice to be analyzed.
The region about Crystal Lake is quite thickly populated but is
quite thoroughly sewered, and the results of an analysis of the water
do not show evidence of serious pollution. The analysis of a sample
of ice collected from an ice house near the shore shows that it is of
good quality for domestic use.
In the opinion of the Department, ice which may safely be used for
domestic purposes can be obtained from this lake, provided the first
inch of ice that forms upon the lake, together with all ice that forms
above it, is removed before using and that ice containing particles of
foreign matter is rejected.
Palmer. j3^^ 22, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Palmer, Mass., Mr. W. C. Hitchcock, Clerk.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request, the State Department
of Health has caused an examination to be made of a pond on Bur-
leigh Brook, located about 1| miles north of the village of Palmer,
and also of the watershed tributary thereto.
The examination shows that the watershed of the brook contains
no dwelling houses from which sewage might pollute the stream, and
the pond is, in the opinion of the Department, a suitable source from
which to take ice foradomestic purposes.. It is recommended that in
using the ice from th* source the first inch of ice that forms upon
the pond and all snow ice forming above it be rejected, including all
ice containing particles of foreign matter.
If these recommendations are observed, this pond can be used with
safety as a source of ice supply.
156 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Pepperell.
May 6, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Pepperell, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request of April 23, 1915, for
an examination of the ice contained in the ice house of S. M. Nokes,
recently destroyed by fire, the Commissioner of Health has caused
the locality to be examined and samples of the ice to be analyzed.
The results of this examination show that the samples of ice exam-
ined were of good quality for domestic use and free from objection-
able odor. In the opinion of the Department, this ice can safely be
used for domestic purposes.
PiTTSFiELD (Berkshire Street Railway Company).
Feb. 26, 1915.
To the Berkshire Street Railway Company, Pittsfield, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for an examination of
the spring of Daniel C. French, having an outlet near the Monument
Mills Power Company's plant in Glendale in the town of Stockbridge,
and advice as to the use of the water for drinking in the cars used
in interstate traffic, the Commissioner of Health has caused the source
indicated to be examined and a sample of the water to be analyzed.
The results of the analysis show that the water of the spring, though
very hard, is clear and colorless and contains little organic matter and
is probably safe for drinking.
Your application also requests advice as to the quality of the ice
taken from Hart's Pond near the village of Housatonic in the town
of Great Barrington, and an examination of the water and ice of this
source has also been made by direction of the Commissioner of
Health.
The results of the examination show that the ice formed upon this
source during the present winter is of good quality for domestic use.
There are few houses in the neighborhood of the pond and one privy
within 200 feet of its shores. While the ice formed during the present
winter is satisfactory, it is advisable that the possible sources of pol-
lution on the shores of the pond be examined during the coming sum-
mer and steps taken to prevent danger of the direct pollution of the
water of the pond.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 157
Salisbury.
Feb. 20, 191.5.
To Mr. Enoch E. Sawyer, Ferry Road, Salisbury, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request for an examination of
Getchell's Pond in Salisbury and advice as to its use as a source of
ice supply, the Commissioner of Health has caused the pond and its
surroundings to be examined and samples of the water and ice to be
analyzed.
The results of the examination show that, while the ice contains a
somewhat greater quantity of organic matter than is found in good
ice, it is of good quality for domestic use. It is probable that ice
harvested from this source may be used with safety for domestic pur-
poses, provided that the first inch of ice that forms upon the pond,
including all snow ice, be removed before using and all ice containing
particles of foreign matter be rejected.
SouTHBRiDGE (see page 133).
Springfield.
Oct. 22, 191.5.
To Mr. Edw.'Uid Fitzgerald, Indian Orchard, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request for an examination of a
proposed location for a reservoir on Bircham Bend Brook, from which
you propose to take ice for domestic purposes, the State Department
of Health has caused the locality to be examined by one of its engi-
neers and a sample of the water of the brook to be analyzed.
The results of the examination show that the watershed contains
but little population, and with a suitable reservoir it is probable that
ice which is safe for domestic purposes can be obtained from this
source.
An examination has also been made of the proposed location of the
reservoir from which the ice is to be taken. According to informa-
tion submitted, the reservoir will be about 10 feet deep at the dam
and 4 feet deep near the upper end, and the area is to be cleared of
objectionable organic matter when the reservoir is constructed.
It is probable that with the proposed reservoir as described ice can
be obtained from Bircham Bend Brook at the location indicated which
will be of good quality for domestic purposes.
158 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
SEWERAGE AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL.
The following is the substance of the official action taken during the
year in reply to applications for advice relative to sewerage and sewage
disposal: —
Amhekst.
Feb. 25, 1915.
To Mr. C. E,. Elder, Chairman, Sewer Commissioners, Amherst, Mass.
Deae Sir: — The Commissioner of Health has considered your ap-
plication of Jan. 23, 1915, for advice relative to the disposal of the
sewage of Amherst by various methods available and the plans and
information relative thereto and has caused the locality to be exam-
ined by one of the engineers of this Department.
The sewerage system of Amherst has been under construction for
many years and at the present time the sewage from about one-third
of the inhabitants of the sewered districts is conveyed by gravity to
the Connecticut River, while the greater portion of the sewage from
the remaining population is discharged upon filter beds located near
East Street, though small quantities of sewage are also disposed of
upon small filter beds off Pleasant Street and off Dana Street, the
latter beds being near the densely populated part of the village. The
area of filter beds at the principal disposal area — that at East Street
— is now about two acres. The material of which these filters are
composed is rather fine but well suited for the purification of sewage
if applied at a proper rate. The filters are capable of being operated
efficiently at a rate of about 40,000 gallons per acre per day and,
though they may be operated for short periods at a greater rate, it
will not be practicable to maintain a materially higher rate of opera-
tion than that indicated and secure a satisfactory effiuent.
The quantity of sewage discharged at this area, as shown by various
measurements, has ranged from 140,000 to more than 600,000 gallons
per day, and during a large part of the year the average quantity is
too great for purification on the present filters. This variation is
caused by excessive leakage into the main sewers, and if it is decided
to continue the treatment of the sewage at the present disposal works
it will probably be less expensive to relay the main sewer than to
construct an adequate area of filter beds for the purification of all of
the sewage.
It is probable that, if the sewers were relaid and made tight, the
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TO\\nS[S. 159
maximum flow of sewage would be greatly reduced, but it would still
no doubt be necessary to provide at least six acres of filters for the
proper treatment of the sewage. The total cost of relaying the main
sewers, making the necessary improvements in the existing works and
constructing the additional works necessary to provide for the proper
treatment of the sewage at this area, would probably amount to at
least $28,500, and additions of course will be required to the filter
beds from time to time in the future if the town continues to grow.
The estimated cost of extending a branch sewer from the main
trunk sewer leading to the Connecticut River to the junction of the
Snell Brook sewer is estimated by your engineer at about $20,000,
while the cost of extending the sewer around Amherst College to a
connection with the Central or Maple Brook sewer would add about
$6,000. These extensions would serve about 2,000 people, and, by
extending the main sewer in the form of an inverted siphon across
the valley of Maple Brook through Dickinson Street, a considerable
additional population would be served. The estimated total cost of
these extensions as given by your engineer is $28,000. These exten-
sions would have the advantage of providing sewerage for houses in
the westerly section of the town, especially on Northampton, Amity
and Brighton streets. Sunset Avenue and Pine Court. It would also
make it practicable to provide sewerage for Amherst College and
finally to discontinue the use of the Dana Street filtration area, which
is undesirably near the thickly settled part of the town. If this plan
were carried out, not only would the expense of enlarging and im-
proving the East Street area be avoided, but the increased cost of
maintenance of that area would also be avoided. There would still
be a small population which would continue to drain most readily to
the East Street filters, but this population would be so small that the
present filters could probably be utilized to care for the sewage there-
from for several years in the future, and if it should be found desirable
at any future time, the use of the East Street area could be wholly
discontinued and the disposal of the remaining sewage that would be
tributary thereto could be effected by pumping it into the Connecticut
River system.
There is no question that, if the town is to continue to discharge
sewage at the East Street filtration area, a great addition to this area
must be made without delay, and provision must also be made for
the proper care and maintenance of these filters at all times.
Under the circumstances, it is probable that the most satisfactory
and economical method of disposing of the sewage of Amherst will
be to discharge it into the Connecticut River through an extension
160 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
of the sewers now connected with that outlet. It is recommended
that works be constructed during the coming year for the diversion
of all of the sew^age practicable from the East Street filters into the
Connecticut River and that the sewage now discharged at the Dana
Street filters be discharged into the new system and the use of those
filters discontinued.
If this recommendation is adopted, provision should still be made
for maintaining the East Street filters in the most efficient possible
condition during the time that must elapse before the sewage is
diverted into the Connecticut River system.
Andovfr.
Jan. 18, 1915.
To the Board of Public Works, Andover, Mass.
Gentlemen: — Complaint has been made to this Department by
certain residents on Central Street in Andover that sewage has over-
flowed from the Phillips low level pumping station of the Andover
sewerage sj'stem into the adjacent brook, causing objectionable pollu-
tion of the brook, and, by direction of the Commissioner of Health,
an examination of the locality has been made by this Department,
It appears that the sewage of Phillips and Abbott streets is col-
lected at a small reservoir near the junction of those streets and thence
pumped automatically into the general sewerage system of the town.
The pumping apparatus appears to be unsatisfactory, however, and
an overflow has been constructed from the pumping station to cess-
pools on the north bank of the brook about 1,000 feet southwest of
Phillips Street, through which sewage passes to the brook.
An examination of the brook indicates that overflows took place,
from these cesspools during the period of low flow in the latter part
of last year, and the bed of the brook for some distance below the
outlet was found to be badly polluted by sewage matters and organic
growths usually associated with sewage. In view of the conditions
found at this time, it is evident that the stream is likely to be a serious
nuisance in dry weather, and it is recommended that provision be
made for the proper disposal of this sewage, either by constructing
an adequate and efficient pumping station and equipment or by some
other plan, early in the coming spring so that further objectionable
pollution of this brook shall bei prevented before the coming of hot
weather.
The Department will be pleased to advise you as to any plan of
relief which you may desire to present and will be glad of information
as to what action the town decides to take in this matter.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 161
Fkb. 2.5, 1915.
To the Board oj Health, Andover, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request of February 20, the
Commissioner of Health has considered the need of sewerage in the
so-called Abbott Village section of the town of Andover and the report
of one of the engineers of the Department upon the conditions exist-
ing in this locality.
The results of the examination show that Abbott Village is thickly
built up, the number of dwelling houses for a mile of highway being
as great as, or greater than, is found in towns in which sewerage sys-
tems have already been found necessary. Many of the houses in the
district, moreover, are occupied by two or more families, and two or
three large boarding houses are included in this section.
So far as the information submitted shows, much difficulty has been
experienced in securing proper disposal of sewage by means of vaults
and cesspools, and difficulty is caused by the overflow of sewage from
cesspools and drains in the midst of this populated district. Further-
more, sewage in considerable quantity from private drains is dis-
charged in one or two places in the neighborhood of the Shawsheen
River, whence it finds its way directly into the stream, and there are
several privies overhanging the river in the village, a most objection-
able method of disposing of sewage under the circumstances.
The results of the examination indicate that the present method
of disposing of sewage in this village is a very serious menace to the
public health, and it is recommended that steps be taken at the earliest
practicable time in the coming year to provide sewers for all of the
thickly settled portions of this important district of the town.
Plans for the sewers of this district have already been considered
and were approved by this Department in connection with the general
sewerage system of the town several years ago, so that the construc-
tion of works can be begun as soon as the necessary action is taken
by the town.
Oct. 1, 1915.
To the Board of Public Works, Andover, Mass., Mr. Fr.\nk L. Cole, Superintendent.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for an examination of
your sewage filter beds and advice as to the necessary extension of
the works, the State Department of Health has caused the filter -beds
to be examined and has considered the results of analyses of the sew-
age applied and of the effluent therefrom.
The present filter beds have an aggregate area of 3.65 acres. The
162 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
filters have recently been improved, the underdrains reconstructed in
a large part of the area, and the works are now operated at an average
rate .of about 60,000 gallons per acre per day. It is necessary, how-
ever, in view of the large quantity of sewage to be brought to the
works frpm the Abbott Village and the low level areas, which will
probably add at least an average of 60,000 gallons per day to the
quantity of sewage now discharged at the works, to provide addi-
tional filters for the proper disposal of the sewage.
The condition of the efiluent from these filters was very satisfactory
in the earlier years, but later on the effluent deteriorated gradually
and contained a large quantity of iron and a greater quantity of
organic matter than is found in well-filtered sewage effluents. Re-
cently, however, there has been an improvement in the operation of
these filters and the quality of the effluent has shown more thorough
purification. It will be essential, however, in order to maintain this
improvement, to provide an additional filtration area, and a further
addition should be made to provide for the additional quantity of
sewage to be discharged at the works. In the opinion of the De-
partment, an addition of at least 1^ acres should be made immediately
and a further addition during the next season sufficient to increase
the area to as much as 6 acres. The additions should also include
provision for extra sludge drying beds, the area available for that
purpose at the present time being les,s than half the amount required.
"When plans for the additional works have been prepared, the De-
partment will be pleased to advise you concerning them and also to
examine samples of the material which you propose to use, if you so
request.
Beverly.
June 29, 1915.
To Hon. Herman A. MacDonald, Mayor of Beverly, Mass.
Dear Sir: — Several years ago a petition was presented to this
Department by the city of Beverly requesting its advice relative to
certain proposed plans for intercepting and outfall sewers for the city
of Beverly designed to divert the sewage from the present sewer out-
lets of the city to a point in the sea near Great Haste Island. Action
on these plans was postponed from time to time by the Department
at the request of the city authorities, the last suggestion for postpone-
ment stating that, on account of the importance of the undertaking,
sufficient time should be allowed for consideration of the matter by
the public and inviting a recommendation by this Department.
In the meantime, the city has grown and the objectionable condi-
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 163
tions due to the discharge of sewage at the main outlet have increased
materially as compared with the conditions at the time the petition
was presented. The sewage is discharged not far from the shore in
such quantity that, under certain conditions, floating matters from
the sewage are deposited upon the beach to the east of the outlet
which is used by large numbers of people in the summer season.
These conditions are a serious menace to the health of the city, and
it is important that some relief be provided or the objectionable con-
ditions will grow worse as the city grows, and with increased use of
this beach it is very desirable that the city shall remove its sewage
from the present main sewer outlet at the earliest practicable time.
It happens that at the present time the town of Danvers also has
the question of sewerage under consideration, and one of the methods
of disposal presented by their engineers for the consideration of that
town is a plan for discharging the sewage of the town into the sea,
providing a joint arrangement can be made with the city of Beverly.
There would no doubt be considerable economy for both Danvers and
Beverly if an arrangement could be made whereby the same outfall
sewer and outlet could be used by both, and, in the opinion of the
State Department of Health, it is advisable that Beverly and Danvers
should consider jointly the practicability of disposing of their sewage
by a joint plan.
If such a plan is found impracticable, however, the city of Beverly
should, in the opinion of the Department, proceed with plans for re-
moving its sewage from the present main outlet to some suitable
place of disposal at the earliest practicable time.
Bridgewater.
April 3, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Bridgewater, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health has considered
your further request for advice relative to the disposal of the sewage
of the town in accordance with the plans submitted in the early part
of 1914 and has also considered the probable effect of the discharge
of sewage into the Town River at a point close to the village of
Bridgewater and at other points farther down the river.
The flow of the Town River where it passes the village of Bridge-
water is very small in dry summer seasons. It is materially increased
no doubt by the eflSuent from the sewage disposal works of the city
of Brockton, but even with this increase of flow it is unlikely that
the river could receive unpurified sewage from any considerable por-
164 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
tion of the village without becoming a nuisance. The district from
which you propose to collect the sewage at the present time includes
only a comparatively small section of the main village, the sewage
from some portions of which already enters the stream, and if the
sewage from this small section should be discharged into the riveir
after thorough sedimentation it might not create seriously objection-
able conditions in the stream within the next two or three years.
The circumstances are such, however, that the use of the river for
sewage disposal at the point propose^, even for the short period dur-
ing which it might perhaps be used without objection so far as the
condition of the river immediately below it is concerned, would be a
violation of the provisions " of existing laws.
The Bridgewaters Water Company owns wells on the banks of the
river which have been used until recently and may again be used for
the water supply of the town, and water is also drawn from the river
for certain purposes by the State Farm at Bridgewater and may be
used for drinking by the inhabitants of that institution. The dis-
charge of sewage into a river on whose banks such works are located
is prohibited under the provisions of chapter 75, section 124, of the
Revised Laws which is as follows: —
Section 124. No sewage, drainage, refuse or polluting matter, of such kind
and amount as either by itself or in connection with other matter will corrupt
or impair the quality of the water of any pond or stream used as a source of
ice or water supply by a city, town, public institution or water company for
domestic use, or render it injurious to health, and no human excrement, shall
be discharged into any such stream or pond, or upon their banks if any filter
basin so used is there situated, or into any feeders of such pond or stream within
twenty miles above the point where such supply is taken.
In view of the provisions of this law, it seems to the Department
that the discharge of sewage into the Town River, or even into the
Taunton River in the neighborhood of the village of Bridgewater, is
not permissible unless treated to such an extent that the effluent will
not corrupt or impair the water of the stream into which it is dis-
charged, and this Department cannot advise the discharge of sewage
from Bridgewater into any stream in the neighborhood of the village
unless it has been purified to such an extent as in the opinion of the
Department will comply with the statute quoted above.
Furthermore, experience shows that when a sewerage system is in-
trbduced into a town its advantages are rapidly extended throughout
the thickly settled section, and such would no doubt be the case in
the town of Bridgewater. It is very probable that, if sewage from
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 165
the town were discharged into the river as proposed through a sys-
tem controlled by the town, an efficient purification of the sewage
would become necessary in any case within a very short time.
In view of the circumstances, it is recommended that investigations
be made and plans prepared for works for the treatment of the sewage
to such an extent as will secure compliance with the existing law.
In selecting a location for the disposal works, it is important to secure,
if practicable, a location where the conditions are such that the works
can be enlarged when necessary to provide adequately for the future
treatment of all of the sewage of the town so far as can now be fore-
seen. The Department will assist you in further investigations for
the disposal of the sewage, if you so request, by making the necessary
examinations of proposed locations and of soils which may be sug-
gested for the disposal of the sewage, and will give you further advice
in the matter of the disposal of the sewage of the town when you
have the results of these investigations to present.
Brockton (Brockton Gas Light Company).
To the Brockton Gas Light Compamj, Brockton, Mess. ■^^^- ^^' ^^^^-
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health has considered
your application for an investigation of the method of disposing of
the wastes from your works at Brockton and advice relative thereto
and has caused the locality to be examined and samples of the wastes
to be analyzed.
It appears from the examination that the wastes discharged from
the manufacture of water gas are of an oily and tarry nature, highly
colored, and usually give off a rather strong gas works odor. Measure-
ments of the wastes on different days during the past few weeks show
that the waste from the water-gas plant amounts to about 7,500 gal-
lons per day and that discharged from the relief holder to about 5,400
gallons per day. In addition to these wastes a small quantity of
waste from the ammonia purifier is discharged into a cesspool which
is about 15 feet in diameter and 20 feet in depth. This cesspool is
located about 25 feet from the Vinegar Swamp drain. The general
wastes from the water-gas plant are discharged into a concrete tank
10 feet by 8 feet in plan and 3 feet 8| inches deep, having "a capacity
of about 2,200 gallons, whence they flow upwards through two filter
or strainer cribs, so called, said to contain one layer of coke breeze
and two layers of sand, each layer having an area of about 43 square
feet and a thickness of 3 to 5 inches, the effluent from which is dis-
charged into the Vinegar Swamp drain.
166
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
With the quantity of waste being discharged from the water-gas
plant at the time the measurements were made, the rate of operation
of the filters was about 7,700,000 gallons per acre per day. Very little
suspended matter is removed from this waste in its passage through
the tank and filters.
The waste from the relief holder is discharged through a similar
tank and filter, the tank having a capacity of about 1,400 gallons
and each of the three layers of the filter an area of about 82 square
feet. Judging from the measurements of the quantity of this waste,
the rate of operation of this filter at the time of the examination was
about 2,900,000 gallons per acre per day. The effluent, which con-
tains more ammonia than that from the water-gas plant, is discharged
with that effluent into the Vinegar Swamp drain.
A comparison of the analyses of the Vinegar Swamp drain above
and below the gas works indicates that the effluents discharged from
the works into the drain increase the pollution of the water, and a
comparison of the analyses of Salisbury Plain River above and below
the outlet of the drain indicates that the wastes discharged into the
river from the drain increase somewhat the pollution of the river,
though there has been an improvement in the condition of the river
during the past year as compared with earlier years. -
The results of these examinations indicate that a more efficient
purification of the wastes discharged from your works is desirable
and can probably be effected without great difficulty. Studies of
these and similar wastes by the chemist, of this Department show
that, by treating the wastes with lime in a precipitation tank and
subsequently filtering them through a sand filter of adequate size,
they can be discharged into the Vinegar Swamp drain and the Salis-
bury Plain River without objection.
The Department recommends that the wastes be collected into a
sedimentation tank of much larger size than the tanks now in use
and that lime be applied to the wastes in this tank in the proportion
of 2 to 3 pounds per thousand gallons of wastes. A tank in two
compartments, each holding 3,000 gallons, would be sufficient for the
purpose while the quantity of wastes remains as at the time of the
examination. If the depth of the wastes in the tank were 4 feet, the
total area of this tank would be 10 feet by 20 feet. With two com-
partments with a baffle board and weir between, an adequate period
of sedimentation will be secured. The tanks should of course be so
designed that the sediment can be removed from them at frequent
intervals. The total quantity of lime required for the treatment of
the wastes if the quantity is about the same as that indicated by the
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 167
recent measurements would be about 35 pounds per day. The effluent
from this tank should be discharged upon a sand filter operated at a
rate no greater than 500,000 gallons per acre per day. With the
present quantity of wastes, that rate would require a filter having
an area of 1,100 square feet. It should be constructed of fine gravel
or coarse sand, with a depth of at least 3 feet of filtering material
with suitable underdrains.
In the opinion of the Department, if the wastes are treated with
lime in suitable tanks as herein suggested and subsequently filtered
through sand filters at the rate indicated, the effluent can be dis-
charged into the Vinegar Swamp drain and the Salisbury Plain River
without objection.
Canton (Springdale Finishing Company).
Feb. 13, 1915.
To the Springdale Finishing Company, Canton, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The Commissioner of Health received from you,
through your counsel, Henry F. Buswell, Esq., on Nov. 2, 1914, the
following communication requesting advice relative to the chemical
treatment of the wastes from your factory at Canton:
By direction of my client, the Springdale Finishing Co., of Canton, I have to
state to you the experiments which the Company has been making in the chem-
ical treatment of wastes resulting from the operation of its factory, with the
view of lessening, or wholly removing the offensive odor of such wastes.
(1) The liquid holding the wastes in suspensiq|^ has been treated with copper
sulphate (blue-stone) and sodium bi-chromate, with the result of very materially
lessening, but not wholly removing, the offensive quality of the wastes.
(2) For several weeks, the organic matter remaining after treatment (1) was
treated with calcium oxy chloride. The result of this treatment was not satis-
factory.
(3) The wastes consist of organic matter, in suspension, mostly sulphides,
which, in the course of evaporation, give out offensive hydrogen sulphide. For
the last tln-ee weeks, as the liquid enters the catch-basins, it has been treated
with ferrous sulphate, producing a black precipitate of iron sulphide. It is too
early, as yet, to make sure of this treatment; but, so far, it promises excellent
results.
(4) We intend to try, further, a treatment with aluminum sulphate, should
treatment (3) prove not entirely satisfactory.
My client would be obliged for any suggestions which the State Board of
Health may be able to make in the matter of the chemical treatment of offensive
wastes. It seems obvious that such treatment, if satisfactory, must afford the
surest means of effecting the desired result.
168 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
In response to this application, the Commissioner has caused further
studies to be made at your works and at the Lawrence Experiment
Station of the purification of the wastes from this' factory, the results
of which confirm those of previous investigations. They show that
these wastes as examined recently are practically of the same char-
acter as in former years, varying in color from yellowish to nearly
black, and that they pollute very seriously the tributary of the Ne-
ponset River into which they are discharged.
The investigations further show that when these wastes are treated
with Kme in the proportion of 5,000 pounds per million gallons, about
40 per cent, of the organic matter is removed and that when filtered
through sand a clear, slightly colored, non-putrescible effluent com-
paratively low in organic matter is obtained. Filtration can be car-
ried on at a higher rate by using the preliminary treatment with lime
than if this treatment is omitted, or, in other words, the area of filters
required for the purification of the wastes will be less if the lime treat-
ment is used than if the waste is discharged upon the filters without
such preliminary treatment.
The question of the use of various precipitants in the treatment of
these wastes has been very thoroughly studied at the Lawrence Ex-
periment Station in connection with the treatment of numerous other
manufacturing wastes from factories in all parts of the State for many
years, and the results of these experiments have been published from
time to time in the annual reports of the Department, especially in the
report for 1909.
It does not appear to be necessary for you to make further studies
such as outlined in your 'Counsel's letter, and such further studies
would operate to delay the construction of works for the proper treat-
ment of these wastes.
It is recommended that you begin at the earliest practicable time
the construction of works for the proper purification of these wastes.
The department has already advised you, under date of May 11, 1914,
as to the character of the works in its opinion necessary for the proper
treatment of these wastes. Unless the construction of works for the
proper treatment of these wastes is begun in the early spring, it will
be my duty to present the facts to the Public Health Council for such
action as they may deem desirable in the circumstances.
No. 34.1 ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 169
Danvers.
June 29, 1915.
To the Sewer Committee, Danvers, Mass., Mr. Lester S. CorcH, Clerk.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on May 29, 1915, the following application for advice with reference
to a proposed system of sewerage and sewage disposal for the town of
Danvers.
We herewith present the plan for a proposed sewerage system for the Town
of Danvers, Mass., together with the report of our engineers, Messrs. McClin-
toek & Woodfall, and respectfully request that your Board examine and take
such action as is necessary under the law, and report your findings to our Board.
The application was accompanied by a report of your engineers,
Messrs. McClintock & Woodfall, outlining the results of investiga-
tions as to the collection and disposal of the sewage, together with a
plan showing the proposed system for the collection of the sewage of
the town. These investigations have included studies of various
methods of sewage disposal, and detailed information is presented con-
cerning three of these methods: — (1) the disposal of the sewage by
intermittent filtration upon land in the extreme northerly part of the
town; (2) the treatment of the sewage by trickling filters located
southwest of Folly Hill; (3) the disposal of the sewage into the sea
either jointly through the sewerage system of the city of Beverly or
through a joint outlet, which may be used also by the city of Beverly,
through which the sewage would be conveyed to an outlet in deep
water southeast of Great Haste Island. The investigations have shown
that, by any of the plans considered, pumping of the sewage would be
necessary, and the design of the collecting system has included the
selection of a location for a pumping station adapted for use with any
of the systems of disposal that may ultimately be adopted.
The Commissioner of Health has caused an examination of the pro-
posed location of the sewerage system and of the various disposal
works to be made by the engineer of the Department and has con-
sidered the plan and report submitted therewith.
The town of Danvers with one exception is the largest in the State
unprovided with a system of public sewers, and the local waters are
very badly polluted by sewage from private sewerage systems, and
especially by wastes from the various tanneries and other manufac-
turing industries in the town. These pollutions are such as to cause
very serious nuisances at several points in the neighborhood of the
170 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
town and to cause also seriously objectionable conditions in the Dan-
vers River, where great areas of flats are exposed at low tide. These
flats are becoming increasingly polluted with sewage, and very offen-
sive conditions are likely to result unless the sewage and objectionable
manufacturing wastes are removed from the waters about the town to
a proper place of disposal.
The results of the studies for a system of sewers capable of serving
all the thickly settled parts of the town show that, while the collec-
tion of all of the sewage by gravity at ope point involves considerable
difficulty on account of the character of the topography of the town,
it is practicable, by means of main sewers in the different valleys, to
collect all of the sewage at a point near Porter River just east of
Liberty Street, from which the sewage can be pumped conveniently
either to disposal works on land or to an outlet into the sea.
An examination of the various areas found to be available for the
purification of the sewage by intermittent filtration shows that the
area best suited for the purpose, both in location and character of
soil, is the tract known as the Connor Farm in the extreme northerly
part of the town. This area is located in a sparsely, inhabited region,
and the soil over a large portion of it is of excellent quality for the
purification of sewage by intermittent filtration. The contour of the
land is well adapted for the economical construction of filter beds, and
an ample area is available to serve the town for many years in the
future. The cost of conveying the sewage to this point is considerable,
however, on account of its elevation and distance from the town, and
the discharge of the effluent into the very small stream that passes
near this area might be objectionable, and it might be necessary to
convey the effluent from the filters in a pipe to the Ipswich River.
It is practicable, however, to dispose of all of the sewage of the town
at this place for many years in the future at a cost which is not exces-
sive as compared with the cost of the disposal of the sewage at other
places in the State, where the quantity of sewage requiring disposal
is similar to that which is likely to be collected by a general system
of sewerage in the town of Danvers.
The second method of sewage disposal considered by your engineers
provides for the filtration of the sewage through trickling filters to be
constructed near the southwesterly base of Folly Hill in the extreme
easterly part of the town. These filters would be constructed of broken
stone and the sewage would be discharged upon them at frequent in-
tervals in the form of spray. The plans submitted provide for the
construction of half an acre of filters with a depth of 7 feet, with pre-
liminary settling tanks for the treatment of the sewage, secondary
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 171
settling tanks for the settling of the effluent from the trickling filters,
which would contain a large quantity of suspended matter, and a 16-
inch cast-iron pipe to convey the effluent from the secondary settling
tanks to the Danvers River. The latter pipe wo did also be utilized
to convey the sludge to a tank boat, in which it would be transported
to a point of discharge into the sea.
The location selected for these works near the base of Folly Hill
appears to be a convenient one for the purpose and, with suitable
works properly operated, it wull be practicable to treat the sewage at
this place without creating objectionable conditions in the neighbor-
hood.
The third plan of disposing of the sewage considered by the engineers
provides for discharging it into the sea at a point southeast of and
not far from Great Haste Island where the depth of water at low tide
is 35 feet. Two plans are considered by your engineers, one providing
for a sewer, force main and outlet to be used jointly by the town of
Danvers and city of Beverly, and the other providing for a joint outlet
pipe only from the shore of Beverly Harbor near the present outlet of
the Beverly sewer to the proposed point of discharge near Great Haste
Island.
The present sewer outlet of the city of Beverly is located in the
immediate neighborhood of the shores of Beverly Harbor, and the
discharge of the increasing quantities of sewage through that outlet
has become seriously objectionable, and a new outlet for the sewage
is under consideration by that city. If Danvers and Beverly should
make a joint arrangement for the disposal of their sewage through a
single outfall pipe, there is no doubt that a material saving in the
cost of disposing of the sewage of both municipalities could be effected.
The estimates of cost of works submitted by your engineers indicate
that the first cost of a sea outlet would be greater than that of any
of the other methods considered, but the cost of maintenance of a sea
outlet would be much less than the maintenance of filtration works.
Bringing all the estimates together and making due allowance for in-
terest, bond payments and maintenance of works, the annual cost of
a sea outlet would probably be greater than that of disposing of the
sewage at Folly Hill, though less than that of purifying the sewage by
intermittent filtration at the Connor Farm.
There is little doubt that very material enlargements in works for
the purification of the sewage within the limits of the tow^n would be
necessary from time to time in the future, and it is probable, under
the circumstances, that an outlet into the sea, provided a satisfactory
arrangement could be made with the city of Beverly, would be less
172 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
expensive than any method by which the sewage could be disposed of
upon land within the town.
In view of all the circumstances, it is the opinion of the State De-
partment of Health that the best practicable and most economical
method of disposing of the sewage of the town of Danvers will be to
discharge it into the sea in connection with the sewage of the city of
Beverly, provided a satisfactory arrangement for a joint outlet can
be made with that city.
Inasmuch as legislation will no doubt be necessary in order to en-
able the municipalities to act jointly in this matter of sewage disposal
or to authorize either of them to dispose of its sewage into the sea, it
is important that the question of joint action be considered in the
near future so that such legislation as may be deemed desirable may
be secured at the next session of the Legislature.
If it is not foand practicable for the town of Danvers to dispose of
the sewage into the sea, the plan of treating it on trickling filters near
Folly Hill appears to be the most desirable, under the circumstances,
for the town to adopt.
Danvers (Danvers Leather Company).
M.\RCH 1.3, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Danvers, Mass., E. H. Niles, M.D., Chairman.
Gentlemen: — Since receiving your request for an investigation of
the offensive odors said to be caused by a drain running from the
factory of the Danvers Leather Company along the property of the
Boston & Maine Railroad to a meadow in the vicinity of the Bay
State Street Railway Company's car barns, which were found to be
a nuisance, the Commissioner of Health has caused the character of
the discharge from the factory of the Danvers Leather Company to
be examined and has caused experiments to be made to determine
a practicable method of treating this waste in such a way as to pre-
vent further objections after its discharge into the drain.
The total quantity of water being used in this factory at the time
of these investigations was a little less than 100,000 gallons per day,
and the total quantity of manufacturing waste about 83,000 gallons
per day. The sewage from the factory is kept separate from the
manufacturing waste and is disposed of in a cesspool. The stock at
this factory which consists of scrap leather, paper, jute, etc., is treated
in machines similar to those employed in paper mills, and the manu-
facturing waste consists almost wholly of the waste water from the
machines. This waste at the time of the examination was being passed
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 173
through two trenches and four settling basins and subsequently dis-
charged into an open trench terminating in a swamp about 2,400 feet
from the factory. The treatment was designed to retain as much as
possible of the matters in suspension in the waste and prevent them
from entering the drain. The treatment of the waste by sedimenta-
tion alone, however, is not as efficient as desirable in order to prevent
objectionable conditions in the drain. The experiments that have
been made with this waste, however, show that it is apparently very
easily clarified and rendered inoffensive by chemical precipitation with
aluminum sulphate applied at the rate of 2,000 pounds per million
gallons. By treating the waste with this substance in suitable tanks,
a very large portion, probably 90 per cent., of the organic matter is
removed and an inoffensive, straw-colored effluent is obtained which
is stable, as shown by laboratory tests.
There is ample space in the yard for the construction of settling
tanks of proper capacity to allow the treatment of the wastes with
aluminum sulphate. By providing for this treatment with tanks of
suitable design, it is probable that the waste liquid could be allowed
to flow from the factory into the drain without creating objectionable
conditions. It will be necessary to design the tanks so that they can
be cleaned readily from time to time and to provide for the disposal
of the sludge at some suitable place.
June 9, 1915.
To the Dnnvers Leather Company, Danvers, Alass.
Gentlemen: — In reply to your request of April 23, 1915, for ad-
vice with reference to the efficiency of the save-all through which your
wastes are passed before discharging them into the drain from which
they find an outlet to a tributary of the Danvers River, the Commis-
sioner of Health has caused the locality to be examined and samples
of your wastes before and after passage through the save-all to be
analyzed.
It appears that the system of sedimentation formerly in use at this
factory has been discontinued for the present and the wastes are
treated only by passage through the save-all. The analyses show that
there is practically no change in the condition of the wastes as a result
of the use of the save-all, and the wastes discharged to the final out-
let are little, if any, improved by its use. The reason for this is that
the wastes contain little or no fiber and the suspended matters are
light and flocculent. The wastes, as you have already been advised,
can be efficiently treated by chemical precipitation in suitable tanks
using alum as a precipitant, the quantity of alum required being about
174 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
2,000 pounds per million gallons, which would be equivalent to about
166 pounds per day for a quantity of effluent amounting to 83,000
gallons per day, which was the amount being discharged from the
factory at the time of the last examination.
It is recommended that works for the efficient treatment of the
waste be constructed at the earliest practicable time.
Deerfield (South Deerfield).
Oct. 21, 1915.
To the Board of Selectmen, Deerfield, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health has considered
your application for advice as to the disposal of sewage from the two
hotels at South Deerfield and the plan submitted therewith and has
caused the locality to be examined by its engineer.
The plan provides for the construction of a sewer designed primarily
for the removal of sewage from the Lathrop Hotel and the Hotel
Warren, located at or near the junction of Elm, Main and Sugarloaf
streets, and for conveying it to a tank, designated as a catch basin on
the plan, to be constructed on the westerly side of Sugarloaf Brook
about 100 feet south of Sugarloaf Street. This catch basin, as shown
on the plan, is to be 16 feet square, with its nearest side about 3 or
4 feet from the edge of the brook, and is to be provided with an over-
flow pipe 25 feet in length laid with open joints parallel to and at a dis-
tance of about 10 feet from the brook.
It would be advisable, in the opinion of the Department, to modify
this plan of disposal by constructing, instead of the catch basin, two
cesspools 6, or if practicable 8, feet in diameter and so arranged as
to provide a depth of 4, or possibly 5, feet of liquid, and to construct
an overflow pipe from the second cesspool discharging into a small
sub-surface filter to be located farther down stream. The sub-surface
filter could best be constructed by excavating the material over an
area of about 25 feet in length and 10 feet in width bordering the
brook to a depth of about 3 feet and filling this area to the level of
the original surface of the ground with coarse sand or gravel suitable
for, the filtration of sewage. The sewage should be discharged into,
this filter through a pipe connected with the overflow pipe from the
second cesspool and laid longitudinally along the inner edge of the
filter farthest from the stream, with its joints open and the top of
the pipe at a depth of about one foot below the finished surface.
The works herein suggested will probably operate satisfactorily for
a time in disposing of the sewage of the hotels and preventing the
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 175
serious pollution of the brook, but they provide at best only a tem-
porary method of disposing of this sewage. It will probably be neces-
sary occasionally to clean out the first cesspool and perhaps also the
second cesspool, and it will probably also be found necessary from
time to time to dig up, clean and relay the pipe laid along the edge
of the filter bed.
The present conditions in the village of South Deerfield as regards
the disposal of sewage are very objectionable, and there are indica-
tions that Sugarloaf Brook is seriously polluted by sewage from other
sources than the hotels in question. A proper system of sewerage is
very greatly needed in this village, and as the village is so situated
that a gravity outlet for the sewage into the Connecticut River can
very probably be secured, the construction of a sewerage system would
not be difficult nor its cost a serious burden upon the town, since
under existing laws much of the cost would necessarily be assessed
upon the estates benefited by the sewers.
The Department recommends that your board take such action as
will secure the preparation of the necessary plans for sewerage and
the installation of such a system at the earliest practicable time. The
Department will be pleased to advise you as to any plan or plans of
sewerage that you may desire to present as soon as the results of a
careful investigation of the subject are available.
Dracut (American Woolen Company).
Oct, 14, IS 15.
To the American Woolen Company, Lawrence, Mass., Mr. William S. Whitney,
Supervising Engineer.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request of Sept. 27, 1915, for
an examination of the sand in the filter beds at the Beaver Brook
Mills in the village of Collinsville, in the town of Dracut, and advice
as to the removal of the material from the surfaces of these filters, the
State Department of Health has caused the filters to be examined and
samples of the sand and also of the applied wastes and effluent from
the filters to be analyzed.
The results of the examinations show that at this time only two of
the six filter beds available {pr the disposal of wastes at this mill were
free from flooding, and samples of sand have been collected at various
depths from these two filters. Examinations have also shown that
the sand at the surfaces of these filters has become badly clogged to
a depth of at least 6 inches and that it contains an excessive quantity
of organic matter and a very considerable quantity of fats. In the
176 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
opinion of this Department, it is essential that the clogged sand at
the surfaces of these filters be removed and an equal depth of clean
sand of suitable- quality be provided in its place. Judging from the
filters examined, it is not difficult to determine the depth to which
clogging has extended in these filters, and it is important that when
the improvement is made all of the sand containing organic matter,
that is the sand showing discoloration, shall be removed. When the
new sand is applied, the work should be done under competent engi-
neering supervision in order that there may be no stratification be-
tween the surface of the old sand and the new layer.
The information available to the Department shows that at the
time these filters were constructed the quantity of wastes discharged
from this mill amounted to about 400,000 gallons per day, while in-
formation as to the quantity of wastes at present discharged from
these works indicates that the amount is much greater than formerly,
probably as great as 700,000 gallons per day. Furthermore, the quan-
tity of organic matter contained in the raw wastes applied to these
filters at the present time is considerably greater than was the case at
the time the filters were first used.
Under the circumstances, it is obvious that these filters are of in-
adequate area to provide properly for the purification of the quantity
of wastes at present discharged from this mill, and it, is essential, in
order to secure their proper purification, that an additional area of
filters amounting to at least 3| acres shall be made available at the
earliest practicable time. It is also very desirable that the suggestions
made by your department as to lengthening the openings between the
settling tanks be carried out in order to reduce the velocity of' flow
near these openings and improve the sedimentation of these wastes.
Your further suggestion as to the screening of these wastes is a very
desirable one to adopt since experience has shown that by screening
and sedimentation a very considerable quantity of organic matter can
be removed from these wastes before they are carried to the filters.
An examination of the underdrains in the northerly filter shows at
the present time little evidence of clogging, but with the application
of excessive quantities of wastes to the filters there is danger that the
underdrains will eventually become clogged.
It is recommended that the improvement of the filters and the other
changes herein suggested be carried out at the earliest practicable
time in order that serious danger of further injury to the present fiilters
may be avoided.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 177
Edgartown (North School).
May S, 1915.
To Mr. Fraxk W. Saunders, State Inspector of Buildings, New Beaford, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request for advice a§ to the prac-
ticability of disposing of the sewage of the North School, so called, in
Edgartown, by means of cesspools, the Commissioner of Health has
caused the location of the proposed school to be examined and has
considered the information presented.
The elevation of the ground water in the school yard is about 9.2
feet below the surface of the ground at the present time, and the level
of the ground water appears to be much the same over a considerable
area in the vicinity of the school. The elevation of the floor of the
compartment to be used for water closets is about 5.3 feet above the
present level of the ground water.
At the time of this examination, however, the elevation of the
ground water was undoubtedly abnormally low, and there are indica-
tions that at other times the ground water rises to a level within 3.5
feet of the level of the floor on which the water closets are to be lo-
cated. The discharge of the sewage from the water closets into the
ground would, moreover, have a tendency to raise still further the
ground water level. Under ordinary conditions, the ground water
level would probably not rise sufficiently to reach the level of the
basement, but it is not certain that at periods of high rainfall the
ground water level would not rise to such a height as to interfere with
the proper disposal of the sewage. By distributing the sewage from
two or more cesspools with radiating pipes, it would be distributed
over a wider area and a material raising of the ground water level
might thus be avoided. While this plan might not operate satisfac-
torily, the circumstances are such that there appears to be no better
way at present of providing for the disposal of the sewage of this
school. If the building could be raised somewhat, the probability of
the success of the plan would be increased. If it is not practicable
to raise the building and if objectionable conditions result from any
rise in the ground water level, it may be necessary to pro\ade for
lowering the level of the ground water by means of a drain laid to
an outlet into tide water.
In view of the circumstances, it is recommended that the level of
the water closets be raised as much as practicable and the sewage
spread over as wide an area as can be made available. If trouble
should be experienced in the disposal of the sewage it will be neces-
178 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
sary either to lower the level of the ground water by means of a drain
to tide water or to provide a sewer to convey the sewage to some
point where it can be disposed of without objection.
Fall River.
Maech 24, 1915.
To the Watuppa Water Board, Fall River, Mass., Mr. R. F. Hatfenreffer, Jr.,
President.
Gentlemen: — The Commissioner of Health received from you,
through your consulting engineer, on Feb. 18, 1915, the following
application for advice relative to a proposed plan for disposing of
the sewage and wastes at the Fall River water works pumping station:
By direction of Mr. R. F. Haffenxeffer, Jr., President of the Watuppa Water
Board, Fall River, Mass., I am sending you herewith a copy of ray report and
accompanying plan upon the matter of sewage disposal at the Fall River Pump-
ing Station.
It is the desire of the Watuppa Water Board that your department review the
plan and recommendation made in the report and if satisfactory approve the
same or make such comments thereon as seem desirable.
The application states that there are in and about the pumping
stations at the present time from 15 to 20 persons, including the
family of the chief engineer, and that it is not expected that the
number will exceed 25 persons for many years to come. Allowing
50 gallons of sewage per capita, the total amount of sewage to be
disposed of is estimated to be 1,250 gallons per day.
Two schemes are presented for the disposal of the sewage, by one
of which the sewage is to be collected in a steel tank 3 feet in diam-
eter and 7 feet deep, to be located in the basement of the main pump-
ing station. From this tank the sewage is to be pumped by an ejector,
arranged for automatic operation, to a sand filter bed to be located
about 200 feet from the main pumping station. The filter bed is to
be 25 feet in diameter with an average depth of 3| feet of sand, and
the effluent is to be discharged into the proposed intercepting drain
now being constructed along the westerly shore of North Watuppa
Pond. The total cost of this scheme is estimated at $1,830.
The second plan provides for collecting the sewage in a tank as
above, whence it will be pumped through a force main to the top of
the Bedford Street hill, where the sewage will be discharged into an
8-inch vitrified sewer, to be constructed in Bedford Street to a con-
nection with an existing sewer at Eastern Avenue. The estimated
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 179
cost of this plan is $3,910. The latter figure includes, however, the
vitrified pipe sewer in Bedford Street costing about $1,100, which will
eventually be useful for the sewerage of this street.
The report also mentions certain other wastes requiring disposal at
the pumping station, viz., (1) water blown from the boilers, (2) con-
denser water from the pumps, and (3) a small amount of oily waste.
It is proposed to discharge the water blown off from the boilers into
the intercepting drain, and the condenser water from the pumps, after
passing through certain oil traps, is also to be discharged into the
intercepting drain. It is proposed to dispose of the oily waste, said
to be small in amount and collected in a tank in the basement, into
the ash heap in the rear of the building, while the sink waste is to
be discharged into the intercepting drain.
The Commissioner of Health has caused the plan to be examined
and has considered the information presented. The estimate of the
quantity of sewage does not appear to be excessive and, in view of
the desirability of disposing of sink wastes in connection with the
sewage, it is likely that the quantity indicated may represent the
average quantity of sewage requiring disposal continuously. With the
size of the filter proposed, the rate of filtration would be about 111,000
gallons per acre per day, and with such a rate, even with the most
efficient care, there might be trouble in the operation of the filter.
Considering the circumstances, it is advisable that the area of the
filter be made at least as much as twice as great as proposed, and it
may be found desirable to enlarge the area still further at no distant
time in the future.
In view of the probability that the proposed sewer in Bedford Street
under the second plan would be useful for the sewerage of this street
at no distant time, the difference in cost of the two plans suggested
is not likely to be considerable. It would be preferable to avoid if
possible the location of a sewage filter bed in the immediate neighbor-
hood of your pumping station, and while the discharge of the effluent,
if thoroughly purified at all times, into the intercepting drain would
be permissible, this effluent will contain a large quantity of nitrates
which would tend to maintain growths of organisms in the uncovered
parts of the conduit and in the water of the South Pond in the neigh-
borhood of the outlet.
Considering all of the conditions, the Commissioner of Health is of
the opinion that the discharge of the sewage into the Bedford Street
sewer is the most efficient and satisfactory method of disposal to
adopt. It is recommended that in providing for the disposal of the
sewage by this plan, provision be made for discharging all of the sew-
180 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
age, including that from sinks and bath tubs, into the Bedford Street
sewer. The water blown off from the boilers is unpolluted, and its
discharge into the intercepting drain appears to be an unobjectionable
method of disposal for this waste. The condenser water, if freed from
oil, can also be discharged into the intercepting conduit without ob-
jection. The remaining small amount of oily waste, together with oil
separated from the condenser water, should be disposed of in some
suitable way where it will not affect either the water of the pond or
the conduit. The oil should in any case of course be kept out of the
sewage.
FOXBOROUGH.
Feb. 24, 1915.
To the Board of Selectmen, Foxhorough, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health has received from
you the following application for the approval of certain plans of sew-
age disposal in Foxborough:
Will you consider the plans for sewage disposal on land North of Elm St. and
Easterly of N. Y., N. H. & H. R.R. in Foxboro, to be submitted by J. J. Van-
Valkenburgh, C. E., and advise us if you will approve the same. . . .
The plan submitted with the application shows a proposed sewer
extending northeasterly in Leonard Street from your present sewer
to a point on the easterly side of the New York, New Haven & Hart-
ford Railroad, thence in a generally southerly direction in lands now
owned, or the taking of which has been approved by this Department,
to filter beds which it is proposed to construct on the northerly side
of Elm Street from 300 to 700 feet east of the New York, New Haven
& Hartford Railroad. It is proposed to use these works for the puri-
fication of the sewage from the present main sewer and such addi-
tional sewage as may be discharged into the sewers of the town in
the future until such time as the quantity of sewage shall equal the
capacity of the filters indicated on the plan, which is estimated by
your engineer to be about 180,000 gallons per day.
In response to this application, the Public Health Council gave a
hearing at its office. Room 143, State House, on Jan. 26, 1915, after
notice by publication in newspapers circulating in Foxborough and
notice to the authorities of the town of ^Mansfield. At this hearing
objection was made by the authorities of Mansfield to the establish-
ment of filters in the location proposed chiefly on account of the
small size of the brook into which the effluent would discharge and
the fear that this stream might be permanently polluted, thus in-
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 181
creasing the already objectionable conditions in the central portion
of Mansfield due to the discharge of sewage and waste from that town
into these ponds. It was stated that the town of Mansfield has al-
ready under consideration plans for the construction of a system of
sewerage to remove objectionable conditions from the waters within
its limits and desires to avoid any danger of objectionable pollution
of any stream which enters the ponds in the thickly settled portion
of the town.
Plans for the disposal of the sewage of Foxborough have been under
consideration by the town for several years, and this Department has
considered plans both for the temporary disposal of the sewage flow-
ing from the present sewer of the town of Foxborough upon land near
Elm Street and a general plan for the disposal of all of the sewage of
the town upon an area near South Street mentioned at the hearing.
In the latter case the effluent would enter the Wading River, which
flows through the westerly part of Foxborough and Mansfield ulti-
mately into the Taunton River.
The taking of the lands near Elm Street for the temporary disposal
of the sewage then being discharged from the sewer of the town of
Foxborough was approved by the State Board of Health on May 1,
1913, after a hearing. Subsequently on May 14, 1914, a sewerage
committee of the town of Foxborough submitted the following applica-
tion for further advice relative to the disposal of the sewage of the
town:
Having been appointed by the Town of Foxborough, a Committee to bring
in at a special town meeting before June 1st necessary votes for action upon
the sewerage disposal plan of Mr. J. J. VanValkenburgh of 1908 (Near Elm St.)
we have, after investigating, not been able to convince ourselves that to adopt
that plan, would not be short sighted and ultimately most expensive and un-
satisfactory. We understand you approved the plan near Elm Street for a
temporary proposition, and later as developed to attempt to make it more
permanent.
Anxious to get all possible light on the subject for ourselves, and to assist us
in convincing others, we should be pleased if you would advise us your best
judgment on the following:
1. Would you approve such plans now?
2. The least that can be done, taking present drain and caring for it alone,
near Elm St. is estimated to cost $13,000.00. Would this not be wasteful expen-
diture and short sighted, with an adequate disposal site at South Street per-
mittmg an all gravity system, and enabling at an estimated expense of $60,000.00
— serving all the central and Eastern part of the town and the State Hospital?
3. The Elm Street disposal, being located as it is, so very near to the line of
traffic — R. R., Trolley and Main Highway — the latter having electric light
182 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
and water to the Mansfield line, would it not soon become objectionable and
tend to prevent growth in this direction?
4. If Elm Street should be adopted, how many years before the probabilities
are that a change to such as the South Street disposal would be desirable or
compulsory?
We should be pleased to have your reply before May 20th if possible.
The State Board of Health on May 22, 1914, after replying to
certain specific questions, made the following recommendation:
... In conclusion, the Board urges such action in the matter of sewerage in
Foxborough as will prevent without further delay the objectionable conditions
resulting from the very serious pollution of the west branch of the Rumford
River by the sewage now discharged south of Leonard Street. This nuisance
can be prevented by disposing of this sewage on filter beds near Elm Street but,
so far as the Board can now judge, there seems to be no doubt that the most
economical and desirable plan for the town of Foxborough to adopt in the be-
ginning will be the plan which provides for the disposal of all of the sewage of the
town upon the South Street area, thus allowing for the gradual extension of the
sewerage system throughout the village. . . .
A full copy of this reply is appended.
It appears that there is a demand for the extension of sewerage in
the village of Foxborough and that it is desirable that sewers be ex-
tended there as soon as practicable, and if works should be constructed
for the temporary disposal of the sewage of the present sewer and the
use of the present sewer were restricted to the connections which have
thus far been made therewith, the plan might operate to delay the
necessary extension of sewerage facilities in other parts of the village.
If, on the other hand, additional connections were made with the
present system, the quantity of sewage requiring disposal in the valley
of this brook near Elm Street would increase in the future.
After further consideration of the plans and information presented
to the Public Health Council, and in view of the representations made
at the hearing, it appears to the Council inadvisable for the town of
Foxborough to construct works for the disposal of sewage on the land
near Elm Street in the valley of the stream leading to Mansfield,
since it would probably be necessary within a few years to provide a
larger area than your plans now contemplate for the disposal of the
sewage. It appears that there is another area available for the dis-
posal of the sewage of the town to which the sewage can be delivered
without excessive cost and the use of which would be unlikely to be
objectionable either to neighboring inhabitants or other communities.
A comparison of the probable cost to the town of Foxborough,
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 183
based on the estimates of cost of the two plans submitted at the
hearing, of disposing of the sewage of the town for a period of ten
years on the land near Elm Street, and subsequently constructing
works for the disposal of all of the sewage on land near South Street,
with the cost of delivering the sewage to the latter area in the begin-
ning indicates that the annual cost to the town might be about the
same in each case during that period.
In view of the circumstances, the Council does not approve the
construction of works for the disposal of the sewage of Foxborough
on land near Elm Street as proposed in the application presented.
Framingham,
Jan. 9, 1915.
To the Board of Sewer Commissioners, Fraviingham, Mass., Mr. F. E. Barrp:tTi
Clerk.
Gentlemen: — In answer to your verbal request for information
relative to the operation of your sewage disposal works during the
year 1914 and for suggestions as to improvements to be undertaken
during 1915, it appears from looking over the analyses of samples of
sewage and effluent collected during 1914 that there has been a falling
off in the efficiency of the purification. Inspections of the filters have
shown that sewage remains, sometimes for long periods, on the sur-
faces of the beds, a condition which is due in part, at least, to the
impervious character of the surface material, and probably also in
part to lack of proper underdrainage; and a very objectionable odor
is noticeable frequently in the vicinity of the beds. These objection-
able conditions appear to be increasing from year to year.
This Department has recommended methods of improving the con-
dition of these filters on several occasions, and, while the work of
carrying out several of these recommendations has been begun, es-
pecially in providing a more even distribution of the sewage over the
filter beds, much remains to be done to bring the filters into a satis-
factory condition. From the records kept of the distribution of the
sewage and from inspection it appears that a large part of the sewage
has been discharged, of late, onto beds recently reconstructed, though
a greater number of the beds has been used each day than has been
the case in previous years. It is, however, impossible to distribute
the sewage properly over the filters until the distribution pipes lead-
ing to the various filters are enlarged, as has been recommended, and
this is particularly necessary now that an additional and larger force
main has been installed.
184 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Recommendations made on various occasions by this Department,
relative to discharging heavy concentrated sewage pumped from the
bottom of the reservoir during the latter part of the period of pump-
ing and early in the following period of pumping onto two or three
of the more isolated beds, have not been followed; but, instead, this
concentrated sewage, containing great quantities of suspended matter,
has been discharged onto a large number of the beds, thereby having
a tendency to decrease their efficiency.
During the past year some of the fine material has been removed
from certain of the beds and additional underdrains have been in-
stalled. This work should be completed as soon as possible and all of
the filters brought into a condition of highest practicable efficiency.
It is now evident that the better distribution of the sewage and the
work already undertaken will not result in a material improvement
in the capacity of the filters unless the other recommendations already
made on several occasions are carried out.
The town of Framingham is growing very rapidly and the quantity
and strength of the sewage has probably increased as rapidly as in
any other town in the State, but the capacity of the disposal works
has not been materially increased. An increase in capacity is needed
and further increase will be required when sewers now being planned
are put into use. The town is again advised to carry out to comple-
tion under competent engineering supervision the recommendations
made by the State Board of Health under date of Feb. 2, 1914, which
are as follows:
. . . The Board recommends that the filters be carefully examined and so
much of the surface soil as is heavily impregnated with organic matter removed.
The Board renews its recommendations relative to the use of all of the filter
beds so far as possible each day and that the distribution pipes be enlarged
where necessary in order that the entire quantity may be discharged onto any
one or two beds at a time. The heavy sewage pumped from the bottom of the
reservoir toward the end of the pumping and that discharged from the force
main early in the morning should be disposed of regularly upon filters especially
set apart for that purpose and located as far as possible from the highways.
The beds best suited to this purpose appear to be beds 15, 16 and B, and if these
filters are used for this purpose they will have a tendency to increase the effective-
ness of the remaining filters for the disposal of the ordinary sewage.
It is also important to keep out of the sewers all manufacturing waste of such
character as tends to unreasonable clogging of the filter beds. At one of the
factories at which settling tanks have been provided for the removal of objec-
tionable matters before the discharge of these wastes into the sewers, the Board
is informed that settling tanks have not been properly maintained and that, in
consequence, objectionable matter finds its way into the sewers. The settling
No. 34.] ADWCE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 185
tanks should be inspected by your department at frequent intervals and if they
are not kept in proper condition for the most efficient sedimentation, the further
discharge of these wastes into the sewers should be prevented.
In consequence of the growth of the towTi and the increase in the quantity of
sewage, it is essential to make a material improvement and enlargement in the
facilities for purifying the sewage. The inefficiency of these works for the last
two years cannot contuiue without causing serious damage and possible injury
to the public health, and the Board recommends that the improvements in the
works herein suggested be carried out to completion at the earliest practicable
time in the coming spring.
Your attention is also called to the provisions of chapter 433 of the
Acts of the year 1909, entitled "An Act to provide for the Proper
Maintenance and Enlargement of Works for the Treatment or Puri-
fication of Sewage."
JuxE 4, 191.5.
To the Joint Committee on Sewerage Extension of the Town of Framingham, Mass.,
Mr. Arthxik C. Winch, Secretary.
Gextlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on May 5, 1915, an application for the approval of an extension of the
sewerage system of the town of Framingham to serve the villages of
Framingham Centre and Saxonville, accompanied by plans of the pro-
posed works prepared by the town engineer, Mr. J. J. VanValken-
burgh, C.E.
The plans provide for the construction of a main sewer in the valley
of the Sudbury River, beginning at a point near Franklin Street south
of Maple Street and extending through the valley of the river and
across the stream at several points, to a proposed reservoir and pump-
ing station to be located near the northerly bank of the river west of
Elm Street in Saxonville, whence the sewage is to be pumped to the
present filtration area at Eastern Avenue and Speen Street in the
town of Natick, where the sewage will be purified in connection with
the sewage of the main sewerage system of the town.
The main sewer will be 15 inches in diameter at its upper end and
will then gradually increase to a point below Framingham Centre,
from which point to the pumping station the diameter of the sewer
will be 20 inches. Owing to the fact that the sewer wuU be laid in the
immediate neighborhood, and in places beneath the bed, of the Sud-
bury River, it is proposed to construct the main sewer of iron pipe
laid like a water pipe to prevent the entrance of ground water. At
Saxonville the collecting basin and pumping station are designed and
so located as to provide for receiving the sewage from all of the thickly
settled portions of that village at the present time, including such
186 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
portion of the sewage and waste from the mills as it may be deemed
necessary or desirable to admit to the sewers.
The Commissioner of Health has caused the locality to be exam-
ined by the engineer of the Department and has considered the plans
and information presented. The plan supersedes the former plans of
separate pumping stations at Framingham Centre and Saxonville and
is undoubtedly a great improvement over those plans, since it is likely
not only to provide adequate sewerage for these villages at less ex-
pense than by a separate system for each village but will also provide
sewerage for other territory which may be developed in the future
without the construction of separate works. The location of the pro-
posed reservoir and pumping station at Saxonville is a satisfactory one
and, if properly constructed and operated, they will not be objection-
able in the neighborhood.
The plans submitted do not show additional filter beds, which will
be required for the disposal of the sewage of Framingham Centre and
Saxonville when sewers have been introduced into these villages. The
Department is informed, however, that it is the intention of the town
to construct about four acres of additional filter beds, increasing the
total filtration area of the town to 24.75 acres. This addition will
doubtless be adequate to provide for the extra sewage that is likely
to be brought to the filtration area in the beginning by the construc-
tion of sewers in these villages, but, after the sewers have come into
general use, additional filters are likely to be required, and, in case
any of the wastes from the Saxonville Mills are taken into the system,
the filters should be enlarged adequately for all requirements before
these wastes are received into the sewers.
In the opinion of the Department, the system proposed is an efiicient
and satisfactory method of collecting and disposing of the sewage of
the villages of Framingham Centre and Saxonville and, with the en-
largement of the works suggested, the filtration works will be adequate
when the improvements now being m^de there are completed to pro-
vide satisfactorily for the efficient purification of all the sewage of
the town. It will be necessary, however, to enlarge the filtration
works from time to time to meet the increasing quantity of sewage
that is likely to be received into the system as the sewers in the new
areas come into general use.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 187
Gardner (Proposed Isolation Hospital).
May 7, 1915.
To the Hospital Building Committee, Gardner, Mass., Mr. Fkank C. Dunn, Acting
Chairman.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request of April 10, 1915, the
Commissioner of Health has caused an examination to be made of
the soil in certain test pits in locations available for the disposal of
the sewage of the proposed isolation hospital, the results of which
show that the material is too fine for the proper disposal of sewage.
Judging from the results of these tests, it will be impracticable to
dispose of the sewage of the hospital by means of cesspools, and the
best practicable plan will be to construct a filter bed about 50 feet
square, upon which the sewage can be delivered in pipes laid about
one foot beneath the surface. It will be advisable to build a tank to
receive the sewage, so located that the overflow from this tank will
discharge into the sub-surface distribution pipes on the filter. The
filter should be at least 5 feet in depth and suitably underdrained,
and with proper care the underdrainage can be discharged into a
stream not used as a source of water supply. Provision for the proper
disposal of sludge from the tank should be provided, and it is im-
portant that the filter be designed and constructed under the super-
vision of some one experienced in such work.
Aug. 24, 1915.
To the Hospital Building Committee, Gardner, Mass., Mr. Frank C. Dunn, Acting
Chairman.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request, a further examination
was made early in the present summer of the conditions about the
proposed isolation hospital in Gardner in order to determine the prac-
ticability of disposing of the sewage of that institution temporarily by
means of cesspools on the grounds.
The results of the examination indicate that it will probably be
practicable in the beginning to dispose of the sewage without creating
objectionable conditions by discharging it into cesspools constructed
along the southeasterly side of the hill on which the hospital is situ-
ated. By this plan the sewage will be first received in a tank and
thence discharged through a series of cesspools placed about 25 feet
apart, to which the sewage would flow in pipes laid with open joints
in trenches filled with coarse material. The cesspools should be ap-
proximately the same level following the contour of the hill, or at
188 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
least with only a slight slope from one cesspool to the next. It is
probable that with two, or at most three, cesspools, the sewage can
be cared for satisfactorily in the beginning. The trenches between
the cesspools should be at least 3 feet in deptH, filled with broken
stone, and with a pipe 6 inches in diameter laid with its bottom at a
level approximately 18 inches below the surface of the trench. It
will be practicable, if necessary, to lay additional trenches radiating
from the last cesspool along the side of the hill, if further extension
is found necessary.
By carrying out this plan it is probable that the sewage can be
cared for without creating objectionable conditions, especially while the
region southeast of the institution remains uninhabited as at the pres-
ent time. Whenever the disposal of the sewage by this plan becomes
unsatisfactory, a filter bed can be provided as advised in a previous
communication, unless it shall be found practicable to dispose of the
sewage at that time satisfactorily in some other way.
Gardnek (Gardner State Colony).
July 13, 1915.
To the State Board of Insanity, State House, Boston, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health has considered
your application for advice as to a proposed system of sewage disposal
for the Gardner Cottages, so called, of the Gardner State Colony and
has examined the plans prepared by Mr. J. J. VanValkenburgh pre-
sented therewith.
The plans are understood to provide only for the disposal of the
sewage from the Gardner Cottages, so called, located on the northerly
side of one of the highways leading from Gardner to South Ashburn-
ham and containing at the present time a total number of patients
and attendants amounting to 133. The plans provide for disposing
of the sewage by intermittent filtration upon filters to be constructed
on low ground in the valley of a small brook southwest of the high-
way which passes the cottages. The soil in this location is not adapted
to the purification of the sewage by intermittent filtration and the
filters are to be constructed artificially of sand and gravel to be
brought to this location from the railroad. The works are to consist
of four filter beds each 25 feet by 50 feet and a sludge bed 25 feet by
40 feet, all to be underdrained by a 6-inch main underdrain laid
through each row of beds with 3-incli lateral underdrains placed 10
feet apart, the depth of material over the underdrains being about
4.5 feet. It is estimated from the quantity of water used at the cot-
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 189
tages that the quantity of sewage will amount to about 8,000 gallons
per day, and with this quantity the rate of filtration would be about
70,000 gallons per acre per day. The sewage will be discharged to the
filters by gravity after first passing through a sludge tank to a flush
tank holding about a day's flow of sewage, from which the discharge
to the filters will be automatic.
The plans as a whole provide a practicable and satisfactory method
of disposing of the sewage of this group of buildings belonging to the
Gardner State Colony.
The size of the filters as proposed on the plans presented is adequate
for the purification of the present quantity of sewage if the filters are
properly operated and receive the necessary care, but there would be
considerable advantage in the maintenance of the filters if a somewhat
larger area were provided in the beginning, and it is recommended
that the area be made somewhat larger than proposed, if practicable,
when the works are first constructed.
The operation of the filters could probably be carried on satisfac-
torily for several years at least with a somewhat smaller dosing tank
than is proposed, and the size of this tank could be reduced to 6,000
gallons without serious objection since its capacity could be readily
enlarged at a later time if an enlargement should be found desirable.
The effluent from these filters will be discharged into a stream flow-
ing through the grounds of the colony, and it will be essential, in
order to maintain the stream in proper sanitary condition, that the
filters shall be properly maintained at all times and that the discharge
of any crude or imperfectly purified sewage into this brook shall be
prevented.
Havekhill.
Jan. 18, 1915.
To Hon. Albert L. Bartlett, Mayor of Haverhill, Mass.
Dear Sir: — The Commissioner of Health has considered the ap-
plication of the City Engineer, Mr. Louis C. Lawton, for advice rela-
tive to a proposed sewerage system in Groveland Street near the
Groveland Bridge in Haverhill and has examined the plan presented
therewith. The plan provides for constructing a sewer designed to
carry both the sewage and surface water in Groveland Street and ad-
jacent streets from Keeley Street to an outlet into the Merrimack
River at Groveland Bridge. The main sewer will have a diameter
of 24 inches to the bank of the river, from which point a 12-inch
cast-iron pipe is to be laid beneath the bottom to an outlet in the
river about 80 feet from shore and 4.25 feet below mean low water.
190 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
It is proposed to provide an overflow for the discharge of sewage and
storm water at times of storm from a manhole near the bank of the
river at about the level of high water.
An examination of the locality shows that the point at which it is
proposed to locate the outlet is one of the original city landings, which
does not appear to be used to any great extent at the present time,
but there are a coal pocket and pier below the outlet which interfere
with the flow of the river at this point, and it is important that the
dry-weather flow of sewage should be carried to a point where there
is a good current at all times.
The plan in general is a satisfactory one for the collection and dis-
posal of the sewage from the district in question under the existing
circumstances, but in order to insure the discharge of the dry-weather
flow of sewage into a good current at all times, it is advisable to ex-
tend the outlet somewhat farther than shown on the plan submitted.
If carried tb a point about 50 feet beyond the outlet indicated, or 130
feet from shore, the outlet is likely to be a satisfactory one at all
times.
The plan of discharging the mingled sewage and storm water in
excess of the capacity of the 12-inch pipe through an overflow at the
bank of the river appears to be the best that it is practicable to adopt.
Overflows are not likely 'to be frequent, and objectionable conditions
are unlikely to result from this plan of disposing of an excessive flow
at times of storms. It is suggested, however, that, if practicable, the
main 24-inch sewer above the outlet be constructed with its invert at
the lower end at or above grade 6.87, that is about the level of mean
high water, so that water would not ordinarily back into the sewer.
With the modifications suggested, the plan, in the opinion of the
Commissioner, is a satisfactory one to adopt at the present time.
March 22, 1915.
To Hon. Albert L. Bartlett, Mayor of Haverhill, Mass.
Dear Sir: — The Commissioner of Health received from you on
Feb. IS, 1915, through Mr. Louis C. Lawton, City Engineer, an ap-
plication for advice as to a proposed outlet for the disposal of the
dry-weather flow of the Main Street sewer in the Bradford district,
accompanied by a plan showing the proposed works. The plan pro-
vides for laying a 16-inch iron pipe from a point a short distance back
of the present outlet of the sewer to a point of discharge in the Mer-
rimack River about 175 feet from the southerly abutment of the Main
Street bridge. According to the plan, the depth of water over the
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TO\A^^S. 191
pipe at the location of the proposed outlet at low tide will be 2.75
feet.
The proposed extension is intended to convey the dry-weather flow
of sewage to an outlet in the river, allowing the mingled sewage and
storm water flowing at times of rain in excess of the capacity of the
submerged pipe to discharge at the present outlet near the bank of
the river.
The Commissioner of Health has caused the locality to be examined
and has considered the plan presented. The proposed pipe line is of
adequate capacity for conveying the dry-weather flow of sewage, to-
gether with a considerable portion of the water flowing at times of
storms, to the outlet in the river, whence the sewage is unlikely to
return to cause the fouling of the banks.
The depth of water at the proposed outlet is not great since the
main channel of the river is considerably farther to the north and it
would be desirable to extend the sewer to deeper water but, consider-
ing the circumstances, the outlet is a permissible one, and its con-
struction will relieve the very objectionable nuisance now caused by
this sewer outlet. The main sewer just above the outlet is laid on
a steep grade, and it is recommended that the invert of this sewer
near the lower end be raised in such a way as to form a suiGBcient dam
to insure the diversion of the entire dry-weather flow into the pro-
posed extension at all times. Danger of clogging at the junction of
the pipe with the main sewer may be avoided if the shape of the
main sewer in this section is changed somewhat so as to decrease the
velocity of flow past the end of the submerged pipe.
It is advisable also that the sharp angle shown in the main outlet
pipe beneath the abutment be avoided so far as practicable by the use
of a curved pipe at this point, which will tend to reduce danger of clog-
ging. It is recommended that the pipe be laid below the bed of the
river.
The plan with the modifications suggested herein will provide satis-
factorily for relief from the very serious nuisance now existing at this
sewer outlet.
July 15, 1915.
To the Board of Water Commissioners, Haverhill, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health has considered
your communication relative to the construction of a septic cesspool,
so called, at the Bradford Pumping Station and has caused the locality
to be examined by one of its engineers.
The plan apparently pro\-ides for the disposal of the sewage from
192 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
the engineer's house alone, and it appears that the location for a
septic tank, so called, and a pipe distribution system for the disposal
of the eflBuent from the tank has been selected on the westerly side of
the house at a point about 75 feet from the shore of Johnson's Pond.
It is proposed, if this method of disposal is installed, to allow the
sewage to filter through the ground to the pond instead of removing
it from the neighborhood, as it is understood is now done about four
times each year. The Department is not informed as to the character
of the soil or the depth to ground water, though apparently the soil
in this region is quite coarse and porous, judging from surface indica-
tions, and the ground water level is probably low.
In the opinion of the Department, the safest plan of disposing of
the sewage from this pumping station is to remove it from the water-
shed, as is done at the present time, using such methods of removal
as will avoid polluting the ground within the watershed. It is prob-
able, however, that, if the soil is porous and the depth to ground
water considerable, the sewage could be purified effectively by dis-
charging it from the proposed new cesspool into pipes laid with open
joints 2 or 3 feet below the level of the ground. If so placed that the
cesspool itself and the radiating drains were all more than 50 feet
from the pond, it would comply with the rules for the protection of
the water supply.
It is recommended that, before the construction of these works is
begun, a test of the ground be made, either by sinking tubular wells
or a deep pit, to obtain information as to the character of the soil and
depth to ground water.
The Department will be pleased to give you further advice in this
matter upon your request when the results of the further tests sug-
gested are available. !
Sept. 21, 1915.
To Hon. Albert L. Bartlett, Mayor of Haverhill, Mass.
Dear Sie: — The State Department of Health received through
Louis C. Lawton, City Engineer, on Aug. 27, 1915, the following ap-
plication for advice relative to changing the location of the proposed
sewer around Lake Saltonstall in the city of Haverhill.
I hereby make application to you for advice relative to changing the aline-
ment of a portion of the proposed sev/er around Lake Saltonstall, this city.
The general plan of this sewer was approved by the board in 1899. By the
proposed change a portion of the sewer will pass through the bottom of the
lake. This will be an improvement upon both the alinement and the grade
and also reduce the cost of construction. The sewer will be constructed of
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 193
double strength vitrified pipe thoroughly imbedded in and surrounded by Port-
land cement concrete. Under separate cover I am sending plans and profile
showing the proposed construction.
The plans accompanying the application show the location of the
sewer, a part of which is beneath an arm of Lake Saltonstall near its
southeasterly end not far from the present intake of the water works.
The proposed sewer as it enters the Lake Saltonstall watershed is to
be 15 inches in diameter, laid on a grade of .167 per cent., and will
have a capacity of about 1,650,000 gallons per day. Farther down,
the size of the sewer is to be enlarged to 24 inches in diameter, and
it is to be laid on grades varying from .167 to .66 per cent. It is
proposed to construct the sewer throughout of double strength vitri-
fied pipe, the portion beneath the lake to be embedded in and sur-
rounded by Portland cement concrete.
The State Department of Health has caused the locality to be
examined by one of its engineers and has considered the plans and
information submitted. The proposed sewer will have an outlet into
the Mill Street sewer, which slopes rapidly to the Merrimack River,
and if due care is taken not to introduce so great a quantity of storm
water as to cause a surcharging of the sewer, there should be no over-
flow of sewage from the sewer within the watershed of the lake. It
is of the greatest importance, however, that this sewer shall be main-
tained in proper condition, and if danger of surcharging or overflow
of sewage ever appears, the use of Lake Saltonstall as a source of /
water supply should at once be discontinued. It is recommended that
the portion of the sewer beneath the lake and for 50 feet on either
side be laid of cast iron pipe with lead joints, constructed after the
manner of a water pipe, and that it be thoroughly tested for the dis-
covery of leaks before its use as a sewer is begun.
Lake Saltonstall is already exposed to considerable danger of pol-
lution from the population dwelling within its watershed and from
visitors to the shores of the lake, and the source is not, under present
conditions, a desirable one from which to take water for domestic pur-
poses on account of its exposure to danger of pollution, though up to
the present time efficient inspection has prevented serious injury to
the quality of the water. The danger of serious pollution of this lake
will increase as the population in its neighborhood becomes greater,
and more thorough restriction of access to the lake is desirable in
order to prevent danger of serious pollution of the water. If there
should be a considerable further increase in the population within the
watershed of the lake, this source is likely to become an unsafe one
194 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
from which to take water for domestic purposes, unless the water is
filtered or treated in such a way as to remove the effects of pollution.
The construction of the proposed sewer within the watershed, if
carried out as proposed with the modifications herein suggested, will
afford an additional protection to this water supply, provided the sewer
is maintained at all times in proper working order.
In the colirse of construction of the proposed sewer it will be essen-
tial to introduce considerable numbers of laborers and teams into the
watershed of this water supply, and it is recommended that the use
of the lake as a source of water supply be discontinued before con-
struction is begun and that the lake be not again used as a source of
water supply until a period of at least two months has elapsed after
the work of constructing the sewer has been completed and all refuse
resulting from construction has been removed.
Nov. 9, 1915.
To the Board of Water Commissioners, Haverhill, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request, the State Department
of Health has examined the plans submitted of a proposed tank and
filter to be used for the disposal of the sewage at the engineer's house
at Johnson's Pond and has caused a sample of the soil at the location
of the proposed works to be analyzed.
The plan provides for constructing a tank 4 feet by 7 feet in plan
and 6 feet in depth inside, having a capacity of about 1,000 gallons,
into which the sewage will be received and from which it will flow to a
trench 15 feet long, 4 feet wide and 4 feet deep to be filled with broken
stone and covered with natural soil to a depth of about one foot. The
effluent will discharge into the broken stone in the trench through
the loose joints of a tile pipe laid along the top of the layer of stone.
An analysis of the soil at the location of the proposed trench indi-
cates that it is quite fine but that it will probably absorb a consider-
able quantity of sewage which will filter gradually through the ground
toward the pond.
The Department has caused the locality to be examined by one of
its engineers and has considered the plans and information presented
therewith. Considering the size of the cesspool and the proposed
trench, and in view of the character of the soil about the trench, it
is probable that by this plan the sewage from the engineer's house
can be disposed of without objection or danger of serious pollution
of the pond for a considerable time in the future. How long a time
the plan would operate satisfactorily would depend to a considerable
extent on the quantity of sewage discharged from the dwelling and
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 195
cannot be estimated definitely. It is probable that in time th,e trench
of broken stone would become clogged, and it would then be neces-
sary to remove and thoroughly clean the material and trench in order
to secure effective disposal of the sewage.
As stated in a previous communication, the Department is of the
opinion that the safest plan of disposing of the sewage from the pump-
ing station and engineer's house is to remove it from the watershed
as at the present time, using such methods as will avoid polluting
the ground within the watershed. The plan now proposed, however,
will probably provide for the disposal of the sewage without danger
of serious pollution of the pond for a considerable time in the future.
In view of the fact that the buildings are located near the shore of
the pond beside the intake, it will be essential that the operation of
these sewage disposal works be carefully inspected at frequent inter-
vals, and if any signs are found that unpurified sewage is finding its
way to the surface of the ground in the neighborhood, the use of the
works should be discontinued at once and the sewage carted directly
from the tank to a point outside the watershed. It will be essential
in any case to note the condition of the tank from time to time and
the accumulation of sediment therein and to clean out and remove
this sediment at such intervals as may be necessary.
Under the circumstances, it is advisable to retain the present tank
for use in case the new system requires cleaning or for any other
emergency. ,
HoPEDALE (Draper Company).
To the Draper Company, Hopedale, Mass. '
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on May 29, 1915, through your engineers, Messrs. Metcalf & Eddy
of Boston, an application for the approval of certain changes and
improvements in the filtration area used for the disposal of the sew-
age of the town which are outlined in the communication of your
engineers as follows:
Bed No. 1. — Raise inlet pipe approximately 6 inches and add 6 inches in
depth of new sand.
Bed No. 2. — Lower the lateral drains and main collector to secure the full
benefit of the filtering material now in place. This may necessitate lowering
the main drain through Bed No. 1, or laying a new drain through this bed.
Raise inlet pipe approximately 3 inches and add 6" in depth of new sand.
Bed No. 3. — Remove all sand and excavate enough material to allow a
minimum depth of 2^ feet of sand. Put in new underdrains and main collector,
as per M. & E. Plan No. 3099, D-580.
196 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
'Bed No. 4. — Reconstruct in a manner similar to No. 3, as per plan. The
sand and gravel in Beds Nos. 3 and 4 will be utilized in the reconstruction so
far as practicable and the waste material will be used for filling, in preparation
for the construction of the proposed new filter bed No. 8.
Bed No. 5. — Abandon the use of this bed for the present, connecting the inlet
pipe with the distributor on Bed No. 6.
Bed No. 6. — Pro\dde two lines of underdrains, connecting with the main
drain from Beds Nos. 1 and 2. This bed is to be reserved for emergency use at
times of high sewage flow, or when one or more beds are temporarily out of
use.
Bed No. 7. — Add approximately 6 inches in depth of new sand.
Bed No. 8. — (Proposed new bed.) Strip all loam and fill to proper sub-grade,
where necessary, with waste material from beds Nos. 3 and 4. Lay new drains
as per plan. Build necessary dikes. Bring to proper grade with sand.
A manhole is to be built as shown on plan and gates provided to control the
flow onto No. 4 or No. 8. A box distributor is to be provided for this bed, similar
to those on the other beds.
Repairs on Distributors. — The present box distributors are to be repaired or
replaced, if necessary. Special care will be taken to have these distributors set
level, as well as to see that the surface of each bed is made as nearly level as
practicable.
Sand Supply. — The Draper Company has at their sand pits a large supply
of sand of excellent quality.
The application is accompanied by a general plan of the filtration
area showing the proposed new works. It appears that the present
filtration works of the Draper Company, which dispose of the sew-
age of the town of Hopedale, consist of seven filters having a net
area of 3.29 acres. The material of which these filters are composed
is very variable in character, some of it being very fine and nearly
impervious to water. The area is underdrained, but the underdrains
in some of the beds are very shallow and in general do not average,
according to the information presented, naore than 3 feet in depth.
The efficiency of these filters is low and it appears that they have
been incapable at times of providing for the disposal of all of the
sewage discharged from the town, the quantity of which averaged in
1914 about 144,000 gallons per day with a maximum flow in the
month of April of about 228,000 gallons per day.
The plans presented provide for raising the distribution pipes from
which sewage is applied to the filters, lowering the underdrains, re-
moving some of the poor material, and providing underdrainage having
a mean depth of between 2| and 3 feet. The sand which it is pro-
posed to use is to be hauled from a sand bank about f of a mile dis-
tant.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 197
The State Department of Health has caused the locality to be
examined by one of its engineers and has considered the plans and
information presented therewith. In view of the fact that the present
filters do not appear to be capable of caring for all of the sewage at
all times, it is very important that they be enlarged and improved at
the earUest practicable time. The plans now proposed provide for
increasing the area by the construction of an additional filter and for
improving the underdrainage so that the depth of sand over the
underdrains will be at a minimum of 2.5 feet and will average 3
feet or more.
Examinations of samples of the sand from the sand bank from which
it is proposed to take the material for the improvement of the present
filters and for the construction of the proposed new filter show that,
while this material is quite variable in character, some of it being
quite fine, material of good quality for the purpose can be obtained
from this location. By using the best of the available material, sand
of excellent quality for sewage purification can be obtained from the
location indicated.
With the improvements proposed and the construction of the addi-
tional filter, the area available for the purification of sewage will be
about 3.79 acres and the average rate of operation, judging from the
measurements of 1914, will be about 38,000 gallons per acre per day,
and the rate during the month of maximum flow 60,000 gallons per
acre per day.
With an average rate no greater than this, an eSluent can be ob-
tained from these works which can be discharged into the Mill River
without danger of creating objectionable conditions. It is doubtful
whether a much higher rate can be maintained with these filters,
however, than is here indicated, and if the average quantity of sew-
age delivered to the works shall increase materially, a further addi-
tion to the works should be made.
With the improvements proposed, provided sand of the best quality
is used and provided the sewage is distributed over as much of the
area as possible each day, these, works will be capable of purifying
as efficiently as is necessary at the present time all of the sewage now
discharged at these filters, and the Department approves the plans
presented.
198 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Huntington.
Aug. 7, 1915.
To the Board of Selectmen, Huntington, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health has considered
your application for advice as to a proposed system of drainage and
sewerage for the village of Huntington and the plans submitted there-
with through your engineer, and has caused the locality to be exam-
ined by the engineer of the Department.
The plans provide for utilizing the present drains, four of which
discharge into the west branch of the Westfield River, — two on the
easterly side and two on the westerly side of the stream, — and the
other into the east branch of the Westfield River at East Main Street
a short distance above the dam. In addition to these drains it is
proposed to construct three new outlets, one into the millpond on the
east branch of the Westfield River opposite the junction of East Main
and Crescent streets, and the other two into the west branch on its
westerly side. The most important of these outlets will be 24 inches
in diameter and will receive the drainage and sewage from the greater
part of that portion of the village lying west of the west branch.
This outlet is to be located about 500 feet below the Main Street
bridge and well below the thickly settled portion of the village. The
other proposed outlet into the west branch is to be 10 inches in diam-
eter and is to be located about 475 feet below the dam above the
woolen mill.
There does not seem likely to be any objection to the discharge of
sewage and drainage from the village of Huntington into the east
and west branches of the Westfield River as now proposed, provided
that the outlets of the drains are so located that the discharge will
take place at all times below low water in the river. This will ap-
parently be practicable without serious diflSculty in the case of all
the drains except the proposed 10-inch drain above the woolen mill.
In dry weather most of the water of the river will be discharged
through the canal to the woolen mill and there will be comparatively
little water at times to dilute the sewage from this outlet, but the
quantity of sewage to be discharged here in the beginning will be
very small and there are no dwellings at present in the immediate
vicinity of the river in this location. If this drain should give trouble
in the futiu-e the outlet can be extended if necessary to some point
farther down stream.
The flow of the Westfield River at the present time is ample for
the prompt and effective dilution of all of the sewage likely to be
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 199
discharged from the proposed drainage system in Huntington. The
plan shows, however, a location for a disposal works to which the
sewage can be conveyed for treatment if at any future time the dis-
charge of the sewage into the river should create objectionable con-
ditions.
In view of the circumstances, the Department is of the opinion
that the discharge of the sewage into the river without treatment is
a reasonable method for disposing of the sewage at the present time,
and is recommended with the understanding that the sewage shall
be removed from the river and purified or subjected to such form of
treatment as may seem desirable whenever such treatment is recom-
mended by this Department.
Lakeville (Lakeville State Sanatorium).
Oct. 15, 1915.
To the Lakeville State Sanatorium, Lakeville, Mass., Sumner Coolidge, M.D.,
Superintendent.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health has considered
your application for advice as to the condition of the present system
of sewage disposal of the Lakeville State Sanatorium and as to the
advisability of securing additional land for the disposal of sewage and
has caused the locality to be examined by one of its engineers.
It appears that the total number of patients and attendants at this
institution at the present time is approximately 360 and that the
quantity of sewage requiring disposal is probably from 30,000 to
40,000 gallons per day.
The sewage from the buildings is at present discharged into series
of from three to five cesspools constructed for each of the various
buildings. After passing through these cesspools the sewage is dis-
charged intermittently into trenches from 3^ to 5 feet in depth filled
with coarse stone, whence it filters into the ground. The soil about
these trenches is composed for the most part of very fine sand, with
coarser material in some places and clay in others.
By this method it has been practicable up to the present time to
dispose of the sewage of the institution without creating seriously
objectionable conditions, but the conditions are such that it will prob-
ably soon be necessary to provide additional drains or to dig up,
clean and relay the drains now in use. The cesspools and distribu-
tion drains are located in the immediate neighborhood of the insti-
tution buildings, and there are indications that the water supply of
the institution, taken from wells not far from the buildings, is be-
200 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
coming affected by the discharge of sewage into the ground in their
neighborhood. Considering the circumstances, it is advisable that
adequate provision be made for the disposal of all of the sewage of
the institution upon suitable filter beds at the earliest practicable
time.
In the course of this investigation, the Department was informed
that plans are being made for securing an area of about 96 acres of
land southeast of the institution for dairy purposes, and it appears
to be practicable to use a very small part of this area for the disposal
of sewage. The results of an examination show that filter beds can
be located on this area at a level of 25 feet or more below the present
cesspools and that most, if not all, of the sewage can be conveyed to
this area by gravity. Much of the soil exposed in two test pits in
this area appears to be well suited for the purification of sewage by
intermittent filtration, and it is probable that, if a sufficient area —
as much as 2 acres — were provided, all of the sewage from the insti-
tution could be purified thereon in a more satisfactory way than will
be practicable by the continued use of the present works.
If it is decided to use the lands about the proposed new sewage
disposal area for dairy purposes, it will be essential to fence the dis-
posal area adequately and to convey the effluent in a pipe line to
some point where it is unlikely to be used for drinking or any other
purpose.
The Department recommends that definite plans for the purifica-
tion of the sewage of the institution be prepared at the earliest prac-
ticable time, and as soon as such plans are available, the Department
will give you further advice relative thereto, if you so request.
Leicestee.
Nov. 12, 1915.
To the Board of Water Commissioners, Leicester, Mass., Mr. H. O. Smith, Chairman.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for approval by this
Department of the discharge of ground water from the underdrain
of the sewerage system of the Leicester Water Supply District into
a small brook at the point where it is crossed by Pine Street south-
west of the village of Leicester, the State Department of Health has
caused the locality to be examined by one of its engineers and samples
of the water flowing from the underdrain to be analyzed.
The results of the most recent analyses show that the water flow-
ing from the underdrain at the present time is practically clear, color-
less and free from objectionable odor and that it contains no more
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TO^^^S. 201
organic matter than is ordinarily found in a surface water. In the
opinion of the Department, the discharge of this water into the brook
at Pine Street would not be likely to create objectionable conditions
in that stream at the present time.
The Department is informed that its recommendations of Oct. 29,
1914, relative to the complete separation of the underdrains from the
sewers and the removal of all sewage from the underdrains has been
thoroughly carried out so that no sewage is now discharged into the
underdrain at any time, and so long as these conditions continue it
is unlikely that the character of the water flowing from the under-
drain will vary materially from what it was found to be at the time
of the recent examination.
In view of the circumstances, there appears to the Department no
objection to the discharge of the underdrain into the brook at Pine
Street as now proposed, so long as the character of this water remains
about the same as at the present time. It is advisable, however, that
samples of the water of the underdrain and of the brook below the
underdrain be collected for analysis from time to time in order that,
if any change occurs in the future in the character of the water dis-
charged from the underdrain or objectionable conditions are created
in the brook below the point of discharge, the underdrainage water
can be diverted from the brook or such other measures taken as may
be necessary to prevent the occurrence of objectionable conditions in
the stream.
Marion.
Nov. 8, 1915.
To the Board of Sewer Commissioners, Marion, Mass., Mr. Howard S. Blanken-
SHiP, Secretary.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on Oct. 23, 1915, the following application for advice as to the con-
struction of a proposed relief valve and pipe line designed to provide
an overflow from your present sewerage system into a town ditch to
relieve the system of storm water and ground drainage during the
winter and early spring months, said rehef valve to be closed during
the drier portion of the year.
We have sent under another cover a Blue Print of proposed Relief Valve
& Pipe, from manhole on south side of Town Ditch opposite land of Mrs.
Sylvia C. Knowlton, Pipe to discharge into Town Ditch, the details of wliich
are set forth on Print.
The purpose of said pipe is to relieve sewer of storm water during wdnter
months & will not be used during the summer. . . .
202
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
In the construction of the sewerage system of Marion, large quanti-
ties of ground water were encountered, and measurements show that
at times there is a very large leakage of water into the sewers in the
wetter portion of the year, chiefly in the winter and early spring
months. The Department is informed that underdrains were laid
beneath some of the sewers when the works were constructed but that
on account of the low level of the system as compared with the sea it
has not been practicable to provide outlets for these drains at a
sufficiently low level to relieve the pressure of ground water about the
sewers and the leakage into the system.
The plan now proposed is to discharge a part of the flow in the
sewers, chiefly the night flow in the winter and early spring, into a
town drain which discharges into Sippican Harbor at a point about
600 feet southeast of the junction of Ryder and Front streets. The
town drain is an 18-inch pipe and discharges at a point where the
bottom of the sea is only shghtly exposed at low water. There is a
small area of flats immediately north of the outlet which is uncovered
at low water, but the Department is informed that these flats are not
used for bathing and that no shellfish of any kind are taken from this
region.
In view of the circumstances, the Department is of the opinion that
a temporary discharge from your sewerage system during the night
only, and then only in the months from November to April inclusive,
is permissible for the present.
The large quantity of leakage into the sewerage system in Marion is
causing the town considerable expense, both for the maintenance of
the system and the purification works, and the cost is not only likely
to continue in the future but may increase materially as time goes on.
It is, consequently, very important that steps be taken without delay
to diminish the amount of this leakage, so far as practicable. It is
possible that an examination of the system may show that the greater
part of the leakage is confined to a comparatively few sections of the
system and that by rebuilding these, with iron pipe if necessary, a
large part of the leakage can be prevented. If, however, it is found
that serious leakage occurs in a considerable portion of the system, it
will be necessary to rebuild the leaky sections so as to bring the system
into satisfactory condition.
The Department recommends that you begin at once investigations
as to the best plan of preventing unnecessary leakage into the sewerage
system of the town. When the results of the investigation are avail-
able, the Department will advise you as to the best practicable plan
for preventing excessive leakage into your sewerage system and further
unnecessary cost for construction and maintenance.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 203
Marlborough.
June 9, 1915.
To the Board of Water and Sewage Commissioners, Marlborough, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on May 11, 1915, the following application for advice as to a proposed
system of sewerage for Ward 6 in the northwesterly part of the city
of Marlborough:
We respectfully ask your advice in regard to the proposed extension of the
sewer system in this city as shown on the plans sent under another cover known
as the Ward Six Sewer Extension.
The work under consideration at tliis time is shown in red on the general
plan, together with plan and profile of proposed trunk line: tliis serves one
hundred and thirty-seven dweUings, with a population of seven hundred and
sixty. The levels of this district are such as to prevent the flow of the sewage
by gravity to the adjoining system. Three plans were considered for its dis-
posal: viz., Pumping, New Filter Beds, and a Trunlc Line to connect mth
the main trunk line at Phelps Street as shown on plan; this last seems to us
as the best all things considered, it ^vill also provide for the disposal of the
sewage from the district shown in yellow on general plan when the extension
is made there.
The application was accompanied by a plan and profiles of the
proposed system of sewers prepared by your engineer, Mr. W. J.
Simonds, and later further information was submitted by your superin-
tendent, Mr. George A. Stacy, at the request of this Department, con-
taining portions of the report of your consulting engineers, Messrs.
Metcalf & Eddy, relating to the proposed sewers.
The Public Health Council has caused the locality to be examined
by one of the engineers and has considered your application and the
plans presented therewith. The section of the city of Marlborough for
which sewerage is now to be provided lies in the extreme northwesterly
part of the city on land sloping to the north, and the topographic con-
ditions are such that the sewage cannot be discharged into the present
system by gravity.
In view of the fact that the capacity of the present system is in-
sufficient at times for the removal of all of the sewage to the filtration
area, it is not advisable that additional sewage should be discharged
into the present system until provision for its enlargement has been
made. It appears to be impracticable to secure a suitable area for a
separate works for the disposal of the sewage of this district except
at large expense. The studies have shown, however, that it is practi-
cable to collect the sewage of the district in question and convey it by
204 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
gravity in a sewer extending around the westerly, northerly and
easterly sides of Ockoocanganset Hill to the valley of Mowry Brook,
and thence in the valley of that brook to a point of connection with
the present main sewer of the town at Phelps or Mowry streets,
through which the sewage will flow to the present filter beds. A
sewer laid on the lines proposed would have the advantage that it
would be capable of providing sewerage for other districts in Marl-
borough which cannot be served by existing systems whenever sewerage
in those districts may become necessary, and in view of the circum-
stances, the proposed plan appears to the Public Health Council as the
best that it is practicable to adopt for the disposal of the sewage of
the portion of Marlborough under consideration.
The sizes and grades of the proposed main sewer appear to be
adequate for all requirements, so far as can now be foreseen, provided
the sewers are constructed under competent engineering supervision
and that all storm water, and so far as possible all ground water, are
excluded from the sewers. This will necessitate not only the careful
construction of the main sewer but careful inspection of all connections
made with the sewers in the future.
It is understood that a portion of the main sewer, which is to be
laid through a meadow, is to be constructed of iron pipe laid like a
water pipe, and this is an excellent plan to adopt, wherever practicable,
for portions of the line where the main sewer is to be laid below the
level of the ground water.
It appears from the report of your consulting engineers that, while
definite information as to the sizes and slope of the various sections of
the existing main trunk sewer between the point at which it now over-
flows onto the auxiliary filter beds and the filtration area is not avail-
able, the capacity of this sewer is probably capable of removing not
only the maximum quantity of sewage which is now discharged into
it, but also the extra quantity that will be brought in by the proposed
Ward 6 extension without causing the backing up of the sewage and
excessive overflow onto the auxiliary filter beds or surcharging the
main sewer between this connection and the filtration area.
It is very probable that some relief will have to be provided for the
main sewer of the city of Marlborough at no distant time, and the
additional quantity of sewage brought in by the Ward 6 sewer will
undoubtedly make necessary the relief of the main sewer at an earlier
time than would otherwise be the case. Nevertheless, the plan of dis-
charging the sewage into the main sewer at the point indicated
appears to be an advisable one under the circumstances.
The capacity of the present Marlborough filter beds has been found
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 205
sufficient since tlie recent enlargements were made to provide for the
satisfactory purification of all of the sewage now delivered to these
filters, and it is probable that the additional quantity of sewage
brought in by the Ward 6 extension can be cared for in addition to
the present quantity without necessitating an immediate addition to
the works, provided the sewers are so laid that the leakage of storm
water and ground water into the system is reduced to a minimum.
If on the completion of the system the leakage is found to be large, it
will doubtless be necessary to enlarge the filters soon after the sewers
are completed.
Under the circumstances it is impracticable to advise you definitely
at the present time as to the enlargement of the Marlborough filter
beds to provide for the additional sewage that will be brought in from
the Ward 6 district, and the question of the necessity for further en-
largement can safely be left until the observations shall show the
probable amount of increase in the quantity of sewage discharged at
the filtration area. It is recommended that a survey be made of the
size and grade of the present main sewer of the city of Marlborough,
its capacity carefully determined, and if it is found that the capacity
is likely to be insufficient to remove all of the sewage likely to be dis-
charged into it without increasing materially the overflow of sewage
to the auxiliary filter beds, the capacity of this sewer should be in-
creased at the earliest practicable time.
With the recommendations contained herein, the Public Health
Council hereby approves the plan for the collection and disposal of
sewage of the portion of Ward 6 in the city of Marlborough as de-
scribed in the reports and information submitted and shown on the
plan presented entitled "General Plan of Proposed Sewer Extension in
Ward Six, Marlborough, Mass.* Showing Streets to be Sewered and
Gravity Line Connection to Present Main Trunk Line Sewer. Scale:
1 in. = 500 ft. April, 1915. W. J. Simonds, Civil Eng."
Maynard.
Feb 25 1915
To the Sewerage Committee of the Town of Maynard, Mass. ' '
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
through your engineer, Mr. F. A. Barbour, of Boston, the following
application for advice relative to a proposed system of sewerage and
sewage disposal for the town of Maynard.
I am authorized by the Sewerage Committee of the town of Maynard to
present for your examination and approval plans and report of a proposed
sewerage system and sewage treatment works.
206 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
As the detailed estimates and the profiles of the lateral sewers are presumably
not necessary for your examination of the problem, these are not included,
but will be submitted if you so desire.
The design of the treatment works includes settling tanks and sprinkling
filters, but in view of the fact that it will be several years before more than
3,000 people will be connected with the sewers, the Sewerage Committee re-
quests your consideration of the feasibility of first constructing the settling
tanks and subsequently adding the filters at such date as may be required by
your department.
The application was accompanied by plans of the proposed system
of sewerage by which the sewage is to be collected and conveyed to
disposal works to be located on the westerly bank of the Assabet
River about half a mile below the thickly settled portion of the town.
The greater part of the population of the town of Maynard is con-
tained in the main village located in the valley of the Assabet River,
which flows through the town from the southwest to northeast.
On the southeasterly side of the river the American Woolen Com-
pany owns and operates a system of sewerage w^hich at the present
time serves 121 of their tenements, the sewage being disposed of by
pumping to a filtration area located about f of a mile east of the
center of the village. This method of disposal can probably be con-
tinued for a time at least, but provision has been made for including
these houses in the general system of the town. In the remaining
portion of the village there are a number of storm water drains, some
of which receive sewage, and the plan provides for diverting the
sewage from these drains into the new system.
The topography of the town is such that in designing the proposed
new system it has been found practicable with little extra cost of
construction to divide the town into high and low level districts, the
sewage from the former of which will flow to the proposed disposal
works by gravity, while that from the latter will have to be pumped
after passing through the preliminary treatment tanks. The elevation
of the main outlet sewer for the low level district is shown upon the
plans at grade 154, while the invert of the main sewer of the high
level district at its lower end will be at elevation 170. In two or
three places in the collecting system the use of inverted siphons is
found necessary.
It is further proposed in connection with the collecting system to
lay underdrains beneath the sewers in places where ground water is
likely to be encountered in order to reduce as much as practicable the
leakage of ground water into the sewers.
The disposal works, which have been designed on a basis of an
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 207
estimated daily flow of 500,000 gallons per day with an allowance for
future extensions when necessary, consist of an Imhoff tank of such
capacity that when flowing at the rate of 500,000 gallons per day the
sewage will be about 2.4 hours in passing through the tank, a sprink-
ling filter I of an acre in area and 7 feet in depth, with a secondary
setthng tank having a capacity above the pyramidal hopper bottom of
about 20,000 gallons, and sludge beds having an area of 2,000 square
feet to receive the sludge from the Imhoff tank. The plan also in-
cludes other necessary appurtenances, including dosing tanks for the
sprinkling fiJter and pumping machinery.
Since it is not proposed to construct any of the high level intercept-
ing sewers in the beginning, all of the sewage will be conveyed to the
disposal works through the low level interceptor, and the sewage after
passing through the Imhoff tank will be pumped to the filter.
The Commissioner of Health has caused the locality to be examined
by one of the engineers of the Department and has considered the
plans and information presented.
The system is well designed for collecting the sewage from all of the
thickly settled portions of the town and disposing of it, so far as
practicable, by gravity in a satisfactory manner. Special care has
been taken in the design of the system to exclude ground water, and
it is very important that the precautions suggested be fully carried
out in the construction of the works, since an excessive and unneces-
sary amount of leakage into the sewers would entail, a large extra
expense in the construction of the works and an unnecessary annual
outlay in their operation and maintenance.
The introduction of inverted siphons appears to be necessary at
certain points in the system, and their use is not likely to give trouble
in connection with a system like this if they are properly constructed
and all surface water is excluded from the sewers so far as possible, as
proposed.
The disposal works are adequate for the treatment of the sewage
likely to be discharged into the system for several years after the
works are built, and, if constructed as designed, they are likely, with
proper care in maintenance and operation, to purify the sewage
sufficiently to permit its discharge into the Assabet River without
further treatment until the quantity of sewage requiring disposal
exceeds considerably the amount likely to be discharged into the
system in the earlier years of the operation of the works.
In view of the condition of the Assabet River, it is advisable, in the
opinion of the Department, to construct the sprinkling filter in the
beginning, including the secondary settling tanks required for the
208 STATE DEPAETMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
sedimentation of the effluent from this filter. While the experience
in the operation of sprinkling filters for the disposal of the sewage of
cities and towns in this climate is somewhat limited, the indications
are that a sprinkling filter of greater depth would secure a better
effluent and make it practicable to operate the filter at a higher rate
than with shallower filters and secure an equally satisfactory effluent.
It is suggested that, if practicable, this modification be made in the
construction of the filter. The efficiency of the filter will also depend
upon the size of stone to be used which remains to be determined
before the works are constructed.
The works as a whole are well designed for the collection and dis-
posal of the sewage of Maynard and, with the modifications herein
suggested, will provide adequately for the purification of the sewage
until the population becomes greater than at the present time.
Methuen (Barker School). j^^ 23, 1915.
To Mr. Walter M. Hastings, Chairman, School Commiltee, Methuen, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request for an examination of the
sanitary conditions at the Barker School, so called, at the corner of
Lowell and Forest streets in Methuen, and advice as to the disposal of
sewage therefrom, the Commissioner of Health has caused the locality
to be examined by one of the engineers of the Department and has
considered the information presented.
It is understood that it is now planned to change the sanitary
arrangements at this school by providing flush water-closets in the
basement to discharge into a tank and thence into a private sewer
which has an outlet on the ground south of the junction of Lowell and
Orchard streets, where the sewage of several houses and considerable
storm water are already discharged.
It is estimated that the total quantity of sewage to be disposed of
from the school would be about 2,500 gallons per day. This sewage, if
discharged through a septic tank as proposed, would become putrid,
and the quantity is such that, in connection with the other sewage dis-
charged from the present sewer, there would be danger that a serious
nuisance would be created at the outlet of the sewer. There is Httle
doubt, however, that a suitable filter bed might be constructed in the
neighborhood of the present sewer outlet to receive the sewage and,
with a suitable filter bed, the sewage could be purified to such a
degree that there would be no objection to discharging the effluent
from the filter upon the adjacent ground or into a neighboring water
course.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 209
If it is not practicable to secure an area of land on which to dispose
of the sewage near the outlet of the present sewer, the best plan
would probably be to construct a large cesspool in the rear of the
schoolhouse lot not far from the present privies, with a trench along
the northerly and westerly sides of the lot leading to another cesspool
in the southwesterly corner, whence the overflow could be discharged
into the sewer.
Judging from the information furnished by a test pit which has
already been dug in these grounds, the cesspools should be as much as
6 feet in depth and the trench between them 3 feet wide and at least
5| feet in depth. The lower 3 feet of the trench should be filled with
broken stone | inch in diameter or thereabouts or coarse gravel, and
a distribution pipe about 6 inches in diameter should be laid with un-
cemented joints with its bottom about one foot beneath the surface of
the broken stone or gravel in the trench. The discharge pipe from the
first cesspool should have an elbow at its upper end so arranged that
the sewage will flow out of the cesspool about one foot beneath the
surface of the sewage. It will be impracticable to provide water-
closets at the level of the basement if used in connection with cesspools,
and provision will have to be made to place them at a sufficiently high
level to avoid danger of interference with their operation by reason
of the height of the ground water. With this arrangement it is
possible that the sewage from the building could be disposed of for a
few years without serious difficulty or expense.
It would be much better, however, to take care of the sewage from
this school in connection with that of the dwelling houses in the
neighborhood temporarily upon a filter bed south of Lowell Street for
a few years until a system of sewerage can be provided for this section
of the town.
Nahant.
March 2, 1915.
To the Board of Selectmen, Nahant, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you,
through your engineer, Mr. Ernest W. Bowditch of Boston, an appli-
cation for advice with reference to two proposed sewer outlets on the
northerly and southerly sides respectively of Little Nahant, through
which it is proposed to dispose of the sewage of that section of the
town by discharging it directly into the sea, and in response to this
request the Commissioner of Health has caused the locality to be
examined.
The plan submitted provides for collecting the sewage of the north-
210 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
erly part of this small peninsula by means of sewers in Nahant Road,
Wilson Road, Lennox Road, and Simmons Road and discharging it
at an outlet near the northeasterly end of the peninsula about 160
feet from shore at a point where the water is 4 feet in depth at low
tide. For the southerly part of the peninsula the plan provides for
sewers in Little Nahant Road, Simmons Road, Baker Road and
Wilson Road, leading to an outlet also located about 160 feet from
shore and 500 feet southeast of the eastern point of the peninsula
where the depth of water is about 4 feet at low tide.
The sewers are designed for the removal and disposal of the domestic
sewage from the territory indicated on the plan, and, on account of
the small area of the peninsula and the probability that many of the
dwellings will be occupied only during the summer season, the quantity
of sewage to be disposed of will be small.
Under the circumstances, the discharge of sewage at the proposed
outlets is unlikely to create objectionable conditions in the adjacent
waters unless the quantity of sewage discharged at these points be-
comes much greater than seems reasonable to expect at the present
time.
In view of the circumstances, it is recommended that the sewage be
discharged at the outlets indicated on the plan without treatment
until such time as an increase in the quantity of sewage, or other
change in the conditions, makes a treatment of the sewage, or an
extension of the outlets to deeper water, necessary or desirable.
NORTHFIELD (NOETHFIELD HOTEL CoMPANy).
April 6, 1915.
To the Northfield Hotel Company, Northfield, Mass., Mr. Ambert G. Moodt,
Manager.
Gentlemen: — The Commissioner of Health received from you on
March 31 the following application for advice as to the proposed
system of sewerage for that portion of the village of Northfield not
already sewered lying north of Warwick Brook.
The Northfield Hotel Company of Northfield, Mass., submit for your ap-
proval plan of a Sewerage System. The- plan in general provides for the dis-
posal of the sewage from that portion of the Village (not already sewered)
lying North of Warwick Brook as shown on the accompanying plan. The
sewage from this portion of the village will flow by gravity to a common main
outlet, discharging into the Connecticut River at a point about 1,000 feet
north of the Central Vermont Railway Bridge.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 211
It is proposed to construct the sewer from the River as far as The North-
field Hotel at present. In the future, an intercepting sewer will be laid through
the valley to a point near the Seminary Farm Buildings. The sewers will pro-
vide outlets for lateral sewers in North Lane, Pine and Aldrich Streets and
Glenwood Avenue on the west, and also for any street that may be constructed
on the easterly side of the valley.
The application is accompanied by a general plan of the proposed
system showing the location of the main sewers, together with their
sizes and grades.
The system as a whole appears to be well adapted for the collection
and disposal of the sewage of that portion of the village of Northfield
which it is designed to serve, and the sizes and grades of the sewers
insure an ample capacity for the disposal of all of the sewage at all
times. In fact, the size of that portion of the main sewer in Highland
Avenue might be reduced from 12 inches to 10 inches in diameter and
that portion in private land between Highland Avenue and the farm
buildings from 12 inches to 8 inches in diameter without danger of
interfering with the efficiency of the system if the sewers are properly
and carefully laid. The location of the outlet in the Connecticut
River, according to the information submitted, would be about 20
feet beyond the river bank at low water at which point the outlet
would be covered by about 4 feet of water at times when the river is
low. It is possible to extend the outlet to a point about 40 feet from
low water where the outlet would be covered with 6 feet of water at
periods of low flow, and it is advisable that the outlet be carried out
at least as far as that point. This point is approximately 80 feet
from the top of the river bank.
With an outlet located at the point herein suggested, the discharge
of the sewage into the Connecticut River is, under existing conditions,
a permissible method of disposal for the sewage of the portion of the
village of Northfield shown on the plan presented. It is very im-
portant that these sewers and their future extensions be constructed
strictly upon the separate plan in order that unnecessary expense for
separating the sewage from the storm water may be avoided in case
treatment of this sewage before its discharge into the river should
become necessary at some future time.
212 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Norwood (Winslow Bros. & Smith Company).
June 9, 1915.
To Hon. Henry C. Attwill, Attorney-General, State House, Boston, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request of May 5, 1915, for an
examination and report upon plans of Messrs. Metealf & Eddy,
Engineers, of Boston, in relation to the proposed trickling filter for the
treatment of liquid manufacturing waste from the tannery of the
Winslow Brothers & Smith Company at Norwood, the Commis-
sioner of Health has caused the locality to be examined and has con-
sidered the plans presented. The Commissioner has also considered
the results of an experiment upon the purification of the waste from
their works made by the Winslow Brothers & Smith Company,
under the direction of their engineers, by applying this waste to a
small trickling filter of broken stone 7| feet in depth, operated at an
average rate of about 750,000 gallons per acre daily, twenty-four
hours per day, with one day's rest in seven, for a period of about one
year from May, 1914, to April, 1915. This experimental filter has an
area at the surface of about 850 square feet, or 0.02 of an acre, and
the filtering material consists of broken stone between 1 inch and 2
inches in diameter. The effluent from this trickling filter was dis-
charged into a settling tank having a capacity of about 2,200 gallons,
and thence to a sand filter having an area of about 200 square feet
and a depth of about 4 feet, with suitable underdrains. The Com-
missioner of Health has also considered the results of experiments
carried on at the Lawrence Experiment Station upon the treatment of
this waste by filtration through both trickling and sand filters at
various times.
Based on the experiments of their engineers, the Winslow Brothers
& Smith Company now propose to construct a permanent plant for
the treatment of the waste from their works, the proposed plant to
consist of a trickling filter about one acre in area and 7.5 feet in
depth, the filtering material to consist of broken stone from 1 inch to
2 inches in diameter. About f of an acre of this filter is to be built
in the beginning.
It is apparently estimated by the engineers from their investigations
that the quantity of waste to be treated will not be greater than
500,000 gallons per day and that, in consequence, the rate of operation
of the proposed filter will be between 600,000 and 700,000 gallons per
acre per day. The average character of the waste before treatment, as
shown by analyses made by this Department, is as follows, in parts
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 213
in 100,000: — total solids, 377.8; suspended solids, 35.1; loss on
ignition, 69.1; loss on ignition, suspended, 26.1; free ammonia, 4.3;
total albuminoid ammonia, 2.0; oxygen consumed, 23.9. If the pro-
posed trickling filter gives results equal to those of the experimental
filter which has been operated at Norwood for the past year, and there
is no reason to expect that the results from the large filter will differ
materially from those of the experimental filter if the latter is main-
tained imder competent engineering supervision, it is to be expected
that, if the applied waste remains of about the same character as
during the period of this test, the character of the effluent of the
trickling filter will be about as follows, in parts in 100,000: — total
solids, 349.1; suspended solids, 28.6; loss on ignition, 42.6; loss on
ignition, suspended) 19.2; free ammonia, 1.8; total albuminoid
ammonia, 1.5; oxygen consumed, 13.9.
The effluent of the trickling filter is to be passed through sedi-
mentation tanks and then discharged into Hawes Brook. The analyses
of the effluent of the experimental sedimentation tanks have averaged
as follows during the period of its operation, in parts in 100,000: —
total solids, 323.7; suspended solids, 11.3; loss on ignition, 30.8;
loss on ignition, suspended, 6.2; free ammonia, 2.0; total albuminoid
ammonia, 1.0; oxygen consumed, 9.8.
The examinations of this settled effluent indicate that it is capable
of further decomposition, and the discharge of this quantity of waste
containing so great a quantity of organic matter into the river would,
in the opinion of the State Department of Health, be a violation of the
provisions of chapter 360 of the Acts of the year 1906.
The Winslow Brothers & Smith Company, however, have also con-
ducted an experiment upon the treatment of this effluent after sedi-
mentation by filtration through sand, the average results of analyses
of the effluent of the experimental sand filter during the period of its
operation having been as follows, in parts in 100,000: — total solids,
309.7; suspended solids, 2.7; loss on ignition, 18.2; loss on ignition,
suspended, 0.8; free ammonia, 0.6; total albuminoid ammonia, 0.3;
oxygen consumed, 4.9. These results indicate that the treatment of
the general waste from these works by the trickling filter and settling
tanks as proposed and subsequent filtration through sand filters will
effect a reasonably satisfactory purification of these wastes. The area
of sand filters already constructed at their, works appears to be ade-
quate for such further filtration of the effluent from the trickUng filter
and settling tanks which they now propose to construct without
material addition to the works.
In the opinion of the State Department of Health, if the works
214 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
proposed by Messrs. Metcalf & Eddy for purifying these wastes are
constructed and their operation continued under competent engineering
supervision, and if the effluent from these proposed works is subse-
quently filtered through the sand filters already in existence, with
such improvement as may be found necessary in these filters, the
works will then be capable of providing adequately for the best
practicable purification of the wastes from this factory so long as they
do not exceed an average quantity from month to month of 500,000
gallons per day.
The Commissioner deems it desirable to call your attention to the
fact that the works now proposed do not provide for the treatment of
the rinse water from wool scouring which contains a considerable
quantity of organic matter, the amount being sufficient at times at
least to cause serious pollution of Hawes Brook. It is recommended
that, if this rinse water is not to be treated separately with such
effectiveness as to remove the objectionable and polluting matters
therefrom, it be included with the general waste from the factory and
the works enlarged sufficiently to provide for the proper treatment of
all the waste.
Aug. 24, 1915.
To Winslow Brothers & Smith Company, Norwood, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In accordance with the provisions of chapter 360
of the Acts of the year 1906, section 2, the State Department .of Health
hereby advises you that the best practicable and reasonably available
means of rendering harmless the waste or refuse discharged by you
at your works at Norwood into Hawes Brook, a tributary of the
Neponset River, is in the opinion of the Department the construction of
a trickling filter of adequate size to be used in connection with settling
tanks and sand filters by which said waste or refuse shall be treated.
The Department is of the opinion that with such works of adequate
size the refuse and waste of the quantity and character now being
discharged by you into Hawes Brook can be purified to such an extent
that they will not thereafter be injurious to the public health or tend
to create a public nuisance.
Upon the construction of the trickling filter of adequate size operated
in connection with the necessary settling tanks, experience may show
that the maintenance and operation of sand filters for the further
treatment of the effluent from the trickling filter will be unnecessary
to insure that there will be no violation of the provisions of chapter
360 of the Acts of the year 1906, and in that case you will of course
not be required under the present law to maintain and operate them.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 215
The Department realizes that by giving this advice it can in no
way protect you from prosecutions under the provisions of the act,
but feels confident that if the advice given is followed out the results
obtained from the use of these filters will be such as not to warrant
prosecution on the part of prosecuting officials.
Peabody (T. H. O'Shea Leather Company).
June 15, 1915.
To Mr. Frank Emerson, Tovm Engineer, Peabody, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request, an examination has been
made of your proposed plans for a settling tank at the works of the
T. H. O'Shea Leather Company in Grove Street, Peabody, and a
further examination has been made of the quantity and character of
the wastes discharged from these works.
The results of these examinations show that, as stated by the
owners of the tannery, the amount of the waste liquors has been
somewhat reduced and amounted at the time of the recent examina-
tion to about 16,000 gallons per day. Furthermore, the character of
the wastes has been considerably improved owing to the changes in
the processes carried on at the works.
The plan submitted provides for a settling tank in the rear of the
tannery having a capacity of about 12,500 gallons. It is to be 19 feet
in length, 11 feet in width, and will have an effective depth of about
8 feet. The bottom of the tank is designed to slope toward a valley
in the center, and the valley will slope toward the side from which the
sludge is to be discharged. The wastes entering the tank will be dis-
charged into a trough across one end from which it will overflow over
the edge of the trough into the settling tank, and a similar arrange-
ment is to be provided at the outlet of the tank.
The Commissioner of Health has caused the locality to be examined
by one of the engineers of the Department and has considered the
plan presented.
The capacity of the tank appears to be adequate for the proper
sedimentation of these wastes, which contain a very large proportion
of suspended matter. It is not advisable to provide a deep baffle in
the middle of the tank as proposed, but one or two scum boards should
be placed near the outlet of the tank to arrest the flow of floating
matter from the tank. The slopes of the bottom of the tank are
probably not sufficient to cause the sludge to flow toward the central
valley and, under the circumstances, unless the slopes are to be much
216 . STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
steeper, at least 45 degrees or preferably 60 degrees, it would be better
to make the bottom of the tank nearly level, with a deep valley as
proposed through which to discharge the sludge.
It may be necessary in the future to use a coagulant to secure more
efficient sedimentation. This could be done by introducing about 100
pounds of lime per day for the present daily flow, and it will be
desirable to make provision in the construction of a tank for intro-
ducing a coagulant in the future.
While the proposed tank, with the modifications suggested, will
probably remove from these wastes all of the solid matter that it is
practicable to remove by sedimentation, the location of the tank is
such that it will apparently be very difficult to draw off and properly
dispose of the sludge therefrom. It is very important, if the settling
tank is to be operated satisfactorily, that it be drawn off at frequent
intervals so as to prevent the accumulation of sludge therein and
consequent material reduction of the period of sedimentation. There
appears to be available land for the location of this tank outside of the
building, and it is recommended that it be so located that the sludge
can readily be discharged from the tank and removed from the
neighborhood. If it is found practicable to change the location of the
tank, it would probably be of advantage to construct the tank in two
compartments having an aggregate capacity somewhat greater than
that proposed for the single tank.
Peabody (J. F. Ingraham Company).
June 16, 1915.
To Mr. Frank Emerson, Town Engineer, Peabody, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request for advice as to a pro-
posed settling tank and sludge bed at the tannery of the J. F. Ingra-
ham Company used for the sedimentation of their wastes before their
discharge into the trunk sewer, a further examination of the works
has been made and additional samples of the wastes have been
analyzed.
The results of the analyses show that the wastes from this tannery
contain a very large quantity of solid matter, a large proportion of
which is in solution, and that it is not practicable to remove any
great quantity of matter from these wastes by sedimentation. The
wastes contain much grease and a considerable quantity of fine dust
which collect upon the surface of the liquid when standing and can
be readily removed.
The quantity of wastes at the time of the recent measurements
amounted to about 4,000 gallons per day, and when mixed with lime
No. 34.] AD\^CE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 217
in sufficient amount a large quantity of organic matter is precipitated.
Consequently, there is little doubt that, when mixed in the sewers
with waste containing large quantities of lime, there will be a precipi-
tation of organic matter from these wastes. The quantity of the
wastes, however, is small, so that serious trouble may not be caused if
they are passed through a suitable settling tank before discharge into
the sewers.
It is advisable to make certain changes in the details of the design
of the tank as submitted in order to facilitate its operation. As now-
designed, the bottom of the tank slopes toward the middle and there
is a longitudinal slope from the inlet to the outlet end of the tank.
The sludge is of such a character that it will chng to the bottom
unless the slopes are made considerably steeper than shown in this
design, and if it is impracticable to secure slopes toward the center
of as much as 45°, or preferably 60°, it would be better to make the
bottom of the tank practically level, since the sludge could be removed
therefrom with less difficulty than from sloping sides unless the slope
w^as sufficient to insure the flow of the sludge to the lower end of the
tank.
The plan of admitting the waste liquor to the tank by discharging
it into a trough from which it will overflow in a thin film along the
full width of the tank is an excellent one to adopt, and with this
arrangement it is not advisable to place a screen or a deep baffle in
the middle of the tank, as shown on the plan. It w-ill probably be
sufficient if scum boards are placed near the outlet of the tank to
intercept the grease and dust.
The proposed sludge bed is of inadequate capacity to receive the
sludge discharged from the proposed tank and should be enlarged
materially. It may be difficult to build a sludge bed large enough to
receive the entire contents of the tank, and in that case provision
should be made for drawing off the supernatant liquor in the tank
back to the pump w^ell before discharging the sludge from the tank.
It will consequently be necessary to provide a sludge bed in any case
that will be of such capacity that, if used in connection with the pump
well as suggested, it will be capable of receiving the full discharge from
the tank.
It is important to locate the sludge bed at a sufficient level above
the ground water and above the elevation of the water in the brook
to insure its proper operation at all times.
An inspection well or other means of obtaining access to the effluent
from the tank, in order that it may readily be examined, should of
course be provided in accordance with the regulations established by
this Department.
218 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Peabody (Thayer-Eoss Company).
June 23, 1915.
To the Thayer-Foss Company, Peabody, Mass., Mr. Harry I. Thayer, President
Gentlemen: — The Commissioner of Health received from you on
June 11, 1915, an application for advice as to proposed sedimentation
tanks for the treatment of your wastes at Peabody before discharging
them into the sewerage system of the town, accompanied by plans of
the proposed works prepared by your engineer.
The plans provide for the collection of all the wastes from the
tannery into an existing tank located beneath the tannery floor, from
which they will be discharged into a proposed pump well 4 feet by
6 feet in plan and about 13 feet deep. From this pump well the
wastes are to be pumped to a group of sedimentation tanks arranged
in pairs. The first tank of each pair is to be 8 feet by 8 feet in plan
and 9 feet 3 inches deep and is expected to collect hair in suspension
in the wastes. From these "hair tanks" so called, the waste Hquors
are to overflow into sedimentation tanks 30 feet by 8 feet 2 inches in
plan and having a mean depth of about 7 feet. These tanks are to be
in duplicate, the capacity of each of the "hair tanljs", so called,
being about 4,000 gallons, and the capacity of each of the settling
tanks about 12,800 gallons. Sumps are to be provided in the bottom
of each of the latter tanks in which suction pipes are to be placed for
removing the sludge by pumping to a sludge-drying bed to be con-
structed adjacent to the tanks. Sludge beds are also to be provided
to receive the sludge from the "hair tanks". All sludge beds are to
be provided with underdrains having an outlet in the existing tank
under the tannery.
The Commissioner of Health has caused the locality to be examined
by one of the engineers of the Department and has considered the
plans presented.
The quantity of wastes discharged from this factory has been found
at times to amount to as much as 80,000 gallons per day, and the
period of sedimentation provided by the proposed settling tanks, on
the basis of a flow of 80,000 gallons in ten hours, would be 2.1 hours
when one pair of tanks is in use and 4.2 hours when both pairs of
tanks are in use. If the tanks are properly maintained and operated
together, it will be practicable to remove the heavier matters from
these wastes and prevent the further discharge of such matters into
the sewers. It is suggested that provision be made for discharging
the wastes into the so called "hair tanks" over a weir, instead of
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 219
through a single pipe about 3 feet above the bottom of each tank as
is proposed at present. It is also advisable that the screens between
the outlet of the setthng tanks and the sewer be made of bars placed
much closer together than proposed or preferably of a mesh screen
having a mesh of not over j of an inch. In the construction of the
screen chamber it would apparently be practicable to leave an opening
back of the screens for the inspection of the wastes discharging into
the sewer, which would afford more convenient access to these wastes
than the 10-inch pipe proposed. If this arrangement is not practi-
cable, however, a pipe of larger diameter than 10 inches should be
used.
In order to secure efficient results in the operation of these works,
frequent cleaning of the tanks will be necessary, and it is essential
that, at times of cleaning when the tanks are draw^n off, the discharge
of sludge into the screen chamber and thence to the sewer shall be
avoided. With the present arrangement, by which a gate will be open
in the side of the tank at a certain elevation above the bottom, there
is much danger that, if a considerable amount of sediment has accumu-
lated in the tanks, a portion of it will be drawn off with the wastes
and be discharged through the screen chamber into the sewer. It
would be much better if the whole contents of the tanks could be
discharged upon the sludge bed and the sludge bed made large enough
for that purpose. If not, it would be advisable to arrange for drawing
off the liquor in the tanks through floating arms, or some such arrange-
ment as would avoid danger of discharging sludge into the sewer. If
floating arms are impracticable, it would probably be better to draw
off one of the tanks at a time, discharging the supernatant liquor into
the pump well and pumping it w^ith the wastes to the settling tanks
in operation while the other two tanks are being cleaned. There
would seem to be no great difficulty in making this arrangement, and
with such an arrangement danger of discharging large quantities of
sludge into the sewer would be avoided.
The Commissioner of Health is of the opinion that the proposed
tanks, with the modifications suggested, 'will, provided the tanks are
properly operated, remove from these wastes the heavier matters
which are likelv to cause trouble in the sewers.
220 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
PiTTSFIELD.
Aug. 12, 1915.
To the Board of Public Works, Pittsfield, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on July 20, 1915, through your engineer, an application for advice as
to a proposed extension of the sewage disposal works of the city of
Pittsfield, accompanied by two plans of the proposed works marked
Sheets 1 and 2 entitled "City of Pittsfield. Addition to Filtration
Beds."
The plans presented provide for increasing the present filtration
area by the construction of eleven filters having an aggregate net area
of about 9.56 acres northeast of the present filters, and by the con-
struction of about 4.26 acres of additional filters along the southerly
side of the present filtration area. Samples of the soil from test pits
in the area in which these filters are to be located have already been
examined by this Department, the results showing that the material
in the proposed northeasterly extension is in general of excellent
quality for the purpose, while that south of the present filter beds is
quite fine, much of it being of rather poor quality for the purification
of the sewage by filtration.
It is proposed to underdrain the filters of the northeasterly addition
by the construction of underdrains at depths ranging from 3.5 to 4.5
feet, the underdrains being placed 35 to 45 feet apart. In the south-
erly addition the underdrains are to be similar but it is proposed to
place the drains not more than 30 feet apart.
The plans also provide for extending the distribution pipes so as to
convey the sewage to the additional areas. It is understood, further-
more, that the plans are to include the underdrainage of the filters
bordering the railroad, and that further improvements are under con-
sideration in this region which will enable the city to utilize more
fully the capacity of these filters in the future.
The Department has caused the locality to be examined by its
engineer and has examined the plans presented. The proposed
additional filter beds will increase the area available for the disposal of
the sewage of the city of Pittsfield about 50 per cent, and will make
the aggregate area available for this purpose about 41.42 acres. The
rate of filtration will thereby be reduced from about 128,000 gallons
per acre per day, which is the rate at the present time, to about
79,000 gallons per acre per day with the quantity of sewage now
discharged at the area. This rate will be somewhat diflScult to main-
tain, and in view of the fact that the city is growing rapidly the
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 221
additions now being made will no more than bring the filtration area
up to the present requirements, and still further provision for the
disposal of the sewage of the city will be needed in the immediate
future unless some reduction can be made in the quantity of sewage
requiring treatment.
There is no doubt that a large portion of the water supplied to the
city of Pittsfield is wasted and that much of this waste finds its way
into the sewers. The total quantity of water consumed by the city in
1914 amounted to about 5,800,000 gallons per day, or about 150
gallons per person. This quantity is, as you have already stated in
your report to the City Council, out of all proportion to the require-
ments of the city, and it is probable that some reduction might be
made in the quantity of sewage if the excessive waste of water were
prevented.
It is advisable under the circumstances that a careful survey of the
water distribution system be made to determine whether there is any
considerable leakage therefrom. If no considerable leakage is found it
is then advisable that a thorough inspection be made of all the water
fixtures within the premises of consumers of water and that meters
be placed where any leakage or excessiv^e use or waste of water is dis-
covered. Experience shows, however, that while it is practicable to
reduce for a time the waste of water in a city or town by inspection of
the water fixtures, it is impracticable as a rule to secure permanent
reduction in the waste of water except by a practically universal
application of meters.
It is possible also that some further reduction in the quantity of
sewage requiring disposal might be made by reducing the amount of
leakage into the sewers, but the expense of the elimination of leakage
might be larger than the cost of providing additional purification
works. It is nevertheless worth while to make a careful examination
of the sewers to determine whether there is any particular sewer or
area in the city in which there is more leakage than in other portions,
and whether a material reduction in the flow of sewage can be made
by eliminating that leakage. If it is found impracticable, however,
to reduce the flow of sewage by the elimination of leakage into the
sewers or a reduction in the waste of water, it will be necessary for the
city to provide immediately for the further enlargement of its sewage
disposal works.
The Department, after considering the plans presented, is of the
opinion that they will, if carried out as proposed, provide an im-
portant and much needed addition to the sewage disposal works of the
city. The efficiency of the proposed additional filters at the southerly
222 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
side of the filtration area may be found to be considerably less than in
other parts of the area, but in that case it will probably be practicable
to increase the efficiency of these filters by constructing in the finer
portions trenches of coarser material to which the sewage could be
applied. These filters, however, may in practice be found to operate
in a reasonably satisfactory manner.
The Department recommends that the question of reducing the
quantity of sewage by the prevention of leakage be taken up at the
earliest practicable time, and if such prevention is not found practi-
cable, that the question of further enlarging your sewage purification
works be given immediate consideration.
Salisbury (Salisbury Beach).
To the Salisbury Water Supply Company, Salisbury, Mass. '
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health has considered
your application for the approval of plans for a system of sewerage
and sewage disposal for that portion of Salisbury known as Salisbury
Beach and has examined the plans presented.
These plans provide for collecting the sewage of Salisbury Beach
into a main sewer to be laid along the westerly side of the beach
from the New Hampshire line to an outlet into Black Rock Creek at a
point about two thirds of a mile south of the point where the creek,
or canal, is crossed by the road leading from Salisbury to the beach.
The southerly end of the beach is to be served by a sewer running
northerly to a junction with the main sewer a short distance above its
outlet, and there are to be tributary sewers to serve various sections
of the beach not served by the main sewer.
The discharge of sewage into Black Rock Creek is to be regulated
by means of a tank, located just above the sewer outlet, in which the
sewage will be collected during the incoming tide and discharged
automatically on the outgoing tide. The plans presented show a tank
of two compartments, each 30 feet in length by 8 feet in width by
7.5 feet in depth, thus having a total capacity of about 25,000 gallons.
The outlet of this tank as shown on the plans presented is a pipe 20
inches in diameter, at the upper end of which are double 18-inch tide
gates designed to close the outlet of the tank during the period of the
incoming tide and until the water on the outgoing tide has fallen below
the level of the sewage in the tank.
The Commissioner of Health and members of the Department have
examined the locality relative to the need of sewerage at Salisbury
Beach and the proposed plan of collecting and disposing of the sewage.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TO\\T>JS. 223
In the opinion of the Department, an improved sewerage system is
greatly needed in this densely populated area, both to provide more
extended means for the collection of the sewage and to prevent as
soon as practicable the discharge of the sewage upon the beach which
at the present time creates very objectionable and unsanitary con-
ditions in the summer season when the beach is used for bathing.
The proposed method of disposing of the sewage by discharging it into
Black Rock Creek is a permissible one to adopt under the circum-
stances and if, on account of the increasing quantity of sewage dis-
charged there or from other cause, the conditions become objectionable
in the future the sewage can be disposed of either by purification upon
filter beds or by discharge into the Merrimack River near the outlet
of Black Rock Creek, where a suitable outlet can be located.
The proposed location of the storage tank and outlet into the creek
at a point about 3,300 feet south of Broadway appears to be a reason-
able one to adopt at the present time, and if objectionable conditions
should subsequently occur by reason of the discharge of sewage into
the creek at this point the outlet can be extended to a point of dis-
charge 1,800 feet farther down stream whenever necessary without
changing the location of the tank. Moreover, the tank can be used as
a pump well if treatment of the sewage or its discharge into the
Merrimack River becomes necessary at some future time. It is ad-
visable that the tank be built in the beginning to have a capacity of
not less than 25,000 gallons, that its floor be placed at about 2.6 feet
above mean low water, and that the tank be provided with at least
. two manholes to give access for cleaning and proper circulation of air
wherever cleaning may be necessary.
The sewers should be constructed and maintained strictly on the
separate plan and the entrance of surface water and ground drainage
prevented so far as possible, in order that the quantity of sewage to be
disposed of may be reduced to a minimum. The careful construction
of all connections with the sewers is also essential to this end. It is
recommended that a sufficient number of connections be made between
the sewers and the water mains to insure proper flushing of the sewers
whenever necessary, and it is further suggested that an emergency out-
let be provided from the main sewer above the tank or that a by-pass
be constructed around the tank in order to discharge the sewage
directly into the creek whenever it shall become necessary to dis-
continue the use of the tank for repairs or other cause.
With the modifications herein suggested, the disposal of the sewage
of Salisbury Beach into Black Rock Creek by discharging it from a
tank on the outgoing tide at a point at least 3,300 feet below Broad-
224 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
way is hereby approved, said outlet to be discontinued and the
sewage to be discharged at some point farther down the creek or
disposed of in some other suitable manner whenever, by reason of the
increase in the quantity of sewage discharged or the occurrence of
objectionable conditions in the creek, or other cause, a change in the
outlet becomes necessary.
Stoneham. g^^ g^ ^9J5
To Mr. C. J. Sweeney, Superintendent Public Works, Stoneham, Mass.
Dear Sir: — The State Department of Health has considered your
application for advice as to the proposed location of a main sewer in
the Lincolnville District in Stoneham and has caused the locality to
be examined by one of "its engineers.
The plans and report of your consulting engineer submitted with the
application provide for the sewerage of a district in the southwesterly
section of the town draining naturally through a small tributary of
Sweetwater Brook, a branch of the Aberjona River, This district
contains at the present time nearly fifty houses and, owing to the very
fine subsoil and underlying ledge, much difficulty has been experienced
in the proper disposal of the sewage from these dwellings.
The plan provides for the construction of a main sewer 8 inches in
diameter laid on a steep grade through low wet land between Glen
Road and Atwood Avenue from the neighborhood of Park Street to
an existing sewer in Maple Street. It is proposed to provide an under-
drain beneath this sewer for the collection of ground water which is
to be discharged into the brook just below West Hancock Street.
There appears to be no more practicable location for the proposed
main sewer in existing streets or elsewhere than in the low land in the
neighborhood of the brook, and a right-of-way can undoubtedly be
secured there by a purchase or taking under existing laws.
The plan as a whole appears to be the best practicable method of
providing a main sewer outlet for the district described in your
application, and the Department recommends its adoption.
Wakefield.
To the Wakefield Water and Sewerage Board, Wakefield, Mass. ^^^ '^' ^^^^"
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on April 30, 1915, the following application for the approval of a pro-
posed sewer in Park Avenue, Dell Avenue, Stedman Street and private
land between Wakefield-Stoneham town line and Converse Street : —
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 225
Your approval of the proposed sewer, in Park Ave., Dell Ave., and Stedman
Street is requested. Sho-wTi on profile left at your office.
The location of sewers in these streets was shown on a plan of
sewerage approved by the State Board of Health in February, 1901,
but being in dotted lines their construction w^as not approved at that
time. The plan now presented — which is a slight modification of the
plan previously presented — was considered and approved by^j^the
Public Health Council at its meeting held on May 4, 1915.
Wellesley. Jtjne 25, 1915.
To the Sewerage Committee of the town of Wellesley, Mass., Mr. W. H. Blood, Jr.,
Chairmxm.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on June 22, 1915, an application for the approval by the Department,
under the provisions of chapter 567 of the Acts of the year 1907, of a
system of sewerage for the town of Wellesley, accompanied by a plan
of the proposed works.
Upon receipt of this application, the State Department of Health
gave notice of a hearing upon said plan at its office. Room 143 State
House, on June 23, 1915, at 11.00 a.m., by publication of said notice
in "The Townsman."
At this hearing no one appeared to object to the plan presented by
the engineer of the town. After the hearing and a consideration of
the plan, the Department voted to approve the system of sewerage
proposed for the town of Wellesley and shown on the plan accompany-
ing the application, said plan being entitled, "Sewerage for Wellesley,
Mass., 1915. Ernest W. Bowditch, Engineer, Boston, Mass." (Scale:
1"=600').
Westborough. j^ j4^ 19^5
To the Board of Sewer Commissioners, Westborough, Mass., Mr. Ira M. Beaman,
Chairman.
Gentlemen: — The Commissioner of Health received from you on
April 26, 1915, the following application for advice as to the ad-
visability of admitting to the Westborough sewers the waste from the
proposed bleaching department of the Westborough Weaving Com-
pany.
We have received an application from the Westboro Weaving Company to
dispose of the waste from their proposed bleaching department through our
226 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
public sewers. We understand that they wall use chloride of lime and sulphuric
acid in solution in some form. We request that they submit to your board
details as to the chemicals and the quantities and the method of disposal of
the same into the sewer. We should be pleased to have, as early as possible,
an opinion from the State Department of Health as to whether it would be
safe to accept this sewage on the conditions that they wish to put it into the
sewers.
The information submitted to the Department is to the effect that
the materials, consisting of braids, tapes, etc., are to be first boiled
for several hours in a kier containing about 5,000 gallons of water to
which caustic soda is added, and subsequently rinsed through fresh
water. They are then- to be treated in an acid bath which it is said
will be discharged not oftener than twice a year. After this treatment,
the materials will be washed twice, about 5,000 gallons of water being
used each time, though with certain qualities of product it is expected
that a much larger quantity of water may be used. The average
amount of waste liquor from this establishment, as nearly as can be
determined, will be about 50,000 gallons per week, the discharge taking
place on two days only, except occasionally when an extra amount of
dilute wash water will be discharged.
The Commissioner of Health has caused the locality to be examined
by one of the engineers of the Department and samples of the various
wastes to be analyzed. Analyses of the waste from various processes
similar to those to be carried on at these works show that the waste
liquor, discharged from the treatment in the kier with caustic soda
contains a large quantity of organic matter even after the second wash,
and the acid waste has an acidity of from 98 to 155 parts in 100,000.
Investigations have also been made to determine the probable effect
of these wastes upon the Westborough sewage in case they should be
admitted to the sewers. The results of the investigations indicate that
these w^astes, if they do not exceed in actual volume 50,000 gallons
per week, may probably enter the Westborough sewers and pass to the
filtration area without causing objectionable conditions in the sewers
or affecting unfavorably the operation of the filtration plant, provided
this quantity of waste is discharged in such a way as to be distributed
quite evenly throughout the twenty-four hours on at least six days of
the week. It is important, furthermore, that, before discharge into
the sewers, the acid liquor should always be mixed and neutralized by
the alkaline discharge. It is not certain, however, that some further
treatment of these w^astes will not be required at the works before they
are admitted to the sewers so as to insure their thorough mixture at all
times.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 227
If these wastes are admitted to the sewers, it is recommended that
they be admitted only on the condition that the discharge into the
sewers be placed in charge of a chemist or engineer at the works, whose
duty it will be to insure their being discharged into the sewer through-
out at least six days of the week, and on the further condition that,
if it shall be found at any time that the discharge tends to create
objectionable conditions in the sewers or at the filter beds, it shall be
discontinued at once.
Westfield.
June 9, 1915.
To the Board oj Selectmen, Westfield, Mass., Mr. John L. Hyde, Town Engineer.
Gentlemen: — The Commissioner of Health received from you on
May 21, 1915, through Mr. John L. Hyde, Town Engineer, an ap-
plication for advice as to a proposed system of sewers for the district
adjacent to FrankHn Street between Congress and Lloyd's Hill streets,
the sewage to be discharged into an existing 20-inch drain leading
from the State road at a point about 650 feet west of Congress Street
to the Westfield River, and in response to this application has caused
the locality to be examined and has considered the plan presented.
The reason given for discharging the sewage into the storm water
drain in this manner is to relieve the present sewerage system, which
is already overtaxed at some seasons of the year. It is very important,
in the opinion of the Department, that sewage and storm water be
kept wholly separate in the town of Westfield, in view of the fact that
it will be necessary for the town at no distant time to provide for the
purification of its sewage before its discharge into the Westfield River
or its tributaries, and, under these conditions, it is essential to keep
storm water separate from the sewage in order to avoid excessive cost
in the construction and maintenance of sewage disposal works.
In view of the fact that the present sewerage system of the town is
overtaxed, it is not of course advisable to discharge a further addi-
tional quantity of sewage into the system until relief has been pro-
vided. Under these circumstances, the discharge of the sewage of the
district in question temporarily into a storm water drain appears to be
the least objectionable method of disposal to adopt at the present
time. In the construction of the sewer, however, provision should be
made to exclude all roof water and, so far as practicable, all storm
water, as well as ground water, and if need arises for removing storm
water, separate pipes should be provided for that purpose.
It is recommended that studies be made and plans prepared at the
earliest practicable time for the enlargement of the sewerage system of
228 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
the town and relief from the present surcharging of the sewers at
certain times, and these plans should include the diversion of the
sewage of the Franklin Street district indicated on your plan from the
storm water drain and its disposal in connection with the sewage of
the other portions of the town.
West Springfield.
To the Board of Selectmen, West Springfield, Mass. March 11, 1915.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request of Feb. 24, 1915, re-
ceived through your engineers, for advice as to a proposed plan of
sewerage in the valley of Block Brook having an outlet into the
Westfield River, the Commissioner of Health has caused the locality
to be examined and has considered the plan presented.
The plan provides for sewers in Westfield Street running easterly
from Ohio Avenue and westerly from the neighborhood of Wilder
Terrace to a main sewer in the valley of Block Brook through which
the sewage from these sewers and from tributary sewers in Ohio
Avenue and Rogers Avenue will be conveyed to a proposed outlet
into the Westfield River.
It is evident from an examination of the locality that surface
drainage is needed in portions of this region, but in order to remove
any considerable portion of the surface water from the region which
these sewers are designed to serve, it would be necessary either to
construct sewers of very large size to convey the entire flow of sewage
and surface water to the Westfield River or to provide overflows into
Block Brook. It is not desirable that Block Brook in this region,
which is hkely to become populous at no distant time in the future,
should be polluted by sewage, even though pollution would occur only
at times of rain. If all surface water, and so far as practicable all
ground drainage, were kept out of the sewers, pipes of much smaller
size than proposed would be adequate for the disposal of all of the
sewage of the district. There is, moreover, no objection to the dis-
charge of surface drainage, if not polluted by sewage, into Block Brook
or any of its tributaries. By utilizing the existing watercourses,
deepening and improving them if necessary, adequate drainage can be
provided with short drains in the streets emptying into the nearest
watercourses, and in this way drains of comparatively small size will
be adequate for all requirements.
Under the circumstances, it is recommended that the sewers be con-
structed strictly on the separate plan and that all surface water, and
so far as practicable ground drainage, be excluded.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 229
The discharge of the sewage into the Westfield River without treat-
ment appears to be a reasonable method of disposal to adopt at the
present time, but if the conditions should change and this method of
disposal become objectionable, the use of this outlet is to be dis-
continued or a satisfactory method of purification of the sewage pro-
vided when required by this Department. The location of the outlet
into the Westfield River as proposed appears to be a satisfactory one,
but it is essential that the pipe be carried out into the stream to a
sufiicient distance from the bank so that it may be covered at times of
low water and the sewage may mingle quickly with the current of the
river and avoid fouling the banks.
When the details of the outlet into the Westfield River are prepared,
we will advise you concerning them, if you so request.
Wrentham (State School).
Sept. 22, 1915.
To the Wrentham State School, Wrentham, Mass., Dr. George L. Wallace, Super-
intendent.
Gentlemen: — In response to a communication from Elias A.
Wood of Norfolk relative to the operation of the sewage filter beds at
the State School, the State Department of Health has caused the
locality to be examined and samples of the effluent from the filter beds
to be analyzed.
The results of the examination do not show that at the present
time the effluent causes a nuisance in the brook below the filter beds,
and no odor was noticeable in their neighborhood. There are growths
of organisms in the brook below the filter beds which are very probably
fostered in part at least by the nitrates in the sewage effluent. The
filter beds were in a satisfactory condition at the time of the exami-
nation, but the siphon leading to the filters does not operate satis-
factorily and should be reconstructed. It is advisable also that
distribution troughs be constructed on the filters or other means
provided for distributing the sewage more evenly over the filters and
that all of them be used, so far as practicable, each day, except such
beds as may be out of use for the purpose of cleaning. It would be of
advantage in the operation of the filters, and doubtless also in the
maintenance of proper conditions in the brook, if the State should
acquire control of the channel of the brook and of land on either side
so that the bed of the stream could be lowered and its channel kept
clear of growths of organisms and other obstructions.
230 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
It is recommended that the control of the brook be acquired and
that the changes herein suggested be made at the earliest practicable
time.
Sept. 22, 1915.
To Harold E. Fales, Esq., Badaracco Block, North Attleborough, Mass.
Dear Sir: — Since receiving your communication of July 14, 1915,
relative to the complaint of Mr. Elias A. Wood of Norfolk as to the
operation of the filter beds at the State School at Wrentham, the
State Department of Health has caused these filters to be examined
and samples of the sewage applied to the filters and efHuent therefrom
to be analyzed.
The recent examinations show that the operation of these filters
has been materially improved and that they are at present being
operated in a satisfactory manner. Under the conditions now existing
there appears to be no cause for complaint of the condition of these
filters or of the effluent therefrom.
A copy of a communication to the superintendent of the institution
relative to these filters and the conditions in the brook below them is
enclosed.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The following is the substance of the .official action taken during the
year in reply to applications for advice relative to the pollution of
streams and miscellaneous matters: —
Attleboro (Y. M. C. a.).
Sept. 22, 1915.
To the Health Department, Attleboro, Mass., Ralph P. Kent, M.D., Health Officer.
Gentlemen: — In reply to your request for an examination of the
swimming pool at the Young Men's Christian Association in Attle-
boro and advice as to its condition, the State Department of Health
has caused the pool to be examined and samples of water from the
pool and of water supplied thereto to be analyzed.
The results of the analyses show that the water in the pool con-
tains a very large amount of free and albuminoid ammonia, is high
in chlorine and contains a large number of bacteria. It is evident
from these results that the water is very badly polluted, probably by
urine. It is recommended that the water be drawn entirely out, the
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 231
bottom and sides of the tank thoroughly cleansed, and that thereafter
an effort be made to prevent the further serious pollution of the pool
by those who use it.
Dec. 31, 1915.
To the Health Department, Attleboro, Mass., Ralph P. Kent, M.D., Health Officer.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request of Oct. 20, 1915, stating
that the swimming pool at the Young Men's Christian Association
had been thoroughly cleaned and requesting a further examination
thereof, the State Department of Health has caused the pool to be
examined and additional samples of the water to be analyzed.
The results of the analyses show that the quantity of organic
matter at the inlet of the swimming pool has been greatly reduced and
that a large reduction has also been effected in the quantity of organic
matter present in the water standing in the pool. The water still con-
tains a considerable quantity of organic matter, however, and a large
number of bacteria, though the number of objectionable bacteria
present was small.
The condition of the pool is on the whole greatly improved and does
not now differ materially from that of similar pools. The water in this
pool should be analyzed from time to time and the pool emptied and
cleansed at sufficiently frequent intervals to keep it in proper sanitary
condition.
Belchertown (Proposed School for Feeble-minded).
Nov. 29, 1915.
To the State Board of Insanity, State House, Boston, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health has considered
your applications received Oct. 21 and Nov. 8, 1915, for advice as to
certain proposed locations for a school for the feeble-minded in the
western part of the State and has caused the three localities indicated,
situated respectively in the towns of Conway, Belchertown and South-
wick, to be examined by one of its engineers.
The area which it is proposed to acquire in the town of Conway is
situated in the northerly part of that town and borders the southerly
side of the Deerfield River between Bear River and South River. A
branch of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, North-
ampton Division, passes along the border of this tract adjacent to the
Deerfield River with a station at the southeasterly edge of the tract,
and there are two stations on the Fitchburg Division of the Boston &
Maine Railroad adjacent to a part of the tract. The station at
232 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Bardwell Ferry on the Fitchburg Division is approximately opposite
the middle of the tract and is connected therewith by a highway
bridge, from which a road passes through the area. There is also a
trolley Hne parallel to the South River at the southerly edge of the
tract.
The elevation of the area as shown upon the State topographical
map ranges from about 260 feet to 550 feet above mean sea level in
the southerly part of the tract and 840 feet near its northwesterly
limits. The area slopes to the northeast and the higher lands of the
northern portion are covered with heavy timber, while most of the
southern portion is cleared and largely under cultivation.
The Department is informed that the proposed institution may
contain ultimately a population of 2,000, and the area has been
examined with a view to obtaining a water supply for an institution of
that size. There are numerous small springs in the central portion of
the tract, but a general examination fails to show any location within
its limits from which it is Hkely that an adequate quantity of good
water for the requirements of the institution could be obtained.
Water could be taken from one of the rivers adjacent to the area by
constructing a reservoir and purifying the water by filtration, but the
cost of a water supply under such conditions would be large. It is
probable that a supply could be obtained at less cost by constructing
a reservoir upon one of the small brooks in this region, the water of
which might be used without filtration, if a location could be obtained
within a reasonable distance of the area which it is proposed to
acquire. So far as can be judged from the State map, however, the
streams in the immediate neighborhood of this area are small and a
careful study would be necessary before it would be practicable to
determine whether or not a suitable water supply could be obtained in
that way at a reasonable cost, but the indications for a gravity
supply are very poor.
The disposal of sewage from the buildings on this area would
probably be a simple matter, since the sewage could probably be dis-
charged after sedimentation directly into the Deerfield River without
serious objection so long as the condition and uses of that stream
remain as at the present time.
The Belchertown site is located west of the central part of the
village of Belchertown and is bordered along its northwesterly side by
the tracks of the Central Massachusetts and the Central Vermont
railroads, each of which has a station at Belchertown cjose to the
easterly limit of the tract. As shown upon the State map, the ele-
vation of the ground in this area ranges from about 360 to 480 feet
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 233
above sea level and slopes in a northwesterly direction toward Bachelor
Brook. Two small brooks, uniting near the northwesterly portion of
the area, discharge into Bachelor Brook about a mile north of the
tract. The southwesterly part of the tract is covered largely with a
growth of heavy timber, and there are limited areas of woodland at
other points in the central portions of the tract. The land in the
neighborhood of the streams is swampy in places and much of it is
covered at present with a dense growth of alders and other under-
brush.
Judging from surface indications, a water supply for an institution
at this location could probably be obtained from the ground within the
limits of the area. It will probably also be practicable to locate
sewage filters within this tract for the purification of the sewage of the
institution, and, on account of the location, an efficient system of
sewage disposal will be necessary. Since the best location for a water
supply is in the valley of the main stream which drains the tract, it
will be essential that any sewage disposal area located within this
watershed shall be so placed that it will not affect the quality of the
water supply. The best practicable location for filter beds appears to
be in the southwesterly portion of the tract.
The Southwick site, so called, is located about midway between the
thickly settled portions of the towns of Southwick and Westfield, and
only a very small portion is within the latter town. The land slopes
generally to the east, the greater part of it being within the watershed
of Slab Brook, so called, though the extreme northerly portions of the
area slope toward the northeast and the southwesterly portions toward
the west and south.
It is impracticable to determine from a general examination of this
area whether or not it will be possible to obtain a suitable water
supply for the institution from any source within the tract, though a
ground water supply might perhaps be obtained in the lower grounds
in the southeasterly part of the area. The best plan of securing a
water supply would probably be to take water from the works of the
city of Springfield, the principal pipe line of which passes about half
a mile north of the northerly portion of the tract. It may also be
possible to obtain water from the town of Westfield by extending a
suitable pipe line from the Westfield system to this area.
The disposal of the sewage from buildings located upon this tract
may involve a considerable expense, since a very efficient purification
of the sewage is necessary, and even with the most efficient purifica-
tion practicable, objection may be made to the discharge of the
effluent into any of the neighboring streams. It will probably be
234 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
feasible, however, to locate adequate sewage filters in the north-
easterly part of the tract for the purification of the sewage, but if it
should not be found desirable to discharge the effluent into any of the
adjacent streams, the effluent could undoubtedly be disposed of
satisfactorily by conveying it to an outlet in the Westfield Little
River, a distance of about 1^ miles. It is probable that the effluent
could be discharged into the Westfield Little River by gravity, though
a survey will be necessary before this question can be determined.
The elevation of this area ranges from 250 to a maximum of about
440 feet above mean sea level, and much of the higher ground is
covered with a heavy growth of wood. The easterly part of the tract
consists largely of cultivated land, and there is very little swamp
except at two or three places near the sources of two small streams
in the southwesterly part of the tract.
The nearest railroad line to this tract is that between New Haven
and Northampton with a station at Southwick, about 2| miles south-
east of the area.
Comparing the three tracts so far as the practicability of securing
an efficient water supply is concerned, it appears likely that con-
siderable difficulty might be encountered in securing a proper water
supply at reasonable cost for the Conway tract, while a water supply
for the Southwick tract could probably be secured from the Springfield
or the Westfield pipe lines without special difficulty, though it would
probably be necessary to pump the water from the former source at
least in order to supply it under sufficient head. It seems likely that
an adequate water supply can be obtained within the limits of the
Belchertown tract without special difficulty, and the expense would
not be likely to be much greater than the expense of obtaining a water
supply for the tract at Southwick, so far as can be judged from the
limited information available at the present time.
As regards sewage disposal, less difficulty is likely to be encountered
at the Conway tract than in either of the other locations, while at
Southwick the disposal of the sewage is likely to involve considerable
expense. So far as can be judged then from the information at present
available, the cost of efficient systems of water supply and sewerage,
taken together, is likely to be less on the whole at the Belchertown
area than at either of the others, and probably somewhat less at the
Southwick area than at Conway, where, while sewage disposal appears
to be a simple matter, the securing of a suitable water supply system
is likely to prove a difficult problem.
No. 34.1 ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 235
Beverly.
Jan. 29, 1915.
To Mr. Augustus P. Loring, Jr., Chairman, Planning Board, Beverly, Mass.
Dear Sir: — Your request for information concerning the Dane
Street bathing beach and the information relative to the conditions
affecting the bathing on this beach have been considered by the
Commissioner of Health.
In answer to your first question, the most recent examinations of
this beach have shown that floating matters discharged at the Beverly
sewer outlet, located about 700 feet from the westerly end of the
beach, are at times cast up upon the beach as far east as Ocean
Street in the period of the year when the locality is used for bathing.
Under these circumstances, there is danger to the public health in the
continued use of this beach for bathing.
With regard to your second question, whether if a bathhouse were
erected on the beach there would be any chance in the future of
public bathing privileges being cut off by this Department on account
of the pollution of the water, it is impracticable to give you any
definite reply. It may be said, however, that there is no law at
present in force which gives this Department power to prevent the
use of this beach for bathing.
As to the third question, since the cause of the pollution of the
water near the beach is the discharge of sewage from the Beverly
sewer outlet, it is probable that the conditions at the beach will be
dependent to a large extent upon the quantity of sewage discharged
at this outlet and that the conditions will vary with the direction of
the wind and the state of the tide. The quantity of sewage discharged
at the present outlet will of course increase in the future with the
growth of the city.
In answer to the fourth question, there appears to the Department
no method by which the condition of the water at this beach can be
improved except by removing the sewer outlet from its present location
to some point where the sewage will not be carried back upon the
beach.
The question of disposing properly of the sewage of the city of
Beverly has been before this Department several times in the past
and has been under consideration by the city of Beverly for several
years. It seems to the Department important that the question of
properly disposing of the sewage shall be thoroughly investigated and
a suitable place of disposal provided at the earliest practicable time.
236 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Braintree.
July 2, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Braintree, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request of Nov. 28, 1914, the
State Department of Health has made observations of the odors from
the burning cinder pile of the New York, New Haven & Hartford
Railroad between Braintree and South Braintree for several months
past and has not found at any time that objectionable odors were
noticeable beyond a few hundred feet from the fire, and in no case in
the last four months has any odor been noticeable at any of the
dwelling houses in the neighborhood that could be distinguished from
the odor noticeable from the roundhouse in which the locomotives are
kept. The fire appears to have been effectually confined by means of
trenches to an area of about four acres and has been gradually
diminishing. So far as the investigations of this Department show, the
odors from this area do not appear to constitute a nuisance.
The Department will be pleased to continue the observations, if
you think it desirable to do so, and will inform you from time to
time as to the results. ,
Conway (Proposed School for Feeble-minded). (See Belcher-
town.)
Danvers.
May 12, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Danvers, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to a request from the board of health of
Peabody, the Commissioner of Health has caused an examination to
be made of the condition of the clams taken from the flats in the
Danvers River near Danversport, and a copy of the communication
from this Department to the board of health of Peabody is enclosed
herewith.
The Department will communicate to you the results of further
investigations of the condition of clams in the Danvers River, the
investigation of which is now being made. In the meantime, it is
advisable that your department give notice to the public of the
danger involved in the use of clams for food from the area indicated.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. . 237
Oct. 6, 1915.
To the Commissioners on Fisheries and Game, State House, Boston, Mass.
Gentlemen: — Complaint having been made that clams are taken
from polluted areas in the Dan vers River and offered for sale as food,
the State Department of Health has caused an examination of the
Danvers River and its estuaries to be made to determine the sources
of pollution thereof and the condition of the waters and flats therein
and has caused samples of clams from these flats to be analyzed.
The results of the examination show that the flats and waters along
the Beverly shore between Woodberrys Point and Tucks Point are
very badly polluted by sewage from the main sewer outlet of the city
of Beverly and that clams from these flats are unsafe for use as food.
The flats near the junction of the Bass River with the Danvers
River and all of the flats examined in the Danvers . River west of the
Boston and Maine Railroad bridge and in the estuaries of the Danvers
River, known as the North River, the Waters River, the Crane River
and the Porter River, are badly polluted and clams taken therefrom
are unsafe for food.
As a result of its investigations, the State Department of Health
finds that the flats within the Danvers River and Beverly Harbor west
of a line drawn from Woodberrys Point to Old Hospital Point are
contaminated by sewage or manufacturing waste and that shellfish
taken therefrom are unsafe for use as food. The Department hereby
requests the Commissioners on Fisheries and Game to prohibit the
taking of any clams or quahogs from the flats and waters herein de-
scribed until further notice.
Faikhaven.
Dec. 14, 1915.
To the Fairhaven Improvement Association, Fairhaven, Mass., C. E. P.
Thompson, M.D., Chairman.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for an examination of
the water of New Bedford harbor at the foot of Pease Street, Fair-
haven, where the location of a public bathing pavilion is being con-
sidered, the State Department of Health has caused the locality to be
examined by one of its engineers and samples of the water to be
analyzed.
There is a sewer outlet of the town of Fairhaven at the Fairhaven
end of the New Bedford bridge north of the proposed location of the
bathhouse and two other main outlets at Union Wharf about one-
third of a mile south of this location. A large quantity of sewage is
238 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
also still discharged into New Bedford Harbor from numerous sewer
outlets on the New Bedford side.
The results of analyses of the sea water show that it contains con-
siderably more free ammonia than is found in the sea water of the
bay, but the pollution at the present time is not serious and the loca-
tion indicated appears to be the best that it is practicable to secure
along this shore for the purpose in view. It is probable that the
pollution of the harbor will diminish with the extension of the New
Bedford intercepting sewer, and if the waters along the Fairhaven
shore should become seriously polluted from the Fairhaven outlets the
objectionable conditions could probably be removed by extending these
outlets to a greater distance from the shore.
In view of the conditions, the waters of the harbor at the foot of
Pease Street can probably be used with safety for bathing unless
pollution of the harbor in this region by sewage becomes greater than
at the present time.
Gardner (Contagious Disease Hospital).
March 5, 1915.
To the Hospital Building Committee, Gardner, Mass., Mr. Seth Hetwood, Chairman.
Gentlemen: — In response to your communication received through
Mr. Harold Field Kellogg, architect, of Boston, relative to a conta-
gious disease hospital to be located on the southerly slope of Bickford
Hill in Gardner, the Commissioner of Health has caused the locality
to be examined and has examined the general features of the plan
presented.
The plan provides for a hospital with accommodations for eighteen
patients which will care for contagious diseases, though the plans do
not show a ward for tuberculosis.
The building will be supplied with water from the Gardner water
works, and the supply should be adequate and^ satisfactory.
The hospital is so situated that the sewage can, if desired, be dis-
charged into one of the sewers of the town of Gardner by gravity,
and this would be the best plan of disposing of the sewage. The
hospital will be located at a considerable distance from the nearest
town sewer, however, and it is thought probable that considerable rock
might be encountered in laying a pipe to connect with that sewer, and
in view of these circumstances it is planned to dispose of the sewage,
for the present at least, by a tank and a system of cesspools with
underground drains, through which the sewage will leach into the soil.
It is impracticable to make an examination at this season of the year
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 239
which would determine definitely whether or not it would be possible
to dispose of the sewage by cesspools. If the soil is sufficiently porous
to absorb the quantity of sewage discharged from the hospital and
prevent unpurified sewage from overflowing onto the surface of the
ground, this method of disposal can be used without objection. If,
however, the soil is unsuitable for the disposal of the sewage satis-
factorily by this method, it may be necessary to construct a sub-
surface filter by hauling sand or gravel to a suitable location in the
neighborhood of the hospital. If constructed in this way, a filter 50
feet square, having an area of 2,500 square feet, would probably be
sufficient, providing the filtering material were as much as 5 feet in
depth. The sewage could then be disposed of through pipes beneath
the surface of the filter, which should be properly underdrained. •
As soon as the conditions become favorable in the spring, it is
advisable that the soil be carefully examined to determine whether the
disposal of the sewage in cesspools and underground drains is likely to
be practicable under the circumstances. The Department will assist
you in this investigation, if you so request, by making the necessary
examinations of the soil as soon as conditions are favorable for such
examinations and will then advise you further as to the best practi-
cable plan of disposing of the sewage.
The location and plans are approved subject to further consideration
of the matter of sewage disposal.
^^'^^^- May 7, 1915.
To Messrs. Daniel H. Hollis, John E. Cheever, Frank Vaile and Others, Lynn,
Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your petition for an examination of
the three clam flats in the vicinity of the city of Lynn and advice as
to whether the clams obtained therefrom may safely be used for food,
the Commissioner of Health has caused the flats indicated to be ex-
amined and samples of clams taken therefrom to be analyzed.
Of the samples collected in Lynn Harbor all were found to contain
bacteria characteristic of sewage. These clams are probably affected
by sewage discharged upon the flats in this neighborhood and are
unsafe for use for food. The clams from all of the flats examined
within the Pines River were found to be badly polluted and unfit for
use. The clams taken near Little Nahant showed a wide variation
in the number of bacteria present, the number present at times being
very high, and in view of these results this area cannot be regarded as
a safe source from which to take clams for food.
240 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
The least polluted clams were found on the ocean side of the Point
of Pines, but even here the clams taken at different times from this
flat have shown considerable variation. Those collected in the latter
part of March were low in bacteria, and at that time these clams were
probably safe for domestic use, but samples collected about a month
later showed the presence of greater numbers of bacteria, including
those characteristic of sewage. Under the circumstances, these clams
also must be regarded as unsafe for food.
Clams were found abundantly in all the flats examined in Lynn
Harbor but, until some provision has been made for removing the
sewage which now greatly pollutes these flats, the use for food of clams
taken from these areas would be likely to cause sickness and cannot
be approved at the present time.
New Bedford. ^^^^^ 13^ ^gi5
To the Board of Health, New Bedford, Mass., Mr. William G. Kirschbaum, Agent.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for advice as to a
change in the location of the public bathhouses from the westerly
shore of Buzzards Bay to a location on the easterly shore of Clark's
Cove at the end of Valentine Street, about 2,000 feet north of the
screen house on the intercepting sewer, the Commissioner of Health
has caused the locality to be examined and samples of the sea water
at the proposed location to be analyzed.
The results of the analyses show that the sea water at this point
is badly polluted by sewage at the present time and the location is
not a safe one for the purpose proposed. It appears, however, that
the sewage of the main intercepting sewer is at present being dis-
charged through a temporary outlet near the screen house, and this
sewage on an incoming tide spreads along the shore in a northerly
direction toward the proposed location for the new bathhouse. ^
The condition of the sea water in this region is probably much
worse than it will be after the temporary discharge of sewage at the
screen house has been discontinued. Under the circumstances it is
probable that if a further examination of the sea water at the location
indicated were made two or three weeks after the discharge of sewage
at the screen house bad been discontinued, the results would show a
great improvement in the condition of the water. If the discharge of
sewage at the temporary outlet is discontinued in the near future, the
Department will be pleased to make a further examination with refer-
ence to constructing a bathhouse at the location indicated, if you so
request.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 241
Norwood (Norwood Civic Association).
Jan. 18, 1915.
To the Norwood Civic Association, Norwood, Mass., Mr. Walter E. Marshaix,
Business Secretary.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for an examination
from time to time of the water of your swimming pool in Norwood and
advice as to its condition, the Commissioner of Health has caused the
pool to be examined and samples of the water to be analyzed. ^?ai
The information presented shows that the pool is about 20 feet long
by 60 feet wide with a depth of from 5 to 8 feet and has a capacity
when filled to the usual level of about 75,000 gallons. It is used by
about 500 persons per month, and regulations have been made relative
to the taking of shower baths previous to entrance into the pool and
to the sterilization of bathing suits.
In connection with the pool there is an apparatus for filtering the
water consisting of three filters, which are washed apparently every
other day, the waste water being discharged into the sewer.
The pool was filled originally with water from the Norwood town
supply on Oct. 1, 1914, and about 5,000 gallons have since been
added. The total quantity of water filtered each day amounts, judging
from the information presented, to about 40,000 gallons, or about 55
per cent, of the capacity of the pool. The filtered water is treated
with soda, alum and hypochlorite of lime and returned to the pool.
The results of the examination show that the condition of the water
from a bacterial standpoint is much the same as that of other swim-
ming pools in the State which have been examined by this Department.
The filtration of the water is not very efficient, and the effluent of the
filters is little better than the water supplied to them from the pool.
The method of applying disinfectants is not accurate and, notwith-
standing the filtration and disinfection of the water, large numbers of
bacteria are present at times in the water of the pool.
It is probable that a better result might be obtained if hypochlorite
were applied directly to the water of the pool each night after use of
the pool for the day had ceased, instead of applying it to the water
delivered to the filters.
Judging from the examinations of the various swimming pools that
have come under the observation of the Department, a careful exam-
ination of those using the pools and an insistence upon their cleanliness
and health seems to be the best method of protecting, so far as prac-
ticable, the health of the bathers. This precaution is advisable in any
242 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
case, even though material improvement is made in the efficiency of
the filters and the disinfection of the water. It is advisable, however,
that a more efficient filtration be secured if possible and that a change
be made in the method of disinfection of the water as herein suggested.
Peabody.
May 12, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Peabody, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your request for an examination of
the clams taken from the Danvers River near Danversport, the Com-
missioner of Health has caused the flats indicated to be examined and
samples of the clams to be analyzed.
The Danvers River in this region is grossly polluted by sewage and
tannery waste, and analyses of twelve samples from this region showed
that in every case the clams were grossly polluted and unfit for use as
food.
The board of health of Danvers has been notified of the danger to
the public health in the continued use of clams from this locaHty.
In view of the results found, it is necessary to prevent the taking of
clams for food in this section of the Danvers River. It is not unlikely
that other areas are also affected by the pollution of this river and,
treating your application as a complaint under chapter 91, section 113,
of the Revised Laws, the Department will investigate the extent of
the polluted flats and determine the areas from which the taking of
clams for food should be prohibited.
PiTTSFIELD (COOLIDGE MEMORIAL HoSPITAL).
Nov. 29, 1915.
To Mr. A. W. Shaw, Office of Overseers of the Poor, Pittsfield, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your communication relative to the
proposed plans for the Frederick Shurtleff Coolidge Memorial Tuber-
culosis Hospital at Pittsfield, the State Department of Health has
caused the location of the proposed hospital to be examined by one of
its engineers and has examined the general plans.
The location indicated is a point about half a mile northeast of the
village of Barkerville, about 60 feet above the level of the southwest
branch of the Housatonic River and a short distance south of the Pitts-
field Anti-Tuberculosis Camp. There is at this point a small knoll
and the hospital will be located on the southeasterly side of this knoll,
though the upper floors will be above its top. The site is located well
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 243
away from the highways but is easily accessible from the electric car
line from Pittsfield.
The plans provide for a building about 130 x 30 feet in plan and
two stories in height. A cellar is to be constructed under all but the
sleeping porches. Provision is made in the beginning for eight patients
and one nurse, and four maids' rooms, one bath and a large unfinished
room are to be provided in the attic.
The hospital is to be supplied with water from one of the city water
mains which has been recently extended to this neighborhood and,
while the elevation is considerable, it is probable that an adequate
quantity of water can be obtained in this way.
The plan of sewage disposal provides for a digestion tank, so called,
a siphon chamber, and some 1,600 feet of tile pipe, to be laid 2 feet
below the surface of the ground in the area to the east of the hospital
on ground sloping to a small brook running from Mud Pond to the
river. The soil in this locality does not appear to be porous, but since
the number of patients and attendants is not likely to exceed fifteen,
it is probable that the plan of sewage disposal proposed will operate
for a time without serious difficulty. If the population of the hospital
is enlarged, provision will probably have to be made eventually for the
construction of a sub-surface filter for the disposal of the sewage, the
effluent from which can be discharged into the Housatonic River.
The location of the proposed hospital appears to be a satisfactory
one for the purpose, and the provisions for water supply and sewerage,
considering the small number of patients that is likely to be accom-
modated at this hospital in the beginning, appear to be adequate.
Plymouth.
May 7, 191.5.
To the Board of Health, Plymouth, Mass.
Gentlemen: — Some time ago, at your request, an examination was
made of the Newfield Street marsh, so called, in Plymouth, the drain-
age of which was being considered at that time by the town.
The results of that examination showed that the marsh has an area
of a little less than two acres, situated about 68 feet above sea level,
and that there is a pool in the middle of the marsh having an area
of about 3,800 square feet.
The information submitted indicated that this marsh had an objec-
tionable odor in the summer season, and it is possible that it is also
a breeding place for mosquitoes.
In view of these conditions, it seems important that this marsh be
244 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
either drained or filled so as to prevent injury to the health of the in-
habitants of the neighborhood.
If the town has not yet decided to drain or fill the marsh and it is
likely to remain in its present condition during the coming year, it
should be carefully examined, and if objectionable conditions are found,
measures should be taken to prevent injury to the health of the resi-
dents in the neighborhood until the matter of permanent improvement
can again be considered by the town. This Department will be
pleased to give you or the board of selectmen further advice in this
matter if any further action is deemed necessary.
QUINCY.
Aug. 20, 1915.
To Messrs. Frank F. Taylor, Harry B. McIntire, George W. Mitchell and
Others, Quincy, Mass.
Gentlemen: — In response to your petition for an examination of
Wollaston Beach at the mouth of Sachem Brook, where you state there
is an objectionable odor, the State Department of Health has caused
the locality to be examined by its engineer and has considered the in-
formation presented.
The results of the examination show that Sachem Brook drains
an area of about one square mile, of which 90 per cent, is within the
limits of the city of Quincy. Sewers are extended quite generally
through the watershed, and sewers have been provided in the im-
mediate neighborhood of the brook at its outlet in practically all the
streets which have thus far been developed, and there is no indication
that the brook is polluted seriously by sewage. At North Central
Street the water of the brook when examined recently had a high
color due to contact with organic matter in swamps, a condition
which would not be injurious to the health of those living along the
banks of the stream.
In the lower part of its course, just above its mouth, the brook was
originally a tidal estuary and its bottom is covered with mud. The
stream is also considerably polluted by organic matter caused by the
dumping of rubbish upon its banks at various places within its water-
shed. While the condition of the brook is not wholly satisfactory,
how^ever, nothing was noted in the course of this examination which
would cause a nuisance in the neighborhood of its outlet. Near the
mouth of Sachem Brook the stream is crossed by the Quincy Shore
Boulevard of the Metropolitan Park 83- stem, and below this bridge a
basin has been dredged for the use of yachts. In this basin seaweed
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 245
tends to accumulate and, unless removed from time to time, it decays
and causes objectionable odors. Two yacht club houses have been
constructed in this locality, the sewage from which is discharged
directly into the water beneath the buildings. The beach in this
region is used by a large number of people for bathing in the summer
season, and the discharge of sewage from these buildings is a very
objectionable method of disposal and probably injurious to health.
In view of these conditions the Department has communicated the
matter to the authorities of the city of Quincy and has recommended
that the yacht club sewage be disposed of into the sewers of the city
of Quincy. A copy of these recommendations is enclosed herewith.
To the Board of Health, Quincy, Mass. ^^^^- ^^' ^^^^■
Gentlemen: — In response to a petition from certain residents in
the neighborhood of the mouth of Sachem Brook along the Quincy
Shore Boulevard, the State Department of Health has caused the
locality to be examined by its engineer and finds that seriously ob-
jectionable conditions are caused in this neighborhood by the discharge
of sewage from the yacht clubs directly into the water beneath the
buildings. This beach is used to a large extent for bathing in the
summer season, and there is no doubt that the present method of
disposal of sewage from these buildings is a menace to the public
health.
The sewers of the city of Quincy appear to be available for the
disposal of this sewage, and it is recommended that connections be
made with the Quincy sewers at the earliest practicable time and the
further discharge of sewage into the water near this beach prevented.
Sherborn (Jacob Lander).
To Mr. Jacob Lander, Sherborn, Mass. '^^^^ 2^' ^^^•^•
Dear Sir: — The State Department of Health has considered your
application for the approval of the use of a barn and fixtures which
have been constructed for the purpose of conducting a slaughtering
business in the town of Sherborn and has caused the locality to be
examined by one of the engineers of the Department.
The proposed slaughterhouse is to be located off Beaver Street, about
half a mile southeast of the village of Framingham, close to low ground
adjacent to Beaver Dam Brook, one of the feeders of Lake Cochituate,
one of the sources of supply of the metropolitan water district.
It would be very difficult to maintain a slaughterhouse in this loca-
246 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
tion in such a manner as to prevent the creating of objectionable
conditions and, in view of all the circumstances, the Department voted
not to approve the use of the barn and fixtures in question for the
purposes of a slaughterhouse.
SOUTHBOROUGH. q^^ 26, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Southborough, Mass., Mr. Charles F. Choate, Jr.,
Chairman.
Gentlemen: — In accordance with a request from your board, the
State Department of Health has caused an examination to be made
of the Winchester property at Southborough to determine what
changes are necessary to put it in a sanitary condition.
The buildings on this property consist of two wooden houses, to one
of which there is a barn attached, and a small brick building contain-
ing two rooms.
The main building, which is three stories in height and which con-
tains six rooms on the lower floor, five on the middle floor and two
in the attic, is provided with but a single water closet with partial
fixtures for two others. The building to the west, containing a store
on the lower floor and eight rooms for dwelling purposes on the second
floor, is provided with two water closets and two sinks. The toilet
rooms in the two large houses are located near the center of the house
in each case and have no method of ventilation, which is a violation
of present-day building laws. Changes should be made in these build-
ings so that a toilet room will be provided for each family that occu-
pies them, and each toilet room should have an outside window. The
toilet room in the small brick building is provided with a suitable
window.
All the litter and refuse should be removed from the floors and
cellars of the larger buildings and these buildings should be thoroughly
cleaned. In addition to removing the refuse from the buildings, clean-
ing them thoroughly and providing proper fixtures, the buildings
should be properly painted. The small brick building when examined
appeared to be in satisfactory condition.
The only water supplies available on these premises are two wells,
both of which are grossly polluted so that the water is unfit for
domestic use. It is impracticable to obtain water of suitable quality
for domestic use upon these premises under existing conditions, and if
the buildings are again occupied water for domestic purposes will have
to be obtained from some suitable source elsewhere. The water from
the wells might be used for the flushing of water closets, provided no
No. 34.] ADMCE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 247
connections are maintained through which the water could be used for
drinking or other domestic purposes.
The sewage of these buildings was formerly disposed of in cesspools
in the rear of the buildings, whence it overflowed upon the ground, a
portion of it finding its way into the barn cellar, the condition of
which was made very objectionable. Since the buildings were vacated,
the effects of this nuisance have practically disappeared. It is prob-
able, however, that if the existing cesspools were again used objec-
tionable conditions would again occur.
The best practicable plan of disposing of the sewage of the main
buildings, and probably the only plan under which a nuisance can be
avoided, will be to collect the sewage in a suitable tank built in two
compartments so arranged that the sewage will enter one compartment
and will thence overflow to the second compartment. Each compart-
ment should be approximately 10 feet in diameter and 6 feet in depth.
The contents of the tank should be removed as often as necessary in
odorless excavator carts. The frequency of cleaning the tank will, of
course, depend upon the number of inhabitants in the buildings. As-
suming that the property will not be occupied by more than twenty
persons, which would be the approximate capacity of the present
buildings, exclusive of the small brick building, under modern building
laws, the tank would probably require cleaning about every other week.
If the number of inhabitants in the two larger buildings were restricted
to ten, it is possible that the sewage could be disposed of without
nuisance in cesspools upon the property from which a part of it V\'ould
leach away, though the contents would doubtless still require removal
at intervals, especially in periods of more than average rainfall. The
sewage of the small brick building could probably be disposed of in
an ordinary cesspool in the rear of the house since the number of
occupants of this building would necessarily be very small.
SouTHWicK (Proposed School for Feeble-mikded).
(See Belchertowx.)
WaTERTOWN. t^ n lAic
Dec. 9, 1915.
To the Board oj Health, Watertown, Mass., Mr. Charles F. Horan, Agent.
Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you
on Dec. 7, 1915, the following application for advice relative to per-
mitting the keeping of about 3,000 horses at the Union Stock Yards
in Watertown.
248 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Recently there has been filed at the office of the local board of health an
application, made in the name of the Boston and Maine Railroad company,
for a license or permit to keep or stable 3,000 horses at the Union Stock Yards
in Watertown. Following a public hearing on the matter, the Board of Health
— feeUng that the keeping of such a large number of horses might become
a nuisance — denied the application.
The Boston and Maine company has later filed a petition for reconsidera-
tion, and this petition is at present being considered by the local board.
The Board of Health has instructed me to ask the advice of the State De-
partment of Health in this matter, and request that — if possible — a sani-
tary engineer from the department visit the yards and advise us as to the
possibility of having the yards used for 3,000 horses (the yards being without
any drainage) without it becoming a nuisance. . . ,
In accordance wath your request, the State Department of Health
has caused the yards and their surroundings to be examined by its
engineer and has considered the information relating thereto.
It is understood that the yards are to be used simply as a resting
place for horses which are being transported from Chicago to be
shipped on vessels from Boston Harbor to foreign countries, that the
horses will be in the yards only for a few hours at a time, and that
the number of animals present will vary greatly from day to day,
though the yards will be in continuous use. As the horses to be
handled have alw^ays lived in the open, it is not considered necessary
to provide bedding or any other shelter than the open sheds, and the
process of removing manure will, consequently, be a simple one. The
yards have been used for cattle for many years, though in lesser
numbers in recent years than formerly, and it is obvious that the
drainage of the yards has hitherto been satisfactory'. An examination
of the soil in many parts of the yards shows that it is generally porous
and easily drained, and to facilitate the further ready drainage of these
yards the area to be occupied by the horses has recently been covered
with engine ashes or cinders to a depth of several inches.
The Department is informed that the yards were provided with a
drainage system several years ago which appears to be operating sat-
isfactorily at the present time, judging from such examinations as
it has been practicable to make. It is possible that the system is
more or less obstructed in one or two places and at the culverts
through which the drainage passes beneath Arsenal Street and Charles
River Road. The drain discharges ultimately into the Charles River.
With the use of the yards for horses as proposed, the amount of
drainage requiring disposal may be somewhat greater at times than it
has been in past years, due to the fact that the yards are now being
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 249
piped for water and that in the process of watering horses some of
the water may be wasted. The amount of such waste, however, is
unimportant as compared with the rainfall that the system now
removes.
It is of course necessary that the drainage system be properly main-
tained, and in connection with the proper maintenance of the drainage
system it is essential of course that the gratings over the entrances
to the drains should be kept free from obstruction.
As a result of the examinations made by its engineers, this Depart-
ment advises you that there is, in its opinion, no danger of injury to
the public health nor other reasonable objection to the use of these
yards for the purpose proposed.
Winchester.
Sept. 21, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Winchester, Mass., C. J. Allen, M.D., Secretary.
Gentlemen : — On June 4, 1915, there was filed with the State
Department of Health a communication from your board giving the
vote of the town meeting and the results of the investigation of a
town committee relative to the pollution of the Aberjona River and
its tributaries.
In their report they mention first that "At the Beggs and Cobb
tanning plant there is a large amount of material leaking from vats
and leaching from the contents of the tanning pits after they have
been dumped outside that eventually finds its way into the stream,
and measures should be taken to control this contamination." The
Beggs and Cobb tannery have, in accordance with the recommenda-
tions of this Department, discontinued dumping the contents of their
tanning pits and settling tanks in such a w^ay that they are in danger
of being washed into the stream. A great amount of material that
has previously been dumped by this company upon the ground in the
neighborhood of their works is affected by the rainfall and there is
necessarily a leaching from this deposit towards neighboring streams.
We are unable to find, however, that there is any direct pollution of
the stream from these works such as would come within the provisions
of chapter 291 of the Acts of 1911.
Mention is also made by the committee of a settling basin at the
gelatine factory near Cross Street, where at one place a channel affords
free access between the basin and the river. Recent examinations show
that this channel is very small, that there is very little flow through
it, and the waste found flowing in it was not of such a character as
250 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
to noticeably pollute the stream into which it discharged. The two
drains mentioned in your letter are not now discharging offensive
waste into the stream.
The report also refers to the discharge of oil in condensing water
into the stream and also acid from the chemical works at North
Woburn. While the oil affects the appearance of the stream, it does
not appear to create at any point a nuisance within the meaning of
the act. There is also no indication that the discharge of acid drainage
from the chemical works into the stream, though objectionable for
certain reasons, is injurious to the public health or tends to create a
public nuisance.
This Department has issued notice and directed the discontinuance
of the discharge of waste matters into the stream at points where it
found such conditions existing, and apparently most of these recom-
mendations have been faithfully carried out. Only two cases have
been discovered during the past summer where foul waste has been
permitted to enter the river or its tributaries, and these were appar-
ently temporary conditions. Nevertheless, the parties have been
notified that such discharge must cease, and the objectionable condi-
tions have been remedied.
In our recent examinations we have found nothing in the river
waters indicating direct pollution of the stream or its tributaries at
the present time. There is, however, considerable indirect pollution of
these waters which seems inevitable under the circumstances. There
are numerous tanneries in this valley in the neighborhood of which
large quantities of tannery waste have been deposited for many years
in the past, and the rainfall undoubtedly takes up matters from these
deposits which find their way eventually to the streams, partly no
doubt after more or less purification by passing through the ground.
It is impracticable to prevent or remove this pollution. There is also
the pollution of the streams that is inevitable in a densly populated
valley and which comes from the cultivation of fields and gardens,
from the washings of streets, yards and courts, from public dumps,
and from the dumping of refuse and waste matter elsewhere, some
of which is carried into the streams. A considerable amount of such
pollution takes place in the valley of the Aberjona River and makes
some of the streams unsightly and objectionable, not only after heavy
rains but at other times.
In some cities where streams flow through populous districts lands
have been taken along their banks and their channels greatly im-
proved. Several years ago the town of Winchester made plans for
improving a portion of the Aberjona River which have thus far not
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 251
been carried out. It seems essential, in the opinion of the Depart-
ment, in order to maintain the streams in Winchester in a satisfactory
sanitary condition, that the control of their channels should be secured
by the town and that the}' should be improved to such an extent that
they can be kept free from debris and the sources of pollution more
readily detected.
This letter is sent your board in order to inform you as to the con-
ditions that have been found by this Department to exist in the
streams in the valley of the Aberjona River. The Department will
continue its efforts to secure the prevention of the pollution of these
streams, so far as its powers extend under existing laws, but it is
evident that something further is necessary in order to maintain the
streams in a more satisfactory condition than at the present time.
This Department is prepared to co-operate with your board or with
any of the authorities of the valley at any time in efforts to secure
further improvement of the streams in this valle3^
WiNTHROP.
May 13, 1915.
To Hon. Edgar H. Whitney, House of Representatives, State House, Boston, Mass.
Dear Sir: — In response to your request, the State Department of
Health has caused a further examination to be made of the flats on the
westerly side of Winthrop in the neighborhood of Chelsea Point and
samples of the clams to be analyzed.
The results show that the clams all about this point are badly
polluted and contain large numbers of bacteria. They are unsafe to
use for food. A copy of the results of analyses of samples taken both
in the years 1914 and 1915 is enclosed herewith, together with a map
which will show the location in which the samples were taken.
WOBURX.
Sept. 21, 1915.
To the Board of Health, Wohurn, Mass.
Gentlemen: — Your communication of July 14, 1915, stating that
on June 9, 1915, you notified all factories in Woburn warning them
against violations of chapter 235 of the Acts of the year 1907 by
allowing polluting matter to flow into Russell Brook or its tributaries,
Avas duly received by the State Department of Health.
This Department has caused examinations of the streams in Woburn
to be made during the past summer and has found two cases of pollu-
252 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
tion, one of which was caused by a tannery, and has given notice that
prosecution will follow any further discharge of such wastes into any
of the streams. Aside from the pollutions already noted, the De-
partment has not found any other cases of serious direct pollution of
the streams from the tanneries or other works in the city of Woburn.
Nevertheless, the streams show evidence of considerable pollution,
which, in view of the conditions in this valley, it is impracticable to
wholly prevent. In the course of many years large quantities of
organic matter, chiefly from the tanneries, have been deposited upon
the ground at many places in this valley, and the natural effect of
the rainfall is to carry matters from these deposits, partly in solution
and partly in suspension, into the streams. The prevention of the
pollution of the streams in this manner appears to be impracticable
under present conditions. Furthermore, the streams receive much
pollution from the cultivation of fields and gardens, the washings of
streets and yards, the dumping of refuse, and other serious pollutions
which are inevitable in a populous territory such as that in Woburn
drained by Russell Brook and its tributaries.
In some places in the city of Woburn the streams have been cov-
ered and these channels are not in a condition for satisfactory inspec-
tion, but inspection of the open channels in the thickly settled portions
of the city shows that, in addition to pollution from the causes already
mentioned, these channels are rendered unsightly and objectionable
by the presence of refuse of various kinds, including tin, old iron and
other debris, which have collected upon their banks and bottoms.
It is impracticable, in the opinion of the Department, to maintain
these streams in a wholly satisfactory condition until their channels
have been improved to such an extent that they can be kept free
from debris and pollution can be more readily detected. Such im-
provements have been made in the channels of streams in thickly
populated districts in other cities, and the conditions have become
such in Woburn that an improvement of the natural drainage channels
in the populous districts at least is very desirable.
This Department will continue to make every effort to prevent the
pollution of streams in the valley of the Aberjona River and its
tributaries to the extent of its powers under existing laws, and will
be pleased to co-operate with your board and any of the authorities of
towns in the valley in an effort to secure further improvement in the
channels of the streams which will make it possible to maintain them
in a much better sanitary condition than is practicable at the present
time.
No. 34.] ADVICE TO CITIES AND TOWNS. 253
WoBURN (F. C. Parker & Son Company).
Sept. 10, 1915.
To F. C. Parker & Son Company, Woburn, Mass.
Gentlemen: — The recent examination of your premises has
shown that manufacturing wastes were overflowing from them into
Russell Brook in sufl^icient quantities and of such strength as to
seriously pollute the brook.
On May 14, 1913, you were notified, under the authority of chapter
291 of the Acts of the year 1911, to desist from such pollution.
The matter is again brought to your attention in order that you
may take such action in the near future as will prevent further pollu-
tion of the brook. Otherwise it will be the duty of the State Depart-
ment of Health to take action under the provisions of the act above
quoted, a copy of which is enclosed herewith. Your special attention is
called to the penalty clause, section 4.
Woburn (WoBrRN Gas Light Company).
Sept. 10, 1915.
To the Wohurn Gas Light Company, Woburn, Mass.
Gentlemen: — An examination of Russell Brook flowing past your
works in Woburn shows evidence that it is polluted by gas wastes to
such an extent as to impart an offensive odor to the brook at times
below your works.
You are notified that the pollution of this brook by wastes from
your works is contrary to the provisions of chapter 291 of the Acts
of the year 1911 and you are advised to take action without delay to
prevent further pollution of the brook by these wastes.
254
STATE DEPARTIMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Examination of Public Water Supplies.
The usual chemical analyses of the principal sources of public water
supply in the State have been made during the year and are presented
in the two following tables, the first of which contains averages of
analyses of the surface-water supplies and the second the averages of
analyses of the ground-water supplies.
Averages of Chemical Analyses of Surface-water Sources for the Year 1915.
[Parts in 100,000.]
a
>
w
c
o
Ammonia.
Nitrogen
AS —
1
g
Source.
ALBUMINOID.
City or Town*.
"O
ss
u
o
"o
O
2 a
1
O
0)
•a
a
AS,
EC
1
o
.30
.32
.36
5
1
a
o
a
Metropolitan Water
EHstrict.
Wachusett Reservoir, up-
per end.
Wachusett Reservoir,
lower end.
Sudbury Reservoir,
.26
.11
.14
3.59
3.22
3.87
.0022
.0023
.0027
.0168
.0138
.0193
.0028
.0022
.0042
.0026
.0023
.0027
,0000
.0000
,0000
.41
.24
.25
1.0
1.0
1.3
Framingham Reservoir
No. 3.
Hopkinton Reservoir, .
.13
.63
3.66
4,11
.0036
.0030
.0191
,0257
.0034
.0033
.37
.39
.0022
.0022
.0000
,0000
,27
,66
1.3
1.2
Ashland Reservoir,
.58
4.21
.0034
.0277
.0047
.37
.0025
.0000
.67
1.3
Framingham Reservoir
No. 2.
Lake Cochituate, .
.91
.19
5.60
6.12
.0060
.0068
.0320
.0238
.0053
.0052
.46
.66
.0041
.0029
.0000
,0000
,81
.39
1.4
2.4
Chestnut Hill Reservoir,
.15
3.71
.0020
.0163
.0029
.35
.0036
.0000
.26
1.4
Weston Reservoir, .
.12
3.78
.0021
.0165
.0031
.38
.0027
,0000
.25
1.3
Spot Pond, .
.06
3.73
.0023
.0167
.0028
.40
.0004
,0000
.22
1.4
Tap in State House,
.15
3.68
.0015
.0151
.0021
.38
,0046
,0000
.25
1.4
Tap in Revere,
.08
3.79
.0013
.0145
.0017
.39
,0014
,0000
.18
1.5
Tap in Quincy,
.11
3.68
.0012
.0139
.0018
.39
,0059
,0000
.23
1.4
Abington,
Big Sandy Pond, .
.05
3.60
.0023
.0175
.0039
.73
,0010
.0000
.10
0.8
Little Sandy Pond,
.00
4.77
.0044
.0178
.0063
1.64
,0010
,0000
.12
0.7
Adama,
Dry Brook, .
.35
6.58
.0014
.0145
.0023
.14
,0050
.0000
.59
3.5
Bassett Brook,
.02
3.56
,0013
,0070
,0015
.13
,0047
.0000
.10
1.8
Amherst,
Amethyst Brook large
.61
4.00
.0032
,0210
.0061
.20
,0023
.0000
.64
O.S
reservoir.
Amethyst Brook small
.26
3.71
.0018
.0133
.0014
.20
,0040
.0000
.33
0.8
reservoir.
Lower Reservoir, .
.50
3.99
.0028
.0128
.0013
.21
.0053
.0000
.45
1.0
No. 34.] EXAMINATION OF WATER SUPPLIES.
255
Averages oj Chemical Analyses of Surface-water Sources, etc. — Continued.
[Parts in 100,000.]
1
a
o
Ammonia.
Nitrogen
AS —
■6
<u
B
o
Source.
ALBUMINOID.
City or Town.
-a
i
c
O
2 c
5.2 i
i
"3
1
c
1 o
1
3
O
1
oi
.1
2
a
1
Andover,
Haggett's Pond,
.12
3.82
.0037
.0185
.0012
.43
.0012
.0000
.24
1.4
Ashburnham,
Upper Naukeag Lake, .
.02
2.58
.0015
.0097
.0017
.17
.0015
.0000
.12
0.7
Ashfield,
Bear Swamp Brook,
.33
4.87
.0016
.0143
.0012
.16
-
-
-
2.6
Athol, .
Phillipston Reservoir, .
.45
4.12
.0139
.0407
.0118
.21
.0037
.0000
.78
0.9
Buckman Brook Reser-
.35
4.01
.0081
.0328
.0108
.17
.0035
.0000
.59
0.9
voir.
Inlet of Filter,
.78
5.31
.0093
.0321
.0067
.17
.0049
.0000
1.09
1.3
Outlet of Filter, .
.63
5.30
.0043
.0213
-
.19
.0076
.0000
.98
1.5
Barre, .
Reservoir,
.17
3.65
.0070
.0264
.0063
.24
.0020
.0000
.42
1.1
Blandford, .
Freeland Brook,
.05
2.90
.0004
.0055
.0009
.22
.0225
.0000
.04
0.9
Brockton,
Silver Lake, .
.10
3.53
.0034
.0141
.0022
.67
.0057
.0000
.22
0.6
Cambridge, .
Upper Hobbs Brook Res-
.70
7.13
.0090
.0403
.0054
.51
.0094
.0000
.68
2.5
ervoir.
Lower Hobbs Brook Res-
.12
7.13
.0046
.0294
.0053
.55
.0029
.0000
.34
2.9
ervoir.
Stony Brook Reservoir,
.55
7.17
.0041
.0309
.0054
.62
.0110
.0000
.54
2.7
Fresh Pond, .
.24
6.65
.0111
.0313
.0101
.66
.0138
.0001
.39
2.9
Cheshire,
Thunder Brook,
.00
5.10
.0004
.0047
.0005
.13
.0073
.0000
.07
3.3
Kitchen Brook,
.01
5.07
,0019
.0073
.0011
.13
.0043
.0000
.08
3.1
Chester,
Austin Brook,
.12
3.17
.0012
.0108
.0024
.15
.0025
.0000
.23
1.4
Horn Pond, .
.20
3.62
.0017
.0128
.0023
.14
.0023
.0000
.38
1.6
Chicopee,
Morton Brook,
.07
3.85
.0012
.0062
.0004
.19
.0035
.0000
.08
0.9
Cooley Brook,
1.04
4.03
.0051
.0247
.0045
.18
.0030
.0000
.39
1.4
Colrain,
McClellan Reservoir,
.05
6.95
.0009
.0094
.0011
.18
.0057
.0000
.13
4.1
Concord,
Nagog Pond, .
.05
2.85
.0018
.0147
.0010
.37
.0012
.0000
.15
0.5
Dalton,
Egypt Brook Reservoir,
.28
3.72
.0020
.0127
.0013
.11
.0103
.0000
.50
1.3
Cady Brook,
.40
4.91
.0014
.0149
.0016
.09
.0033
.0000
.55
2.0
Danvers,
Middleton Pond, .
.50
5.87
.0025
.0222
.0032
.45
.0012
.0000
.58
1.9
Deerfield (South),
Roaring Brook,
.07
6.20
.0026
.0090
.0015
.19
.0025
.0000
.13
3.5
Egremont (South),
Goodale Brook,
.01
3.78
.0005
.0033
.0002
.12
.0015
.0000
.05
2.3
Fall River, .
North Watuppa Lake, .
.14
4.30
.0034
.0223
.0047
.66
.0021
.0000
.35
1.1
Falmouth,
Long Pond,
.00
3.33
.0027
.0126
.0018
.95
.0012
0000
.09
0.4
Fitchburg, .
Meetinghouse Pond,
.11
3.14
.0086
.0204
.0026
.23
.0012
.0000
.27
0.9
Scott Reservoir,
.16
3.01
.0075
.0219
.0055
.21
.0022
.0000
.33
0.6
Wachusett Lake, .
.11
2.62
.0065
.0204
.0039
.19
.0020
.0000
.26
0.7
Falulah Brook,
.22
3.16
.0063
.0146
.0023
.20
.0020
.0000
.34
0.6
256
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Averages of Chemical Analyses of Surface-water Sources, etc.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Continued.
6
0,
>
a
o
Ammonia.
Nitrogen
AS —
a
o
Source.
ALBUMINOID.
City or Town.
•^
tn
6
2 fl
S o
1
t
a
1
o
.31
1
i5
1
a
o
o
a
-3
X
Gardner,
Crystal Lake,
.08
4.75
,0023
,0193
.0032
,0022
,0000
.19
1.8
Gloucester, .
Dike's Brook Reservoir
.28
4,35
,0037
,0189
.0033
1,01
,0012
,0000
.27
0.5
Wallace Reservoir, .
.44
4,84
,0061
,0246
.0063
1,18
.0007
.0000
,39
0.8
Haskell Brook Reservoir
.31
4.41
,0033
,0168
,0025
.97
,0010
,0000
,22
0,5
Great Barrington,
East Mountain Reservoir
, .13
5.55
.0076
,0156
,0041
.14
,0030
,0000
,25
3,6
Green River, .
.01
8.64
,0021
,0064
.0008
.16
,0137
,0000
,05
6.1
Great Barrington
(Housatonic).
Greenfield, .
Long Pond, .
Glen Brook Upper Reser
.05
- .06
8.63
5.27
,0054
,0036
,0243
,0098
.0029
.0022
.15
.19
,0050
,0000
,14
5.8
3.1
voir.
Glen Brook Lower Reser-
.06
5,43
,0035
,0101
.0019
.20
,0057
,0000
.12
3.2
Hadley,
vou*.
Hart's Brook Reservoir
.09
3.87
.0011
,0062
.0008
.23
,0020
,0000
.09
1.5
Hatfield,
Haverhill,
Running Gutter Brooli
Reservoir.
Johnson's Pond,
.07
.17
4.65
5.43
.0030
,0024
,0070
,0216
.0013
,0033
.22
.55
,0175
,0017
,0000
,0000
.11
,30
2.0
2.3
Crystal Lake,
.16
4.16
.0018
,0203
,0026
.39
,0020
,0000
,31
1.2
Kenoza Lake,
.19
5.12
.0019
,0201
.0028
.50
,0014
.0000
,39
2.0
Lake Saltonstall, .
.09
7.13
,0027
,0184
.0018
.71
,0017
,0000
,22
3.0
Lake Pentucket, .
.14
5.04
.0025
.0192
.0029
.46
,0022
,0000
,34
2.2
Millvale Reservoir,
.69
5.85
.0040
.0268
.0040
.40
,0022
,0000
,57
2.0
Hingham,
Accord Pond,
.19
4.34
.0029
.0180
.0031
.75
,0022
.0000
,34
1.0
Hinsdale,
Reservoir,
.29
2.62
.0107
,0165
.0027
.10
,0064
,0000
,26
0.9
Holden,
Muschopauge Lake,
.04
3.11
.0017
.0133
.0020
.34
,0017
,0000
,15
0.9
Holyoke,
Whiting Street Reservoir
, .07
5.08
.0043
,0178
.0032
.23
0022
,0000
,17
2.3
Fomer Reservoir, .
.36
4.05
,0021
,0185
,0037
.17
,0042
,0000
,38
1.3
Wright and Ashley Pond
.10
5.04
,0034
,0192
,0034
.18
,0017
,0000
,24
2.5
High Service Reservoir
.11
4,22
,0043
.0232
,0040
.19
,0022
,0000
,30
1.5
White Reservoir, .
.28
3.99
.0075
.0259
.0059
.17
,0032
,0000
,41
1.4
Hudson,
Gates Pond, .
.07
3.62
.0043
.0203
.0041
.25
,0022
,0000
,21
1,5
Fosgate Brook,
.43
13.19
,0275
,0291
,0082
,27
,0177
,0002
,58
5.7
Hu"atington,
Cold Brook Reservoir,
.20
3.34
,0006
,0085
.0010
.14
,0013
,0000
,25
1.0
Ipswich,
Dow's Brook Reservoir
.39
6.30
.0052
.0239
.0051
.86
,0064
,0000
,51
2.2
LawTence,
Lee, . . .
Merrimack River, fil
tered.
Codding Brook Uppei
Reservoir.
Codding Brook Lowei
Reservoir.
Basin Pond Brook,
- .23
.14
• .13
.65
5.77
3.90
5.00
4,15
.0052
.0010
,0012
,0028
.0076
.0091
.0117
,0198
,0004
.0022
.0024
.46
.14
.14
.11
,0350
,0040
,0025
,0035
,0001
,0000
,0000
,0000
,40
,14
,14
,58
1.7
1.7
2.1
1.4
No. 34.
EXAMINATION OF WATER SUPPLIES.
257
Averages of Chemical Analyses of Surface-water Sources, etc, — Continued.
[Parts in 100,000.]
a
>
c
o
Ammonia.
Nitrogen
AS —
s
a
o
Source.
ALBUMINOID.
City ob Town.
tJ
•
"o
O
■S OS
1
"^
^
o
a
1 o
a
1
O
.11
is
i
1
a
&
o
1
Lenox, .
Reservoir,
.05
7.35
0031
.0087
.0011
0037
.0000
.12
5.2
Leominster, .
Morse Reservoir, .
.22
2.94
.0132
.0252
.0069
.20
.0042
.0000
.32
0.4
Haynes Reservoir,
.32
3.11
.0284
.0494
.0194
.17
.0017
.0000
.42
0.5
Fall Brook Reservoir, .
.12
2.55
.0032
.0181
.0042
.22
.0017
.0000
.25
0.5
Lincoln,
Sandy Pond, .
.04
4.86
.0030
.0193
.0034
.40
.0020
.0000
.13
1.8
Longmeadow,
Cooley Brook,
.08
4.94
.0069
.0086
.0015
.27
.0095
.0001
.08
2.4
Lynn, .
Birch Reservoir, .
.23
5.40
.0074
.0252
.0056
.73
.0020
.0000
.35
2.0
Walden Reservoir, .
.47
6.91
.0086
.0278
.0048
.85
.0040
.0000
.61
2.6
Hawkes Reservoir,
.79
8.47
.0093
.0393
.0065
.92
.0025
.0000
.94
3.3
Saugus River,
.96
10.06
.0107
.0444
.0095
1.12
.0075
.0001
.88
4.3
Manchester, .
Round Pond,
1.19
6.91
.0043
.0347
.0054
1.01
.0017
.0000
.82
1.4
Gravel Pond,
.09
4.47
.0024
.0172
.0019
.95
.0012
.0000
.16
1.1
Marlborough,
Lake Williams,
.09
4.62
.0039
.0194
.0029
.52
.0040
.0001
.22
1.6
Millham Brook Reser-
.52
5.54
.0067
.0301
.0052
.43
.0072
.0000
.46
1.7
Maynard,
voir.
White Pond, .
.34
3.37
.0013
.0173
.0017
.29
-
-
-
1.1
Milford,
Charles River, filtered, ".
.28
6.56
.0013
.0087
-
.38
.0064
.0000
.25
3.0
Montague,
Lake Pleasant,
.06
2.89
.0018
.0139
.0032
.18
.0018
.0000
.12
0.7
Nantucket, .
Wannacomet Pond,
.06
6.63
.0040
.0153
.0034
2.21
.0010
.0000
.14
1.3
New Bedford,
Little Quittacas Pond, .
.29
4.46
.0037
.0214
.0034
.62
.0012
.0000
.51
1.0
Great Quittacas Pond, .
.38
4.34
.0035
.0219
.0033
.62
.0015
.0000
.59
0.9
North Adam.s,
Notch Brook Reservoir,
.06
7.31
.0025
.0073
.0008
.11
.0023
.0000
.12
5.8
Broad Brook,
.14
4.01
.0019
.0079
.0011
.11
.0046
.0000
.29
2.0
Beaman Reservoir,
.06
7.33
.0031
.0135
.0032
.12
.0028
.0000
.13
5.0
Northampton,
Middle Reservoir, .
.27
4.02
.0028
.0179
.0033
.16
.0032
.0000
.37
1.8
Mountain Street Reser-
.09
3.73
.0011
.0111
.0023
.14
.0020
.0000
.19
1.7
voir.
West Brook, .
.12
4.55
.0008
.0094
.0020
.14
.0035
.0000
.17
1.9
North Andover, .
Great Pond. .
.17
5.07
.0027
.0191
.0036
.52
.0015
.0000
.21
1.9
Northborough,
Lower Reservoir, .
.72
4.81
.0051
.0281
.0035
.31
.0022
.0000
.87
1.1
Northbridge,
Cook Allen Reservoir, .
.31
3.35
.0034
.0166
.0040
.27
.0050
.0000
.25
0.5
North Brookfield,
Doane Pond, .
.39
3.50
.0069
.0315
.0062
.21
.0020
.0000
-
1.2
North Pond, .
.47
3.70
.0081
.0376
.0131
.22
.0015
.0000
.47
0.9
Northfield, .
Reservoir,
.20
3.25
.0008
.0087
.0007
.16
.0017
.0000
.37
1.0
Norwood,
Buckmaster Pond,
.12
4.56
.0119
.0208
.0056
.60
.0094
.0000
.20
1.4
258
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Averages of Chemical Analyses of Surface-water Sources, etc.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Continued.
Source.
O
o
a
t
H
a
o
2 fi
s O
o t-
Ammonia.
6
1
O
.16
Nitrogen
AS —
-d
I
«
a
o
a
>.
X
o
ALBUMINOID.
1
City or Town.
"3
o
§
■a
Orange,
Reservoir,
.09
3.18
.0011
.0057
,0008
,0010
,0000
.13
0.9
Palmer,
Lower Reservoir, .
.21
3.52
.0039
.0138
,0027
.17
,0020
,0000
.19
0.9
Peabody,
Brown's Pond,
.18
4.61
.0050
,0202
.0030
.97
,0048
,0000
.27
1.3
Spring Pond, .
.29
6.00
.0061
,0213
.0047
.79
,0077
,0000
.37
2.2
Suntaug Lake,
.05
5.38
.0088
,0215
.0031
1.02
,0022
.0000
.16
2.5
Pittsfield,
Ashley Lake, .
.20
3.27
0041
,0170
.0016
.11
,0045
.0000
.32
1.6
Ashley Brook,
.18
6.61
.0031
.0116
.0016
.12
,0037
,0000
.31
4.6
Hathaway Brook, .
.01
9.41
.0008
.0053
.0004
.14
,0120
,0000
.12
7.3
Mill Brook, .
.42
5.74
.0041
,0161
,0018
,14
,0225
0000
.57
2.7
Sacket Brook,
.15
6.90
0011
,0069
.0002
.13
,0081
,0000
.20
4.9
Farnham Reservoir,
.66
5.60
.0046
,0244
.0037
.13
,0220
.0000
.89
2.1
Plymouth,
Little South Pond,
.01
2.69
.0025
.0220
.0048
.69
,0010
.0000
.10
0.2
Great South Pond,
.00
2.81
.0032
,0179
.0042
.71
,0007
.0000
.10
0.2
Randolph, .
Great Pond, .
.39
5.61
.0035
.0217
.0021
,81
,0027
.0000
.59
1.5
Rockport,
Cape Pond,
.21
14.00
,0045
.0245
.0074
5.47
,0015
0000
.20
2.6
Russell,
Black Brook, .
.23
3.82
rooii
.0108
.0009
.16
,0047
.0000
.22
1.4
Salem, .
Wenham Lake,
.36
7.54
.0117
.0316
.0088
1.02
,0115
.0000
.45
2.7
Longham Reservoir,
1.28
8.53
.0114
.0498
.0157
1.09
,0176
.0000
1.15
2.2
Shelburne,
Fox Brook,
.04
5.30
.0006
,0049
.0011
.11
,0025
.0000
.09
3,0
Southbridge,
South Hadley,
Hatchet Brook Reservoir
No, 3.
Hatchet Brook Reservoir
No. 4.
Leaping Well Reservoir,
.22
.26
.09
3.58
3.04
3.53
,0048
,0057
,0060
,0207
,0221
,0298
.0035
.0046
.0153
.21
.20
.21
.0029
.0019
.0062
.0000
.0000
.0000
.30
.34
.09
0.9
0.7
0.9
Buttery Brook Reser-
.08
4.29
,0083
,0115
.0029-
.34
.0267
.0000
.04
1.1
Spencer,
voir.
Shaw Pond, .
.03
2.57
,0010
,0136
.0012
.22
.0015
.0000
.12
0,9
Springfield, .
Stockbridge,
Westfield Little River,
filtered.
Lake Averic,
.17
.12
4.01
7.71
,0015
,0030
,0093
,0232
.0058
.16
.12
.0051
.0042
.0000
.0000
.23
1.2
5.4
Stoughton, .
Muddy Pond Brook,
.14
3.76
,0006
,0087
,0017
.43
,0057
.0000
.20
1.0
Taunton,
Assawompsett Pond,
.20
4.01
.0034
,0198
,0027
.61
,0007
.0000
.41
0.9
Elder's Pond,
.09
3.87
.0026
,0197
.0027
.62
,0010
.0000
.31
0.8
Wakefield, .
Crystal Lake,
.28
5.64
.0092
,0291
.0044
.84
.0026
.0000
.39
2.1
Wareham (Onset),
Jonathan Pond,
.00
2.69
.0014
,0098
.0010
.70
.0007
,0000
.06
0.3
Way land.
Snake Brook Reservoir,
1.26
5.98
.0087
.0404
.0038
.43
.0030
.0000
1.00
1.6
Westfield, .
Montgomery Reservoir,
.61
3.51
.0056
,0264
.0033
.17
.0017
.0000
.74
0.5
No. 34.
EXAMINATION OF WATER SUPPLIES.
259
Averages of Chemical Analyses of Surface-water Sources, etc.
(Parts in 100,000.]
Concluded.
i
o.
>
w
a
o
Pi
Ammonia.
Nitrogen
AS —
13
o
6
c
8
s
Source.
"o
O
1
ALBUMINOID.
a
O
.16
1
1
2
City or Town.
"5
1
■a
<o
T3
a
t o
u
(A
Westfield— Cow., .
Tekoa Reservoir, .
.42
3.53
0040
.0174
.0030
.0025
.0000
.47
0.5
Tillotson Brook Reservoir,
.10
3.23
.0014
.0099
.0015
.18
.0107
.0000
.14
0.6
West Springfield, .
Darby Brook Reservoir,
.18
5.43
.0083
.0273
.0127
.32
.0070
.0000
.23
2.8
Bear Hole Brook, filtered.
.03
7.30
0008
0059
-
.24
0045
.0000
-
4.5
Weymouth, .
Great Pond, .
.35
4.46
.0040
.0172
.0012
.70
.0017
.0000
.55
1.0
Williamsburg,
Reservoir,
.14
4.79
.0014
.0090
.0010
.16
.0005
.0000
.22
1.7
Winchester, .
North Reservoir, .
.08
4.07
.0051
.0172
.0021
.48
.0009
.0000
.17
1 o
South Reservoir, .
.08
4.02
.0031
.0170
.0027
.44
.0016
.0000
.14
1.6
Middle Reservoir, .
.15
3.76
.0056
.0268
.0040
.47
.0021
.0000
.25
1.4
Worcester,
Bottomly Reservoir,
.27
5.68
.0050
.0230
.0023
.23
.0177
.0000
.42
2.2
Kent Reservoir,
.16
4.24
.0028
.0195
.0035
.30
.0042
.0000
.30
1.6
Leicester Reservoir,
.20
3.96
.0051
.0183
.0023
.28
.0047
.0000
.35
1.3
Mann Reservoir,
.12
4.04
.0026
.0167
.0021
.25
.0070
.0000
.28
1.5
Upper Holden Reservoir,
.15
2.94
.0009
.0096
.0013
.27
.0032
.0000
.21
0.7
Lower Holden Reservoir,
.12
3.00
.0024
.0163
.0029
.25
.0019
.0000
.25
0.9
Averages of Chemical Anakjses of Ground-water Sources for the Year 1915.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Source.
"o
O
at
Ammonia.
6
a
'%
O
.70
Nitrogen
AS —
a
-3
City or Town.
i
■6
,1
<
i
1
o
a
o
Acton,
Tubular wells, .
.00
9.17
.0006
.0023
.1567
.0000
3.6
.007
Adams, .
Tubular wells, .
.06
3.62
.0012
.0058
.11
.0030
.0000
2.0
.007
Amesbury,
Tubular wells, .
.31
19.00
.0028
.0053
.59
.0030
.0000
9.4
.290
Ashland, .
Tubular wells, .
.00
4.22
.0004
.0017
.43
.0045
.0002
1.2
.006
Attleboro,
Large well.
.03
4.88
.0006
.0061
.58
.0217
.0000
1.8
.009
Avon,
Wells
.00
5.70
.0005
.0018
.65
.1445
.0000
1.9
.006
Ayer,
Large well.
.00
7.18
.0004
.0026
.84
.0513
.0000
2.5
.007
Tubular wells, .
.00
5.57
.0005
.0026
.26
.0060
.0000
2.2
.007
Barnstable,
Tubular wells, .
00
3.75
.0008
.0028
1.15
.0027
.0000
0.7
.008
260
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Averages of Chemical Analyses of Ground-water Sources, etc.
[Parts in 100,000.]
— Continued.
Source.
a
eg
2 &
Ammonia.
f3
Nitrogen
AS —
i
0
City os Town.
§
P
a
3 ^
8
, B
<
3
o
.38
a
-0
m
o
Bedford, .
Large well,
.03
3.66
.0006
.0034
.0032
,0000
1.2
.026
Billerica, .
Tubular wells, .
.18
7.33
.0022
.0065
.52
.0044
.0000
2.7
.062
Braintree,
Filter-gallery, .
.11
10.30
.0014
.0105
1.38
.129o'
.0000
3.0
.012
Bridgewater, .
Wells
.03
6.05
.0012
.0031
.74
.0315
,0000
1.9
.045
Brookfield (East), .
Tubular wells, .
.00
2.91
.0004
.0018
.24
,0066
,0000
0.5
,009
Brookline,
Tubular wells and filter-
gallery.
Springdale well.
.19
9.02
.0044
.0083
.76
.0172
.0001
4.6
,050
Canton, .
.00
3.70
.0003
.0030
.44
.0077
,0000
1.3
,009
Well near Henry's Spring, .
.03
4.80
.0006
.0051
.55
.0254
,0000
1.5
,007
Chelmsford (North),
Tubular wells, .
.10
4.79
.0089
.0080
.61
.0363
.0000
1.8
,032
Chelmsford (Center),
Tubular wells, .
.00
7.37
.0003
.0016
.61
.0855
.0000
2.6
,005
Chicopee (Fairview),
Tubular wells, .
.00
4.37
.0003
.0018
.19
.0260
.0000
1.0
,016
Cohasset,
Tubular wells No. 2,
.07
14.84
.0008
.0073
1.98
.1120
.0000
5.7
,019
Filtered water,
.53
9.78
.0014
.0158
1.54
.0038
.0001
3.0
,031
Dedham,
Deerfield (Fire Dis-
trict).
Douglas, .
Large well and tubular
wells.
Wells
Tubular wells, .
.04
.00
.00
10.76
4.77
4.74
.0017
.0005
.0005
.0060
.0029
.0025
1.16
.16
.40
.1020
.0011
.0367
,0000
,0000
,0000
4.3
2.6
1.5
,008
,010
049
Dracut (Water Sup-
ply District).
Dracut (CoUins-
ville).
Dudley, .
Tubular wells, .
.00
9.00
.0005
.0020
.56
,0481
.0000
4.3
Oil
Tubular wells, .
Tubular wells, .
.10
.00
6.72
3.54
.0006
.0005
.0086
.0023
.45
.27
.0352
.0047
.0000
,0000
2.6
1.2
,016
,006
Duxbury,
Tubular wells, .
.00
3.96
.0005
.0019
.83
.0183
.0000
0.5
,006
Easthampton,
Tubular wells, .
.00
7.15
.0001
.0017
.16
.0250
.0000
3.8
,009
Easton, .
Well
.00
5.02
.0007
.0024
.67
.0355
.0000
1.7
,007
Edgartown,
Large well.
.00
3.04
.0002
.0017
.94
,0013
.0000
0.4
,006
Fairhaven,
Tubular wells, .
.53
8.32
.0014
.0149
1.07
.0522
.0000
2.6
Oil
Foxborough, .
Tubular wells, .
.00
4.33
.0008
.0035
.50
,0380
.0000
1.3
,019
Framingham, .
Filter-gallery,
.04
8.70
.0068
.0087
1.06
,0150
.0001
3.8
,014
Eranklin,
Tubular wells, .
.00
4.96
.0004
.0021
.56
,0263
.0000
1.6
.009
Grafton,
Filter-gallery,
.05
10.45
.0017
.0044
1.23
.1237
.0000
4.5
.007
Granville,
Well
.01
4.25
.0003
.0030
..15
.0050
.0000
1.5
Oil
Groton, .
Large well.
.01
5.96
.0002
.0040
.26
.0015
.0000
3.1
Oil
Groton (West Groton
Water Supply Dis-
trict).
Hingham,
Tubular wells, .
Wells
.00
.14
4.72
5.85
.0002
.0061
.0015
.0076
.21
.77
,0180
,0168
.0000
,0000
2.5
1.8
,007
,009
HoUiston,
Large well,
.56
5.39
.0046
.0206
.45
,0035
,0000
1.3
.170
No. 34.] EXAMINATION OF WATER SUPPLIES.
261
Averages of Chemical Analyses of Ground-water Sources, etc. — Continued.
[Parts in 100,000.]
WN. Source.
O
ci
si
Ammonia.
o
a
1
o
1.40
Nitrogen
AS —
a
•a
C3
City or To
i
"2
"3
<
1
1
1
1
Hopkinton,
. Tubular wells, .
.00
15.05
.0004
.0026
.2967
.0000
6.0
.017
Kingston,
. Tubular wells, .
.00
4.74
.0001
.0014
.73
.0078
.0000
1.1
Oil
Leicester {C.
Valley and '.
dale Water Si
District).
Littleton,
lerry Wells, ....
^och-
ipply
. Tubular wells, .
.05
.00
5.28
3.78
.0048
.0001
.0058
.0021
.32
.23
.0042
.0184
.0000
.0000
2.2
1.7
.010
.006
Lowell,
. Boulevard wells (tubular),
.33
6.43
.0293
.0081
.42
.0191
.0000
2.8
.146
Manchester,
. Wells
.00
12.33
.0003
.0021
1.99
.1223
.0000
4.3
.014
Mansfield,
. Large well.
.00
3.90
.0003
.0012
.47
.0513
.0000
1.2
.006
Marblehead,
. Wells and brook, filtered, .
.15
22.08
.0010
.0086
4.51
.0136
.0000
8.3
.016
Marion, .
. Tubular wells, .
.00
4.29
.0004
.0023
.75
.0258
.0000
1.1
.006
Marshfield,
. Well
.00
17.45
.0003
.0021
5.50
.1200
.0000
3.7
.014
Mattapoisett,
. Tubular wells, .
.00
6.25
.0004
.0022
.99
.0517
.0000
2.2
.006
Medfield,
. Spring, ....
.01
3.83
.0006
.0045
.39
.0073
.0000
1.3
.007
Medway, .
. Tubular wells, .
.00
7.00
.0003
.0021
.57
.0413
.0000
2.9
.007
Merrimac,
. Tubular wells, .
.00
6.73
.0003
.0022
.55
.0100
.0000
2.8
.015
Methuen,
. Tubular wells, .
.30
7.97
.0024
.0109
.48
.0130
.0000
3.2
.082
Middleborough
. Well
.31
7.14
.0048
.0097
.70
.0322
.0001
2.5
.321
Filtered water, .
.05
6.41
.0007
.0054
.72
.0315
.0001
2.3
.034
Millbury,
. Well
.00
4.68
.0005
.0047
.36
.0072
.0000
1.7
.010
Millis,
. Spring
.00
9.80
.0003
.0011
.82
.1750
.0000
3.6
.008
Monson, .
Large well,
.03
3.80
.0002
.0033
.20
.0088
.0000
1.2
.007
Natick, .
. Large well.
.00
9.15
.0004
.0030
.78
.0257
.0000
4.6
.005
Needham,
. Well No. 1, . . .
.01
7.25
.0003
.0033
.75
.0973
.0000
2.5
.006
Well No. 2, . . .
.00
7.03
.0006
.0035
.78
.0800
.0000
2.6
.007
Hicks Spring, .
.02
6.68
.0006
.0034
.76
.1010
.GOOD
2.0
.006
Newburyport,
Wells and springs.
.06
7.52
.0019
.0064
.76
.0258
.0001
3.0
.025
Newton, .
. Tubular wells and filter-
gallery,
gh; . Wells, ....
.06
6.67
.0010
.0047
.55
.0263
.0000
2.8
.014
No. Attleborou
.00
5.62
.0005
.0019
.51
.0175
.0000
2.2
.009
Norton, .
. Tubular wells, .
.00
4.48
.0001
.0017
.41
.0022
.0000
1.3
.006
Norwood,
. Tubular wells, .
.03
10.91
.0007
.0042
.63
.0409
.0001
4.9
.025
Oak Bluffs,
. Springs, ....
.00
4.20
.0007
.0023
.95
.0167
.0000
0.8
.010
Oxford, .
. Tubular wells, .
.00
4.68
.0002
.0014
.34
.0277
.0000
1.7
.007
Palmer (Bonds^
irille), Tubular wells, .
.00
5.52
.0003
.0025
.19
.0165
.0000
1.8
.034
Peabody,
. Tubular wells, .
1.39
8.85
.0346
.0243
.78
.0035
.0000
3.1
.810
262
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Averages of Chemical Analyses of Ground-water Sources, etc. — Concluded.
[Parts in 100,000.
Source.
O
d
.0
o S
o a
(2
Ammonia.
a
2
o
.22
Nitrogen
AS —
-a
1
City or Town.
i
■6
■©
<
s
1— 1
Pepperell,
Tubular wells, .
,00
3.42
.0002
.0022
.0032
.0000
1.3
.007
Plainville,
Tubular wells, .
.00
5,05
.0002
.0018
.36
0018
.0000
2.1
.014
Provincetown,
Tubular wells in Triu-o, .
.00
12.70
.0003
.0021
4.91
.0034
.0000
2.7
.014
Reading, .
Filter-gallery,
.65
19.47
.0367
.0185
4.23
.0116
.0001
5.0
.473
Filtered water, .
.25
26.12
.0014
.0128
3.82
.0164
.0008
11.8
.019
Scituate, .
Tubular wells, .
.00
16.97
.0000
.0028
3.45
.1775
.0001
5.5
.008
Sharon, .
Well
.00
11.86
.0004
.0014
1.53
.2200
.0000
4.9
.004
Tubular wells, .
.00
4.54
.0000
.0011
.49
.0334
.0000
1.6
.007
Sheffield,
Spring, . . . .
.00
3.37
.0015
.0019
.11
.0037
.0000
1.8
.006
Shirley, .
Well,
.00
4.42
.0002
.0018
.46
.0778
.0000
1.4
.005
South Hadley (Fire
District No. 2).
Tisbury, .
Large well,
Well
.00
.00
3.80
4.25
0004
.0001
.0014
.0020
.18
.91
.0377
.0070
.0000
.0000
1.3
0.7
.008
.008
Uxbridge,
Tubular wells, .
.00
5.12
.0005
.0026
.59
.0592
.0000
1.8
.006
Walpole, .
Tubular wells, .
.00
4.80
.0003
.0024
.47
.0312
.0000
1.9
.015
Waltham,
Old well
.10
8.54
.0038
.0045
.81
.0149
.0000
3.7
.052
New well, ....
.00
7.72
.0021
.0045
.70
.0192
.0000
3.4
.010
Ware,
Wells
.00
6.18
.0002
.0024
.41
.0863
.0000
2.2
.005
Wareham (Fire Dis-
trict).
Warren (West),
Tubular wells, .
Large well,
.00
.00
3.26
5.32
.0005
.0007
.0017
.0026
,60
.17
.0035
.0068
.0000
.0000
0.8
1.9
.007
009
Webster,
Wells
.02
3.96
.0014
.0045
.34
.0108
.0000
1.4
Oil
Wellesley,
Tubular wells, .
.00
10.03
.0005
.0028
1.13
.0623
.0000
4.4
.010
Well at Williams Spring, .
.00
16.05
.0033
.0032
1.51
.6533
.0000
5.8
.012
Westborough , .
Filter basin.
.03
3.08
.0017
.0109
.30
.0012
.0000
1.0
.015
West Brookfield,
Tubular wells,' .
.00
4.21
.0003
.0016
.24
.0200
.0000
1.1
.008
Westford,
Tubular wells, .
.00
4.02
0003
.0013
.18
.0120
.0000
1.6
Oil
Weston, .
Well
.16
7.55
.0012
.0092
.64
.0272
.0000
3.2
.008
Winchendon, .
Wells
.11
3.36
.0036
.0050
.17
.0076
.0000
1.0
.153
Woburn, .
Wells
.00
11.25
.0014
.0042
1.50
.0257
.0000
5.4
.005
Worthington, .
Springs
.00
2.52
.0006
.0026
.14
.0032
.0000
1.0
.016
Wrentham,
Tubular wells, .
.00
3.95
.0004
.0016
.40
.0352
.0000
1.2
.006
No. 34.] EXAMINATION OF RIVERS. 263
Examination of Eivers.
All of the important rivers of the State were examined during the
year and the condition of each is described on pages 55 to 62.
The flow of streams during the year was quite abnormal. In the
months of January, February and December the flow was somewhat
greater than the average. In the months of March, April, May and
June the flow was the lowest that has been recorded on the Nashua
River since observations of the flow of that stream were begun in
1897. The great rainfall of July produced the highest flow for that
month with the exception of July, 1897, and the flow for August was
the highest on record, being four times the average flow for that
month. In September, October and November the flow on the Nashua
River was slightly less than the normal.
The records of flow of the Sudbury River for the year 1915, com-
pared with other years in the long period covered by the observations
on that stream, show that the flow for the month of July, 1915, was
the highest ever recorded since observations on that stream were
begun in 1875, and the flow for the month of August was the highest
for that month within that period except in the year 1889.
The influence of this excessive flow of streams during the warmest
months of the year was to reduce very greatly the effect of the pollu-
tion of streams in the period of the year when objectionable conditions
are likely to be most noticeable. On the other hand, there was a
marked increase in manufacturing as compared with previous years,
and notwithstanding the great dilution caused by the high flow of
streams in the summer season the pollution of the rivers, as shown by
chemical analyses, was more noticeable than in previous years.
The results of chemical examinations of the following rivers are
presented herewith: —
Assabet.
Blackstone.
Charles.
Chicopee.
Concord.
Connecticut.
Deerfield.
French.
Green.
Hoosick.
Housatonic.
Merrimack.
264
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Mill (Northampton).
Miller's.
Nashua.
Nemasket.
Neponset.
Quaboag.
Quinebaug.
Salisbury Plain.
Shawsheen.
Sudbury.
Taunton.
Ten Mile.
Ware.
Westfield.
Blackstone River.
A general statement of the condition of this river in the year 1915
will be found on page 56.
BLiACKSTONE RIVER.
Chemical Examination of Water from Blackstone River. — Averages
FOR Six Months, from June to November, inclusive.
Blackstone River, below Cherry Valley.
[Parts in 100,000.]
o
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia.
6
a
_o
la
O
Nitrogen
AS —
■6
a
a
8
a
6
i
ALBUMINOID.
Year.
"3
ID 0
3
o
H
■a
1
.3
Q
1
3
1
a
u
W
1908, .
-
20.57
3.83
.1531
.0624
.0508
.0116
5.76
.0020
.0007
-
-
1909,
.35
13.93
3.34
.0681
.0470
.0334
.0136
3.70
.0125
.0003
.80
-
1910,
.32
16.42
3.92
.0633
.0489
.0387
.0102
4,02
.0146
.0002
.85
-
1911,
-
21.02
4.40
.1277
.0726
.0559
.0167
5.70
.0080
.0005
1.15
-
1912,1
-
44.10
11.04
.2514
.2884
.1023
.1861
10.70
.0002
.0004
3.08
-
1913,
-
32.32
6.52
.2591
.1628
.1122
.0506
8.18
.0015
.0004
2.06
-
1914,
-
44.73
7.27
.3430
.1857
.1379
.0478
12.83
.0000
.0001
2.12
-
1915,
-
19.23
5.15
.0985
.1142
.0785
.0357
3.08
-
-
1.89
-
1 August omitted.
No. 34.]
EXMIINATION OF RIVERS.
265
BLACKSTONE RIVER.
Chemical Examination of Watee from Blackstone Ri\t;r, etc. — ■
Continued.
Blackstone River, between Mill Brook Channel and the Sewage Precipitation Works
of the City of Worcester.
[Parts in 100,000.]
o
6
Residue on
EVAPOR.'i.TION.
Ammonia.
O
Nitrogen
8
ALBUMINOID.
AS —
Year.
1
d
"3
■6
1
a
o
0.
3
m
1
t
.1
2
a
1
03
1887
0.91
-
-
.2686
.1741
-
-
1.35
.0160
-
-
1888,
0.76
-
-
.2658
.1112
.0557
.0555
1.50
.0382
.0041
-
1889,
0.86
-
-
.3980
.1430
.0772
.0658
1.32
.0177
.0026
-
1890,
1.14
9.92
3.03
.2107
.1246
.0673
.0573
1.07
.0250
.0015
2.9
1891,
1.10
17.42
5.59
.4913
.1950
.1127
.0823
2.29
.0192
.0037
5.0
1892,
0.52
20.75
6.30
.3547
.1433
.0708
.0725
2.43
.0227
.0108
6.1
1893,
0.40
16.98
4.55
.1480
.0588
.0240
.0348
1.01
.0115
.0015
6.3
1894,
0.66
16.93
4.76
.0548
.0380
.0236
.0144
0.74
.0115
.0005
4.4
1895,
0.49
14.17
4.50
.0613
.0414
.0243
.0171
0.92
.0163
.0006
3.4
1896,
0.51
12.90
2.93
.0780
.0415
.0282
.0133
0.97
.0147
.0015
3.4
1897,
0.85
26.45
7.68
.1130
.0674
.0362
.0312
0.89
.0090
.0024
4.2
1898,
0.33
17.42
5.62
.0857
.0619
.0260
.0359
0.96
.0053
.0010
4.6
1899,
0.14
34.38
10.60
.2583
.0788
.0390
.0398
-
-
.0004
14.3
1900,
0.05
16.48
3.38
.1068
.0518
.0210
.0308
1.03
.0107
.0012
3.6
1901,
0.23
31.03
11.68
.1410
.0548
.0309
.0239
-
-
.0023
13.8
1902,
0.10
46.15
12.47
.2453
.0728
.0274
.0454
-
-
.0010
16.5
1903,
0.18
24.06
6.80
.2836
.0750
.0472
.0278
-
-
.0027
8.4
1904,'
0.12
44.68
17.08
.1228
.0434
.0225
.0209
-
-
.0008
14.7
1905,
0.21
50.36
19.49
.0952
.0492
.0203
.0289
-
-
.0003
29.3
1906,
0.11
40.07
15.25
.0688
.0421
.0189
.0232
-
.0032
.0002
20.3
1907,
0.04
44.07
17.67
.0613
.0343
.0180
.0163
-
-
.0003
-
1908,
0.16
23.67
5.55
.0990
.0291
.0153
.0138
3.23
.0134
.0014
-
1909,
-
52.97
18.55
.1865
.0381
.0239
.0142
4.80
.0033
.0010
-
1910,
0.15
50.92
18.97
.1933
.0545
.0309
.0236
4.07
.0023
.0009
-
1911,
0.11
44.64
15.70
.1920
.0449
.0212
.0237
4.03
.0170
.0009
-
1912,
0.10
40.05
10.91
.2047
.0352
.0225
.0127 i
3.58
.0027
.0011
-
1913,
0.10
35.17
10.34
.2767
.0491
.0285
.0206
3.18
.0003
.0008
-
1914,
0.14
35.03
8.23
.2993
.0771
.0510
.0261
3.85
.0012
.0018
-
1915.
0.13
39.00
11.68
.2383
.0050
.0392
.0258
2.96
-
-
-
266
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
BliACKSTONE BIVEB.
Chemical Examination of Water from Blackstone Rb^er, etc.
Continued.
Blackstone River, below Sewage Precipitation Works.
[Parts in 100,000.]
O
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia.
6
a
3
o
Nitrogen
1
ALBUMINOID.
AS —
Yeah.
O
o."S
CD C
1-1
5
a
0.
CO
1
1
i
■a
1
1890, ....
0.97
11.36
3.10
.2907
.1492
.0722
.0770
1.46
.0270
.0018
3.9
1891,
1.05
22.25
6.60
.6367
.1508
.0883
.0625
2.61
.0233
.0040
6.2
1892,
0.63
26.80
7.75
.5240
.1810
.0958
.0852
3.13
.0137
.0050
10.3
1893,
0.51
30.00
7.13
.5680
.1453
.0900
.0553
2.76
.0285
.0126
10.9
1894,
0.40
29.30
5.86
.6189
.1390
.1113
.0277
2.63
.0212
.0071
10.6
1895,
0.71
22.15
5.18
.3246
.0898
.0597
.0301
1.86
.0267
.0063
7.3
1896,
0.30
26.03
6.53
.2831
.0898
.0600
.0298
2.10
.0217
.0118
9.7
1897,
0.73
25.98
4.97
.3650
.1122
.0782
.0340
1.61
.0207
.0063
6.9
1898,
0.23
25.63
6.73
.3064
.0868
.0560
.0308
1.55
.0132
.0119
9.2
1899,
0.14
44.02
9.67
.5251
.1707
.0912
.0795
3.26
.0108
.0068
16.1
1900,
0.22
24.57
4.48
.4430
.1249
.0621
.0628
2.13
.0110
.0145
7.3
1901,
0.09
31.12
6.90
.4580
.1293
.0772
.0521
3.42
.0090
.0058
10.8
1902,
0.15
49.62
13.38
.7296
.1284
.0736
.0548
2.97
-
.0033
12.5
1903,
0.39
31.08
9.48
.3880
.1080
.0545
.0535
-
-
.0062
10.4
1904,
50.25
13.73
.6381
.1523
.0601
.0922
-
-
.0027
16.9
1905,
0.19
.59.84
17.97
.4936
.0985
.0597
.0388
-
-
.0008
29.3
1906,
0.19
49.69
11.42
.6330
.1818
.0580
.1238
-
.0055
.0130
15.0
1908,
0.30
38.80
7.63
.9407
.1490
.0781
.0709
5.34
.0040
.0033
-
1909,
-
53.79
12.12
1.0567
.1282
.0792
.0490
6.92
.0067
.0075
-
1910,
-
52.15
12.52
1.0090
.1654
.0817
.0837
5.68
.0015
.0034
-
1911,
0.21
53.25
13.15
.9967
.1608
.0651
.0957
6.54
.0152
.0072
-
1912,
0.23
48.90
10.08
1.1700
.1673
.0904
.0769
6.12
.0137
0096
-
1913,1
0.28
40.68
10.46
.9320
.1286
.0719
.0567
4.49
.0158
0084
-
1914,
0.25
43.46
9.08
.8577
.1114
.0770
.0344
4.87
.0038
0091
-
1915,
0.13
39.45
6.77
.6370
.1032
.0575
0457
3.58
-
-
-
1 September omitted.
No. 34.1
EXAMINATION OF RR'ERS.
26/
BLACKSTOXE BIVER.
Chemical Examination of Water from Blackstone River, etc. —
Continv£d.
Blackstone River, at Uxhridge.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Residue on
Evaporation.
A.M.MONIA.
6
a
O
Nitrogen
1 AS —
d
2
ALBUMINOID.
Yeah.
'5,
1
-3
>
1
■a
a
a
a.
§
i
1 "
1
1
a
1
1887
.39
-
-
.1129
.0271
-
0.79
.0360
-
-
1888,
.38
6.42
1.52
.1155
.0288
.0222
.0066
0.68
.0310
.0007
-
1889,
.32
-
-
.1133
.0296
.0192
.0104
0.66
.0.333
0009
-
1890,
.26
8.86
2.12
.1629
.0231
.0174
.0057
0.79
.0259
0005
2.9
1891,
.20
10.16
2.61
.2280
.0175
.0117
.0058
1.04
; 0425
.0007
3.6
1892,
.13
9.36
1.88
.2840
.0227
.0162
.0065
0.99
.0313
0007
3.1
1893,
.24
11.74
2.37
.1985
.0207
.0140
0067
1.20
.0623
.0050
4.2
1894,
.35
13.07
2.03
.1456
.0243
.0183
.0060
1.57
.0673
.0050
4.9
1895,
.56
12.95
2.69
.0906
.0258
.0182
.0076
1.34
.0631
.0065
4.7
1896,
.33
12.68
2.67
.1129
0257
0221
.0036
1.38
.0477
.0091
5.0
1897,
.48
11.60
2.47
.1029
.0280
.0215
.0065
1.32
'.0652
.0051
4.3
1898,
.49
10.59
2.78
.0801
.0264
.0219
.0045
1.00
.0470
.0076
3.8
1899,
.18
18.34
3.11
.2490
.0359
.0310
.0049
2.17
.0510
.0141
7.4
1900,
.19
13.42
2.04
.2260
.0347
.0257
.0090
1.76
.0558
.0060
5.0
1901,
.22
13.91
2.67
.3159
.0285
.0240
.0045
1.50
.0195
.0035
5.0
1902,
.15
14.17
2.56
.3462
0270
.0218
.0052
1.95
.0210
0018
4.9
1903,
.30
13.16
2.52
.3030
.0262
.0215
.0047
1.74
.0210
.0024
4.4
1904,
.20
13.78
2.74
.2399
.0282
.0214
.0068
2.12
.0408
.0022
4.6
1905.
.21
16.34
2.55
.3928
.0246
0203
.0043
2.65
.0175
.0025
5.0
1906,
.19
14.73
3.10
.2218
.0242
.0200
.0042
2.10
.0252
.0009
4.2
1907,
.37
14.23
2.58
.2331
.0238
.0182
.0056
2.36
.0330
.0040
4.5
1908,
.31
16.33
4.07
.2387
.0253
.0196
.0057
3.05
.0408
.0071
-
1909,
,
.22
18.31
4.35
.3473
.0273
.0216
.0057
3.64
.0325
.0066
-
1910,
.26
22.53
4.69
.4963
.0356
.0302
.0054
4.62
.0498
.0043
-
1911,
.26
23.10
3.85
.3717
.0293
.0225
.0068
4.15
.0558
.0173
-
1912,
.21
21.91
3.06
.4897
.0345
.0288
.0057
4.06
.0497
.0137
6.5
1913,
.29
19.48
3.70
.3880
.0355
.0281
.0074
3.34
.0382
.0107
5.5
1914,
.25
23.72
2.84
.5285
.0355
.0284
.0071
4.55
.0482
.0154
7.2
1915,
.30
19.63
2.75
.3068
.0381
.0302
.0079
3.10
-
-
6.3
268
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
blackstone river.
Chemical Examination of Water from Blackstone River, etc.
Concluded.
Blackstone River, at Millville.
[Parts in 100,000.]
O
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia.
o
a
la
o
Nitrogen
6
ALBUMINOID.
AS —
Year.
3
id
o.ti
m O
m M
e3"
"S
I
T3
5
•a
g
1
1
1
a
1
1887,
.31
-
-
.0468
.0220
-
-
0.51
.0210
-
_
1888,
.41
5.22
.1.40
.0467
.0296
.0233
.0063
0.50
.0278
.0004
-
1889,
.38
-
-
.0499
.0273
.0213
.0060
0.45
.0167
,0003
-
1890,
.26
6.71
2.24
.0736
.0196
.0152
.0044
0.53
.0229
,0003
2.3
1891,
.24
7.48
2.35
.1105
.0384
.0234
.0150
0.72
.0308
.0006
2.2
1892,
.37
6.70
1.62
.1143
.0294
.0210
.0084
0.63
.0217
.0002
2.0
1893.
.23
7.43
1.73
.0677
.0119
.0087
.0032
0.77
.0385
,0011
2.6
1894,
.47
8.42
2.16
.0510
.0172
.0139
.0033
0.89
.0273
.0012
2.8
1895,
.51
8.67
2.55
.0356
.0233
.0180
.0053
0.90
.0383
.0024
3.2
1896,
.35
8.53
1.69
.0484
.0237
.0180
.0057
0.97
.0413
.0027
3.3
1897,
.45
7.66
1.98
.0509
.0258
.0210
,0048
0.92
.0445
,0019
3.1
1898,
.51
7.12
2.17
.0325
.0240
.0193
.0047
0.63
.0240
.0023
2.5
1899,
.20
12.50
2.44
.1310
.0301
.0247
.0054
1.31
.0310
.0049
4.6
1900,
.29
9.33
1.82
.1168
.0254
.0219
.0035
1.15
.0417
.0039
3.4
1901,
.31
8.62
2.13
.1420
.0288
.0227
.0061
0.87
.0155
.0006
3.1
1902,
.28
9.43
2.24
.1623
.0284
.0238
.0046
1.20
.0195
,0010
2.8
1903,
.33
8.46
1.85
.1397
.0233
.0189
.0044
1.10
,0192
,0010
2.9
1904,
.29
8.71
2.06
.1079
.0235
.0201
.0034
1.26
.0337
,0009
2.9
1905,
.28
10.76
2.03
.1956
.0311
.0222
.0089
1.67
,0207
.0008
2.9
1906,
.37
9.02
2.15
.1526
.0306
.0251
.0055
1.27
.0188
,0006
2.4
1907,
.37
10.43
2.21
.1521
.0240
.0181
.0059
1.61
,0247
.0014
3.1
1908,
.33
9.85
2.53
.1295
.0232
.0185
.0047
1.78
.0258
,0024
3.4
1909,
.24
11.87
3.17
.1595
.0267
.0220
.0047
2,27
.0225
,0019
-
1910,
.30
13.94
3.32
.2350
.0277
.0234
.0043
3.01
.0290
.0013
-
1911,
.33
14.35
2.79
.1787
.0268
.0222
.0046
2.94
,0355
0051
-
1012,
.29
15.20
2.18
.2433
.0283
.0249
.0034
2.91
.0421
0064
-
1913,
.37
12.92
2.38
.1631
.0281
.0237
.0044
2.44
.0345
0063
-
1914,
.28
14.33
2.78
.2245
.0304
.0243
0061
2.78
.0233
0065
-
1915,
.42
13.55
2.02
.1379
.0361
.0267
0094
2.12
-
-
-
No. 34.
EXAINIINATION OF RIVERS.
269
Charles River.
A general statement of the condition of this river in the year 1915
will be found on page 56.
CHARLES RIVER.
Chemical Examination of Water from Charles Rwer. — A^^ERAGES for
Six Months, from June to November, inclusive.
Charles River, above Milford.
[Parts in 100,000.]
"
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia.
Nitrogen
AS
f
3
ALBUMINOID.
Year.
c
"S
TJ
m
6
"3
1
0."S
CO C
t
1
s
G
o
a
CO
a
1
O
1
.1
i 1 c
1
X
15
i
oi
w
1899,
.28
3.98
1.70
.0017
.0248 1
.0223
.0025
.27
.0027
.0003
48
0.6
1900,
.49
3.93
1.67
.0017
.0251
.0231
.0020
.25
.0030
.0000
64
0.5
1901,
.46
4.30
2.48
.0066
.0286
.0247
.0039
.25
.0060
.0002
65
0.6
1902,
.58
4.42
1.90
.0025
.0248 ;
0210
.0038
.29
.0057
.0001
VO
1.1
1903,1
.55
4.17
1.86
.0015
.0203
.0171
.0032
.28
.0080
.0001
68
0.8
1904,2
.49
3.95
1.83
.0117
.0267
.0209
.0058
.33
.0035
.0001
62
1.1
1905,3
.55
3.77
1.62
.0020
.0229
,0201
,0028
.31
.0033
0001
56
0.8
1906,3
.62
4 05
1.90
.0032
.0257
0230
.0027
.30
0073
0001
68
0.6
1907,
.43
3.79
1.59
.0020
.0198
.0173
.0025
.32
.0047
.0001
48
0.8
1908,
.36
3.11
1.43
,0023
.0198
0171
.0027
.33
.0025
.0001
42
0.5
1909,
.31
3.52
1.62
0030
,0207
.0176
0031
.32
.0012
0000
39
0.7
1910,
.37
3.47
1.34
.0042
0231
0204
0027
.37
.0011
.0001
46
0.8
1911,
.40
3.94
1.48
,0036
,0210
.0183
0027
.42
,0007
,0000
66
1.1
1912,
.38
3.62
1.29
0037
,0226
0182
0044
.37
.0018
.0001
4b
1.0
1913,3
.47
4.40
1.50
.0060
,0245 ;
0222
.0023
.39
.0023
.0002
49
0.9
1914,3
.34
4 03
1.43
.0046
,0228 1
.0178
.0050
.41
.0000
.0000
35
0.9
1915,3
.75
5.00
2.27
.0039
.0296
.0260
.0036
.41
~
~
84
1.1
' October omitted.
2 Two months.
3 Three months.
Charles River
below Milford
1898,
.63
10.47
3.08
.1195
.0597
.0422
0175
2.47
.0473
0064
M
2.4
1899.
.50
12.52
3.12
.3487
.1345
.0.S03
0542
3.00
.0053
.0008
1.12
2.6
1900,
.56
12.85
2.65
.7123
.0764
.0563
0201
2.74
.0140
.0055
.93
3.1
1901,
.63
9.52
3.37
.1419
.0451
.0317
.0134
1.40
.0422
,0048
.86
2.6
1902,
.52
10.74
3.38
.2118
.0658
.0406
.0252
2.21
.0236
,0049
1.02
2.7
1903,1
.49
9.03
2.85
.2237
.0479
.0277
0202
1.36
,0.396
.00.50
.66
2.5
1904,2
.50
9.20
2.94
.2105
,0508
,0.350
.0158
1.44
.0513
.0055
.63
2.6
1906,3
.68
8.76
2.90
.1536
,0568
.0427
.0141
1.64
.0160
.0012
.92
2.0
1907,
.54
12.95
2.83
.4607
.0864
.0.525
.0339
2.94
.0352
,0021
.86
3.2
1908,
.48
1 10.81
3.48
.3925
.0598
.0347
0251
1.79
.0218
,0049
.64
-
1909,
.50
12.66
4 07
.5658
0479
.0399
0080
1.89
0273
,0064
.72
-
1910,
.57
15.21
3.83
.8038
.0640
.0499
.0141
3.01
,0248
.0082
.88
4.2
1911,
.58
14.12
3.64
.2881
.0447
.0323
0124
2.51
0785
0114
' .75
4.4
1912,
.47
1 15.99
3.24 i .5413
0480
0370
.0110
2.67
,0880
.0101
I .64
5.5
1913,
.58
13.58
3.65
.2918
.0536
.0361
.0175
1.94
.0505
OlOS
.96
3.8
1914.
.48
12.47
2.87
.2817
.0470
,0368
.0102
1.74
.0298
.0085
i .74
3.3
1915,
.72
12.00
3.58
.1327
.0587
.0344
.0243
1.61
~
~
[ 1.04
3.1
1 November omitted.
2 Four months.
3 June omitted.
270
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
CHABL.ES RIVER.
Chemical Examination of Water from Charles River, etc. — Concluded.
Charles River, opposite Pumping Statiori of Brookline Water Works.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Residue on
evapor.4tion.
Ammonia.
Nitrogen
AS —
ALBUMINOID.
3
a
Year.
d
"S
T3
0)
ffl
u
O
"S
ID bt
i
a
>
1
a
Si
OS
u
1
a
a
O
H
>A
£
H
p
CO
.44
iz;
Z
o
K
1887,
.83
5.37
1.62
.0013
.0282
_
.0087
_
_
_
1888,
.98
4.87
1.92
.0014
.0264
0240
,0024
.37
0062
.0002
-
-
1895,
.74
4.91
2.08
.0004
0237
,0207
.0030
.48
0055
,0001
.75
1.5
1897,
1.02
5.36
2.45
.0012
,0288
,0262
,0026
.43
,0067
0001
.86
1.5
1898,
.87
5.22
2.40
.0012
,0303
,0281
.0022
,39
0035
,0001
.92
1.4
1899,
.46
5.03
1.92
0011
.0262
0230
,0032
.45
,0025
,0001
.62
1.5
1900,
.56
4.96
1.60
0018
,0252
,0229
,0023
.46
0020
,0000
.70
1.4
1901,
.92
5.45
2.60
,0020
,0314
,0275
.0039
.41
,0047
,0001
.95
1.4
1902,
.52
5.46
2.03
0031
,0234
0211
,0023
.57
,0045
,0001
.64
1.6
1903,
.71
6.22
2.30
.0031
,0240
,0223
,0017
.53
,0065
.0001
.80
1.5
1904,
.51
5.24
2.17
0021
,0224
,0208
,0016
.55
,0060
0001
.67
1.6
1905,1
.84
5.93
2.60
,0029
.0318
.0277
,0041
.54
0056
.0002
.92
1.5
1906, 1
1.05
6.00
2.77
0039
,0294
,0267
.0027
.53
0032
0001
1.17
1.4
1907,1
.63
6.15
2.40
,0022
,0246
0228
,0018
.64
0026
0001
.73
1.7
1908, 1
.55
5.93
2,29
,0035
,0248
0222
,0026
.65
0036
0002
.61
1.7
1909, 2
.65
5.75
2.00
,0023
,0254
,0236
.0018
.69
.0015
,0001
.75
1.5
1910,
.60
6.71
2.79
,0028
.0289
0260
,0029
.83
0013
0001
.72
1.8
1911,
.85
7.42
3 02
,0040
,0302
0258
.0044
.80
.0032
,0001
1.10
2.0
1912,
.56
6 30
2.07
0043
,0298
,0237
,0061
.85
0012
0001
.69
2.1
1913,
.74
7.32
2.27
,0053
,0342
0300
,0042
.85
.0043
,0002
.86
2.0
1914,
.55
7.10
1.87
.0055
.0314
,0265
.0049
.92
.0032
.0001
.66
2.1
1 Five months.
Charles River,
opposite Pumping
Station of Waltham Water Works.
1887,
.67
6,02
1.62
.0029
,0274
.48
,0043
1888,
.82
5,47
1.88
.0035
0310
0265
0045
.41
.0087
0002
_
_
1897,
.95
6.06
2,45
.0056
,0322
,0299
.0023
.53
,0073
0002
.83
1.9
1898,
.81
5,74
2.46
,0050
,0329
,0296
.0033
.44
.0043
.0001
.85
1.6
1899,
.41
5,50
1,81
,0047
,0264
,0248
,0016
.51
,0051
,0002
.52
1.9
1900,
.52
5.93
1.68
,0064
,0282
,0259
,0023
.53
.0070
0002
.58
1.7
1901,
.82
5.93
2,72
0065
,0322
,0289
,0033
.44
.0067
,0002
.85
1.8
1902,
.45
6.21
1,97
,0084
,0258
,0228
.0030
.62
0077
0003
.59
2.0
1903,
.64
6 06
2,21
,0078
,0267
,0239
,0028
.58
.0084
,0003
.71
2.0
1904,
.55
6.08
2 22
0002
,0317
,0266
,0051
.62
,0095
0002
.62
2.0
1905,
.79
6,29
2,54
0077
0363
0308
,0055
.58
.0075
0002
.80
1.7
1906,
1.00
6.70
2.58
0063
0335
,0297
0038
.59
.0038
,0002
.98
1.8
1907, 1
.58
6.22
2.24
.0067
.0278
.0247
,0031
.63
.0058
0002
.65
2.0
1908,
.62
6.50
2.49
,0048
.0344
.0284
,0060
.69
.0027
0001
.64
1.9
1909,
.54
6.79
2,36
,0063
0349
,0298
.0051
.76
,0026
,0002
.53
2.0
1910,
.59
7.37
2,87
.0078
0336
0299
0037
.81
.0037
0003
.56
2.4
1911,
.75
7.47
2,95
0086
,0343
,0308
,0035
.85
,0030
,0003
.87
2.3
1912,
.57
7.59
2,32
0095
,0320
,0280
,0040
.92
,0038
.0002
.63
2.6
1913,2
.68
7.68
2,54
0083
,0437
,0378
.0059
.91
,0041
0003
.74
2.3
1914,
.52
7.45
1,98
0117
.0353
,0297
.0056
.92
,0030
0002
.57
2.6
1915,
.93
8.30
2.97
0131
,0475
,0407
.0068
.91
-
-
1.11
2.3
1 July omitted.
2 June omitted.
No. 34.]
EXAMINATION OF RIVERS.
271
Chicopee River.
A general statement of the condition of this river and its tributaries
during the year 1915 will be found on page 57.
chicopee river.
Chemical Examination of Water from Chicopee Rfver and its Tribu-
taries. — Averages for Six Months, from June to November, in-
clusrt;.
Ware River, below Ware.
[Farts in 100,000.1
N
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia.
6
a
'C
o
NiTKOGEN
AS —
d
s
2
O
o
C
albuminoid.
Yeah.
"3
'3
1
1
T3
o
a
0)
1
a
t§
o
O
^
t.
f^
H
Q
3
M
O
iz;
Z C
s
1898,
.64
4.42
1.94
.0028
.0332
.0250
.0082
.19
.0025
.0003
77
1.0
1899,
.46
4.82
1.77
.0052
.0371
,0268
.0103
.25
.0015
.0004
66
0.9
1900,
.51
4.93
1.64
.0066
.0321
.0243
,0078
.25
.0030
.0003
73
1.1
1901,
.73
4.79
2.15
.0082
.0300
.0242
,0058
.18
.0044
.0002
84
13
1902,
.76
4.86
2.17
.0071
.0348
.0252
,0096
.23
.0040
,0003
93
1.0
1903, 1
.68
4.83
2.18
.0072
.0345
.0240
.0105
.25
.0034
.0003
78
0.8
1904, 1
.60
5.60
2.36
,0043
.0411
,0285
.0126
.29
.0046
.0004
72
1.1
1908,
.56
7.38
2.86
.0265
.0418
.0264
.0154
.37
.0033
.0005
80
-
1909, 1
.61
8.63
3.05
.0354
.0569
. 0357
.0212
.44
.0015
.0006
98
-
1910,
.57
9.82
4.39
.0655
.0622
.0426
.0196
.60
,0040
.0011
84
-
1911,
.70
9.15
3.37
.0396
,0554
,0375
.0179
.48
.0015
0003
98
-
1912,
.62
10.93
3.23
.0592
.0717
.0491
.0226
.61
.0015
.0014
96
-
1913,
.66
9.74
2.97
.0525
.0634
,0432
.0202
.51
,0023
.0005
96
-
1914,
.60
10.47
3.15
'0501
.0704
,0488
,0216
.53
.0012
.0006
82
-
1915,
.76
9.43
3.41
.0317
,0746
,0427
.0319
.42
~
1
16
"
' September omitted.
Quaboag River, heloxo Palmer.
1899,
.35
4.54
1,68
.0048
,0252
.0208
,0044
.26
.0060
.0002
.44
1.1
1900,
.40
4,56
1,58
0008
.0218
.0176
,0042
.26
.0002
,0001
.48
1.2
1901,
.42
4.32
1.74
,0043
.0255
.0202
.0053
.23
.0052
.0002
.53
1.1
1902.
.41
4.55
1.64
,0077
.0242
.0196
.0046
.33
.0085
,0002
.53
1.2
1903,
.44
4.36
1.67
.0090
,0242
.0186
.0056
.27
.0092
.0033
.51
1.0
1904,
.40
4.68
1.70
.0191
.0253
.0195
,0058
.31
.0082
.0002
.50
1.1
1908,
.36
5.31
1.98
0061
.0207
.0149
,0058
.40
.0070
.0003
.42
-
1909,
.31
5.43
1.95
,0008
0211
,0165
,0046
.41
.0058
.0003
.47
-
1910,
.44
6.05
2.28
,0043
,0238
.0168
.0070
.52
.0057
.0003
.73
-
1911,1
.39
5.94
2.08
,0000
,0191
.0145
.0046
.44
.0032
.0002
.53
-
1912,
.40
7.63
2,08
,0087
,0209
.0144
.0065
.46
0068
0001
.58
-
1913,2
.58
7,67
1.81
0108
.0278
.0164
.0114
.46
.0042
,0001
.61
-
1914,
.49
6.62
1.62
0144
.0243
.0176
.0067
.49
.0045
.0004
.35
-
1915,
.56
6.00
2.12
0128
.0336
.0236
.0100
.40
~
.62
1 Four months.
- June omitted.
272
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
CHICOPEE RIVER.
Chemical Examination of Water from Chicopee River and its Tribu-
taries, ETC. — Concluded.
Swift River, below Bondsville.
[Parts in 100,000.]
8
Residue on
Ammonia.
6
.3
u
Nitrogen
13
a
a
8
a
6
Evaporation.
£
ALBUMINOID.
AS —
Yeab.
3
o
"3
o
%
1
.a
Q
1
1
1
1
o
a
1908,1 .
.34
5.45
2.42
.0047
.0217
.0132
.0085
.21
.0013
.0002
.44
-
1909,2 . ;
.40
4.00
1.70
0016
.0196
.0139
0057
.22
.0000
.0001
.60
-
1910,
.33
5.28
2.05
0031
.0261
.0196
.0065
.25
.0010
.0001
.60
-
1911,
.48
5.05
2.12
,0021
.0278
.0193
.0085
.21
.0007
.0000
.74
-
1912,
.28
5.02
1.92
.0047
.0268
.0184
.0084
.21
.0008
.0001
.54
-
1913, .
.36
5.32
1.95
0024
.0296
.0204
.0092
.26
.0008
.0001
.58
-
1914,
.35
4.97
1.67
.0037
.0304
0219
.0085
.20
.0025
.0002
.55
-
1915,
.46
4.95
1.83
.0052
.0269
.0202
.0067
.24
-
-
.64
-
' Three months.
2 Two months.
Chicopee River
above Chicopee.
1908,1 .
.42
5.21
1.98
.0100
.0240
.0177
.0063
.33
.0056
.0003
.62
-
1909,2 .
.38
5.82
2.08
.0094
.0220
.0162
.0058
.36
.0046
.0004
.46
-
1910,
.45
6.14
2.06
.0099
0239
.0191
.0048
.44
.0052
0003
.50
-
1911,
.48
6.12
2.10
.0081
.0275
.0184
.0091
.42
.0067
.0004
.57
-
1912,
.41
6.83
2.03
.0159
,0287
.0221
.0066
.50
.0108
.0005
.47
-
1913,
.43
6.68
2.13
.0146
.0302
.0211
.0091
.44
,0067
.0006
.50
-
1914,
.33
6.50
2.00
.0163
.0278
.0212
.0066
.51
.0095
.0008
.40
-
1915,
.61
6.45
1.98
.0168
.0295
.0242
.0053
.39
-
-
.64
-
1 October omitted.
2 September omitted.
No. 34.1
EXAMINATION OF RIVERS.
273
Concord River.
A general statement of the condition of this river and its tributaries
during the year 1915 will be found on pages 55 and 57.
concord river.
Chemical Examination of Water from Concord River and its Tribu-
taries. — Averages for Six Months, from June to November, in-
clusive.
Sudbury River, below Saxonville.
[Parts in 100,000.]
6
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia.
i
3
o
Nitrogen
AS —
o
a
S
a
8
a
1
o
8
ALBUMINOID.
Ybab.
1
4
O.tS
3"
1
1
CI
1
1
1
1
1901, .
.84
7.22
3.37
.0073
.0624
.0431
.0193
.38
.0050
.0005
1.05
1.9
1902,
.38
6.39
2.57
.0150
.0424
.0272
.0152
.60
.0103
.0005
.55
2.2
1903,
.52
7.77
2.78
.0028
.0549
.0296
.0253
.65
.0080
.0002
.83
2.1
1904,
.48
9.58
3.57
.0569
.0587
.0385
.0202
.87
.0193
.0032
.88
2.5'
1906,1
.67
6.88
2.90
.0258
.0525
.0381
.0144
.56
.0058
.0004
.92
1.9,
1907,2
.65
9.07
3.28
.1357
.0653
.0347
.0306
.84
.0063
.0004
.84
2.1
1908,'
.44
9.67
3.72
.0039
.0634
.0374
.0260
1.06
.0128
.0009
.69
-
1909,
.43
6.81
2.59
.0174
.0330
.0256
.0074
.64
.0043
.0005
.64
-
1910,
.49
9.78
3.45
.0454
.0606
.0345
.0261
.83
.0040
.0010
.65
-
1911,
.37
9.03
3.08
.0287
.0410
.0281
.0129
.92
.0120
.0009
.54
-
1912,
.49
8.83
2.75
.0238
.0366
.0253
.0113
1.19
.0137
.0031
.72
-
1913,
.69
7.28
2.56
.0152
.0347
.0291
.0056
.90
.0185
.0023
.77
-
1914,
.51
9.62
3,03
.0292
.0439
.0276
.0163
1.13
.0220
.0042
.61
-
1915,
.97
6.67
2.75
.0129
.0408
.0319
.0089
.73
-
-
1.04
-
1 June omitted.
* Three months.
3 August omitted.
Assabet River, above Westborov^h.
1909, .
.56
6.01
2.20
.0048
.0217
.0194
.0023
.36
.0015
.0001
.69
-
1910. .
.90
7.37
3.12
.0029
.0251
.0229
.0022
.38
.0035
.0001
.86
-
1911, .
.97
8.02
3.39
.0061
.0441
.0354
.0087
.45
.0023
.0002
1.20
-
1912, .
.72
7.00
2.36
.0073
.0255
.0228
.0027
.44
.0061
.0002
.87
-
1913, .
1.25
8.26
3.73
.0095
.0469
.0392
.0077
.46
.0007
.0002
1.55
-
1914. .
.92
7.37
2.78
.0088
.0356
.0304
.0052
.41
.0034
.0001
.98
-
1915, .
1.56
8.08
4.02
.0046
.0463
.0406
.0047
.46
-
-
1.74
-
274
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
CONCORD RIVER.
Chemical Examination of Water from Concord River and its Tribu-
taries, ETC. — Continued.
Assabet River, below Westborough.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Residue on
Ammonia.
6
a
1
o
Nitrogen
13
a
d
o
a
O
Evaporation.
6
albuminoid.
AS —
Yeah.
o
O
13
o
"o
Eg
o
o
w
3
CO
1
1
i
1
1909,
1910, .
1911, .
1912, . .
1913,
1914, .
1915,
1.70
2.23
.83
.66
1.15
.80
1.62
19.24
17.07
12.09
12.71
9.67
10.21
9.46
8.91
7.00
4.01
4.01
4,21
3.14
4.28
.4140
.2898
.0556
.0975
.0152
.0089
.0118
.2281
.1334
.0460
,0419
.0448
.0399
,0539
.1616
.1018
.0373
.0357
.0401
.0339
.0438
.0665
,0316
.0087
.0062
.0047
.0060
.0101
1.94
2.16
1.87
2.20
1.08
1.59
.87
.0005
.0078
.0967
.1998
.1078
.0195
.0005
.0018
.0121
.0132
.0016
.0005
2.90
2.20
1.24
.95
1.37
1.01
1.83
-
Assahet River, above Hudson.
1908,1
1909,
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913,2
1914,
1915,
.49
5.97
2.16
.0044
.0241
.0200
.0041
.54
.0072
.0003
.59
.39
6.37
2.33
.0070
.0306
.0261
.0045
.52
.0037
,0002
.50
.57
6.90
3.08
.0058
.0346
.0296
.0050
.61
.0055
,0002
.67
.57
6.82
2.51
.0059
.0295
.0248
.0047
.57
.0077
.0002
.81
.45
6.51
2.13
,0075
.0297
.0234
.0063
.62
.0108
.0002
.59
.65
8.48
2.81
,0168
.0386
.0327
.0059
.70
.0046
.0002
.79
.44
6.80
2.10
.0066
.0275
,0222
.0053
.65
.0060
.0001
.53
.82
6.48
2.63
.0064
.0325
,0305
.0020
.55
-
-
1.02
1 September omitted.
2 November omitted.
No. 34.]
EXAJNIIXATION OF RIVERS.
275
CHEatflCAL EXAAQNATION OF WaTER FROIM CONCORD
TARiES, ETC. — Continued.
Assabet River, below Hudson.
[Parts in 100,000.]
concord river.
River am) its Tribu-
i
residi7e on
Evaporation.
Ammonia. |
6
.S
O
NlTHOQEN
AS —
1
a
o
o
a
6
albuminoid.
Yeab.
to C
o
1
.2
Q
■d
■§
a
1
CO
1
u
a
1
1898. .
.79
5.61
2.38
.0062
.0335
.0291
.0044
.39
.0063
.0003
.87
1.6
1899,
.50
8.30
3.01
.0205
.0457
.0383
.0074
.80
.0020
.0004
.73
2.1
1900,
.48
8.05
2.05
.0382
,0501
.0362
.0139
1.27
.0028
.0007
.72
2.0
1901, .
.66
5.47
2.38
.0193
.0375
.0295
.0080
.79
.0107
.0005
.91
1.8
1902,
.64
7.06
2.69
.0189
.0464
.0330
.0134
.84
.0077
.0005
.74
1.9
1903,1 .
.51
5.71
2.17
.0092
.0287
.0222
.0065
.56
.0073
.0006
.60
1.7
1904,2
.44
7.67
2.60
.0329
.0375
.0312
.0063
1.43
.0073
.0005
.64
1.9
1908,
.51
9.17
3.50
.0198
.0396
.0294
.0102
1.32
.0072
.0005
.82
-
1909,
.51
8.81
3.26
.0161
.0403
.0296
.0107
.98
.0022
.0002
.64
-
1910,
.69
13.83
3.83
.0413
.0428
.0337
.0091
1.27
.0048
.0002
1.24
-
1911,
.64
12.83
4.30
.0817
.0532
.0400
.0132
.90
.0043
.0003
1.06
-
1912,
.78
18.08
3.99
.0939
.0752
.0494
.0258
1.02
.0053
.0002
1.28
-
1913,3
.76
13.29
3.34
.0727
.0704
.0577
.0127
1.07
.0036
.0004
1.28
-
1914,
.57
11.88
3.10
.0720
.0601
.0436
.0165
.98
.0042
.0002
1.03
-
1915,
.90
8.25
3.17
.0144
.0466
.0356
.0110
.59
-
-
1.16
-
1 June omitted.
2 Three months.
5 November omitted.
Assabet River, above Maynard.
1904,
1906,
1907,1
1908,
1909,
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913,
1914,
1915,
.53
5.65
2.30
.0046
.0275
.0231
.0044
.64
.0035
.0001
.63
.75
5.53
2.26
.0065
.0290
.0254
.0036
'.48
.0035
.0002
.97
.68
5.35
1.80
.0047
.0255
.0211
.0044
.50
.0043
.0002
.73
.52
6.91
2.32
.0093
.0288
.0248
.0040
1.03
.0030
.0002
.62
.43
6.18
2.13
.0068
.0343
.0277
.0066
.72
.0023
.0001
.62
.54
7.70
2.82
.0098
.0337
.0291
.0046
.98
.0017
.0003
.64
.57
7.67
2.33
.0087
.0327
.0277
.0050
.85
.0065
.0004
.73
.57
7.92
2.15
.0058
.0316
.0242
.0074
1.06
.0032
.0002
.65
.60
7.85
2.27
.0085
.0372
.0296
.0076
1.03
.0028
.0003
.73
.46
7.02
2.39
.0069
.0373
.0308
.0065
.82
.0014
.0002
.53
.92
7.08
2.63
.0104
.0403
.0336
.0067
.63
-
-
1.03
I Four months.
276
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
River and its Tribu-
concord river.
Chemical Examination of Water from Concord
TARiES, ETC. — Concluded.
Assabet River, below Maynard.
[Parts in 100,000.]
6
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia.
Nitrogen
AS —
a
3
a
o
s
o
i
ALBUMINOID.
Year.
3
o
3"
"3
o
a
>
1
.2
Q
-2
a
m
1
1
1
2
1898, .
.77
5.93
2.59
.0020
.0387
.0301
.0086
.43
.0030
.0003
.89
1.5
1899,
.51
6.70
2.21
.0185
.0414
.0327
.0087
.73
.0043
.0003
.62
1.7
1900,
.50
5.72
1.73
.0217
.0386
.0304
.0082
.70
,0031
.0002
.59
1.4
1901,
.73
6.57
2.67
.0211
.0428
.0351
.0077
.45
.0052
.0002
.90
1.6
1902,
.69
7.27
2.87
.0099
.0592
.0381
.0211
.57
.0033
.0002
.83
1.6
1903,
.61
6.40
2.58
.0170
.0457
.0322
.0135
.48
.0037
.0003
.83
1.6
1904,
-
8.48
3.21
.0143
.0678
.0412
.0266
.74
.0043
.0002
1.05
1.7
1906,
.88
6.68
2.64
.0290
.0448
.0312
.0136
.58
.0047
.0003
.91
1.6
1907,1
.79
7.64
2.76
.0299
.0391
.0274
.0117
.69
.0060
.0003
.86
1.6
1908,
.45
11.46
3.98
.0675
.0684
.0381
.0303
1.37
.0028
.0012
.89
-
1909,
-
13.97
4.21
.1208
.0991
.0529
.0462
1.22
.0007
.0006
1.34
-
1910,
.69
13.15
4.68
.0708
.0685
.0446
.0239
1.82
.0038
.0006
.85
-
1911,
.58
12.73
4.17
.0738
.0650
.0408
.0242
1.41
.0060
.0006
1.08
-
1912,
-
12.94
3.92
.1205
.0771
.0494
.0277
1.46
.0026
.0010
1.04
-
1913,
.60
10.60
3.01
.0746
.0597
.0394
.0203
1.34
.0311
.0007
.85
-
1914,
.33
11.58
2.87
.0705
.0595
.0378
.0217
1.32
.0056
.0002
.73
-
1915,
.69
10.78
3.25
.0509
.0610
.0353
.0257
1.27
-
-
.99
-
1 Four months.
Concord River, at Billerica.
1902,
.68
^.98
2.18
.0091
.0347
.0272
.0075
.53
.0052
.0004
.78
1.7
1903,
.64
5.71
2.26
.0097
.0317
.0258
.0059
.49
.0058
.0005
.72
1.8
1904,
.64
6.05
2.31
.0077
.0341
.0255
.0086
.55
.0072
.0002
.75
1.7
1908,
.37
8.04
2.65
.0107
.0251
.0216
.0035
.96
.0104
.0005
.54
-
1909,
.49
7.71
2.78
.0128
.0298
.0267
.0031
.75
.0058
.0013
.65
-
1910,
.49
7.31
3.00
.0142
.0325
.0292
.0033
1.01
,0055
.0004
.58
-
1911,
.45
11.14
4.05
.0181
.0525
.0287
.0238
1.16
.0132
.0008
1.14
-
1912,1
.53
10.90
3.08
.0187
.0433
.0274
.0159
.97
.0140
.0008
.82
-
1913,
.57
7.63
2.38
.0089
.0355
.0312
.0043
.98
.0073
.0003
.77
-
1914,
.41
8.78
2.20
.0096
.0335
.0284
.0051
1.10
.0072
.0005
.50
-
1916,
.88
7.92
2.93
.0157
.0411
.0375
.0036
.84
-
-
1.05
-
September omitted.
No. 34.
EXAIMINATION OF RIVERS.
277
Connecticut River.
A general statement of the condition of this river during the year
1915 will be found on page 58.
connecticut river.
Chemical Examination of Water from Connecticut River. — Averages
FOR Six Months, from June to November, inclusive.
Connecticut River, at Northjield Farms.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia.
Nitrogen
AS —
a
i
6
a
1
13
8
a
iiii
Yeab.
i
"3
-a
^3
a
a
o
p.
'C
1
o
^
(£
H
p
3
O
iz;
Z
6
w
1899, .
.30
7.32
2.17
.0016
.0189
.0158
.0031
.11
.0023
.0001
.85
3.6
1900,
.47
6.24
2.11
.0023
.0190
.0154
.0036
.09
.0030
.0001
.95
2.9
1901,
.31
6.12
2.39
.0016
.0146
.0122
.0024
.10
.0037
.0002
.72
3.2
1902,
.30
5.57
2.02
.0014
.0124
.0110
.0014
.08
.0057
.0001
.60
2.9
1903,
.23
6.83
2.18
.0037
.0169
.0143
.0026
.14
.0028
.0002
.68
3.4
1904,1
.27
6.44
2.44
.0023
.0158
.0130
.0028
.12
.0038
.0001
.73
3.4
1906.
.34
6.50
2.17
.0040
.0201
.0181
.0020
.14
.0023
.0002
.76
3.2
1907,2
.36
5.91
2.06
.0020
.0141
.0122
.0019
.16
.0048
.0002
.66
3.0
1908,3
.28
8.33
2.78
.0058
.0200
.0177
.0023
.22
.0018
.0001
.70
1909,
.29
7.32
2.89
.0031
.0142
.0124
.0018
.16
.0017
.0002
.82
_
1910,
.31
7.52
3.10
.0064
.0174
.0152
.0022
.17
.0018
.0001
.77
_
1911,
.32
7.28
2.44
.0066
.0172
.0143
.0029
.16
.0022
.0001
.70
_
1912,
.36
7.43
1.63
.0066
.0185
.0148
.0037
.16
.0012
.0001
.70
_
1913,
.31
7.78
2.31
.0077
.0174
.0131
.0043
.17
.0020
.0002
.65
_
1914,
.29
8.03
2.73
.0056
.0182
.0137
.0045
.17
.0012
.0001
.70
_
1915,
.30
7.08
2.08
.0031
.0162
.0124
.0038
.17
~
.60
-
1 July omitted.
2 Four months.
8 June omitted.
Connecticut River, below Springfield.
1888,
.35
5.34
1.24
.0032
.0182
.0143
.0039
.15
.0082
.0002
1899,
.33
6.61
1.99
.0093
.0238
.0195
.0043
.23
.0042
.0003
.67
3.1
1900,
.44
6.64
1.90
.0098
.0250
.0176
.0074
.20
.0034
.0002
.89
3.1
1901,
.32
6.03
2.34
.0061
.0190
.0153
.0037
.18
.0048
.0003
.65
3.0
1902,
.31
5.83
2.13
.0002
.0180
.0140
.0040
.16
.0055
.0005
.61
3.0
1903,
.30
6.12
2.04
.0098
.0202
.0147
.0055
.24
.0058
.0004
.61
2.7
1904, I
.22
5.22
1.87
.0098
.0187
.0125
.0002
.21
.0047
.0002
.48
2.4
1906,2
.35
7.14
2.61
.0082
.0204
.0161
0043
.24
.0026
.0004
.71
2.8
1907,3
.38
6.27
2.46
.0069
.0163
.0131
.0032
.24
.0050
.0003
.67
2.9
1908,
.32
8.58
2.61
.0214
.0223
.0165
.0058
.38
.0040
.0004
.81
1909,
.29
6.02
2.25
.0079
.0156
.0118
.0038
.22
.0018
.0003
.65
_
1910,
.33
8.67
3.60
.0155
.0241
.0188
.0053
.37
.0028
.0003
.89
_
1911,
.38
7.66
2.56
.0140
.0181
.0147
.0034
.28
.0018
.0005
.70
_
1912,
-.31
8.22
3.02
.0136
.0228
.0161
.0007
.16
.0022
.0004
.74
_
1913,4
.31
7.96
2.50
.0178
.0242
.0181
.0061
.35
.0038
.0004
.68
_
1914,
.29
7.92
2.50
.0185
.0243
.0178
.0065
.30
.0023
.0003
.82
_
1915,
.35
7.15
2.38
.0091
.0216
.0151
.0005
.24
-
-
.69
-
1 Three months.
2 June omitted.
3 Four months.
* September omitted.
278
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Deekfield River.
A general statement of the condition of this river in the year 1915
will be found on page 61.
DEERFIEIiD RIVER.
Chemical Examination of Water from Deerfield River and Tributary.
— Averages for Six Months, from June to November, inclusive.
Deerfield River, at Shelburne Falls.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia.
Nitrogen
AS —
a
o
i
d
a
3
to
o
a
bO
>>
Year.
"3
"3
1
a
2
'C
a
o
o
o
3
O
H
hJ
fe
H
P
O
.09
^
^
O
W
1901, .
.34
4.02
1.82
.0057
.0200
.0171
.0029
.0078
.0001
.63
1.7
1902,
.29
3.62
1.46
.0051
.0151
.0126
.0025
.08
.0055
.0002
.51
1.7
1903,1
.26
3.74
1.35
.0023
.0131
.0113
.0018
.09
.0038
.0002
.44
1.5
1904,
.24
4.15
1.52
.0040
.0115
,0097
.0018
.11
.0110
.0001
.39
2.1
1908,
.33
4.93
1.93
.0017
,0128
.0108
.0020
.14
,0030
.0001
.44
1909,
.26
4.56
1.62
.0009
.0150
,0129
.0021
.12
,0005
.0001
.47
-
1910,
.26
4.62
1.69
.0025
.0141
.0108
.0033
.13
.0010
.0001
.45
-
1911,
.35
4.80
1.88
.0035
.0156
,0119
.0037
.13
,0027
,0000
.59
_
1912,2
.29
4.48
1.65
.0024
,0149
,0122
.0027
.11
,0008
.0001
.42
_
1913,
.39
4.55
1.30
.0049
,0213
.0164
.0049
.12
,0007
.0000
.53
_
1914.
.45
4.80
1.57
.0062
.0222
.0167
.0055
.17
,0022
.0003
.56
_
1915,
.27
4.58
1.44
.0042
.0149
.0121
,0028
.16
-
.39
-
1 Four months.
2 October omitted.
Green River, below
Greenfield.
1903,
.05
7.75
2.23
,0152
.0143
.0086
.0057
21
.0078
.0005
.15
3.9
1904,
.07
6.93
2.01
.0151
.0382
.0138
.0244
28
.0100
.0006
.22
3.8
1908,
.17
11.06
2.97
.0665
.0337
.0131
.0206
45
,0043
,0011
.33
1909,
.14
7.82
2.54
.0459
.0333
.0151
.0182
37
,0038
,0011
.23
_
1910,
.17
8.33
3.16
.0775
.0284
.0169
.0115
37
,0025
.0012
.23
_
1911,
.21
9,23
2.44
.0684
.0228
.0115
.0113
48
,0033
.0014
.37
_
1912,
.17
18.02
2.71
,0099
.0352
.0092
.0260
23
.0017
.0003
.44
_
1913,
.12
8.25
2.25
.0203
.0198
.0103
.0095
26
,00.30
.0003
.22
_
1914,
.13
9.15
1.60
.0426
.0234
.0135
.0099
38
.0038
.0007
.17
_
1915,1
.10
6.95
1.15
.0348
.0184
.0102
.0082
28
-
.20
-
1 Four months.
Deer
field River,
below Green River.
1908,
.26
7.35
2.28
.0075
,0154
.0098
.0056
.20
.0025
.0002
.37
1909,
.28
5.55
1.83
.0043
,0121
.0104
.0017
.14
.0012
.0001
.41
-
1910,
.24
5.82
2.37
.0093
.0128
.0112
.0016
.16
.0008
.0003
.31
_
1911,
.34
5.82
2.06
.0078
,0143
.0106
.0037
.16
.0025
.0005
.52
_
1912,
.25
5.23
1.63
.0070
.0140
.0107
.0033
.17
,0030
.0001
.37
-
1913,
.28
5.39
1.60
.0113
,0257
.0183
.0074
.17
,0063
.0002
.39
_
1914,
.30
5.68
1.80
,0124
.0182
.0143
.0039
.19
.0020
.0001
.43
_
1915,1
.22
5.41
1.28
.0211
,0195
.0128
.0067
.20
"
"
.34
"
1 Four months.
No. 34.
EXAMINATION OF RIVERS.
279
Fkench River.
A general statement of the condition of this river in the year 1915
will be found on page 58.
french river.
Chemical Examination of Water from French River. — Averages for
Six Months, from June to November, inclusive.
French River, below Webster.
[Parts in 100,000.]
O
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia.
o
a
o
Nitrogen
AS —
o
a
3
i
o
a
6
(5,
albuminoid.
Yeab.
o
d
3
o
E-i
T3
(!)
Q
73
0)
a
0)
a
3
1
03
.1
1899, .
.44
5.67
2.07
.0238
.0612
.0384
.0228
.42
.0024
.0007
.66
1.6
1900,
.52
5.79
2.10
.0202
.0475
.0357
.0118
.46
.0062
.0007
.78
1.5
1901,
.50
5.29
2.25
.0090
.0390
.0265
.0125
.33
.0044
.0002
.75
1.2
1902,
.42
4.92
1.99
.0057
.0391
.0264
.0127
.39
.0038
.0002
.65
1.2
1903,
.48
4.67
1.88
.0049
.0352
.0241
.0111
.40
.0058
.0002
.72
0.9
1904,
.44
6.02
2.18
.0267
.0434
.0281
.0153
.58
.0042
.0004
.70
1.3
1906,
.61
5.08
2.19
.0063
.0353
.0246
.0107
.40
.0038
.0003
.81
0.9
1907,1
.54
6.28
2.62
.0117
.0544
.0304
.0240
.49
.0035
.0004
.69
1.2
1908,
.44
7.17
2.82
.0086
.0507
.0310
.0197
.61
.0037
.0010
.81
-
1909,
.50
7.42
2.61
.0267
.0638
.0385
.0253
.77
.0055
.0012
.72
-
1910,
.44
8.27
3.55
,0512
.0527
.0321
.0206
.78
.0016
.0021
.79
-
1911,
.57
10.23
3.17
.0219
.0652
.0405
.0247
.89
.0015
.0004
.94
-
1912,
.49
9.78
3.77
.0420
.0745
.0399
.0346
.82
.0060
.0021
.87
-
1913,
.53
8.42
2.93
.0345
.0641
.0358
.0283
.72
.0042
.0007
.86
-
1914,
.40
8.50
2.48
.0500
.0675
.0399
.0276
.72
.0018
.0027
.69
-
1915,
.53
8.38
3.02
.0472
.077^
.0448
.0330
.80
-
-
.88
-
1 Four months.
280
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
HOOSICK RiVEK.
A general statement of the condition of this river in the year 1915
will be found on page 59.
HOOSICK RIVER.
Chemical Examination of Water from Hoosick River. — Averages for
Six Months, from June to November, inclusive.
Hoosick River, at Williamstown.
[Parts in 100,000.]
No. 34.]
EXAMINATION OF RIVERS.
281
HousATONic River.
A general statement of the condition of this river in the year 1915
will be found on page 59.
HOUSATONIC RIVER.
Chemical Examination of Water from Housatonic E,i\rER and its
Bp^nches. — Averages for Six Months, from June to No\'ember,
INCLUSrVT3.
East Branch, below Pittsfield.
[Parts in 100,000.]
6
Residue on
Ammonia. |
o
a
•s
3
O
Nitrogen
I
§
8
a
I
o
Evaporation.
6
1
ALBUMINOID.
AS —
Year.
o
o."S
Oi-i
"3
"o
H
>
P
■6
a
1
03
1
i
a
1903, .
.32
9.75
2.92
.0118
.0226
.0153
.0073
.25
.0142
.0006
.56
6.8
1904,1
.28
9.02
3.15
.0117
.0248
.0175
.0073
.26
.0113
.0005
.47
6.2
1907,2
.42
9.40
3.00
.0286
.0284
.0186
.0098
.28
.0060
.0010
.50
6.4
1908,3
.29
12.76
3.57
.0327
.0250
.0177
.0073
.40
.0140
.0011
.47
-
1909,
.26
12.60
4.37
.0431
.0305
.0215
.0090
.33
.0087
.0007
.44
-
1910,
.30
12.98
5.26
.0437
.0233
.0182
.0051
.40
.0080
.0012
.48
-
1911,1
.29
12.03
4.26
.0231
.0253
.0169
.0084
.37
.0060
.0011
.54
-
1912,1
.28
13.08
3.18
.0358
.0337
.0236
.0101
.43
.0123
.0010
.62
-
1913,
.32
15.34
3.60
.0526
.0405
.0259
.0146
.48
.0073
.0019
.69
-
1914,*
.24
13.82
3.27
.0509
.0351
.0271
.0080
.47
.0087
.0015
.53
-
1915,
.37
11.98
3.23
.0527
.0304
.0236
.0068
.35
-
.60
-
1 Three months. * Two months. ' November omitted.
West Branch, below Pittsfield.
* Four months.
1903, .
.29
10.43
2.83
.0100
.0210
.0143
.0067
.23
.0143
.0006
.46
7.4
1904,1
.15
12.27
3.50
.0137
.0423
.0217
.0206
.35
.0050
.0004
.35
7.8
1908,2
.20
13.28
3.68
.0210
.0301
.0194
.0107
.26
.0026
.0009
.36
-
1909,
-
11.00
2.87
.0070
.0283
.0175
.0108
.24
.0010
.0003
.25
-
1910,
.22
13.85
4.98
.0218
.0446
.0218
.0228
.40
.0012
.0011
.40
-
1911,1
.19
12.73
4.70
.0090
.0317
.0184
.0133
.26
.0030
.0005
.37
-
1912,1
.17
12.60
2.70
.0081
.0360
.0197
.0163
.29
.0037
.0005
.41
-
1913,
.30
18.72
5.10
.0870
.0779
.0397
.0382
.78
.0020
.0008
.82
-
1914,3
.20
14.62
2.75
.0288
.0495
.0313
.0182
.45
.0017
.0011
.61
-
1915,4
.34
16.62
3.72
j.0671
.0691
.0359
.0332
.65
-
-
.63
-
1 Three months.
2 November omitted.
3 Four months.
* September omitted.
282
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
housatonic river.
Chemical Examination of Water from Housatonic River
Branches, etc. — Concluded.
Southwest Branch, at Pittsfield.
[Parts in 100,000.]
AND ITS
^■"~
6
Residtje on
Evaporation.
x^MMONIA.
6
'Eh
M
o
Nitrogen
1
a
8
a
1
O
i
ALBUMINOID.
AS —
Year.
o
O.tS
3"
"3
T3
>
s
-6
a
CO
1
1899,
.17
14.92
2.58
.0040
.0353
.0211
.0142
.16
.0108
.0004
.37
9.2
1900,
.14
14.87
2.15
.0192
.0335
.0229
.0106
.21
.0107
.0008
.35
10.2
1901,
.14
13.20
3.87
.0051
.0302
.0197
.0105
.16
.0096
.0004
.41
9.4
1902,
.11
12.30
3.09
.0057
.0224
.0136
.0088
.12
.0108
.0005
.37
8.7
1903,
.10
11.63
2.37
.0045
.0162
.0109
.0053
.11
.0115
.0003
.25
8.8
1904,1
.15
12.45
3.63
.0116
.0455
.0223
.0232
.34
.0040
.0018
.35
7.8
1907,2
.31
10.78
2.30
.0040
.0258
.0168
.0090
.20
.0025
.0003
.39
8.2
1908,'
.18
15.17
4.89
.0210
.0269
.0159
.0110
.23
.0036
.0007
.38
-
1909,
.17
14.82
4.41
.0041
.0265
.0153
.0112
.23
.0082
.0005
.37
-
1910,
.17
14.45
5.25
.0049
.0196
.0135
.0061
.17
.0045
.0006
.30
-
1911,1
.14
12.62
3.35
.0013
.0224
.0131
.0093
.19
.0110
.0005
.34
-
1912,1
.12
15.02
3.08
.0017
.0172
.0111
.0061
.21
.0170
.0007
.31
-
1913,
.13
15.97
3.34
.0037
.0221
.0157
.0064
.20
.0115
.0009
.32
-
1914,4
.16
15.05
2.30
.0098
.0259
.0166
.0093
.24
.0072
.0005
.37
-
1915,
.14
15.25
2.95
.0070
.0243
.0159
.0084
.26
-
-
.30
-
1 Three months.
2 Two months.
3 November omitted.
< Four months.
Housatonic River, below Great Barrington.
1908,
.18
14.97
3.69
.0106
.0269
.0172
.0097
.43
.0107
.0011
.36
-
1909,
.16
14.91
4.41
.0067
.0247
.0173
.0074
.47
.0078
.0012
.35
-
1910,
.22
14.97
5.32
.0128
.0233
.0181
.0052
.51
.0090
.0021
.34
-
1911,
.19
14.42
5.29
.0178
.0217
.0157
.0060
.45
.0087
.0045
.40
-
1912,1
.22
14.56
3.79
.0123
.0272
.0189
.0083
.47
.0120
.0028
.42
-
1913,
.21
18.60
5.48
.0117
.0444
.0265
.0179
.67
.0085
.0030
.77
-
1914,2
.22
17.62
4.22
.0147
.0372
.0268
.0104
.69
.0112
.0023
.42
-
1915,
.23
15.83
3.60
.0142
.0296
.0183
.0113
.46
-
-
.47
-
1 August omitted.
* Four months.
No. 34.
EXAMINATION OF RIVERS.
283
Merrimack River.
A general statement of the condition of this river during the year
1915 will be found on page 59.
merrimack river.
Chemical Examination of Water from Merrimack River. — A\t:rages
FOR Six Months, from June to November, inclusht:.
Merrimack River, above Lowell.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia. |
Nitrogen
-3
O
s
a
8
ALBUMINOID.
AS —
Yeae.
a
■6
•6
i
U
o
6
"3
1
O
1
s
■X}
a
o
ft
m
a
'u
O
1
a
o
o
1
1887, .
.45
4.08
1.10
.0024
.0156
_
.17
.0078
_
_
_
1888, .
.32
3.47
1.01
.0014
.0161
.0137
.0024
.16
.0082
.0002
-
-
1889,
.37
-
-
.0028
.0166
.0143
.0023
.17
.0067
.0001
-
-
1890, .
.34
3.85
1.58
.0025
.0148
.0123
.0025
.14
.0106
.0002
-
1.4
1891,
.27
3.73
1.47
.0029
.0147
.0111
.0036
.17
.0080
.0002
-
1.4
1892,
.39
3.75
1.37
.0028
.0139
.0106
.0033
.15
.0097
.0002
-
1.6
1893,
.25
3.47
1.13
.0028
.0141
.0110
.0031
.17
.0072
.0001
.38
1.1
1894,
.29
3.86
1.32
.0037
.0140
.0114
.0026
.19
.0042
.0001
.36
1.2
1895,
.43
3.97
1.61
.0019
.0197
.0151
.0046
.24
.00.54
.0001
.55
1.2
1896,
.44
3.85
1.41
.0049
.0181
.0149
.0032 i
.18
.0053
.0002
.66
1.0
1897,
.54
3.62
1.68
.0030
.0181
.0148
.0033
.16
.0077
.0001
.52
0.9
1898,
.39
3.93
1.74
.0032
.0197
.0171
0026
.19
.0047
.0001
.51
1.0
1899,
.20
3.88
1.45
.0050
.0205
.0166
.0039
.22
.0055
.0002
.38
1.2
1900,
.23
3.72
1.21
.0068
.0215
.0158
.0057
.23
.0038
.0002
.44
1.3
1901,
.38
4.32
1.98
.0060
.0208
.0172
.0036
.20
.0042
.0002
.69
1.2
1902,
.38
3.81
1.59
.0056
.0163
.0142
.0021
.17
.0043
.0001
.64
0.9
1903,
.30
4.00
1.55
.0058
.0171
.0129
.0042
.23
.0040
.0002
.59
1.1
1904,
.33
4.61
1.92
.0077
.0194
.0153
.0041
.23
.0047
.0002
.69
1.3
1905,
.40
4.30
1.95
.0112
.0202
.0160
.0042
.25
.0038
.0002
.71
1.1
1906,
.37
4.64
1.84
.0100
.0201
.0174
.0027
.26
.0032
.0002
.71
1.2
1907,
.38
4.60
1.88
.0079
.0194
.0135
.0059
.28
.0043
.0002
.62
1.2
1908,
.29
4.67
1.80
.0125
.0195
.0141
.0054
.36
.0048
.0003
.64
1.3
1909,
.31
5.16
2.38
.0185
.0213
.0161
.0052
.36
.0018
.0002
.68
1.5
1910,
.37
5.11
1.78
.0242
.0221
OlSO
.0041
.35
.0035
.0007
.68
1.4
1911,
.39
5.32
2.09
.0166
.0219
.0165
.0054
.36
.0033
.0006
.65
1.5
1912,
.40
5.16
1.94
.0165
.0223
.0175
.0048
.32
.0013
.0003
.88
2.0
1913,1
.36
5.56
1.66
.0162
.0277
.0189
.0088
.39
.0030
.0003
.70
1.8
1914,
.30
5.32
1.74
.0170
.0255
.0181
.0074
.35
.0037
.0003
.61
1.6
1915,
.46
5.43
2.18
.0140
.0273
.0205
.0068
.32
~
""
.79
1.3
1 June omitted.
284
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
MERRIMACK RIVER.
Chemical Examination op Water from Merrimack River, etc.
Concluded.
Merrimack River, above Lawrence.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia.
§
'%
o
Nitrogen
AS —
'6
a
m
CI
8
a
6
ALBUMINOID.
Yeab.
"3
o
"3
T3
>
S
-0
o
g
ft
1
1
i
1887, .
.47
4.82
1.24
.0027
.0211
-
-
.22
.0097
-
-
-
1888,
.32
3.64
1.13
.0029
.0197
.0153
.0044
.18
.0074
.0003
-
-
1889,
.35
-
-
.0047
.0212
.0176
.0036
.20
.0053
.0002
-
-
1890,
.37
4.27
1.56
.0061
.0187
.0148
.0039
.19
.0068
.0002
-
1.6
1891,
.21
4.06
1.37
.0066
.0179
.0138
.0041
.21
.0090
.0002
-
1.4
1892,
.46
4.25
1.50
.0054
.0186
.0155
.0031
.19
.0087
.0002
-
1.5
1893,
.40
4.25
1.62
.0084
.0172
.0138
.0034
.23
.0057
.0003
.52
1.3
1894,
.32
3.82
1.35
.0086
.0174
.0142
.0032
.25
.0043
.0001
.40
1.3
1895,
.52
4.45
1.97
.0068
.0251
.0194
.0057
.30
.0067
.0003
.60
1.5
1896,
.46
4.24
1.70
.0100
.0224
.0181
.0043
.25
.0067
.0005
.57
1.3
1897,
.58
4.06
1.67
.0061
.0222
.0190
.0032
.21
.0053
.0002
.53
1.0
1898,
.44
4.46
1.87
.0076
.0262
.0208
.0054
.25
.0050
.0005
.59
1.3
1899,
.24
4.42
1.57
.0138
.0277
.0207
.0070
.32
.0052
,0004
.43
1.3
1900,
.27
4.22
1.35
.0126
.0249
.0190
.0059
.32
.0050
.0003
.46
1.3
1901,
.44
4.73
1.90
.0100
.0280
.0205
.0075
.28
.0070
.0006
.65
1.5
1902,
.42
4.40
1.85
.0110
.0231
.0180
.0051
.26
.0038
.0003
.65
1.1
1903,
.37
4.66
1.73
.0111
.0226
.0166
.0060
.31
.0052
.0005
.64
1.4
1904,
.31
4.67
1.-80
.0211
.0247
.0170
.0077
.33
.0053
.0004
.62
1.4
1905,
.44
4.92
2.01
.0177
.0242
.0183
.0059
.38
.0040
.0005
.74
1.2
1906,
.39
5.30
2.12
.0170
.0263
.0215
.0048
.40
.0027
.0005
.72
1.4
1907,
.40
*4.92
1.80
.0293
.0253
.0175
.0078
.41
.0047
.0005
.59
1.3
1908,
.33
5.61
2.19
.0354
.0303
.0196
.0107
.57
.0052
.0006
.74
1.5
1909,
.33
6.28
2.04
.0336
.0262
.0196
.0066
.53
.0025
.0007
.67
1.7
1910,
.39
-
.0266
.0242
.0183
.0059
.53
.0125
.0008
.57
1.6
1911,
.23
8.22
3.10
.0240
.0286
.0227
.0059
.53
.0118
.0007
.65
1.6
1912,
.21
6.49
2.62
.0241
.0225
.0188
.0037
.52
.0151
.0006
.59
1.3
1913,
.25
7.46
2.93
.0245
.0224
.0185
.0039
.57
.0167
.0007
.61
1.5
1914,
.23
6.85
2.62
.0280
.0246
.0201
.0045
.59
.0190
.0003
.59
1.7
1915,
.33
7.05
2.83
.0183
.0230
.0177
.0053
.47
.0139
.0002
.69
1.6
No. 34.]
EXAMINATION OF RIVERS.
285
Miller's River.
A general statement of the condition of this river in the year 1915
will be found on page 61.
MIL,t,ER'S RIVER.
Chemical ExAivnNATiON of Water from Miller's River. — Averages for
Sex Months, from June to November, inclusive.
Miller's River, below Miller's Falls.
[Parts in 100,000.]
6
Residue on
Ammonia.
i
O
Nitrogen
AS —
a
8
a
S)
6
Evaporation.
6
s
albuminoid.
Year.
"3
a
3
o
s
a
a
a
02
1
is
m
Pi
1908, .
.54
4.59
2.06
.0054
.0233
.0181
.0052
.34
.0060
.0002
.64
-
1909,
.54
4.38
1.84
.0035
.0207
.0181
.0026
.34
.0030
.0002
.60
-
1910,
.55
5.48
2.28
.0068
.0231
.0202
.0029
.44
.0075
.0002
.68
-
1911,
.66
5.98
2.58
.0056
.0258
.0220
.0038
.35
.0052
.0002
.90
-
1912,
.51
5.30
2.17
.0047
.0242
.0202
.0040
.42
.0060
.0002
.61
-
1913,
.59
5.65
1.88
.0056
.0315
.0231
.0084
.36
.0081
.0002
.69
-
1914,
.44
5.17
1.85
.0073
.0251
.0204
.0047
.36
.0068
.0003
.49
-
1915,
.88
5.77
2.75
.0092
.0311
.0256
.0055
.31
-
-
.93
-
286
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Nashua River.
A general statement of the condition of this river in the year 1915
will be found on page 60.
nashua river.
Chemical Examination op Water prom Nashua River. — Averages por
Six Months, prom June to November, inclusive.
North Branch of Nashua River, below Fitchburg.
[Parts in 100,000.]
o
O
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia. |
Nitrogen
13
o
a
0
o
o
a
bO
>.
X
O
0>
albuminoid.
AS —
Year.
d
o
1
a
t
1
1
.1
i
1
1893,
.70
8.32
2.38
.0562
.0405
.0289
.0116
.73
.0097
.0030
.73
2.2
1894, .
.66
9.18
2.22
.0987
.0425
.0308
.0117
.99
.0123
.0034
.64
2.4
1895,
.71
9.42
2.72
.1387
.0493
.0381
.0112
1.08
.0088
.0014
.82
2.6
1896, .
.57
9.27
2.62
.0898
.0537
.0384
.0153
.95
.0127
.0030
.71
2.4
1897,
.67
7.62
2.50
.0512
.0518
.0389
.0129
.71
.0112
.0009
.79
2.1
1898.
.56
7.02
2.37
.0688
.0629
.0399
.0230
.56
.0097
.0016
.72
1.8
1899,
.53
10.12
2.95
.1507
.0848
.0537
.0311
1.03
.0055
.0013
.83
2.4
1900,
.42
9.55
2.42
.1575
.0825
.0479
.0346
1.03
.0080
.0015
.73
2.6
1901,
.42
8.45
2.58
.0964
.0508
,0347
.0161
.67
.0080
.0013
.69
2.2
1902,
.39
7.83
2.42
.1070
.0557
.0407
.0150
.68
.0072
.0012
.71
1.9
1903,
.38
7.21
2.10
.1200
.0471
.0281
.0190
.73
.0095
.0014
.62
1.7
1904,
.33
9.05
2.70
.1858
.0596
.0341
.0255
.88
.0077
.0015
.70
2.1
1905,
.48
7.66
2.33
.1284
.0568
.0354
.0214
.73
.0053
.0008
.89
2.1
1906,
.47
7.68
2.16
.1037
.0558
.0356
.0202
.75
.0083
.0020
.68
2.0
1907,
.50
10.77
2.72
.2180
.0654
.0350
.0304
1.24
.0065
.0012
.72
2.8
1908,
.52
15.05
3.60
.2605
.0861
.0494
.0367
1.58
.0033
.0016
1.04
-
1909,
.52
15.85
3.42
.3220
.0958
.0563
.0395
1.87
.0027
.0014
1.02
-
1910,
.60
20.11
4.90
.4047
.1235
.0789
.0446
2.29
.0017
.0009
1.03
-
1911,
.51
19.38
5.57
.2848
.1035
.0566
.0469
2.37
.0027
.0015
1.15
-
1912,
.57
19.52
4.99
.2380
.1007
.0560
.0447
2.20
.0032
.0019
1.22
-
1913,
.40
23.45
4.97
.2770
.1064
.0561
.0503
2.02
.0028
.0013
1.42
5.0
1914,
.41
26.93
5.78
.3260
.1156
.0662
.0494
2.60
.0020
.0006
1.55
5.9
1915,1
.41
14.68
3.52
.0578
.0745
.0296
.0449
1.26
-
.94
3.1
1 October omitted.
No. 34.
EXAMINATION OF RIVERS.
287
NASHUA RIVER.
Chemical Examination of Water from Nashua River, etc. — Concluded.
North Branch of Nashua River, at Lancaster.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia.
Nitrogen
AS —
13
I
albuminoid.
3
Year.
a
•d
i.
«
o
"3
c-2
6
li
1
a
1
S
U
d
5
6
o
^"
£
^
Q
O
%
^;
O
a
1892,
.48
9.75
2.10
.0422
.0274
.02.37
.0037
1.11
.0450
.0010
_
3.0
1894,
.49
8.07
1.97
.0215
.0226
.0182
.0044
.97
.0295
.0011
.49
2.2
1895,
.51
8.28
2.39
.0318
.0272
.0214
.0058
1.01
.0284
.0034
.56
2.3
1896,
.57
6.97
2.17
.0253
.0322
.0253
.0069
.66
.0167
.0034
.60
2.0
1897,
.65
5.45
- 2.03
.0225
.02',)0
.0221
.0069
.40
.0153
.0015
.68
1.5
1898,
.48
6,33
2.10
.0409
.0345
.0263
.0082
.56
.0227
.0033
.51
1.7
1899,
.39
7.60
2.33
.0739
.0365
.0305
.0060
.75
.0153
.0028
.60
2.0
1900,
.29
7.17
1.55
.0545
.0326
.0264
.0062
.81
.0202
.0039
.52
2.1
1901,
.37
6.72
2.14
.0432
.0329
.0240
.0089
.54
.0087
.0021
.58
1.9
1902,
.40
7.96
2.66
.0757
.0.324
.0267
.0057
.70
.0188
.0043
.58
1.8
1903,
.36
6.95
2.35
.0473
.0260
.0201
.0059
.58
.0258
.0034
.52
1.6
1904,
.32
8.01
2.18
.0803
.0318
.0267
.00.51
.80
.0267
.0040
.53
2.0
1905,
.34
7.20
2.13
.0616
.0296
.0227
.0069
.70
0207
.0044
.50
1.9
1906,
.44
7.34
2 12
.0519
.0311
.0240
.0071
.72
.0238
.0027
.56
2.0
1907,
.44
8.34
2.33
.0600
.0294
.0232
.0062
.89
.0333
.0084
.53
2.1
1908,
.40
10.69
2.73
.1075
.0309
.0259
.0050
1.28
.0405
.0090
.58
-
1909,
.44
12.26
3.41
.1556
.0330
.0284
.0046
1.46
.0360
.0066
.60
-
1910,
.45
13.44
3.82
.1655
.0462
.0366
.0096
1.63
.0388
.0108
.70
-
1911,
.51
15.64
4.10
.3067
.0828
.0408
.0420
1.95
.0208
.0083
.92
-
1912,
.45
12.65
3.10
.1252
.0438
.0275
.0163
1.68
.0343
.0083
.72
-
1913,
.43
15.45
3.02
.2292
.0533
.0386
.0147
1.75
.0133
.0053
.80
4.2
1914,
.39
16.80
3.15
.2147
.0466
.0336
.0130
1.94
.0262
.0115
.67
4.1
1915,
.42
12.10
3.49
.0757
.0465
.0294
.0171
1.31
-
-
.68
2.4
Nashua River, at Pepperell.
1899,
.28
6.91
2.19
.0167
.0248
.0221
.0027
.78
.0137
.0008
.46
2.1
1901,
.37
6.00
2.06
.0154
.0266
.0230
.0036
.45
.0092
.0005
.55
1.9
1902,
.37
5.81
2.07
.0118
.0184
.0167
.0017
.49
.0162
.0006
.51
1.7
1903,
.35
5.15
1.57
.0097
.0180
.0152
.0028
.44
.0128
.0008
.55
1.6
1904, I
.30
6.23
1.93
.0111
.0206
.0171
.0035
.58
.0243
.0008
.44
1.9
1908,
.32
10.85
3.40
.0317
.0295
.0202
.0093
1.45
.0194
.0008
.63
-
1909,
.38
14.29
4.62
.0354
.0376
.0291
.0085
1.95
.0211
.0017
.92
-
1910,
.37
14.77
4.14
.0128
.0329
.0252
.0077
1.93
.0207
.0008
.81
-
1911,
.40
12.10
3.77
.0423
.0393
.0293
.0100
1.31
.0213
.0048
.62
-
1912,2
.48
12.52
3.28
.0223
.0409
.0254
.0155
1.46
.0204
.0017
.75
-
1913,3
.43
11.99
2.79
.0515
.0405
.0276
.0129
1.15
.0164
.0019
.73
-
1914,4
.31
12.67
2.75
.0595
.0459
.0286
.0173
1.27
.0132
.0027
.59
-
1915,
.46
8.25
2.27
.0222
.0328
.0237
.0091
.85
-
-
.63
~
1 Three months.
2 No\'ember omitted.
3 Four months.
* Two months.
288
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Neponset River.
A general statement of the condition of this river in the year 1915
will be found on page 60.
neponset river.
Chemical Examination of Water from Neponset River. — Averages for
Six Months, from June to November, inclusive.
Neponset River, at Hyde Park.
[Parts in 100,000.]
6
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia.
i
_o
3
O
Nitrogen
AS —
1
§
o
a
g>
>.
i«i
o
8
ALBUMINOID.
Yeah.
3
o
d
a -2
.0.15
1
>
1
a
o
0,
1
i
is
i
d
1887,
1.18
8.20
2.22
.0053
.0402
-
-
.98
.0077
-
-
-
1888, .
1.12
7.77
2.37
.0040
.0392
.0358
.0034
1.08
.0074
.0003
-
-
1893,
1.27
8.60
2.68
.0233
.0370
.0282
.0088
1.47
.0045
.0009
1.00
2.6
1894,
1.19
12.87
3.03
.0196
.0466
.0333
.0133
2.31
.0033
.0002
1.03
4.1
1895,
.97
10.01
3.07
.0341
.0440
.0373
.0067
1.51
.0042
.0001
1.05
3.7
1896,
1.26
10.41
3.12
.0162
.0431
.0395
.0036
1.68
.0033
.0001
1.26
3.3
1897,
1.30
11.64
3.34
.0336
.0494
.0417
.0077
1.81
.0037
.0001
1.31
4.0
1898,
1,28
8.82
3.52
.0161
.0505
.0398
.0107
1.02
.0023
.0002
1.30
2.7
1899,
1.14
16.24
4.51
.0264
.0936
.0693
.0243
2.20
.0032
.0002
1.76
5.7
1900.
1.10
10.59
2.99
.0400
.0576
.0381
.0195
1.45
.0048
.0005
1.07
3.2
1901,
1.43
13.26
5.09
.0224
.0802
.0591
.0211
1.69
.0036
.0006
1.82
4.2
1902,
1.02
12.57
4.19
.0360
.0640
.0547
.0093
1.72
.0035
.0004
1.29
4.0
1903,
1.29
14.21
4.95
.0278
.0811
.0638
.0173
1.86
.0034
.0010
1.71
4.5
1904,
1.08
16.22
5.68
.0631
.1007
.0777
.0230
2.07
.0037
.0005
1.67
5.6
1905,
1.22
21.88
6.68
.0813
.1043
.0861
.0182
3.44
.0028
.0006
2.22
6.6
1906,
1.35
13.47
4.42
.0549
.0875
.0674
.0201
2.21
.0025
.0008
1.85
3.9
1907,
.90
22.58
6.31
.1201
.1412
.0961
.0451
3.81
.0042
.0004
1.94
6.9
1908,
-
25.40
7.19
.1132
.1209
.0844
.0365
5.08
.0027
.0006
2.01
8.8
1909,
-
28.69
9.08
.1723
.1218
.0898
.0320
5.35
.0027
.0009
2.02
10.0
1910,
-
31.37
10.16
.1740
.1333
.1000
.0333
5.84
.0010
.0002
2.96
10.4
1911,
1.24
18.82
5.49
.0786
.0727
.0539
.0188
3.36
.0025
.0007
1.86
7.1
1912,
.82
26.02
6.45
.1241
.1020
.0707
.0313
4.18
.0017
.0012
2.31
9.2
1913,
1.02
26.13
6.22
.0533
.0757
.0494
.0263
3.93
.0020
.0007
2.29
7.9
1914,
.93
20.27
4.37
.0754
.0697
.0484
.0213
3.43
.0025
.0008
1.31
5.2
1915,1
1.23
19.67
6.30
.0530
.1078
.0649
.0429
2.42
-
-
1.92
6.3
1 Four months.
No. 34.]
EXAJVIINATION OF RIVERS.
289
QuiNEBAUG River.
A general statement of the condition of this river in the year 1915
will be found on page 62.
qtji]o:baug river.
Chemical Examination of Water from Quinebaug River. — A\t:bages
FOR Six Months, from June -to November, inclusive.
Quinebaug River, below Southbridge.
[Parts in 100,000.]
O
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia. |
6
a
1
o
Nitrogen
■6
. o
a
a
8
S
O
ALBUMINOID.
AS —
Year.
"3
1
-a
1
T3
a
m
1
03
1
1898, .
.64
4.18
2.00
.0064
.0372
.0309
.0063
.18
,0050
.0003
.66
0.8
1899,
.44
4.32
1.72
.0071
.0298
.0229
.0069
.23
,0048
.0002
.54
1.2
1900,
.40
4.31
1,56
.0168
.0324
.0211
.0113
.25
,0024
.0003
.52
1.0
1901,
.42
4.52
1.67
.0147
.0232
.0158
,0074
.19
,0050
.0005
.45
1.7
1902,
.36
4.12
1.45
.0068
.0224
.0179
.0045
.24
,0054
.0002
.43
1,2
1903,1
.39
3.84
1.37
.0076
.0225
.0181
.0044
.24
,0043
.0002
.52
1.0
1904,
.40
4.17
1.57
.0086
.0247
.0189
.0058
.26
,0068
.0002
.53
1,2
1908,
.46
6.82
2.31-
.0075
.0277
.0174
.0103
.33
,0038
.0003
.57
-
1909,
.40
5.48
1.99
.0087
.0275
.0219
.0056
.37
,0077
,0003
.56
1910,
.40
6.20
2.27
.0104
.0334
.0246
.0088
.42
,0032
,0004
.53
-
1911,1
.50
5.92
2.09
.0180
.0308
.0240
.0068
.41
,0067
,0002
.66
-
1912,2
.41
7.35
2.40
.0152
.0397
.0272
.0125
.52
,0025
,0004
.59
-
1913,1
.39
6.08
1.88
.0201
.0283
.0219
.0064
.59
,0075
,0007
.53
-
1914,
.52
11.93
2.36
.3033
.0514
.0323
.0191
2.41
,0078
,0052
.47
-
1915,
.68
7.56
2.49
.1499
.0457
.0327
.0130
.82
-
-
.91
-
1 Four months.
2 Two months.
290
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Taunton River.
A general statement of the condition of this river and its tributaries
in the year 1915 will be found on page 61.
TAUNTON RIVER.
Chemical Examination of Water from Taunton River. — Averages for
Six Months, from June to November, inclusive.
Taunton River, below Taunton.
[Parts in 100,000.]
O
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia.
6
a
1
O
Nitrogen
AS —
B
a
8
a
>.
O
£
albuminoid.
Yeah.
"3
o
d
"3
-0
o
>
5
T3
0)
a
K
CO
1
d
Id
03
1898,
1.56
6.64
3.30
.0109
.0345
.0314
.0031
.61
.0082
.0003
1.51
1.3
1899,
.93
6.31
2.48
.0176
,0317
.0279
.0038
.72
.0060
.0004
1.04
1.2
1900,
.71
6.89
1.91
.0205
.0286
.0258
.0028
1.06
.0112
.0006
.76
1.5
1901,
1.01
6.15
2.45
.0293
.0275
.0255
.0020
.76
.0134
.0005
.92
1.6
1902,1
.94
6.92
2.36
.1902
.0363
.0308
.0055
1.29
.0116
.0012
.90
1.4
1903,
.96
7.06
2.60
.0542
.0270
.02.34
.0036
1.10
.0177
.0013
1.02
1.7
1904,
.95
6.49
2.60
.0855
.0319
.0264
.0055
.94
.0137
.0008
1.06
1.3
1906,2
1.41
7.37
3.11
.0401
.0385
.0331
.0054-
.95
.0162
.0008
1.36
1.4
1907,3
.94
7.16
2.62
.1031
.0343
.0282
.0061
1.05
.0115
.0009
1.05
1.7
1908,
.73
7.66
2.52
.0469
.0278
.0226
.0052
1.31
.0108
.0011
.74
-
1909,
.90
12.97
3.87
.0416
.0303
.0263
.0040
3.49
.0105
.0014
.88
-
1910,
1.04
19.62
5.69
.0658
.0376
.0305
.0071
6.82
.0110
.0027
.93
-
1911,
1.04
9.65
2.80
.0385
.0330
.0270
.0060
1.73
.0205
.0015
1.04
-
1912,
1.17
10.35
2.95
.0461
.0366
.0295
.0071
1.76
.0173
.0015
1.03
-
1913,
1.09
18.58
4.24
.0506
.0377
.0334
.0043
5.94
.0130
.0015
1.07
-
1914,
.92
18.10
3.33
.0701
.0389
.0323
.0066
5.95
.0100
.0020
.88
-
1915,
1.35
9.38
3.38
.0469
.0465
.0374
.0091
1.24
-
-
1.34
-
1 September omitted.
2 June omitted.
3 Four months.
No. 34.
EXMIINATION OP RIVERS.
291
Ten Mile River.
TEN MILE RIVER.
Chemical Examination of Water from Ten Mile River. — Averages
FOR Six Months, from June to November, inclusive.
Ten Mile River, below Attlehoro.
[Parts in 100,000.]
t4
o
a
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia.
6
a
1
"2
o
Nitrogen
AS —
o
a
a
8
a
o
1
albuminoid.
Year.
"3
3
o
■a
>
SB
5
1
a
0.
1
.1
2
a
1899,
.71
6.39
2.15
.0072
.0379
.0288
.0091
.62
.0133
.0004
.74
1.7
1900,
.47
6.19
1.60
.0125
.0363
.0241
.0122
.84
.0155
.0004
.49
1.8
1901,
.46
6.09
2.12
.0084
.0290
.0202
.0088
.71
.0222
.0004
.51
1.8
1902,
.41
6.49
1.83
.0073
.0394
.0237
.0157
.88
.0212
.0004
.52
1.9
1903,
.36
7.48
2.39
.0282
.0346
.0200
.0146
.84
.0315
.0020
.53
1.8
1904,
.44
8.89
2.97
.0931
.0527
.0332
.0195
1.03
.0532
.0033
.58
3.5
1906,1
.48
17.57
6.45
.1586
.0914
.0490
.0424
1.07
.0638
.0121
.92
7.9
1907,1
.42
19.07
6.14
.6036
.1471
.0830
.0641
1.73
.2014
.0100
1.18
7.5
1908,
.40
10.89
3.27
.1108
.0483
.0294
.0189
1.37
.0364
.0035
.61
-
1909,
.47
11.23
2.88
.4322
.0626
.0380
.0246
1.51
.0263
.0086
.78
-
1910,
.29
12.05
3.32
.2422
.0545
.0330
.0215
1.98
.0357
.0051
.48
-
1911,
.76
11.94
3.58
.0604
.0506
.0302
.0204
1.55
.0382
.0036
.94
-
1912,
.39
28.98
11.42
.1056
.0750
.0287
.0463
1.92
.0368
.0075
.75
3.6
1913,
- .
.64
13.55
3.33
.0951
.0630
.0303
.0327
1.90
.0242
.0069
.84
-
1914,
.51
15.32
3.09
.1909
.0673
.0401
.0272
1.73
.0300
.0087
.77
-
1915,1
.88
11.10
3.30
.0954
.0494
.0346
.0148
1.37
-
-
.98
3.2
1 June omitted.
292
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Westfield River.
A general statement of the condition of this river in the year 1915
will be found on page 61.
westfield river.
Chemical Examination cf Water from Westfield River. — Averages
FOR Six Months, from June to November, inclusive.
Westfield, River, helow Westfield.
[Parts in 100,000.]
8
"o
O
Residue on
Evaporation.
Ammonia.
Nitrogen
AS —
a
si
a
o
fl
o
O
ALBUMINOID.
Year.
"3
1
a
g:l
1-5
3
o
Eh
1
1
.2
Q
. m
-d
a
K
1
i
1
1
i
1
1902,
.22
4.21
1.60
.0062
.0144
.0118
.0026
.14
.0062
.0002
.39
1.9
1903,
.15
3.68
1.30
.0037
.0127
.0105
.0022
.16
.0088
.0003
.28
1.8
1904,
.21
4.16
1.59
.0067
.0152
.0119
.0033
.16
.0068
.0001
.38
1.9
1906,1
.21
4.65
1.48
.0086
.0161
.0135
.0026
.18
.0035
.0003
.29
2.1
1907,
.24
4.49
1.63
.0053
.0137
.0111
.0026
.21
.0075
.0003
.31
2.0
1908,
.17
5.27
2.19
.0218
.0161
.0116
.0045
.27
.0063
.0006
.28
-
1909,
.22
5.56
1.68
.0179
.0187
.0143
.0044
.26
.0075
.0005
.34
-
1910,
.13
6.71
2.39
.0214
.0143
.0120
.0023
.30
.0304
.0010
.21
-
1911,
.25
5.86
2.03
.0272
.0162
.0133
.0029
.28
.0077
.0008
.38
-
1912,2
.13
6.40
2.08
.0286
.0189
.0130
.0059
.34
.0204
.0014
.24
-
1913,
.23
6.75
1.78
.0247
.0215
.0147
.0068
.30
.0292
.0012
.36
-
1914,
.15
6.50
1.72
.0255
.0255
.0161
.0094
.33
.0101
.0013
.26
-
1915,
.23
5.70
1.78
.0191
.0224
.0159
.0065
.27
-
-
.38
-
1- Four months.
2 September omitted.
No. 34.]
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
293
Water Supply Statistics.
During the year 1915 water supplies were introduced in the towns
of Dartmouth (population 5,330), Groveland (population 2,377),
Salisbury (population 1,717) and Shrewsbury (population 2,794).
The water supplied in the town of Dartmouth is obtained from the
works' of the city of New Bedford, and in Groveland from the works
of the city of Haverhill, while in each of the other two towns the
water is obtained from independent works. A new water district was
established during the year in the town of Easton, to supply the vil-
lages of South Easton and Eastondale with water obtained from the
works of the city of Brockton.
Of the 353 cities and towns in Massachusetts allof the 35 cities and
176 of the towns are provided with public water supplies. The fol-
lowing table gives a classification by population of the cities and
towns ha\'ing and not having public water supplies at the end of the
year: —
Population (1915).
Number of
Places of Given
Population
having
Public Water
Supplies.
Total
Population of
Places
in Preceding
Column.
Number of
Places of Given
Population
not having
Public Water
Supplies.
Total
Population of
Places_
in Preceding
Column.
Under 500, ..
500-999,
1,000-1,499, .
1,500-1,999, .
2,000-2,499, .
2,500-2,999, .
3,000-3.499, .
3,500-3,999, .
Above 4,000,
6
21
• 12
17
20
6
7
122
4,569
27,759
21,685
37,819
54,895
19,928
26,444
3,335,670
40
37
24
20
9
6
3
3
13,270
28,196
29,589
33,947
19,992
16,013
9,920
13,614
Totals, .
211
3,528,769
142
164,541
The 211 cities and towns having public water supplies are classified
in the following table according to the dates when a fairly complete
system of water supply was first introduced : —
294
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Years.
Number of
Public Water
Supplies
introduced.
Years.
Number of
Public Water
Supplies
introduced.
Previous to 1850
1850-1859, inclusive,
1860-1869, inclusive.
5
4
9
45
70
1890-1899, inclusive,
1900-1909, inclusive,
1910-1915, inclusive (six years),
Total
34
21
23
1870-1879, inclusive,
1880-1889, inclusive.
211
The following table gives certain statistics relative to the number of
cities and towns and the total population supplied with water from
surface and ground-water sources: —
Sources of Water Supply.
Number of
Cities and
Towns
supplied.
Per Cent.
of Cities
and Towns
supplied.
Population
supplied.
Per Cent, of
Total
Population
of All Cities
and Towns
supplied.
Surface,
Ground,
Surface and ground,
Total, .
110
78
23
100
2,809,412
539,165
180,192
3,528,769
100
The first table presented show^s that although but 60 per cent, of
the cities and towns in the State are provided with public water sup-
plies, the total population of the places supplied is 96 per cent, of the
total population of the State. The populations given in this table
were obtained by using the total population of the cities and towns
supplied, and are somewhat greater than the actual number of persons
to whom the public water supply is available, but the difference is not
great. With the exception of the town of Tewksbury, all of the towns
in the State having a population in excess of 5,000 are now supplied
with water, and there are only 6 towns having a population in excess
of 3,000 which are not provided with public water supplies. These
towns are as follows : —
Town.
Population.
Town.
Population.
Tewksbury
Warren,
Templeton,
5,265
4,268
4,081
Somerset,
Aubiu-n,
West port,
3,377
3,281
3,262
No. 34.]
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
295
At the present time the water works are owned either by the munici-
pality or by a water, water supply or fire district in all of the cities and
133 of the towns, while in 43 towns the works are owned by private
companies. The following table gives the classification by population
of the cities and towns which own their water works and those which
are supplied with water by private companies: —
Population in 1915.
Cities and Towns
OWNING Water Works.
Cities and Towns
SUPPLIED WITH Water bt
Private Companies.
Number.
Total
Population.
Number.
Total
Population.
Under 1,000
1,000-1,999
2,000-2,999
3,000-3,999,
4,000-4,999, ....'.
5,000-5,999
6,000-6,999
7,000-7,999
Over 8,000
2
23
28
7
7
17
10
7
67
1,241
33,846
69,407
25,263
31,251
93,855
66,316
52,937
2,979,893
4
10
9
6
2
3
3
6
3,328
15,598
23,307
21,109
9,476
16,117
18,778
67,047
Total,
168
3,354,009
43
174,760
The tendency toward municipal ovvnership of water works is shown
in the following table, giving, for the census years since 1890, the total
population of all cities and towns supplied with water, the total' popu-
lation of those supplied by private companies and its percentage of the
total population of all places supplied: — *
Year.
Total
Population
of All Cities
and Towns
provided
with Public
Water
Supplies.
Population
of Towns
supplied
by Private
Companies.
Per Cent, of
Total
Population
supplied
with Water.
1890,
1895,
1900,
1905,
1910,
1915,
1,924,812
2,237,017
2,505,301
2,792,490
3,171,055
3,528,769
318,319
212,579
236,809
193,290
159,730
174,760
16.5
9.5
9.2
6.9
5.0
5.0
296
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
The foregoing table shows that at the end of the year 1915 the total
population of the towns supplied with water by private companies was
only 5 per cent, of the total population of all of the cities and towns
supplied with w^ater, and there are only 12 towns having a population
in excess of 5,000 which are supplied by private companies. These
towns are as follows : —
Town
Population
(1915).
t
Town.
Population
(1915).
Southbridge,
Milford
Dedham,
Palmer,
Bridgewater,
Northbridge
14,217
13,684
11,043
9,468
9,381
9,254
Fairhaven,
Ludlow
Grafton
Amherst,
Millbury,
Hingham,
6,277
6,251
6,250
5,558
5,295
5,264
The population and valuation of all of the cities and towns in
Massachusetts in 1915 are given in the following table, which also con-
tains certain information relative to the ow^nership of the water works
and the date of their introduction into those places so provided,- the
cities and towns being arranged according to their population in 1915: —
City or Town.
Boston, .
Worcester, .
Fall River, .
New Bedfobd,
Cambridge, .
Lowell,
Springfield,
Lynn,
Lawrence, .
somervillb, .
Brockton,
HOLYOKE,
Haverhill, .
Public Water Supply.
Date of
Intro-
duction.
1848
1845
1874
1869
1856
1872
1874
1871
1875
1867
1880
1873
1802
Ownership.
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
Population
in 1915 of Cities
AND Towns.
With
Water
Supplies.
Without
Water
Supplies.
745,439
162,697
124,791
109,568
108,822
107,978
102,971
95,803
90,259
86,854
62,288
60,816
49,450
-
Valuation,
1915.
$1,573,164,500
180,074,186
107,153,345
111,465,763
130,997,710
92,954,197
190,402,170
92,333,285
82,785,245
77,444,399
54,450,391
65,551,223
44,680,117
No. 34.
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
297
Public Water Supply.
POPULATION
IN 1915 OF Cities
AND Towns.
CiTT OR Town.
Date of
Intro-
duction.
Ownership.
With
Water
Supplies.
Without
Water
Supplies.
Valuation,
1915.
Malden,
1870
City, .
48,907
-
$42,925,091
Chelsea,
1867
City, .
43,426
-
30,084,560
Newton,
1876
City, .
43,113
-
86,451,659
QUINCT, .
1884
City, .
40,674
43,803,965
FiTCHBUBO,
1872
City, .
39,656
-
40,547,574
PiTTSFIELD,
1855
City, .
39,607
-
40,872,870
Everett,
1867
City, .
37,718
-
32,805,950
Salem, .
1868
City, .
37,200
-
43,364,600
Taunton,
1876
City, .
36,161
-
26,832,231
Brookline,
1875
Town, .
33,490
-
125,759,129
Medford,
1870
City, .
30,509
-
31,449,950
Waltham,
1873
City, .
30,154
-
31,981,000
Chicopee,
1845
City, .
30,138
-
20,385,240
Revere,
1884
City, .
25,178
-
23,444,600
Gloucester,
1885
City, .
24,478
-
26,263,201
Beverly,
1868
City, .
22,959
-
44,680,057
North Adams,
1861
City, .
22,035
-
16,615,361
Northampton,
1871
City, .
21,654
-
18,920,031
Peabody,
1799
Town, .
18,625
-
15,135,200
Attleboro,
1873
City, .
18,480
-
22,374,610
Westfield,
1874
Town, .
18,411
-
12,785,922
Leominster,
1873
Town. .
17,646
-
13,788,640
Melrose,
1870
City, .
16,880
-
19,002,880
Watertown,
1885
Town, .
16,515
-
19,839,700
Woburn,
1873
City, .
16,410
-
13,520,865
Gardner,
1882
Town, .
16,376
-
11,543,652
Framingham,
1885
Town, .
15,860
-
17,187,700
Newburyport,
1881
City, .
15,311
-
12,656,186
Marlborough,
1883
City, .
15,250
-
11,307,191
Arlington,
1872
Town, .
14,889
-
17,771,213
Southbridge, .
1880
Southbridge 1
Vater Supply
[^om-
14,217
-
8,276,549
Methuen,
1875
pany.
Town, .
14,007
-
9,733,743
Weymouth,
1885
Town, .
13,969
-
12,887,929
Milford, .
1881
Milford Water Company,
13,684
-
10,472,092
Adams, .
1874
Adams Fire District, .
13,218
-
7,042,971
Clinton, .
1882
Town,
13,192
-
9,470,884
Plymouth,
1855
Town, .
12,926
-
14,299,615
298
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
City or Town.
Public Water Supply.
Date of
Intro-
duction.
Ownership.
Wakefield,
Winthrop,
Greenfield,
Webster,
West Springfield,
Danvers,
Natick, .
Dedham,
Norwood,
Saugiis, .
Winchester,
Easthampton,
Athol, .
Palmer, .
North Attleborough
Bridgewater,
Ware,
Braintree,
Northbridge,
Middleborough
Milton, .
Amesbury,
Belmont,
Andover,
Montague,
Marblehead,
Whitman,
Stoneham,
Swampscott,
Rockland,
Stoughton,
Reading,
Maynard,
Hudson,
1883
1884
1870
1881
1875
1876
1874
1881
1885
1878
1873
1870
1875
1886
1908
1884
1888
1886
1887
1889
1885
1885
1885
1887
1890
1887
1896
1909
1885
1883
1883
1885
1887
1886
1891
1889
1884
Town,
Town
Greenfield Fire District No. 1, .
Town
Town,
Town
Town,
Dedham Water Company, .
Town
Town,
Town
Town
Town
Palmer Water Company (Palmer),
Boston Duck Company (Bonds-
ville).
Town,
Bridgewater Water Company,
Town,
Town,
Whitin Machine Works (Whitins-
ville).
Middleborough Fire District,
Town
Town,
Town,
Town
Turners Falls Fire District,
Millers Falls Water Supply Dis-
trict.
Lake Pleasant Water Supply Dis-
trict.
Town
Town
Town
Town
Town,
Town
Town
Town
Town
Population
IN 1915 OF Cities
AND Towns.
With
Water
SuppUes.
12,781
12,758
12,618
12,565
11,339
11,177
11,119
11,043
10,977
10,226
10,005
9,845
9,783
9,468
9,398
9,381
9,346
9,343
9,254
8,631
8,600
8,543
8,081
7,978
7,925
7,606
7,520
7,489
7,345
7,074
6,982
6,805
6,770
6,758
Without
Water
SuppUes
Valuation,
1915.
$12,452,780
16,906,450
13,700,489
9,015,783
10,444,515
8,604,150
9,293,250
15,990,095
17,053,994
7,137,876
18,920,825
7,856,021
6,693,425
5,369,650
9,562,969
4,239,728
5,527,005
9,485,815
5,739,990
4,962,035
33,681,817
6,781,910
11,409,543
8,944,395
6,003,984
11,460,406
5,759,618
6,095,860
15,989,509
5,479,908
4,350,454
7,999,523
4,175,418
4,280,795
No. 34.1
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
299
City or Town.
Concord,
Great Barrington,
Needham,
Franklin,
Wellesley,
Fairhaven,
Ipswich, .
Ludlow, .
Grafton,
Spencer, .
North Andover,
Westborough,
Winchendon,
Mansfield,
Blackstone,
Abington,
Canton, .
Amherst,
Lexington,
Walpole, .
Orange, .
Dartmouth,
Millbury,
Tewksbury,
Hingham,
Chelmsford,
South Hadley,
Wareham,
Easton, .
Monson, .
Barnstable,
Uxbridge,
PcBLic Water Supplt.
Date of
Intro-
duction.
1S73
1867
1888
1890
1884
1884
1894
1894
1873
1886
1883
1898
1879
1896
1888
1911
1887
1889
1880
1884
1896
1873
1915
1895
1880
1907
1914
1872
1911
1894
1908
r 1887
{ 1915
1895
1912
1879
Ownership.
Town
Great Barrington Fire District, .
Housatonic Water Works Com-
pany (Housatonic).
Town,
Town
Town
Fairhaven Water Company,
Town
Ludlow Manufacturing Company,
Grafton Water Company, .
Town,
Town
Town
Town
Mansfield Water Supply District,
Woonsocket, R. I., Water Works,
Town,
Town
Amherst Water Company, .
Town,
Town,
Town
Town
Millbury Water Company, .
Hingham Water Company, .
North Chelmsford Fire District,
Chelmsford Water District, .
South Hadley Fire District No. 1,
South Hadley Fire District No. 2,
Onset Water Company,
Wareham Fire District,
North Easton Village District, .
South Easton and Eastondalc Fire
and Water District.
Town
Barnstable Water Company,
Town
POPULATIOX
IN 1915 OF Cities
AND Towns.
With
Water
Supplies
6,681
6,627
6,542
6,440
6,439
6,277
6,272
6,251
6,250
5,994
5,956
5,925
5,908
5,772
5,689
5,6)46
5,623
5,558
5,538
5,490
5,379
5,330
5,295
5,264
5,182
5,179
5,176
5,0C4
5,004
4,995
4,921
Without
Water
Supplies,
5,265
Valuation,
1915.
$9,527,350
10,392,283
9,010,865
5,065,217
20,684,270
4,501,594
5,719,240
5,618,262
3,825,768
3,629,010
6,042,049
3,342,715
4,447,007
4,523,040
2,465,488
3,763,381
6,838,814
6,388,168
10,028,177
7,535,002
4,030,408
5,753,325
3,399,117
1,861,780
8,737,150
4,514,610
3,407,453
6,680,145
7,285,854
1,978,410
9,470,655
4,360,270
300
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
CiTT OR Town.
Public Water Supply.
Date of
Intro-
duction.
Ownership.
Randolph,
Agawam,
Lee,
Dudley, .
Rockport,
Provincetown,
Warren, .
Templeton,
Dracut, .
Williamstown,
Falmouth,
Dalton, .
Foxborough, .
East Bridgeivater,
Medfield,
Hardwick,
Barre,
Oxford, .
Somerset,
Leicester,
Auburn, .
Westport,
Billerica,
Lenox,
Nantucket,
Holbrook,
North Brookfield,
Manchester, .
Medway,
Westford,
Pepperell,
Sutton, .
Cohasset,
Shrewsbury, .
1877
1881
1910
1895
1893
1900
1906
1859
1899
1884
1891
1912
1888
1889
1887
1895
1906
1891
1911
1898
1875
1878
1888
1893
1892
1911
1908
1909
1886
1915
Town
Town, ....
Berkshire Water Company,
Town,
Town
Town,
American Woolen Company (Col-
linsville).
Dracut Water Supply District, .
Williamstown Water Company, .
Town
Dalton Fire District, .
Foxborough Water Supply Dis-
trict.
East Foxborough Water Supply
District.
Town
Medfield Water Company, .
George H. Gilbert Manufacturing
Company.
Town,
Oxford Water Company,
Leicester Water Supply District,
Cherry Valley and Rochdale
Water District.
Town
Lenox Water Company,
Wannacomet Water Company,
Town
Town
Town
Town,
Westford Water Company, .
Town
Cohasset Water Company, .
Town,
Population
IN 1915 OF Cities
AND Towns.
With
Water
Supplies
4,734
4,555
4,481
4,373
4,351
4,295
Without
Water
Supplies.
4,022
3,981
3,917
3,858
3,755
3,689
3,648
3,596
3,476
3,476
3,322
3,246
3,242
3,166
2,948
2,947
2,945
2,846
2,843
2,839
2,800
2,794
4,268
4,081
3,377
3,281
3,262
2,829
Valuation,
1915.
$3,167,150
3,271,785
3,192,491
2,501,264
4,085,090
2,452,213
2,666,885
2,025,073
2,589,538
5,372,365
16,991,255
5,717,438
2,816,130
2,901,169
2,428,976
3,135,484
2,832,245
2,108,931
1,837,798
2,514,107
1,786,575
2,456,575
5,507,928
8,477,062
4,674,185
1,782,825
2,045,584
20,052,880
1,832,690
2,426,079
2,355,442
1,549,929
9,875,915
2,978,363
No. 34.
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
301
Public Water Supply.
Population
IN 1915 OF Cities
AND Towns.
Valuation.
1915.
City or Town.
Date of
Intro-
duction.
Ownership.
With
Water
Supplies.
Without
Water
Supplies.
Holliston,
1891
Holliston Water Company, .
2,788
-
$2,147,329
Ayer,
1887
Town,
2,779
-
2,439,172
Seekonk,
-
-
-
2,767
1,875,780
West Bridgewater, .
1911
Town
2,741
-
1,875,074
Deerfield,
r 1903
1 1911
South Deerfield Water Supply
District.
Deerfield Water Supply District,
i 2,739
-
2,651,768
Bourne, .
-
-
-
2,672
7,409,125
Hadley, .
1905
Hadley Water Supply District, .
2,666
-
2,231,764
Hanover,
-
_
-
2,666
2,287,980
Hopedale,
1881
Milford Water Company, .
2,663
-
8,919,744
Scituate,
1901
Scituate Water Company, .
2.661
-
5,938,950
Hatfield,
1896
Town,
2,630
-
2,047,646
Norton,
1912
Norton Water Company,
2,587
-
1,676,800
Lancaster,
1885
Town
2,585
-
7,038,992
Kingston,
1886
Town
2,580
-
1,706,196
Swansea,
-
_
-
2,558
1,951,853
Wilbraham,
-
_
-
2.521
1,675,621
Holden, .
1905
Town,
2,514
-
1,910,232
Dighton,
-
-
-
2,499
1,732,867
Hopkinton,
1884
Town
2,475
-
1.985.402
Sharon, .
1885
Town
2,468
-
3,907,095
Wrentham,
1908
Town
2,414
-
1.605,450
Acushnet,
-
_
-
2,387
1,217.710
Groveland,
1915
Town,
2,377
-
1,386,298
Weston, .
1896
Weston Water Company,
2,342
-
8,710,857
Groton, .
f 1897
1 1912
Groton Water Company,
West Groton Water Supply Dis-
2,333
-
4,595,237
Wilmington,
-
-
2,330
2,109,711
Hull, .
1882
Hingham Water Company, .
2,290
-
9,221,893
Shirley. .
1903
Shirley Village Water District, .
2,251
-
1,387,834
Rehoboth,
-
_
-
2,228
1,070,243
Charlton,
_
-
2,213
1,430,784
Douglas,
1910
Town
2,179
-
1,335,060
Harwich,
-
_
-
2,179
1,817,658
Avon,
1890
Town,
2,164
-
1,126,528
Acton,
Williamsburg,
1912
1903
West and South Water Supply
District.
Town
2,151
2.118
-
2,514,410
1,214,010
302
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
PuBiiic Wateb Supply.
Population
IN 1915 OF Cities
AND Towns.
Valuation,
1915.
City or Town.
Date of
Intro-
duction.
Ownership.
With
Water
Supplies.
Without
Water
Supplies.
Merrimac,
1904
Town,
2,101
-
$1,396,476
Belchertown, .
-
-
-
2,062
1,000,855
Ashburnham,
1870
Town
2,059
-
1,165,865
Brookfield,
1889
Town
2,059
-
1,538,107
Georgetown, .
-
-
-
2,058
1,377,270
Upton, .
-
_
-
2,036
1,307,489
Way land.
1878
Town
2,033
-
3,018,196
Ashland,
1911
Town
2,005
-
1,434,985
Bellingham, .
-
-
-
1,953
1,025,145
East Longmeadow,
1913
Town,
1,939
-
1,407,095
Duxbury,
1914
Duxbiu-y Fire and Water District,
1,921
-
3,905,044
Stockbridge, .
1862
Stockbridge Water Company,
1,901
-
4,517,515
Southborough ,
-
-
-
1,898
2,364,784
Rutland,
1896
Town,
1,895
-
943,170
Hamilton,
-
. -
-
1,879
6,692,140
Sheffield,
1897
Sheffield Water Company, .
1,862
1,133,365
Colrain, .
1902
Colrain Fire District No. 1,
1,829
916,439
Dennis, .
-
_ _ -
-
1,822
1,506,080
Townsend,
-
-
-
1,812
1,445,334
Raynham,
-
-
-
1,810
990,968
Northborough,
1882
Town
1,797
-
1,988,242
Hanson, .
-
-
-
1,796
1,545,500
Longmeadow,
1895
Town,
1,782
-
3,616,360
Northfield, .
1900
Northfield Water Company,
1,782
-
1,510,986
Marshfield, .
1890
Brant Rock Water Company,
1,725
-
2,801,453
Salisbury,
Carver, .
1915
Salisbury Water Supply Com-
pany.
1,717
1,701
1,709,445
2,119,850
Sherborn,
-
_
-
1,696
2,397,878
Essex, . • ,
-
_
-
1,677
1,325,773
Chatham,
-
_
-
1,667
2,000,580
Freetown,
-
_
-
1,663
1,145,260
Stiu-bridge,
-
_
-
1,618
955,100
Lunenburg, , .
-
-
-
1,610
1,615,154
Westminster, .
-
-
-
1,594
1,002,925
Newbury,
-
-
-
1,590
1,669,018
Buckland,
-
-
-
1,569
2,041,021
Norwell,
-
- - -
-
1,563
1,384,674
No. 34.]
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
303
City or Town.
Cheshire,
West Newburj'
Sandwich,
Lake-\-ilIe,
Marion, .
Shelburne,
Rowley, .
Westwood,
Millis, .
Huntington,
Yarmouth,
Plainville,
Sterling, .
Nahant, .
Bedford,
Southwick,
Mattapoisett,
Chester, .
Pembroke,
Tisburj-,
West Boylston,
Lincoln, .
Middleton,
North Reading,
West Brookfield,
Sunderland, .
West Stockbridge,
Edgartown,
Norfolk, .
Hinsdale,
Oak Bluffs,
Littleton,
Conway,
Sudburj',
Topsfield,
Erving, .
Orleans, .
Public Water Supply.
Date of
Intro-
duction.
Ownership.
1876
1908
1912
1891
1899
1909
1885
1909
1913
1893
1887
1874
1876
1913
1883
1873
1906
1889
1890
1912
Cheshire Water Company,
Town
Shelburne Falls Fire District,
Town
Huntington Fire District,
Town
Town,
Town,
Town, .
Chester Fire District,
Town, .
Town,
Town,
Town
Sunderland Water Company,
East Mountain Water Company,
Edgartown Water Company,
Hinsdale Fire District,
Cottage City Water Company, .
Town
Millers Falls Water Supply Dis-
trict.
Population
IN 1915 OF Cities
AND Towns.
Valuation,
1915.
With
Water
Supplies.
Without
Water
Supplies.
1,535
-
$888,289
-
1,529
1,115,974
-
1,500
1,525,350
-
1,491
1,284,540
1,487
-
5,630,830
1,484
-
1,961,266
-
1,481
2,049,156
-
1,448
4,511,538
1,442
-
1,473,059
1,427
-
774,305
-
1,415
2,557,779
1,408
-
1,058,460
-
1,403
1,370,079
1,387
-
8,439,491
1,365
-
1,988,789
-
1,365
937,995
1,352
-
2,346,428
1,344
-
854,481
-
1,337
1,246,735
1,324
-
2,158,536
-
1,318
1,029,610
1,310
-
5,173,511
1,308
-
923,994
-
1,292
993,306
1,288
-
1,051,401
1,278
-
725,267
1,277
-
606,330
1,276
-
1,429,475
-
1,268
1,171,344
1,257
-
784,943
1,245
-
2,004,325
1,228
-
1,266,194
-
1,220
836,230
-
1,206
1,615,970
-
1,173
4,294,828
1,168
-
1,100,898
-
1,166
4,830,613
304
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
City or Town.
Rochester,
Stow,
Whately,
Clarksburg,
Lynnfield,
Harvard,
Russell,
Lanesborough,
Hubbardston,
Wenham,
New Marlborough
Dover, .
Ashfield,
Berkley, .
Charlemont,
Becket, .
Tyngsborough
Gill,
Southampton,
Wellfleet,
Brimfield,
Mend on,
Ashby, .
Berlin,
Royalston,
Granby, .
Enfield,
Princeton,
Bernardston,
Granville,
Boylston,
Brewster,
Leverett,
Bolton, .
Burlington,
Petersham,
Boxford,
Public Water Supply.
Date of
Intro-
duction.
Ownership.
1911
1904
Town,
Ashfield Water Company,
Riverside Water Company,
Population
IN 1915 op Cities
AND Towns.
With
Water
Supplies.
Without
Water
Supplies
1,104
994
951
Granville Centre Water Company,
784
1,160
1,127
1,118
1,114
1,112
1,104
1,089
1,084
1,068
1,030
985
977
973
967
950
936
934
933
922
865
802
828
806
800
790
783
783
779
768
751
727
714
Valuation,
1915.
351,051,558
1,476,537
759,836
299,414
1,345,205
2,042,247
1,784,891
781,737
793,775
3,662,150
894,885
8,274,936
913,101
571,277
609,700
091,305
753,430
515,851
602,789
856,895
657,691
742,305
790,021
670,330
, 747,654
748,157
805,690
1,415,147
694,783
541,634
570,825
883,995
383,144
782,831
973,437
1,040,642
1,353,713
No. 34.]
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
305
Public Water Supply.
Population
IN 1915 OF Cities
AND Towns.
Valuation,
1915.
City or Town.
Date of
Intro-
duction.
Ownership.
With
Water
Supplies.
Without
Water
Supplies.
Dana,
-
_
-
712
$468,883
Hampden,
-
-
-
670
486,065
Truro, .
-
_
-
663
519,200
Cummington,
-
-
-
660
370,101
Halifax, .
-
_
-
638
694,061
New Salem,
-
-
-
625
397,950
Blandford,
1909
Blandford Fire District,
623
-
692,964
Worthington,
1911
Worthington Fire District, .
618
-
382,845
Egremont,
1913
South Egremont Water Company,
599
-
569,602
Plympton,
-
-
-
599
465,513
Bichmond,
-
-
-
564
654.269
Sandis field,
-
-
-
564
434,528
Chesterfield,
-
_
-
559
371,629
Eastham,
-
-
-
545
479,495
Oakham,
-
-
-
527
386,087
Savoy, .
-
-
-
524
196,755
Hancock,
• -
-
514
452,706
Pelham, .
-
-
-
499
441,302
Carlisle, .
-
-
-
490
660,527
Wans-ick,
- .
-
-
477
455,270
Paxton, .
-
-
-
471
421,493
New Braintree,
-
-
-
453
422,262
Otis,
-
-
-
442
299,764
West Tisburj^
-
-
-
441
663,559
Westhampton,
-
-
-
430
272,082
Florida, .
-
-
-
427
583,117
Hawley, .
-
-
-
427
245,158
Greenwich,
-
-
-
426
262,060
Rowe,
-
_
-
424
252,521
Phillipston,
-
-
-
390
305,668
Wendell,
-
-
-
388
549,332
Heath, .
-
-
-
383
245,940
Plaiafield,
-
-
-
375
195,573
Windsor,
-
_
-
375
294,192
Dunstable,
-
-
362
425,695
Monterey,
-
-
358
1 387.695
Leyden, .
-
-
-
344
1 246,671
306
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
City ok Town.
Wales,
Tyringham,
Boxborough,
Middlefield,
Prescott,
Monroe, .
Shutesbury,
Goshen, .
Chilmark,
Washington,
Alford, .
Mashpee,
Montgomery,
Tolland, .
Peru,
Gay Head,
Holland,
Gosnold,,
Mount Washington
New Ashford,
Public Water Supply.
Date of
Intro-
duction.
Ownership.
Population
IN 1915 OF Cities
AND Towns.
With
Water
Supplies.
Without
Water
Supplies.
-
337
-
327
-
326
-
325
-
299
-
296
-
292
-
289
-
. 288
-
275
-
271
-
263
-
230
-
199
-
195
-
175
-
159
-
155
-
95
-
92
Valuation,
1915.
$262,240
353,277
305,554
217,883
215,229
251,403
382,861
245,952
405,393
306,271
206,318
358,760
160,815
263,173
174,047
45,090
123,760
- 809,570
145,821
73,670
Consumption of Water.
Records of the consumption of water are kept in nearly all of the
cities and towns where water is pumped, and in several places supplied
by gravity Venturi meters have been installed to measure the quantity
supplied.
The following table gives statistics with regard to the consumption
of water in the year 1915 in those cities and towns from which records
could be obtained. The daily consumption of water per inhabitant
given in this table has been obtained by dividing the average daily
consumption by the total population of the city or town as determined
by the census of 1915. The quantity obtained in this manner is some-
what less than the actual consumption per person using the water
because there are in all cities and towns a greater or less number of
persons who do not use the public supply. This difference is most
marked in some towns which contain villages to which the public water
No. 34.1
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
307
supply has not been extended, and in towns where the works have been
in operation but a short time and where water has not come into gen-
eral use. In a few of the towns the population during the summer
months is much greater than is shown by the census returns, and in
such cases the consumption per inhabitant as given in the table is
higher than it would be if allowance were made for the increased popu-
lation in the summer. AYith a few exceptions, however, the difference
between the census returns and the actual population supplied is not
great.
Consimption of Water in Various Cities and Toicns in 1915.
Popu-
Average Daily
Consumption.
City or Town.
Popu-
lation.
Average Daily
Consumption.
City os Town.
Gallons
Gallons
Gallons.
per
Inhabi-
tant.
Gallons.
per
Inhabi-
tant.
Metropolitan Water
District:' —
Arlington,
1,201,300
14,889
104,771,000
825,000
87
55
Attleboro,
Avon,
18,480
2,164
937,000
79,000
51
37
Belmont, .
8,081
425,000
53
Ayer,
2,779
173,000
62
Boston, .
745,439
77,652,000
104
Bedford,
1,365
44,000
32
Chelsea, .
43,426
2,901,000
67
Beverly,
22,959
1,605,000
70
Everett, .
37,718
2,599,000
69
Billerica,
3,246
251,000
77
Lexington,
5,538
359,000
65
Braintree,
9,343
498,000
53
Maiden, .
48,907
2,243,000
46
Brockton,
62,288
2,479,000
40
Medford, .
30,509
1,245,000
41
Brookline,
33,490
2,750,000
82
Melrose, .
16,880
852,000
50
Cambridge, .
108,822
8,957,000
82
Milton,
8,600
339,000
39
Canton, .
5,623
313,000
56
Nahant, .
1,387
162,000
117
Chelmsford, .
5,182
88,000
17
Qmncy, .
40,674
2,512,000
62
Clinton, .
13,192
637,000
48
Revere, .
25,178
1,485,000
59
Concord,
6,681
457.000
68
Somerville,
Stoneham,
86,854
7,489
5,807,000
374,000
67
50
Danvers and Mid-
dleton.
Dedham,
12,485
11,043
1,306,000
973,000
105
88
Swampscott, .
7,345
436,000
59
Dudley, .
4,373
104,000
24
Watertown,
16,515
1,025,000
62
Duxbury,
1,921
48,000
25
Winthrop,
12,758
700,000
55
East Bridgewater, .
3,689
83,000
23
Abington and Rock-
land.
Acton,
12,720
619,000
49
Easthampton,
9,845
619,000
63
2,151
45,000
21
East Longmeadow,
1,939
21,000
11
Agawam,
4,555
108,000
24
Easton, .
5,064
137,000
27
Amesbury,
8,543
454,000
53
Edgartown, .
1,276
66,000
52
Amherst,
5,558
539,000
97
Fairhaven,
6,277
333,000
53
Andover,
7,978
655,000
82
Fall River, .
124,791
6,086,000
49
Ashland,
2,005
29,000
14
Falmouth,
3,917
418,000
107
» Including ]
Vcwton, V,
hich is wit]
xin the Di
strict, but supplied fro
m indopo
ndent work
3.
308
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Consumption of Water in Various Cities and Towns in 1916 — Continued.
Popu-
lation.
Average Daily
Consumption.
City or Town. f^^^
Average Daily
Consumption.
City or Town.
Gallons.
Gallons
per
Inhabi-
tant.
Gallons.
Gallons
per
Inhabi-
tant.
Fitchburg,
39,656
3,530,000
89
Montague and Erv- 9,093
662,000
73
Foxborough, .
3,755
194,000
52
mg.
Nantucket, .
3,166
211,000
67
Framingham,
15,860
783,000
49
Natick, .
11,119
683,000
61
Franklin,
6,440
357,000
55
Needham,
6,542
405,000
62
Gardner,
16,376
808,000
49
New Bedford,
. 109,568
7,647,000
70
Gloucester,
24,478
1,313,000
54
Newbury port.
15,311
1,013,000
66
Grafton,
6,250
126,000
20
Newton,
43,113
2,830,000
66
Greenfield,
12,618
1,171,000
93
North Andove
r, . 5,956
295,000
50
Groton, .
2,333
115,000
49
North Attleboi
■ough, 9,398
349,000
37
Holliston,
2,788
72,000
26
North Brookfi
3ld, . 2,947
222,000
75
Holyoke,
60,816
6,211,000
102
Norton, .
2,587
92,000
36
Hudson,
6,758
255,000
38
Norwood,
10,977
991,000
90
Ipswich,
6,272
341,000
54
Oak Bluffs,
1,215
229,000
184
Lancaster,
2,585
83,000
32
Orange, .
5,379
131,000
24
Lawrence,
90,259
4,006,000
44
Peabody,
18,625
2,629,000
141
Lincoln, .
1,310
202,000
154
Pepperell,
2,839
105,000
37
Littleton,
1,228
32,000
26
Pittsfield,
39,607
5,630,000
142
Longmeadow,
1,782
83,000
47
Plainville,
1,408
27,000
19
Lowell, .
107,978
5,427,000
50
Plymouth,
12,926
1,300,000
101
Ludlow, .
6,251
157,000
25
Provincetown
4,295
228,000
53
Lynn and Saugus,
106,029
6,385,000
60
Randolph and
brook.
Reading,
Hoi- 7,682
352,000
46
Manchester, .
2,945
400,000
136
6,805
224,000
33
Mansfield,
5,772
446,000
77
Rockport,
4,351
238,000
55
Marblehead, .
7,606
512,000
■ 67
Salem, .
37,200
3,699,000
99
Marion, .
1,487
98,000
66
Sharon, .
2,468
115,000
47
Marlborough,
15,250
592,000
39
Shirley, .
2,251
74,000
33
Mattapoisett,
1,352
41,000
30
Southbridge,-
14,217
654,000
46
Maynard,
6,770
230,000
34
Springfield,
. 102,971
10,116,000
98
Medway,
2,846
89,000
31
Stoughton,
6,982
325,000
47
Merrimac,
2,101
104,000
50
Taunton,
36,161
2,222,000
61
Methuen,
14,007
630,000
45
Tisbury,
1,324
138,000
104
Middleborough,
8,631
329,000
38
Wakefield,
12,781
592,000
46
Milford and Hope-
dale.
Millbury,
16,347
776,000
47
Walpole,
5,490
632,000
115
5,295
204,000
39
Waltham,
30,154
2,294,000
76
No. 34.]
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
309
Consumption oj Water in Various Cities and Towns in 1915 — Concluded.
Popu-
lation.
Average Daily
Consumption.
Popu-
lation.
Average Daily
Consumption.
City or Town.
Gallons.
Gallons
per
Inhabi-
tant.
CrrT or Town.
Gallons.
Gallons
per
Inhabi-
tant.
Ware, .
Wareham,
Webster,
Wellesley,
West Bridgewater, .
West Brookfield, .
Westfield,
Westford,
9,346
5,176
12,565
6,439
2,741
1,288
18.411
2,843
453,000
148,000
553,000
470,000
69,000
45,000
1,844,000
94,000
48
29
44
73
25
35
100
33
Weston, .
Whitman,
Winchendon,
Winchester,
Woburn,
Worcester,
Wrentham,
2,342
7,520
5,908
10,005
16,410
162,697
2,414
106,000
187,000
210,000
556,000
1,996,000
12,818,000
104,000
45
25
36
56
122
79
43
Rainfall.
The normal yearly rainfall in Massachusetts as deduced from long-
continued observations in various parts of the State is 44.62 inches.
The average rainfall for the year 1915 in these places was 44.47 inches,
a deficiency of 0.15 of an inch. The year was the twelfth in succession
in which the rainfall has been less than the normal, the accumulated
deficiency at the end of the year being 48.37 inches, or 3.75 inches
more than the total rainfall in a normal year. There was an excess of
precipitation in the months of January, February, July, August and
December, and a deficiency in the other seven months of the year.
The greatest excess in any month occurred in July, when the average
rainfall was 8.15 inches, or 4.36 inches greater than the normal, and
the greatest deficiency occurred in March, w^hen the average rainfall
was only 0.06 of an inch, or 3.84 inches less than the normal.
The following table gives the normal rainfall in the State for each
month as deduced from observations at various places for a long period
of years, together with the average rainfall at those places for each
month during the year 1915 and the departure from the normal: —
310
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Month.
Normal
Rainfall
(Inches).
Rainfall
in 1915
(Inches).
Excess or
Defi-
ciency in
1915
(Inches).
Month.
Normal
Rainfall
(Inches).
Rainfall
in 1915
(Inches).
Excess or
Defi-
ciency in
1915
(Inches).
January, .
February,
March,
April,
May,
3.77
3.60
3.90
3.59
3.67
3.20
3.79
6.77
4.32
0.06
2.34
1.76
1.88
8.15
+3.00
+0.72
—3.84
—1.25
—1.91
—1.32
+4.36
August, .
September,
October, .
November,
December,
Total,
4.26
3.43
3.84
3.87
3.70
6.77
1.39
3.02
2.61
5.40
+2.51
—2.04
—0.82
—1.26
+ 1.70
June,
July,
44.62
44.47
—0.15
Although the average annual rainfall for the entire State during the
year 1915 was but slightly less than the normal for a long period of
years, its distribution was very unusual. In the month of January the
average rainfall was very nearly twice the normal, being slightly more
than the normal in the extreme northeasterly and northwesterly parts
of the State but from two to three times the normal in the extreme
southeasterly part of the State, where it amounted to 10.75 inches
at New Bedford, 10.00 inches at Fall River, 9.93 inches at Taunton,
9.38 inches at Plymouth and 9.15 inches at Hyannis. With two
or three exceptions the rainfall in the month of February was fairly
uniform throughout the State and averaged but slightly more than the
normal. In the month of March there was no appreciable precipita-
tion at stations in the easterly and northeasterly sections of the State,
but at most of the remaining stations some measurements were re-
corded, although at but few did the amount exceed .10 of an inch, the
maximum being .41 of an inch recorded at Williamstown. An exam-
ination of the records available fails to show any previous year in
which the average rainfall during the month of March was as low as
in the year 1915. In the months of April, May and June the rainfall
was less than the average for those months, and at the end of June the
total accumulated deficiency for the first six months of the year
amounted to 4.60 inches. Early in the morning of the first of July,
however, the greatest fall of rain that has been recorded for many years
occurred throughout the entire State, with the exception of the extreme
southeasterly portion. On July 8 and 9 another storm occurred,
which was general throughout the State and during which the rainfall
was unusually heavy. During the remainder of the month the pre-
cipitation was frequent and of appreciable amounts, so that the total
for the month was more than twice the average for a long period of
years. In August the rainfall was also in excess of the normal, and at
the end of that month there was an accumulated excess for the first
eight months of the year of 2.27 inches. In September, October and
November the rainfall was less than the normal for those months,
while in December it was again in excess of the normal.
No. 34.]
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
311
Flow of Streams.
Sudbury River.
The average flow of the Sudbury River during the year 1915 was
719,000 gallons per day per square mile, or 73 per cent, of the normal
flow for the past forty-one years. The flow was in excess of the normal
in the months of January, February, July and August, but less than
the normal in the other eight months of the year. The greatest excess
occurred in the month of August and the greatest deficiency in the
month of March. The average flow for the driest six months, June to
November, inclusive, was 480,000 gallons per day per square mile, or
the greatest flow for such period since the year 1898.
In order to show the relation between the flow of the Sudbury River
during each month of the year 1915 and the normal flow of that
stream, as deduced from observations during forty-one years, from
1875 to 1915, inclusive, the following table has been prepared. The
area of the watershed of the Sudbury River above the point of meas-
urement is 75.2 square miles.
Table showing the Average Daily Flow of the Sudbury River for Each Month in
the Year 1915, in Cubic Feet per Second per Square Mile of Drainage Area
and in Million Gallons per Day per Square Mile of Drainage Area; also,
Departure from the Normal Flow.
i
NoHM.u, Flow.
Actual Flow in 1915.
Excess or
Defictenct
Cubic Feet
Million
Cubic Feet
Million
Cubic Feet
Million
Month.
per
Gallons per
per
Gallons per
per
Gallons per
Second
Day
Second
Day
Second
Day
per Square
per Sqiiare
per Square
per Square
per Square
per Square
Mile.
Mile.
Mile.
MUe.
Mile.
MUe.
January, ....
1.8.50
1.196
2.520
1.629
+0.670
+0.433
February, .
2.605
1.684
2.893
1.870
+0.288
+0.186
March,
4.228
2.733
0.918
0.593
^3.310
—2.140
April, .
• 3.057
1.976
0.912
0.590
—2.145
—1.386
May, .
1.632
1.055
0.395
0.255
—1.237
—0.800
June, .
0.723
0.467
0.156
0.101
—0,567
—0.366
July, .
0.269
0.174
1.617
1.045
+1.348
+0.871
August,
0.383
0.248
1.808
1.168
+1.425
+0.920
September,
0.342
0.221
0.059
0.038
—0.283
—0.183
October,
0.651
0.421
0.357
0.231
—0.294
—0.190
November,
1.160
0.750
0.404
0.261
—0.756
—0.489
December, .
1.507
0.974
1.390
0.898
—0.117
—0.076
Average for w
rhole
year
1.528
0.988
1.113
0.719
—0.415
—0.269
The following table gives the rainfall upon the Sudbury River
watershed and the total yield expressed in inches in depth upon the
watershed (inches of rainfall collected) for each of the past forty-one
years, from 1875 to 1915, inclusive, together with the average for the
entire period of forty-one years: —
312
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Rainfall, in Inches, received and collected on the Sudbury River Watershed.
1875.
1876.
1877.
Month.
3
'6
1
(2
3
a
1
■t
Pi
i
il
January, .
2.42
0.184
7.6
1.83
1.147
62.7
3.22
1.174
36.5
February,
3.15
2.411
76.5
4.21
2.282
54.2
0.74
1.529
206.9
March,
3.74
2.862
76.5
7.43
7.911
106.5
8.36
8.586
102.7
April,
3.23
5.263
162.9
4.20
5.683
135.4
3.43
4.132
120.3
May,
3.56
2.119
59.5
2.76
2.031
73.5
3.70
2.482
67.0
June,
6.24
1.501
24.0
2.04
0.383
18.8
2.43
1.031
42.5
July,
3.57
0.573
16.0
9.13
0.326
3.6
2.y5
0.360
12.2
August, .
5.53
0.706
12.8
1.72
0.723
42.0
3.68
0.216
5.9
September,
3.43
0.358
10.4
4.62
0.318
6.9
0.32
0.103
31.9
OctoDer, .
4.85
1.152
23.8
2.24
0.417
18.6
8.52
1.127
13.2
November,
4.83
2.248
46.5
5.76
1.878
32.6
5.80
2.447
42.2
December,
0.94
1.041
110.7
3.62
0.809
22.3
0.87
2.300
264.4
Totals and
ivera
ges, .
45.49
20.418
44.9
49.56
23.908
48.2
44.02
25.487
57.9
'•
1878.
1879.
1880.
Month.
"3
■d
-- o
la -2
f
'6
. »
II
.9
■6
^1
■3"
■d
il
Pi
3
'3
Pi
1
3:S
•d
. o
II
Ph
January, .
5.63
3.228
57.3
2.48
1.249
50.4
3.57
2.000
.56.0
February,
5.97
3.972
66.5
3.56
2.756
77.4
3.98
2.982
74.9
March,
4.69
6.256
133.4
5.14
4.156
80.9
3.31
2.451
73.9
April,
5.79
2.807
48.5
4.72
5.379
114.1
3.11
2.017
65.0
May,
0.96
2.487
260.2
1.58
1.987
125.8
1.84
0.917
50.0
June,
3.88
0.873
22.5
3.79
0.713
18.8
2.14
0.303
14.2
July,
2.97
0.229
7.7
3.93
0.281
■ 7.1
0.27
0.315
5.0
August, .
6.94
0.848
12.2
6.51
0.705
10.8
4.01
0.212
5.3
September,
1.29
0.277
21.5
1.88
0.243
12.9
1.60
0.138
8.6
October, .
6.42
0.921
14.3
0.81
0.126
15.6
3.74
0.181
4.8
November,
7.02
2.922
41.6
2.68
0.355
13.2
1.78
0.354
19.9
December,
6.37
5.667
89.0
4.34
0.825
19.0
2.83
0.312
11.0
Totals and <
ivera
ges, .
57.93
30.487
52.6
41.42
18.775
45.3
38.18
12.182
31.9
No. 34.
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
313
Rainfall, in Inches, received and collected, etc. — Continued.
1881.
1882.
1883.
Month.
5
a
•d
. o
11
3
■6
«
ll
.2 8
11
,?
PL|
3
a
S
<^ 8
■3
J ■
0-3
I, «
January, .
5.56
0.740
13.3
5.95
2.213
37.2
2.81
0.597
21.2
February,
4.65
2.491
63.6
4.55
3.872
85.2
3.87
1.664
43.0
March,
5.73
7.142
124.6
2.65
5.064
191.2
1.78
2.873
161.4
April,
2.00
2.669
. 133.4
1.82
1.497
82.1
1.84
2.330
126.3
May,
3.51
1.721
49,0
5.07
2.304
45.5
4.19
1.673
40.0
June,
5.39
2.309
42.8
1.66
0.913
54.9
2.40
0.518
21.6
July,
2.35
0.493
21.0
1.77
0.154
8.7
2.68
0.206
7.7
August,
1.38
0.264
19.4
1.67
0.099
5.9
0.73
0.140
19.1
September,
2.62
0.340
13.0
8.74
0.529
6.0
1.52
0.157
10.4
October, .
2.95
0.331
11.2
2.07
0.534
25.7
5.60
0.331
5.9
November,
4.09
0.682
16.7
1.15
0.362
31.5
1.81
0.354
19.5
December,
3.96
1.383
34.9
2.30
0.561
24.5
3.55
0.345
9.7
Totals and
ivera
ges, .
44.17
20.565
46.6
39.40
18.102
45.9
32.78
11.188
34.1
1884.
1885.
1886.
Month.
3
"a
T3
= 0
3=
■d
. «
11
t. «
PL,
3
'3
•d
■d
. «
11
0-3
(2
3
a
1
•d
0
-d
11
PL,
January, .
5.09
1.775
34.9
4.71
2.203
46.8
6.36
2.606
40.9
February,
6.54
4.742
72.5
3.87
2.182
56.4
6.28
7.734
123.2
March,
4.72
6.752
143.1
1.07
2.805
262.1
3.61
3.672
101.7
April,
4.41
4.925
111.8
3.60
3.133
86.9
2.22
3.361
151.1
May,
3.47
1.838
53.0
3.48
2.383
68.4
3.00
1.285
42.9
June,
3.44
0.719
20.9
2.87
0.735
25.7
1.47
0.350
23.9
July,
3.67
0.399
10.9
1.43
0.111
7.8
3.27
0.206
6.3
August,
4.65
0.458
9.8
7.18
0.429
6.0
4.10
0.168
4.1
September,
0. 5
0.076
8.9
1.43
0.209
14.7
2.90
0.203
7.0
October, .
2.48
0.148
6.0
5.09
0.599
11.8
3.24
0.260
8.0
November,
2.65
0.302
11.4
6.09
2.033
33.3
4.64
1.161
25.0
December,
5.17
1.650
31.9
2.72
2.094
77.0
4.97
1.819
36.6
Totals and i
ivera
ges,
47.14
23.784
50.5
43.54
18.916
43.4
46.06
22.825
49.5
314
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Rainfall, in Inches, received and collected, etc. — Continued.
1887.
1888.
1889.
Month.
Pi
. o
II
3
"d
^1
3
'a
C4
0
^1
Is
-d
. »
(2
January, ....
5.20
4.619
88.8
4.15
1.878
45.3
5.37
4.963
92.4
February,
4.78
4.558
95.3
3. 68
3.255
88.3
1.65
1.926
116.4
March,
4.90
5.116
104.4
6.02
5.775
95.9
2.37
2.388
100.9
April,
4.27
4.522
106.0
2.43
4.566
188.3
3.41
2.434
71.4
May,
1.16
1.799
154.5
4.82
2.912
60.3
2.95
1.569
53.3
June,
2.65
0.714
26.9
2.54
0.728
28.7
2.80
1.128
40.3
July,
3.76
0.204
5.5
1.41
0.209
14.9
8.94
1.130
12.6
August, .
0.28
0.382
7.2
6.22
0.677
10.9
4.18
2.554
61.2
September,
1.32
0.191
14.5
8.59
1.994
■ 23.2
4.60
1.422
30.9
October, .
2.83
0.339
12.0
4.99
3.566
71.4
4.25
2.194
51.6
November,
2.67
0.636
23.8
7.22
4.761
65.9
6.29
3.351
63.3
December,
3.88
1.147
29.6
5.40
5.428
100.6
3.14
3.997
127.3
Totals and
ivera
ges.
42.70
24.227
56.7
57.47
35.749
62.2
49.95
29.056
58.2
1890.
1891.
1892.
Month.
3
a
-6
0
=il
■d
3
■3
•d
¥
Pi
•d
. a)
il
3
•d
¥
Pi
-d
. 0
Oo
January
2.53
2.237
88.4
7.02
5.383
76.7
5.85
3.335
57.0
February,
3.51
2.463
70.3
5.23
5.616
107.3
3.14
1.574
50.1
March,
7.73
6.498
84.0
6.48
7.944
122.7
4.06
3.488
85.9
April,
2,64
3.236
122.3
3.91
4.138
106.0
0.83
1.504
181.1
May,
5.21
2.437
46.8
2.01
1.0.39
51.7
5.58
2.245
40.2
June,
2.03
0.980
48.3
3.77
0.714
18.9
2.76
0.739
26.8
July,
2.46
0.191
7.8
3.39
0.266
7.8
4.23
0.382
9.0
August, .
3.87
0.235
6.1
4.73
0.290
6.1
4.44
0.500
11.3
September,
6.00
0.790
13.2
2.38
0.350
14.7
2.84
0.396
13.9
October, .
10.51
4.053
38.6
3.83
0.375
9.8
' 1.17
0.224
19.2
November,
1.20
2.097
174.7
3.09
0.526
17.0
5.80
1.204
20.7
December,
5.31
1.776
33.5
3.68
0.971
26.3
1.13
0.865
76.9
Totals and
ivera
ges.
53.00
26.993
50.9
49.52
27.612
55.8
41.83
16.456
39.3
No. 34.]
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
315
Rainfall, in Inches, received and collected, etc. — Continued.
1893.
1894. ;
1895.
Month.
3
13
1
Pi
"fl
T3
Pi
11
-d
11
"e'o
. (9
il
I. w
January, ....
2.92
0.773
26.4
4.09
1.236
30.2
4.06
1.844
45.4
February,
8.20
2.485
30.3
3.91
1.596
40.8
1.39
0.871
62.5
March,
3.07
5.789
157.7
1.43
3.992
278.2
2.98
4.299
144.2
April,
3.60
3.668
101.7
3.42
2.832
82.9
5.25
4.341
82.7
May,
6.61
5.143
77.8
4.24
1.498
35.4
2.02
1.134
56.1
June,
2.38
0.759
31.9
1.15
0.723
62.6
2.77
0.301
10.8
July.
2.57
0.282
11.0
3.26
0.287
8.8
5.04
0.411
8.2
August, .
5.41
0.322
5.9
2.03
0.373
18.4
4.15
0.409
9.9
September,
1.74
0.187
10.8
2.63
0.258
9.8
2.30
0.153
6.7
October, .
4.07
0.395
9.7
5.34
0.668
12.5
10.68
2.460
23.0
November,
2.20
0.550
25.1
3.43
1.442
42.1
6.63
4.794
72.4
December,
'
4.86
1.421
29.2
4.81
1.277
26.5
3.35
3.179
94.9
Totals and
avera
ges.
48.23
21.774
45.2
39.74
16.182
40.7
50.62
24.196
47.8
1896.
1897.
1898.
Month.
5
'3
■d
.£8
■d
11
/?
•d
(U
•d
. o
11
(2
3
■3
Ph
•73
0
=3!
¥
Pi
•1
11
Oo
Janiaary
2.39
1.933
80.9
4.00
1.507
37.6
6.83
2.922
42.8
February,
7.18
4.466
62.2
2.91
1.718
59.0
4.49
4.809
108.5
March,
5.24
6.841
130.7
3.66
4.575
125.0
2.40
4.645
193.5
April,
1.57
2.579
164.3
2.82
2.615
92.7
4.66
3.158
67.8
May,
2.57
0.641
24.9
4.37
1.632
37.3
3.22
2.222
68.9
June,
3.22
0.689
21.4
4.46
1.661
37.3
2.48
0.915
36.9
July,
2.51
0.170
6.8
5.44
1.174
21.6
4.09
0.411
10.1
August,
2.40
0.102
4.3
3.51
1.053
30.0
8.17
1.974
24.2
September,
7.72
0.669
8.7
2.94
0.315
10.7
2.62
0.637
24.4
October, .
3.76
1.055
28.0
0.47
0.168
35.7
6.71
2.069
30.8
November,
3.02
1.137
37.7
6.40
1.570
24.5
6.93
3.429
49.5
December,
2.12
1.171
55.1
5.21
2.827
54.3
3.28
3.208
97.7
Totals and
avers
iges, .
43.70
21.453
49.1
46.19
20.815
45.1
55.88
30.459
54.5
316
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Rainfall, in Inches, received and collected, etc. — Continued.
1899.
1900.
1901.
Month.
3
=51
•1
11
3
a)
."si
13
11
3
1
13
=51
¥
•73
11
Oo
January, ....
4.18
4.082
97.7
4.96
1.417
28.6
1.82
0.779
42.7
February,
4.91
2.225
45.3
9.14
6.123
67.0
1.52
0.483
31.7
March,
7.01
7.501
107.0
6.35
6.518
102.6
6.57
4.912
74.8
April,
1.90
4.351
229.0
2.58
2.330
90.2
8.60
7.257
84.4
May,
1.45
0.911
62.8
4.32
2.341
54.2
7.23
5.269
72.9
June,
2.51
0.114
4.6
2.99
0.545
18.3
1.38
1.299
94.1
July,
3.22
0.035
1.1
2.42
-0.032
—1.3
5.71
0.545
9.6
August, .
1.43
—0.063
—4.4
2.26
—0.060
—2.7
4.57
0.756
16.5
September,
3.95
0.162
4.1
3.36
0.112
3.3
3.30
0.527
15.9
October, .
2.69
0.206
7.7
3.83
0.331
8.6
2.82
0.734
26.0
November,
2.18
0.525
24.1
5.70
1.144
20.1
2.90
0.819
28.3
December,
1.78
0.392
22.0
2.74
1.955
71.4
' 9.69
4.808
49.6
Totals and
avera
ges.
37.21
20.441
54.9
50.65
22.724
44.9
56.11
28.188
50.2
1902.
1903.
1904.
Month.
3
"a
•d
4)
■d
. <u
11
O-o
3
"a
1
¥
-d
. o
Oo
3
CI
■d
II
0*0
•d
. a)
C g
January
2.52
3.145
125.1
3.80
3.096
81.4
4.87
0.851
17.5
February,
6.18
2.697
43.6
3.95
3.672
93.0
3.00
1.472
49.1
March,
5.34
7.491
140.3
6.63
6.161
92.9
2.72
5.349
196.8
April,
4.13
3.254
78.8
2.99
3.903
130.5
8.87
5.685
64.1
May,
1.86
1.325
71.3
0.93
0.625
67.4
2.65
3.112
117.7
June,
2.89
0.523
18.1
9.25
3.431
37.1
2.80
0.723
25.8
July,
2.94
0.117
4.0
2.77
0.794
28.7
1.96
0.111
5.7
August, .
3.40
0.240
7.1
3.67
0.547
14.9
3.86
0.303
7.8
September,
4.54
0.308
6.8
1.75
0.225
12.8
5.80
0.685
11.8
October, .
4.44
0.902
20.3
4.72
0.877
18.6
1.64
0.348
21.2
November,
1.45
0.767
52.7
1.56
0.626
40.2
1.73
0.499
28.8
December,
6.38
3.173
49.8
3.14
1.038
33.1
2.92
0.481
16.5
Totals and
avera
ges, .
46.07
23.942
52.0
45.16
24.995
55.3
42.82
19.619
45.8
No. 34.
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
317
Rainfall, in Inches, received and collected, etc. — Continued.
1905. 1
1906.
1907.
Month.
3
a
a
3
¥
■6
11
3
"a
"a
=31
¥
"d
gJ
January, ....
5.26
2.516
47.8
2.47
2.012
81.5
3.28
2.411
73.4
February,
2.20
0.531
24.2
2.92
1.676
57.4
2.17
1.005
46.2
March,
3.15
4.456
141.6
6.32
4.297
68.0
1.91
2.958
154.6
April,
2.72
2.837
104.3
2.88
3.364
116.6
3.41
2.774
81.5
May,
1.31
0.530
40.3
5.66
1.890
33.4
3.63
1.584
43.6
June,
5.00
0.806
16.1
3.91
1.220
31.2
3.53
1.314
37.2
July,
5.47
0.316
5.8
3.42
0.709
20.7
1.86
0.015
0.8
August, .
2.70
0.204
7.6
3.02
0.321
10.6
1.07
—0.186
-17.4
September,
6.88
2.152
31.3
3.30
0.034
1.0
8.76
0.934
10.7
October, .
1.54
0.282
18.3
3.40
0.538
15.8
4.17
1.321
31.7
November,
2.07
0.481
23.3
2.69
0.834
31.1
6.12
3.450
56.4
December,
4.01
1.583
39.5
4.49
1.175
26.2
4.47
3.624
81.1
Totals and
avers
iges, .
42.31
16.694
39.5
44.48
18.070
40.6
44.38
21.204
47.8
1908. 1
1909. 1
1910.
Month.
3
-d
o
1-
-6
11
(2
3
a
'i
-6
¥
-a
11
3
"3
Rainfall
collected.
.1
11
January
3.60
3.434
95.4
3.98
0.700
17.6
5.39
2.657
49.2
February,
4.56
2.564
56.3
5.80
3.684
63.6
5.06
2.979
58.9
March,
3.82
4.026
105.5
4.26
3.093
72.7
0.85
3.486
408.7
April,
1.88
1.929
102.6
4.67
2.970
63.6
2.75
1.151
41.9
May,
5.51
1.865
33.9
2.42
1.791
73.9
1.29
0.495
38.4
June,
0.86
0.335
38.9
2.81
0.413
14.7
4.68
0.891
19.0
July,
3.71
—0.025
-0.7
1.59
—0.216
—13.5
2.03
—0.182
—9.0
August, .
4.57
0.181
4.0
2.93
-0.080
—2.7
2.62
—0.130
-5.0
September,
0.97
—0.141
—14.5
4.74
0.257
5.4
2.49
0.008
0.3
October, .
2.55
0.083
3.3
1.12
—0.091
—8.1
1.86
—0.091
-^.9
November,
0.98
0.122
12.5
3.38
0.142
4.2
4.13
0.304
7.4
December,
3.14
0.243
7.7
4.05
0.469
11.6
2.49
0.395
15.8
Totals and
averi
iges, .
36.15
14.616
40.4
41.75
13.132
31.5
35.64
11.963
33.6
318
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Rainfall, in Inches, received and collected, etc. — • Concluded.
1911.
1912.
1913.
Month.
3
"3
Is
■d
il
a
Ph
3
■d
o
"a
1
t
si
Ph
-d
January, .
2.88
0.925
32.1
2.94
1.299
44.1
3.17
1.857
58.5
February,
2.77
1.128
40.7
2.77
1.998
72.2
2.82
1.215
43.1
March,
3.59
2.042
56.9
6.46
5.515
85.3
5.75
3.727
64.8
April,
2.81
2.461
87.4
4.37
3.859
88.3
4.25
3.852
90.6
May,
1.01
0.567
56.1
4.55
2.580
56.7
3.97
1.547
39.0
June,
2.53
0.367
14.6
0.46
0.255
56.1
1.98
0.257
13.0
July,
3.19
—0.025
—0.8
3.24
—0.137
—4.2
3.60
-0.111
—3.1
August, .
4.94
0.036
0.7
3.05
—0.053
—1.7
3.64
—0.095
—2.6
September,
2.75
0.131
4.8
1.76
-O.049
—2.8
3.77
0.152
4.0
October, .
3.69
0.528
14.3
2.35
—0.024
-1.0
5.53
0.863
15.6
November,
4.62
1.024
22.2
3.64
0.285
7.8
2.65
0.828
31.3
December,
3.60
1.620
44.9
5.13
0.882
17.2
3.18
1.305
41.1
Totals and
ivera
ges,
38.38
10.804
28.2
40.72
16.410
40.3
44.31
15.397
34.8
1914.
1915.
Mean for Fortt-One
Years, 1875-1915.
Month.
3
"a
Pi
•d
!s1
•d
^1
3
"d
1
'6
r
■d
. a)
3
a
1
•d
f
■d
. 0
11
January, .
3.85
1.619
42.1
6.51
2.906
44.7
4.14
2.133
51.6
February,
4.07
1.625
39.9
3.58
3.013
84.1
4.12
2.734
66.4
March,
4.57
5.404
118.0
0.05
1.058
2,227.4
4.36
4.875
112.0
April,
5.10
4.061
79.6
2.48
1.018
41.0
3.55
3.411
96.1
May,
3.08
2.765
89.7
1.74
0.455
26.1
3.28
1.882
57.4
June,
1.90
0.008
0.4
3.65
0.174
4.8
3.02
0.807
26.7
July,
3.44
0.190
5.5
8.12
1.865
23.0
3.65
0.311
8.5
August, .
3.82
0.277
7.3
5.87
2.084
35.5
3.90
0.442
11.3
September,
0.29
-0.234
—79.8
1.10
0.066
6.1
3.33
0.381
11.5
October, .
1.60
—0.105
—6.6
2.95
0.412
14.0
3.84
0.751
19.6
November,
2.53
0.168
6.7
2.79
0.451
16.2
3.76
1.294
34.4
December,
3.46
0.446
12.9
5.09
1.602
31.5
3.84
1.738
45.2
Totals and
avera
ges.
37.71
16.224
43.0
43.93
15.104
34.3
44.79
20.759
46.4
No. 34.]
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
!19
The following table gives the record of the yield of the Sudbury
River watershed for each of the past forty-one years, the flow being
expressed in gallons per day per square mile of watershed in order to
render the table more convenient for use in estimating the probable
yield of watersheds used as sources of water supply: —
Yield of the Sudbury River Watershed in Gallons per Day per Square Mile. ^
Month.
1875.
1876.
1877. 1878.
1879.
1880.
January,
103,000
643,000
658,000
1,810,000
700,000
1,121,000
February,
1,496,000
1,368,000
949,000
2,465,000
1,711,000
1,787,000
March,
1,604,000
4,435,000
4,813,000
3,507,000
2,330,000
1,374,000
April,
3,049,000
3,292,000
2,394,000
1,626,000
3,116,000
1,168,000
May,
1,188,000
1,139,000
1,391,000
1,394,000
1,114,000
514,000
June,
870,000
222,000
597,000
506,000
413,000
176,000
July,
321,000
183,000
202,000
128,000
158,000
177,000
August, .
396,000
405,000
121,000
475,000
395,000
119,000
September,
207,000
184,000
60,000
160,000
141,000
80,000
October, .
646,000
234,000
632,000
516,000
71,000
101,000
November,
1,302,000
1,088,000
1,418,000
1,693,000
206,000
205,000
December,
584,000
454,000
1,289,000
3,177,000
462,000
175,000
Average for whole year, .
972,000
1,135,000
1,214,000
1,452,000
894,000
578,000
Average for driest six months,
574,000
384,000
502,000
532,000
230,000
143,000
MOXTH.
1881.
1882.
1883.
1884.
1885.
1886.
Januan,',
415,000
1,241,000
335,000
995,000
1,235,000
1,461,000
February,
1,546,000
2,403,000
1,033,000
2,842,000
1,354,000
4,800,000
March,
4,004,000
2,839,000
1,611,000
3,785,000
1,572,000
2,059,000
April,
1,546,000
867,000
1,350,000
2,853,000
1,815,000
1,947,000
May,
965,000
1,292,000
938,000
1,030,000
1,336,000
720,000
June,
1,338,000
529,000
300,000
417,000
426,000
203,000
July,
276,000
86,000
115,000
224,000
62,000
115,000
August, .
148,000
55,000
78,000
257,000
240,000
94,000
September,
197,000
306,000
91,000
44,000
121,000
118,000
October, .
186,000
299,000
186,000
83,000
336,000
146,000
November,
395,000
210,000
205,000
175,000
1,178,000
673,000
December,
775,000
314,000
193,000
925,000
1,174,000
1,020,000
Average for whole year, .
979,000
862,000
533,000
1,129,000
901,000
1,087,000
Average for driest sLx months.
330,000
211,000
145,000
200,000
391,000
223,000
» The area of the Sudbury River watershed used in making up these records included water surfaces
amounting to about 2 per cent, of the whole area, from 1875 to 1878 inclusive, subsequently increasing
by the construction of storage reservoirs to about 3 per cent, in 1879, to 3.5 per cent, in 1885, to 4 per cent,
in 1894 and to 6.5 per cent, in 1898. The watershed also contains extensive areas of swampy land, which,
though covered with water at times, are not included in the above pejcentages of water surfaces.
320
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Yield of the Sudbury River Watershed in Gallons per Day per Square Mile —
Continued.
Month.
1887.
1888.
1889.
1890.
1891.
1892.
January,
2,589,000
1,053,000
2,782,000-
1,254,000
3,018,000
1,870,000
February,
2,829,000
1,951,000
1,195,000
1,529,000
3,486,000
943,000
March,
2,808,000
3,237,000
1,339,000
3,643,000
4,453,000
1,955,000
April,
2.020,000
2,045,000
1,410,000
1,875,000
2,397,000
871,000
May,
1,000,000
1,632,000
880,000
1,366,000
582,000
1,259,000
Juno,
414,000
422,000
653,000
568,000
414,000
428,000
July,
114,000
117,000
633,000
108,000
149,000
214,000
August, .
214,000 •
380,000
1,432,000
132,000
163,000
280,000
Soptenihcr,
111,000
1,155,000
824,000
458,000
203,000
229,000
October, .
190,000
1,999,000
1,230,000
2,272,000
210,000
120,000
November,
368,000
2,758,000
1,941,000
1,215,000
305,000
607,000
December,
ar,
643,000
3,043.000
2,241,000
997,000
544,000
485,000
Average for wliolc yc
1,154,000
1,697,000
1,383,000
1,285.000
1,315,000
781,000
Average for driest six months,
234,000
053,000
944,000
747,000
239,000
327,000
Month.
1893.
1894.
1895.
1896.
1897.
1898.
January,
433,000
693,000
1,034,000
1,084,000
845,000
1,638,000
February,
1,542,000
991,000
541,000
2,676,000
1,067,000
3,022,000
March,
3,245,000
2,238,000
2,410,000
3,835,000
2,565,000
2,604,000
April,
2,125,000
1,640,000
2,515,000
1,494,000
1,515,000
1,829,000
May,
2,883,000
840.000
636,000
360,000
915,000
1,246,000
June,
440,000
419,000
174,000
399.000
962,000
530,000
July,
158,000
161,000
231,000
95,000
658,000
231,000
August, .
181,000
209,000
229,000
57,000
591,000
1,107,000
Soptomber,
108,000
150,000
89,000
388,000
182,000
369,000
October, .
221,000
374,000
1,379,000
592,000
94,000
1,160,000
November,
319,000
830,000
2,777,000
659,000
909,000
1,986,000
December,
797,000
716,000
1,782,000
657,000
1,584,000
1,799,000
Average for whole >'car,
1,037,000
770,000
1,152,000
1,019,000
991,000
1,450,000
Average for driest six months.
237,000
356,000
460,000
314,000
564,000
777,000
No. 34.
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
321
Yield of the Sudbury River Watershed in Gallons per Day -per Square Mile —
Continued.
Month.
January
February,
March, ......
April,
May
June
July
August,
September,
October, .
November,
December,
Average for whole year, .
Average for driest six months.
1898.
1900.
2,288,000
1,381,000
4,205,000
2,521,000
511,000
66,000
19,000
—35,000
91,000
115,000
304,000
220,000
973,000
93,000
794,000
3,800,000
3,654,000
1,350,000
1,312,000
316,000
—18,000
—34,000
65,000
186,000
663,000
1,096,000
1901.
1,082,000
194,000
437,000
300,000
2,755,000
4,204,000
2,954,000
753,000
306,000
424,000
305,000
412,000
474,000
2,695.000
1902.
1903.
1,342,000
445,000
1,763,000
1,074,000
4,199,000
1,885,000
743,000
303,000
06,000
135,000
178,000
506,000
444,000
1,779,000
1,140,000
271,000
1,736,000
2,279,000
3,454,000
2,261,000
351,000
1,987,000
445,000
307,000
130,000
492,000
363,000
582,000
1904.
1,190,000
388,000
477,000
882,000
2,999,000
3,294,000
1,745,0(J0
419,000
62,000
170,000
397,000
191,000
289,000
269,000
931,000
228,000
Month.
1905.
1906.
1907.
1908.
1909.
1910.
January,
1,410,000
1,128,000
1,351,000
1,925,000
392.000
1,490,000
Februarj',
330,000
1,041,000
624,000
1,536,000
2,286,000
1,849,000
March,
2,497,000
2,409,000
1,658,000
2,257,000
1,734,000
1,954,000
April,
1,643,000
1,949,000
1,607,000
1,117,000
1,721,UUU
667,000
May,
297,000
1,059,000
888,000
1,046,000
1,004,000
277,000
June,
467,000
707,000
761,000
194,000
239,000
516.000
July,
177,000
398,000
9,000
—14,000
—121,000
—102.000
August, .
114,000
180,000
—104,000
102,000
-^5,000
—73.000
September,
1,246,000
19,000
541,000
—82,000
149,000
5.000
October, .
158,000
301,000
741,000
47,000
—51,000
—51.000
November,
279,000
483,000
1,998,000
71,000
82,000
176.000
December,
887,000
659,000
2,032,000
136,000
263.000
221,000
.\verage for whole year,
795,000
860,000
1,010,000
694,000
625,000
570,000
Average for driest six months.
403,000
341,000
471,000
44,000
40,000
29,000
322
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Yield of the Sudbury River Watershed in Gallons per Day per Square Mile-
Concluded.
Month.
19]].
1912.
1913.
1914.
1915.
Mean for
Forty-one
Years,
1875-1915.
January,
519,000
728,000
1,041,000
908,000
1,629,000
1,196,000
February,
700,000
1,197,000
754,000
1,009,000
1,870,000
1,684,000
March, .
1,144,000
3,092,000
2,090,000
3,029,000
593,000
2,733,000
April,
1,426,000
2,235,000
2,232,000
2,353,000
590,000
1,976,000
May,
318,000
1,447,000
867,000
1,550,000
255,000
1,055,000
June,
213,000
148,000
149,000
5,000
101,000
467,000
July, .
—14,000
—77,000
—62.000
107,000
1,045,000
174,000
August, .
20,000
—29,000
—54,000
156,000
1,168,000
248,000
September,
76,000
—28,000
88,000
—135,000
38,000
221,000
October,
296,000
—14,000
484,000
—59,000
231,000
421,000
November, .
593,000
165,000
480,000
97,000
261,000
750,000
December,
908,000
494,000
732,000
250,000
898,000
974,000
Average for whole j^ear, .
514,000
779,000
733,000
772,000
719,000
988,000
Average for driest six months.
152,000
26,000
180,000
29,000
480,000
379,000
Note. — The recorded yields, subsequent to the year 1897, are less accurate than those for previous years,
particularly during months of small yield, due to unavoidable inaccuracies in the measurement of large
quantities of water received from, the Wachusett Reservoir.
Nashua River.
The average flow of the South Branch of the Nashua River above
Clinton during the year 1915 was 942,000 gallons per day per square
mile, or 88 per cent, of the normal flow for the past nineteen years.
The flow was in excess of the normal in the months of January,
February, July, August and December but less than the normal in the
other seven months of the year. The greatest excess occurred in the
month of August and the greatest deficiency in the month of March.
The average flow for the driest six months, May to October, inclusive,
was 666,000 gallons per day per square mile, the greatest flow for such
a period since the year 1907.
In order to show the relation between the flow of the Nashua River
during each month of the year 1915 and the normal flow of that
stream as deduced from observations during nineteen years, from
1897 to 1915, inclusive, the following table has been prepared. The
area of the watershed of the Nashua River above the point of measure-
ment was 119 square miles from 1897 to 1907 and 118.19 square miles
No. 34.1
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
323
from 1908 to 1913, inclusive. Since Jan. 1, 1914, the city of Worcester
has been diverting water from 9.35 square miles of this watershed for
the supply of that city, leaving the net watershed area 108.84 square
miles. In the calculations of yield allowance has been made for water
overflowing from the Worcester area.
Table showing the Average Daily Flow of the South Branch of the Nashua River
for Each Month in the Year 1916, in Cubic Feet per Second per Square Mile
of Drainage Area and in Million Gallons per Day per Square Mile of Drain-
age Area; also, Departure from the Normal Flow.
Normal Flow.
Actual Flow in 1915.
Excess or
Deficiency.
Month.
Cubic Feet
per
Second
per Square
Mile.
Million
Gallons per
Day
per Square
Mile.
Cubic Feet
per
Second
per Square
Mile.
Million
Gallons per
Day
per Square
Mile.
Cubic Feet
per
Second
per Square
Mile.
Million
Gallons per
Day
per Square
MUe.
January, . . . .
1.907
1.233
3.190
2.062
+1.283
+0.829.
February,
2.148
1.388
3.034
1.961
+0.886
+0.573
March,
4.002
2.587
0.885
0.572
—3.117
—2.015
April, .
3.269
2.113
1.433
0.926
—1.836
—1.187
May, .
1.812
1.171
0.704
0.455
—1.108
—0.716
June, .
1.083
0.700
0.353
0.228
—0.730
—0.472
July, .
0.635
0 411
1.676
1.083
+1.041
+0.672
August,
0.684
0.442
2.564
1.657
+1.880
+1.215
September,
0.509
0.329
0.244
0.158
—0.265
—0.171
October,
0.779
0.504
0.599
0.387
—0.180
—0.117
November,
1.165
0.753
0.770
0.498
—0.395
—0 255
December, .
1.822
1.178
2.103
1.359
+0.281
+0.181
Average
for w
hole
year,
1.6-49
1.066
1.458
0.942
—0.191
-0.124
The following table gives the rainfall upon the Nashua River water-
shed and the total yield expressed in inches in depth upon the water-
shed (inches of rainfall collected) for each of the past nineteen years,
from 1897 to 1915, inclusive, together with the average for the entire
period : —
324
STATE- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Rainfall, in Inches, received and collected on the Nashua River Watershed.
1897.
1898. I
1899.
Month.
3
US
.S o
T3
"a
Pi
-a
to
?.|
.5 o
Cj
T3
gj
a
-d
1
as
Pi
■6
0-3
Ph
January
3.46
1.420
41.0
6.65
2.787
41.9
2.93
3.731
127.3
February,
2.86
1.500
52.4
3.30
2.635
79.8
5.12
1.757
34.3
March,
4.01
4.922
122.7
2.27
5.509
242.7
6.75
4.952
73.4
April,
2.32
2.818
121.5
4.43
3.500
79.0
1.94
5.829
300.5
May,
5.06
2.075
41.0
3.38
2.480
73.4
1.33
1.538
115.6
June,
5.11
2.039
39.9
3.11
1.429
46.0
5.51
0.969
17.6
July,
8.65
2.572
29.7
3.01
0.593
19.7
3.82
0.631
16.5
August, .
3.47
1.599
46.1
10.61.
2.363
22.3
3.20
0.421
13.2
September,
1.93
0.656
34.0
3.15
1.166
37.0
4.11
0.431
10.5
October, .
0.94
0.434
46.2
7.21
2.691
37.3
2.72
0.437
16.1
November,
7.62
2.214
29.1
6.81
3.746
55.0
1.94
0.742
38.2
December,
6.41
4.059
63.3
3.99
3.676
92.1
2.03
0.640
31.5
Totals and
avera
ges.
51.84
26.308
50.7
57.92
32.575
56.2
41.40
22.078
53.3
1900.
1901.
1902.
Month.
3
c
■d
ffi
— a
•6
. <D
11
OS
u ^
Ph
i
a
13
.S8
Pi
-d
Ph
3
'3
Pi
-d
(U
'a'o
. o
II
Up
Ph
January, ....
4.56
1.420
31.1
1.75
0.926
52.9
2.72
2.990
109.9
February,
8.69
6.532
75.2
1.13
0.574
50.8
4.91
2.258
46.0
March,
6.19
6.639
107.3
5.82
4.849
83.3
5.27
7.120
135.1
April,
2.76
2.727
98.8
9.64
8.605
89.3
4.36
3.728
85.5
May,
4.34
2.467
56.8
7.02
4.867
69.3
2.24
1.839
82.1
June,
3.59
0.998
27.8
1.51
1.701
112.6
2.51
0.708
28.2
July,
3.20
0.388
12.1
5.66
0.851
15.0
3.87
0.521
13.5
August, .
3.18
0.351
11.0
4.58
0.913
19.9
3.95
0.529
13.4
September,
3.46
0.220
6.4
3.10
0.552
17.8
4.26
0.416
9.8
October, . .
2.90
0.504
17.4
3.70
1.154
31.2
6.36
1.696
26.7
November,
6.44
1.510
23.4
2.43
0.892
36.7
0.93
1.095
117.7
Decenlber,
3.15
2.800
88.9
9.36
5.766
61.6
7.20
3.295
45.8
Totals and avera
ges.
52.46
26.556
50.6
55.70
31.650
56.8
48.58
26.195
53.9
No. 34.
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
325
Rainfall, in Inches, received and collected on the Nash^la River Watershed —
Continued.
1
1903. 1
1904.
1905.
Month.
3
P3
-a
o
'3
Pi
■6
§1
O o
"3
"a
1
'a'o
.S 0
c3
■6 \
I. 0
"a
"s
■3
Pi
-d
0
— ■ 0
.ss
03
•6
a g
January, ....
2.85
2.256
79.2
4.02
1.176
29.3
6.10
2.258
37.0
February,
4.42
3.436
77.7
2.66
1,547
58.2
1.72
0.729
42.4
March,
6.58
6.107
92.8
3,40
5,361
157.7
3.95
5.358
135.7
April,
3.10
3.864
124.6
7.45
5,149
69.1
2.60
2.792
107.4
May,
1.24
1.015
81.9
2.99
2,671
89.3
0.83
0.794
95.7
June,
10.37
3.678
35.5
3.44
1,315
38. 2
4.88
0.935
19.2
July,
3.43
1.114
32.5
3.84
0.886
23.1
5,39
0.651
12.1
August, .
3.88
0.846
21.8
3.68
0,633
17.2
3,09
0.573
18,5
September,
2.93
0.647
22.1
5.30
0.853
16.1
6,90
2.119
30,7
October, .
4.43
1.228
27.7-
1.78
0.620
34.8
1,81
0.654
36.1
November,
2.36
1.095
46.4
1.62
0.591
36.5
2.52
0.763
30,3
December,
3.99
1.702
42.7
2.88
0.784
27.2
3.79
1.816
48.0
Totals and averages, .
49.58
26.988
54.4
43.06
21.586
50.1
43.58
19.442
44.6
1906.
1907.
1908.
Month.
"6
J
a §
3
■3
•6
Pi
•d
. <o
II
0-3
0
3
■3
■6
=il
|8
■d
a §
(2
January, ....
2.59
2.018
77.9
2.84
2.601
91.6
3.40
3.101
91.2
February,
2.74
1.654
60.4
2.32
1,115
48.0
4,82
2.896
60.0
March,
5.17
3.317
64.2
1.82
3,028
166.3
2,77
3.910
141.2
April,
3.12
3.640
116.7
2.65
2.479
93.5
2,62
2.191
83.5
May,
6,58
2.734
41,5
2.96
1.722
58.2
5,34
2.524
47.3
June,
5.95
2.043
34,3
3.54
1.334
37.7
1.29
0.696
54,0
July,
5.52
1.299
23.5
3,03
0.597
19.7
3.85
0.393
10,2
August,
4.34
1.055
24.3
1,26
0.155
12.3
6.49
0.790
12,2
September,
2.61
0.478
18.3
9,50
1.399
14.7
1.04
0.151
14,5
October, .
3.95
0.945
24.0
5,68
2.465
43.4
2.12
0*282
13.3
November,
2.25
1.294
57.5
5,74
4.384
76.4
1.05
0.216
20.6
December,
4.26
1.417
33.3
4.40
3.499
79.5
3.03
0.691
22.8
Totals and
aver
ages, .
49.08
21.894
44.6
45.74
24.778
54.2
37.82
17.841
47.2
326
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Rainfall, in Inches, received and collected on the Nashua River Watershed
Continued.
1909.
1910.
1911.
Month.
3
a
.si
. »
II
^1
3
'3
■6
.98
. 4)
1"
3
"a
3-
'si
■3
id
8
January
3.52
1.056
30.0
5.86
3.293
56.2
2.91
1.379
47.5
February,
6.10
4.119
67.5
5.24
2.972
56.7
2.43
1.007
41.4
March,
4.38
3.798
86.8
1.09
4.708
432.7
3.79
2.389
63.0
April,
5.71
4.181
73.3
3.01
1.785
59.2
2.22
2.404
108.5
May,
2.65
2.162
81.6
2.13
1.085
51.0
1.59
0.822
51.6
June,
3.03
1.090
36.0
4.36
1.422
32.6
2.37
0.606
25.5
July.
4.25
0.416
9.8
1.52
0.110
■ 7.2
2.53
0.101
4.0
August, .
3.59
0.345
9.6
3.87
0.332
8.6
5.46
0.335
6.1
September,
3.90
0.358
9.2
2.86
0.250
8.7
3.04
0.313
10.3
October, .
1.70
0.160
9.4
1.40
0.122
8.7
5.24
1.280
24.4
November,
1.68
0.626
37.2
4.17
0.612
14.6
4.14
1.786
43.1
December,
4.00
0.9.58
24.0
2.34
0.697
29.8
3.01
1.903
63.2
Totals and
avera
ses.
44.51
19.270
43.3
37.85
17.388
45.9
38.73
14.325
37.0
1912.
1913.
1914.
Month.
■3
-d
0
■3.2
"So
.S 0
-d
O' 0
I- «
3
s
■3
-d
.3 8
■d
M
3
'3
■d
§■§
.S 0
03
Ph
•d
. a)
1"
January, ....
2.57
1.392
54.2
3.38
2.522
74.7
3.40
1.765
52.0
February,
2.42
1.547
63.8
2.55
1.397
54.7
3.58
1.903
53.2
March,
5.69
5.050
88.8
5.58
4.037
72.4
4.33
5.595
129.1
April,
4.06
3.938
97,0
3.90
3.597
92.2
4.91
4.476
91.2
May,
5.76
3.206
55.7
3.71
1.852
49.9
3.01
3.031
100.6
June,
0.48
0.571
119.6
0.90
0.483
53.5
2.00
0.547
27.4
July,
2.65
0.240
9.1
2.37
0.034
1.4
3.92
0.588
15.0
August, .
2.89
0.224
7.8
3.05
0.107
3.5
4.50
0.465
10.3
September,
2.17
0.154
7.1
4.44
0.377
8.5
0.15
—0.020
—14.0
October, . *
2.53
0.258
10.2
6.02
1.209
20.1
1.88
0.243
12.9
November,
4.02
0.762
18.9
2.59
1.139
43.9
2.97
0.364
12.3
December,
4.95
1.414
28.5
2.73
1.704
62.5
3.89
0.664
17.1
Totals and
ivera
ges.
40.19
18.756
46.7
41.22
18.458
44.8
38.54
19.621
50.9
No. 34.]
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
327
Rainfall, in Inches, received and collected on the Nashua River Watershed
Concluded.
1915.
Meax fob Nineteen Years,
1897-1915.
Month.
Rainfall.
Rainfall
Per Cent.
Rainfall.
Rainfall
Per Cent.
collected.
collected.
collected.
collected.
January
6.31
3.678
58.3
3.78
2.198
58.2
February, .
3.32
3.159
95.3
3.70
2.249
60.8
March,
0.06
1.021
17,00.6
4.15
4.614
111.1
April, .
1.80
1.599
88.9
3.82
3.648
95.5
May, .
, 1.67
0.811
48.5
3.36
2.089
62.2
June, .
3.18
0.393
12.4
3.53
1.208
34.2
July, .
8.60
1.932
22.4
4.17
0.732
17.6
August,
6.90
2.955
42.8
4.32
0.789
18.3
September, .
1.53
0.273
17.8
3.49
0.568
16.3
October,
3.05
0.690
22.6
3.44
0.899
26.1
November, .
3.12
0.859
27.5
3.39
1.300
38.3
December, .
5.11
2.424
47.5
4.24
2.101
49.6
Totals and a%
erage
-s,
44.65
19.794
44.3
45.39
22.395
49.3
The following table gives a record of the yield of the Nashua River
for each of the past nineteen years, the flow being expressed in gallons
per day per square mile of watershed: —
Yield of the A'^ashua River Watershed in Gallons per Day per Square Mile. ^
Month.
1897.
1898.
1899.
1900.
1901.
January,
796,000
1,563,000
2,092,000
796,000
519,000
February,
931,000
1,635,000
1,090,000
4,054,000
356,000
March,
2,760,000
3,088,000
2,776,000
3,722,000
2,718,000
April,
1,632,000
2,027,000
3,376,000
1,580,000
4,986,000
May,
1,163,000
1,390,000
862,000
1,382,000
2,729,000
June,
1,131,000
828,000
561,000
578,000
985,000
July,
1,442,000
333,000
354,000
217,000
477,000
August,
896,000
1,325,000
236,000
197,000
512,000
September,
380,000
676,000
250,000
127,000
320,000
October, .
243,000
1,509,000
245,000
282,000
647,000
November,
1,283,000
2,170,000
430,000
875,000
517,000
December,
2,275,000
2,061,000
359,000
1,570,000
3,234,000
Average for whole year, .
1,253,000
1,551,000
1,051,000
1,264,000
1,507,000
Average for driest six months, .
886,000
1,013,000
312,000
377,000
576,000
I The area of the watershed used in making up these records included water surfaces amounting to
2.2 per cent, of the whole area from 1897 to 1902, inclusive, to 2.4 per cent, in 1903, to 3.6 per cent, in 1904,
to 4.1 per cent, in 1905, to 5.1 per cent, in 1906, to 6 per cent, in 1907, to 7 per cent, in 1908, 1909 and 1910,
to 6.5 per cent, in 1911, to 6.8 per cent, in 1912, to 7.0 per cent, in 1913 and to 7.4 per cent, in 1914 and 1915.
328
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Yield of the Nashua River Watershed in Gallons fer Day -per Square Mile —
Continued.
Month.
1902.
1903.
1904.
1905.
1908.
January,
1,676,000
1,265,000
659,000
1,266,000
1,132,000
February,
1,401,000
2,133,000
927,000
452,000
1,027,000
March,
3,992,000
3,423,000
3,008,000
3,004;000
1,860,000
April,
2,159,000
2,238,000
2,984,000
1,617,000
2,109,000
May,
1,031,000
569,000
1,498,000
445,000
1,533,000
June,
410,000
2,131,000
762,000
542,000
1,184,000
July,
292,000
624,000
497,000
365,000
728,000
August,
297,000
474,000
355,000
321,000
591,000
September,
241,000
375,000
494,000
1,228,000
277,000
October, .
950,000
639,000
347,000
367,000
530,000
November,
635,000
634,000
343,000
442,000
749,000
December,
XT,
1,848,000
954,000
440,000
1,018,000
794,000
Average for whole ye
1,248,000
1,285,000
1.025,000
926,000
1,043,000
Average for
drie
st six
mon
ths.
471,000
626,000
413,000
541,000
613,000
Month.
January,
February, ....
March,
April
May,
June,
July,
August,
September
October,
November, ....
December, ....
Average for whole year, .
Average for driest six months,
1907.
1908.
1909.
1910.
1,458,000
692,000
1,697,000
1,436,000
965,000
773,000
335,000
87,000
810,000
1,382,000
2,540,000
1,961,000
1,180,000
725,000
1,738,000
1,736,000
2,192,000
1,269,000
1,415,000
403,000
220,000
443,000
88,000
158,000
125,000
387,000
592,000
2,556,000
2,129,000
2,422,000
1,212,000
632,000
233,000
193,000
208,000
90,000
363,000
537,000
1,846,000
1,845,000
2,639,000
1,034,000
608,000
824,000
62,000
186,000
145,000
68,000
354,000
391,000
847,000
238,000
918,000
270,000
828,000
201,000
No. 34.]
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
329
Yield of the Nashva River Watershed in Gallons per Day fcr Square Mile —
Concluded.
Month.
1912.
1913.
1914.
1915.
Mean for
Nineteen
Years,
1897-1915.
January,
780,000
1,414,000
900,000
2,002,000
1,233,000
February,
927,000
867,000
1,181,000
1,961,000
1,388,000
March,
2,831,000
2,263,000
3,137,000
572,000
2,587,000
April,
2,281,000
2,083,000
2,593,000
926,000
2,113,000
May,
1,797,000
1,038,000
1,699,000
455,000
1,171,000
June,
331,000
280,000
317,000
228,000
700,000
July,
135,000
19,000
329,000
1,083,000
411,000
August, .
125,000
60,000
261,000
1,657,000
442,000
September,
89,000
219,000
—12,000
158,000
329,000
October, .
145,000
678,000
136,000
387,000
504,000
November,
442,000
660,000
211,000
498,000
753,000
December,
793,000
955,000
372,000
1,359,000
1,178,000
Average for whole year,
891,000
879,000
934,000
942,000-
1,066,000
Average for driest six m.onths, .
210,000
318,000
208,000
666,000
522,000
Merrimack River.
The flow of the Merrimack River has been measured for many years
at Lawrence, above which place the river has a total watershed area
of 4,663 square miles, which includes 118^ square miles on the South
Branch of the Nashua River, 75 square miles on the Sudbury River
and 18 square miles tributary to Lake Cochituate, or a combined
area of 211 ^ square miles from which water is drawn at the present
time for the supply of the Metropolitan Water District. The flow as
measured at Lawrence includes the water wasted from these three
watersheds, which, in the wet months of the year, is very consider-
able, but which becomes very small in the dry months. Records of the
quantity of water wasted have been kept by the Boston Water Board
and by the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board, and these quan-
tities have been deducted from the flow as measured at Lawrence.
The area of the three watersheds has also been deducted from the
watershed area above Lawrence, so that the net watershed area above
that point was 4,567 square miles in 1880, 4,570 square miles in the
years 1881 to 1897, inclusive, and 4,452 square miles since the latter
year.
1 Including 9.35 square miles from which water is drawn for the supply of the city of Worcester.
330
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
The average flow of the Merrimack River during the year 1915
amounted to 1.250 cubic feet per second, or 812,000 gallons per day,
per square mile of drainage area, or 85 per cent, of the normal flow
for the past thirty-six years for which records are available. The
flow was in excess of the normal in the months of February, July,
August, September and December and less than the normal in the
remaining seven months of the year.
In order to show the relation between the flow of this stream during
each month of the year 1915 and the normal flow as deduced from
observations during thirty-six years, from 1880 to 1915, inclusive, the
following table has been prepared: —
Table showing the Average Monthly Flow of the Merrimack River at Laurence
for the Year 1916, in Cubic Feet -per Second per Square Mile of Drainage
Area; also, Departure from the Normal Flow.
Month.
Normal Flow,
1880-1915.
Actual Flow
in 1915.
Excess or
Deficiency.
January, . .
1.307
1.080
—0.227
February,
1.443
1.742
+0.299
March, .
2.753
1.485
—1.268
April, .
3.674
1.788 •
-1.886
May, .
2.174
1.126
—1.048
June,
1.177
0.489
—0.688
July, .
0.723
1.810
+1.087
August,
0.686
2.064
+1.378
September,
0.640
0.655
+0.015
October,
0.812
0.657
—0.155
November,
1.125
0.874
—0.251
December,
1.228
1.303
+0.075
Average f
or w
lole :
^ear.
1.479
1.256
—0.223
The following table gives the record of the net flow of the Merri-
mack River at Lawrence for each of the past thirty-six years, the flow
being expressed in cubic feet per second per square mile of net drainage
area: —
No. 34.1
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
331
Flow of the Merrimack River at Laurence in Cubic Feet per Second per Square
Mile.
Month
1S80.
1S81.
1882.
1883.
1884.
1885.
1886.
1887.
1888.
1889.
January,
. 1.618
0.504
1.604
0.442
1.019
1.137
2.859
1.644
1.388
2.619
February,
2.687
1.027
2.016
0.634
2.054
0.938
3.798
2.823
1.818
1.345
March, .
2.292
3.641
3.483
0.861
3.339
0.738
2.581
1.769
2.168
2.385
April, .
2.358
3.511
2.268
3.382
5.656
3.967
4.931
4.788
5.377
2.408
May,
1.209
3.101
2,320
1.854
2.585
1.838
1.478
3.001
4.539
1.437
June,
0.696
1.094
1.963
1.100
0.893
0.917
0.714
1.786
1.228
1.164
July, .
0.646
0.751
0.687
0.684
0.500
0.623
0.497
1.458
0.548
0.782
August,
0.554
0.611
0.470
0.423
0.461
1.191
0.435
1.866
0.577
1.087
September,
0.490
0.549
0.812
0.266
0.426
0.632
0.434
0.918
1.540
0.750
October,
0.388
0.545
0.678
0.432
0.400
0.749
0.471
0.682
2.656
1.220
November,
0.929
1.157
0.505
0.627
0.522
1.988
1.538
0.966
2.888
1.924
December,
0.580
1.832
0.472
0.515
1.022
1.496
1.296
1.337
3.181
2.812
Average for w
hole year.
1.204
1.527
1.440
0.935
1.573
1.351
1.753
1.92Q
2.326
1.661
Average for driest six
months.
0.598
0.785
0.604
0.491
0.534
0.992
0.671
1.205
1.573
1.073
Month
1890.
1891.
1892.
1893.
1894.
1895.
1896.
1897.
1898.
1899.
January,
1.492
2.823
1.836
0.645
0.661
0.626
1.419
0.745
1.613
1.657
February,
1.656
2.851
0.925
1.081
0.933
0.507
1.941
1.000
1.638
1.032
March, .
3.326
5.041
1.562
2.281
3.115
1.258
4.510
2.294
4.042
2.479
April, .
3.728
4.645
1.774
3.359
2.401
4.289
3.967
3.839
3.316
5.757
May, .
3.096
1.601
2.215
4.202
1.525
1.360
0.971
2.209
2.399
2.121
June,
1.716
0.990
1.272
0.963
1.317
0.664
0.769
2.769
1.416
0.667
July, .
0.691
0.633
1.040
0.522
0.498
0.565
0.446
2.359
0.585
0.556
August,
0.745
0.538
1.051
0.564
0.370
0.477
0.441
1.105
0.776
0.467
September,
1.833
0.556
0.863
0.608
0.400
0.366
0.683
0.603
0.636
0.447
October,
2.648
0.467
0.467
0.790
0.493
0.863
1.134
0.482
1.372
0.401
November,
1.918
0.540
1.420
0.736
0.772
2.047
1.454
1.274
2.094
0.625
December,
1.418
0.899
0.859
1.166
0.661
2.025
0.952
2.262
1.871
0.622
Average for w
hole year,
2.022
1.799
1.274
1.410
1.095
1.254
1.557
1.745
1.813
1.403
Average for driest six
months.
1.542
0.605
0.950
0.697
0.532
0.716
0.741
1.348
1.146
0.519
332
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Flow of the Merrimack River at Lawrence in Cubic Feet per Second per Square
Mile ■ — ■ Concluded.
Month.
1900.
1901.
1902.
1903.
1904.
1905.
1906.
1907.
1908.
January,
0.748
0.752
2.268
1.684
0.584
0.S55
1.705
1.411
1.946
February,
3.520
0.546
1.196
1.979
0.644
0.503
1.133
0.667
1.648
March,
3.441
2.063
6.011
6.031
2.719
2.349
1.677
1.728
2.499
April,
4.087
5.568
3.801
3.375
4.494
3.615
3.591
2.923
2.652
May,
2.185
3.342
2.255
0.979
3.843
1.169
2.269
2.034
2.570
June,
0.878
1.656
1.187
2.224
1.016
0.931
2.262
1.190
0.932
July,
0.407
0.644
0.970
1.032
0.624
0.600
1.106
0.749
0.522
August, .
0.420
0.989
0.844
0.734
0.573
0.606
0.741
0.431
0.668
September,
0.338
0.588
0.774
0.530
0.653
1.706
0.422
0.664
0.379
October, .
0.564
0.913
1.600
0.826
0.816
0.727
0.549
1.433
0.330
November,
1.304
0.654
1.285
0.665
0.604
0.760
0.707
2.914
0.354
December,
1.486
2.054
1.755
0.825
0.407
1.274
0.566
2.177
0.420
Average for wliole year.
1.615
1.647
1.995
1.740
1.415
1.258
1.394
1.527
1.243
Average for driest six months, .
0.652
,0.907
1.110
0.769
0.613
0.888
0.682
1.083
0.445
Month.
1909.
1910.
1911.
1912.
1913.
1914.
1915.
Mean for
Thirty-
six Years,
1880-1915.
January,
0.677
1.043
0.624
0.802
1.775
0.734
1.080
1.307
February,
1.563
0.973
0.482
0.706
0.987
0.958
1.742
1.443
March
1.695
3.611
1.248
2.773
3.372
3.245
1.485
2.753
April,
3.404
2.445
3.045
4.323
2.490
4.954
1.788
3.674
May
1.951
1.509
1.360
2.297
1.442
2.880
1.126
2.174
June,
0.948
1.077
0.551
1.304
0.899
0.737
0.489
1.177
July
0.447
0.398
0.266
0.412
0.393
0.559
1.810
0.723
August,
0.376
0.458
0.328
0.499
0.306
0.434
2.064
0.686
September, ....
0.369
0.397
0.435
0.485
0.387
0.445
0.655
0.640
October,
0.422
0.300
0.918
0.733
0.791
0.303
0.657
0.812
November, ....
0.388
0.457
1.049
1.239
0.967
0.356
0.874
1.125
December
0.504
0.335
1.284
1.069
1.046
0.437
1.303
1.228
Average for whole year,
1.062
1.084
0.966
1.387
1.238
1.337
1.256
1.479
Average for driest six months,
0.418
0.391
0.591
0.739
0.624
0.422
1.092
0.860
No. 34].
WATER SUPPLY STATISTICS.
333
Sudbury, Nashua and Merrimack Rivers.
The following table shows the weekly fluctuation during the year
1915 in the flow of the three streams just described, namely, the
Sudbury River at Framingham, the South Branch of the Nashua River
above Clinton, and the Merrimack River at Lawrence. The flow of
these streams, particularly that of the Sudbury and of the South
Branch of the Nashua River, serves to indicate the flow of other
streams in eastern Massachusetts. The area of the Sudbury River
watershed is 75.2 square miles anjj of the South Branch of the Nashua
River 118.19 square miles. The net watershed area of the Merrimack
River is 4,452 square miles.
Table shoiving the Average Weekly Flow of the Sudbury, South Branch of the Nashua
and Merrimack Rivers for the Year 1915 in Cubic Feet per Second per Square
Mile of Drainage Area.
Flow in Cubic Feet per
Second per Square Mile.
Week ending
Sunday —
Flow in Cubic Feet per
Second per Square Mile.
Week ending
Sunday —
Sudbury
River.
South
Branch
Nashua
River.
Merri-
mack
River.
Sudbury
River.
South ■
Branch
Nashua
River.
Merri-
mack
River.
Jan. 3,
10,
17,
24,
31,
Feb. 7,
14,
21,
28,
Mar. 7,
14,
21,
28,
Apr. 4,
11,
18,
25,
May 2,
9,
■ 16.
23,
30,
June 6,
13,
20,
27,
0.272
1.419
2.500
5.442
1.606
1.552
1.796
4.122
4.128
1.599
1.118
0.828
0.509
0.672
1.409
1.011
0,466
0.797
0.417
0.193
0.789
0.027
—0,045
0.103
0.096
0.008
0.574
2.275
2.654
7.373
1.618
1.938
1.373
3.081
5.744
1.195
0.908
0.728
0.719
1.010
2,069
1.685
0,995
1.001
1.132
0.605
0,677
0,371
0,176
0,215
0.451
0.197
0.353
0,030
0,843
2,102
1.113
0.721
0.911
1,468
3.869
2,509
1,341
1.043
1.155
1.069
1.461
3.118
1.487
1.633
1.732
1.130
0.816
0.666
0.560
0,431
0.422
0.515
July 4,
11,
18,
25,
Aug. 1,
8,
15,
22,
29,
Sept. 5,
12,
19,
26,
Oct. 3,
10,
17,
24,
31,
Nov. 7,
14,
21,
28,
Dec. 5,
12,
19,
26,
2.543
2.483
1.215
0.746
0.717
4.276
2.163
0.695
0.308
0.788
0.151
—0,496
0.138
0.185
1.071
0.272
0.088
0.091
0.033
0.193
0.763
0.533
0.442
0,845
2.011
1.954
2.280
2.447
1.140
0.775
1.738
7.131
1.983
0.779
0.827
0.429
0.225
0.306
0.339
0.306
0,843
0,611
0.424
0.386
0.340
0.212
1.616
0.834
0.681
0.344
2,531
3.393
0.896
3.250
2.047
1.007
1.224
2.907
2,600
1,519
1.637
0,896
0,608
0.571
0.626
0.575
0.725
0.719
0.692
0.618
0.655
0.657
0.945
1.182
0.960
0,735
0.712
1.539
334 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Methods of Sewage Disposal.
The systems of sewage disposal in use by large cities in this State
and elsewhere may be divided into three general classes, — (1) dis-
posal by chemical methods, (2) dispfosal by filtration or the so-called
bacterial methods, and (3) disposal by dilution.
Chemical Precipitation.
Works for the chemical treatment of sewage have been in operation
in the city of Worcester for many years continuously under the
charge of competent experts, and the results of this method of treat-
ment have been published fully in the reports of the department
having charge of the sewers.
The chemical precipitation works at Worcester have cost about
$270,000. The total quantity of sewage treated by this process in the
year 1915 averaged 11,960,000 gallons daily, and for the treatment
of this sewage 2,289 tons of lime were used, or 1,048 pounds per mil-
lion gallons of sewage treated.
Concerning this treatment and its effect, the following statements
are quoted from the annual report of the superintendent of sewers of
the city of Worcester for the year ending Nov. 30, 1915: —
There has been a decided increase in the amount of lime used, as compared
with last year — 2,289 tons, an increase of 214 tons. This represents 1,048
pounds per milUon gallons of sewage. The increase is due to an attempt to
thoroughly treat all acid iron doses wliich come while operating chemical pre-
cipitation. In spite of the great amount of work which has been done in an en-
deavor to have these wastes more evenly distributed and of a more dilute nature
by a slower discharge we find that it is necessary to use large quantities of lime
in a very short period of time in order to maintain an alkaline treatment through-
out the dose.
The sludge produced by chemical precipitation amounted to 23,347,000 gal-
lons, an average of 5,346 gallons per million gallons of sewage treated. This is
the greatest volume of sludge produced per million gallons of sewage in recent
years and is due to the treatment of the iron doses. The resulting sludge from
the treatment of these doses is light and flocculent and decreases in volume by
compacting or standing. The actual quantity of dry solids per million gallons
of sewage was 1.24 tons.
No. 34.] METHODS OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL. 335
It was impossible to press all the sludge produced by chemical precipitation
and 4,950,000 gallons, containing 1,251 tons of dry solids, were pujnped on to
the old sludge beds. The remainder of the sludge, 18,397,000 gallons, was
pumped to the storage basins, 3,164,000 gallons of clear water drawn off, and the
remaining sludge pressed. There has been hauled to the dump by the trolley
motor car 16,973 tons of cake, containing 4,8S7 tons of dry solid matter. The
farmers continue to haul about 3,500 to 4,000 tons each year.
During each winter it is necessary to remove from the six roughing basins
of our chemical precipitation plant the accumulation of refuse which has come
from the milk of lime tanlcs, consisting principally of sand, unburnt lime and a
small proportion of sludge. In February 651 cubic j^ards of tliis refuse were
removed at a cost of $410.04, representing 63 cents per cubic yard. The first
two basins retained about five-ninths of the total quantity.
The effluent from chemical precipitation is of slightly improved qualit}^ over
that of last year. The removal of total organic matter, measured by albuminoid
ammonia is 41.64 per cent.; of suspended organic matter, 76.56 per cent.; both
figures are slightly greater than those of last year.
The total cost of the operation of these works in the year 1915 is
given in the report as follows: —
Total.
Per Million
Gallons.
Cost of chenaical precipitation,
Sludge pressing.
Total
823,127 39
19,223 78
S5 29
4 93
542,351 17
SIO 22
' The Worcester sewage contains much iron, which is an advantage in this treatment.
The cost includes a portion of the amount expended for the main-
tenance of a laboratory in connection with the operation of these works.
The sewage is delivered to the precipitation works by gravity, and
the effluent is discharged also by gravity into the Blackstone River.
It will be seen that under efficient operation by experts at the city
of Worcester the total removal of organic matter from the sewage is
only about 40 per cent., and of the suspended organic matter about
75 per cent. The effluent from such a works is capable of causing ob-
jectionable conditions if discharged into most of the rivers of the State,
but where an adequate quantity of water for its proper dilution is
available at all times and where the danger of the organic matter
causing a nuisance upon neighboring shores or flats exposed by the
tide can be avoided, this method is permissible.
336 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Filtration.
The second general method of sewage disposal is that of filtration,
or bacterial treatment sometimes so called, and at the end of 1915
there were 34 cities and towns in the State having an aggregate popu-
lation of about 538,000 which had provided works for the filtration
of a part or all of their sewage. This treatment is effected in a variety
of ways, the principle being practically the same in each. Two gereral
methods of applying this treatment have been found successful in
actual practice in the disposal of sewage in Massachusetts communi-
ties. The first of these methods, and the one which has been longest
in use, is intermittent filtration of the sewage through beds of sand or
gravel, a method which has been found most efficient and satisfactory
for the purification of the sewage of most of the cities and towns
mentioned in the appended tables. This method is used for the dis-
posal of part cf the sewage of the city of Worcester where upon 72.6
acres of filter beds constructed of sand and gravel a quantity of
sewage amounting to an average of 4,459,000 gallons per day was
treated during the year 1915. The total cost of these filters, not in-
cluding land, was about $4,300 per acre. The total cost of mainte-
nance in the year 1915 was $17,988.90, or about $11.06 per million
gallons of sewage treated. The rate of operation was about 61,000
gallons per acre per day.
Another large works in which this method is also used for the
purification of the sewage is that of the city of Brockton, where a
large part of the sewage amounting to an average of 1,449,000 gallons
per day is treated on an extensive area composed of sand and gravel
suitable for the purpose. The total cost of these filters, not including
land, was about $3,500 per acre, and the cost of maintenance in the
year 1915 was $10.20 per million gallons. The rate of operation of
these filters was about 48,000 gallons per acre per day.
It is no doubt practicable with such a system of treatment to reduce
the area of filters required by preliminary treatment of the sewage in
sedimentation tanks, though no material saving in expense is likely
to be effected by any practicable preliminary treatment, nor is it
likely that a very material reduction in the area of the filters, even in
the beginning, would be effected thereby.
In some cases objectionable odors arising from the sludge removed
from the settling tanks have led to the abandonment of the settling
tanks. At three of the sewage-disposal works, namely, Attleboro,
Spencer and Westborough, the sewage is discharged on to the filter
beds without preliminary treatment, and at Worcester the portion
No. 34.] METHODS OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL. 337
of the sewage treated by the sand filters receives very little treat-
ment previous to filtration. At Brockton, Clinton, Concord, Framing-
ham, Marion, Natick and Pittsfield reservoirs are provided from
which the sewage is pumped to the filter beds. Formerly the heavier
matters settling out in these reservoirs were pumped to beds set apart
for the purpose, but now, with the exception of one or two of these
places, the sludge is distributed over the various filters with the
sewage. When the heavier suspended matters are not removed by
settling tanks the work of cleaning the filter beds is somewhat in-
creased, but the objectionable features, due to the disposal of sludge,
are considerably reduced.
The second method of filtration is known as the sprinkling or trick-
ling filter and consists in applying the sewage in a fine ^ray at fre-
quent intervals to filters 5 to 10 feet in depth composed of broken
stone with a diameter usually of 1 to 3 inches. The sewage is com-
monly first treated for sedimentation, sometimes in two-story sedi-
mentation tanks known as Imhoff tanks, and the effluent also requires
treatment in settling tanks for the removal of suspended matters
therefrom. The results of the operation of such filters show that they
are less effective in the purification of sewage than intermittent sand
filters, but a suflScient degree of purification can be effected by this
method of filtration to render the effluent satisfactory, provided it is
subsequently diluted in an adequate body of water. Such works have
recently been constructed in the cities of Fitchburg and Brockton, and
in the former city have been in operation for about a year, treating an
average of about 2,000,000 gallons per day. These works have cost
thus far about $321,000 and have an estimated capacity for filtering
5,000,000 gallons of sewage per day, while the tanks have sufiicient
capacity for treating effectively about 6,800,000 gallons per day.
The total area of filters in use is 2.14 acres. The tanks are of the
Imhoff design and afforded a period of sedimentation with the flow
measured in 1915 of about two and three-quari;ers hours. These
tanks were partially reconstructed during the year, but the operation
of the trickling filter has presented no difficulty. The cost of operation
thus far has been about $11.50 per million gallons.
One of the objections to this method of disposing of sewage, as in
the case of other treatment works, is the difficulty of securing a loca-
tion for the works where danger of a nuisance can be avoided. The
operation of the trickling filters at both Brockton and Fitchburg has
been attended by offensive odors, but at Brockton — due to the fact
that the filter is largely surrounded by a thick growth of trees — these
odors have not been noticeable in any populated neighborhood.
338 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
The Activated Sludge Method of Sewage Disposal.
In the course of the experimental work at the Lawrence Experiment
Station, Mr. H. W. Clark, chemist of the State Department of Health,
began in 1912 experiments upon the treatment of sewage with growths
of organisms and aeration. This work is described in the annual
report of the State Board of Health for the j^ear 1912, and in sub-
sequent reports.
These experiments have been continued and have been taken up and
further developed both at Lawrence and elsewhere in this country and
abroad. The results of the experiments thus far made indicate that
by aerating sewage in tanks designed for the purpose containing
sludge, the sewage, after the sludge in the tanks becomes seeded with
the necessary organisms, can within a few hours under favorable con-
ditions be purified apparently nearly to the degree of purification
effected by trickling filters. The experiments indicate, furthermore,
that the process can be carried on at such rates that this method may
be a practicable one for the treatment of the sewage of cities and
towns. The process is still in its experimental stage, however, and
awaits the tests of practical experience on a considerable scale. So far
as the experiments show, a very considerable area of tanks would be
required for the treatment of any large quantity' of sewage, and a large
quantity of air would be required in the process. It is impracticable
at the present time to indicate with certainty whether or not serious
odors will attend this process. There seems danger, however, that
considerable odor may arise from such works in view of the large
quantities of air that must be passed through the sewage.
Screening.
Coarse screens or racks are commonly employed in connection with
sewage-disposal works, especially where the sewage is pumped or
where it passes through siphons or tunnels, for the purpose of remov-
ing larger objects which might injure pumping machinery or obstruct
pipes or conduits. Such screen? are usually constructed of bars set
from half an inch to an inch apart and intercept only the larger
objects floating in the sewage, including small amounts of paper,
rags, etc.
Fine screening, on the other hand, is a method of sewage treatment
designed to remove the smaller organic particles in suspension and
thus reduce the quantity of organic matter in the sewage. The screen-
ing of sewage for this purpose is carried on at a number of works in
No. 34.] METHODS OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL. 339
this country and at numerous works abroad, commonly in connection
with a further process of sewage treatment. In Massachusetts this
method is employed at Brockton in connection with sewage disposal
works there for the removal of a part of the suspended organic matter
from the sewage before its application to the filters.
The efficiency of screens appears to depend to a considerable extent
upon the character of the sewage treated, and their effect is appar-
ently much the same as that of sedimentation when treating sewages
of the character commonly discharged from cities and towns in Massa-
chusetts. The method has certain advantages which may make its
employment desirable, especially in cases where the removal of the
larger particles of suspended organic matter from sewage is desirable,
as, for example, before the discharge of fresh sewage into a river or
waterway having an adequate fiow for the proper dilution of the
sewage.
Disinfection.
The disinfection of sewage for the purpose of destroying disease
germs by the introduction of a chemical such as hypochlorite of
lime is practised at some of the disposal works in this country and
abroad, though there is no case in which the sewage or effluent from
an existing works in Massachusetts is treated in this way. It is
practicable by treating well-clarified sewage effluents to reduce very
greatly the number of bacteria contained therein, and the method
may be employed to advantage where the effluent is discharged into
waters subsequently used for water-supply purposes or into waters
in which shellfish are grown. Its efficiency in the treatment of raw
sewage containing considerable quantities of suspended matter is com-
monly of little practical value, and its advantages are most valuable in
the further improvement of effluents from treatment works where a
high degree of purification of the sewage is desirable.
Detailed information regarding the more important sewage filtration
works will be found after the discussion of the next method of sewage
disposal.
Disposal by Dilution.
The disposal of sewage by dilution is a method commonly em-
ployed by cities and towns in Massachusetts situated on the larger
rivers or bordering upon the sea. A description of the various sea
outlets now in use, of the circumstances affecting these outlets, and the
results obtained at each is given below.
340 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Boston Main Drainage Outlet.
The oldest of the important modern sewer outlets through which
large quantities of sewage are discharged into the sea is the Moon
Island outlet of the main drainage system of the city of Boston, com-
pleted and first put in operation in January, 1884.
The sewers of the city of Boston were constructed originally upon
the combined plan receiving both sewage and storm water, and the
sewage was discharged originally at numerous outlets into the harbor
and other waters about the city where it produced most objectionable
conditions. It was impracticable to convey all of the flow of the
sewers to a suitable place of disposal, and when the main drainage
works, so called, were designed, of which the Moon Island outlet is a
part, provision was made for taking all of the dry-weather flow of
the various sewers, together with a quantity of storm water equivalent
to about one-fourth of an inch of rain in twenty-four hours over the
area drained by the sewers. This arrangement was not applied equally
throughout the district, however, since there were certain low areas
in the southern part of the city subject to flooding at times of heavy
rain when the tide was high, and provision was made in the design for
favoring these low areas by taking a greater proportion of the flow of
storm water therefrom and a smaller quantity from the higher districts,
thus relieving to some extent the flooding of streets and buildings in
the lower sections of the city.
For several years after the construction of the works the area tribu-
tary to the main drainage system included only that portion of the city
of Boston lying south of Charles River. The design provided, however,
for the admission of sewage temporarily from neighboring areas and
for the subsequent construction of a system of intercepting sewers at a
higher level to relieve the main drainage works when the capacity of
the latter had been reached. In 1892, upon the completion of the
Charles River valley sewer, sewage from the cities of Waltham and-
Newton, the towns of Brookline and Watertown, and the Brighton
district of the city of Boston was discharged into the main drainage
system, and still later, by the completion of a sewer in the Neponset
valley, sewage was brought to the Moon Island outlet from the towns
of Dedham, Hyde Park and Milton. In the districts added to the
main drainage system outside the city of Boston the sewers had been
constructed on the separate plan and storm water was excluded, but
the addition of considerable quantities of sewage reduced the capacity
of the main drainage system for the removal of storm water from areas
sewered on the combined plan in the city of Boston and caused the
No. 34.] METHODS OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL. 341
discharge of large quantities of mingled sewage and storm water into
local waters.
In 1904 the high-level sewerage system was completed and the sew-
age of the Charles and Neponset river valleys, including also the sewage
of the high levels in the West Roxbury and Dorchester districts of the
city of Boston, was removed to a new outlet known as the Nut Island
outlet, near Peddocks Island in Boston Harbor, and the conditions
affecting the Moon Island outlet were restored as contemplated in the
original design. In more recent years it has been found necessary, in
order to prevent the excessive pollution of local waters, to separate the
sewage from the storm water in the territory tributary to the Charles
River within the limits of the city, and further provision has been
made for the relief of the low areas in the southern districts by pump-
ing the mingled sewage and storm water into the harbor at times of
heavy rain. In consequence of these changes there has been con-
siderable variation in the quantity of sewage delivered at the Moon
Island outlet, the maximum quantity having been reached just pre-
vious to the completion of the high-level sewer in 1904.
The average quantity of sewage discharged at the Moon Island out-
let amounts at the present time to about 100,000,000 gallons per day.
The sewage of the intercepting sewers is all delivered at a pumping
station at Calf Pasture, where it is elevated several feet to deposit
sewers, so called, which are small settling tanks designed for the sedi-
mentation of sand and other heavy matters, and is then conveyed
through a tunnel beneath Dorchester Bay to reservoirs at Moon
Island, whence it is discharged into the sea, generally in the first two
hours of the outgoing tide. In consequence of its slow passage through
the intercepting sewers and the deposit sewers at Calf Pasture and
its storage in the reservoirs at Moon Island previous to discharge, the
sewage becomes considerably decomposed and putrefied when it reaches
the outlet and has a more offensive odor than that of fresh sewage.
The sewer outlet at Moon Island is located at the northerly
corner of the island, and the sewage is discharged at the level of the
water. The sewage passes out of the harbor chiefly between Long and
Rainsford islands and after each discharge becomes thoroughly mingled
with the water of the sea and does not return on the incoming tide.
Numerous chemical analyses have been made from time to time of the
sewage discharged at this outlet and of the waters of the harbor in the
region through which the sewage flows, the results of which show that
the sewage, while becoming diluted quite rapidly, has a tendency
to float away from the outlet upon the surface of the water in a
shallow layer, which on the whole, however, notwithstanding the
great quantity of sewage discharged, amounting to about 25,000,000
342
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
gallons per hour, mingles quickly with the water and is usually dis-
persed within an hour after the discharge has ceased.
The following table shows the results of analyses of samples of the
sewage and of the sea water within about 1,000 feet of the outlet
before and during a discharge in August, 1915: —
Parts in 100,000.
Bacteria
1
Free
Ammo-
nia.
ALBUMINOID AMMONIA.
Chlo-
rine.
per
Cubic
Cen-
timeter.
Total.
In Solu-
tion.
In Sus-
pension.
Moon Island Wharf, before discharge, .
.0175
.0175
.0130
.0045
1,620.0
-
Sewage flowing from Moon Island reser-
voirs.
600 feet off gate house, surface,
2.4700
.5600
.9590
.3760
.3490
.0680
.6100
.3080
272.0
1,260.0
100,800
600 feet off gate house, 20 feet below
surface.
At farther limit of sewage field, 1,000 feet
from outlet.
.0450
.2130
.0490
.1350
.0275
.0590
.0215
.0760
1,590.0
1,570.0
28,000
144,000'
The foregoing samples are probably fairly representative of the
conditions at this outlet. As the sewage field moves away from the
outlet it passes chiefly around the southerly end of Long Island and
continues toward the sea in a northeasterly direction, chiefly between
Long and Rainsford islands. On calm days the sewage greatly dis-
colors the water for a distance of from half a mile to a mile from the
outlet and remains for a time upon the surface of the sea, which is
covered with a greasy fllm. This film is very thin and usually extends
well beyond the area otherwise affected by the sewage. The area
covered by the sewage or in which sewage is recognizable varies
greatly with the condition of the sea. On very calm days the area
affected is extensive, covering 600 to 700 acres of the harbor surface
between Moon, Long and Rainsford islands. Under ordinary condi-
tions, however, the area visibly affected by the sewage is smaller, and
when a considerable wind is blowing the area in which the sewage is
noticeable is much less than in calm weather.
Under ordinary conditions the sewage mingles rapidly with the
water and quickly ceases to be recognizable after the discharge has
ceased. Analyses of the water of the harbor through which this sewage
is discharged twice daily show that its effect rapidly disappears and
that the sewage does not return on the incoming tide. Analyses of
the water from various stations in different parts of the area over
which this sewage flows twice daily are given in the following table,
the location of the stations at which the samples were taken being,
shown on the chart which follows the table: —
No. 34.]
METHODS OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL.
343
^
CO
cq
'J?
'. .
ii
o
-S'
H
Cn
S
B
^
«
9s
1 1
1
1
o
1
o
1
O
1
J»
c
PS ^
S
icT
M
"
e. s
OJ
<
B^
1
o
1 1
1
1
o
1
o
1
o
o
^S
s
o
o
oo
o
« a
o
O
CQ
o
^
o
^
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
'
in
'
i"
t^
t^
t*
r^
H
<M
._r
^
2
<
S
o
6
o
O O
o
O
o
o
o
o
o
o
5
a
o
M lO
o
s
o
U5
in
in
o
o
— >n
CO
»o
■^
K
t^ t~
-^
t^
t~
S
i^
3
^
t-h' »-7
^
^
^
7
~
m
^
<u
J?
in
in
o
o
IB
t>.
t-~
m
CO
O
N
O
o
a
o
1 1
1
1
o
1
o
1
o
1
§
° i
5S
M
^
<
g
m
a s
i
o
O lO
o
>o
o
»o
in
in
in
o
<•
o o
o
o
o
o
o
o
O
o
o
PL,
-*i
o
U5
o
M
o
a>
<
fa
S
(M
cs
o
o
O
c=
o
1 1
1
1
t
1
Z
o
^
s
««J
s
■<!
fa
m
o
O 1--5
o
*o
X5
X5
o
o
o
o
o
O 05
CO
•o
-^
o
o
CO
•*
CJ
<M
r^ T-H
lO
C^
PO
«
<M
pj
o o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
b
CO
"^
^__^
. ^
,
a>
^
o
o
^
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
^
CJ
<M
CO
in
)
■*
o
00
in
oo
m
i
.
^
■*
n cq
t^
CO
OS
Oi
c^
CO
M
o o
n
o
■*
o
C<I
S
a t. c3
CO
CO
eo
g|^
"s
> — ^ — ■
• — ^
— •
^
o
H
-<;
H
»M
S«5
1.-5
5'
IM
Tj*
■<j*
344 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
From this table it will be seen that at station 31, located 400 feet
from the outlet, the surface of the sea was covered with sewage prac-
tically in an undiluted condition. At station 3, a distance of 4,200
feet from the outlet, two hours after the sewage was discharged, that
is, at about the end of the discharge, the quantity of sewage in the
water, as indicated by the albuminoid ammonia, was 24 per cent.,
and as indicated by the free ammonia about 41 per cent., of the
amount found at station 31, located 400 feet from the outlet. At
station 15, a distance of 8,200 feet from the outlet, the organic matter
present in the sea water, as shown by the free and albuminoid am-
monia, is no greater than the average of the harbor waters in the
inner parts of the harbor.
During the period when the sea is covered with sewage from this
outlet the odor is objectionable when sailing through the sewage field,
and this condition prevails for a period of two to three hours on each
tide. During the summer season temporary deposits of sludge from
the sewage take place along the wall adjacent to the sewer outlet,
but these deposits are carried away by the winter storms. There is no
evidence that matters from the sewage tend to accumulate upon the
bottom of the harbor or the adjacent shores in this region, except the
temporary deposits already referred to, caused by the eddying of the
sewage against the long wall at the easterly end of Moon Island.
So far as can be judged from numerous careful examinations, the
•conditions about this outlet have shown no noticeable change since
the works were first established thirty-two years ago. The pollution
of a considerable area of the sea to such an extent as to be offensive
to sight and smell, as happens in the neighborhood of this outlet at
the time the sewage is discharged, especially on calm days, is objec-
tionable, and no doubt the objections to this condition will increase
with the rapidly increasing use of the harbor as a place of recreation
in the summer season and the undoubtedly increasing attention that
is paid by the public to objectionable conditions caused by offensive
odors.
Before the outlet was constructed careful observations of the tidal
currents were made by means of floats and the probable course taken
by the sewage ascertained as carefully as practicable. The actual
results have shown the accuracy of the conclusions drawn from the
preliminary tests. The outlet represents the first important works
constructed in Massachusetts to dispose of large quantities of sewage
by dilution in the water of the sea.
No. 34.1 METHODS OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL. 345
North Metropolitan Sewer Outlet.
The next important sewer outlet constructed for the disposal of
sewage into the sea is that of the north metropolitan sewerage system,
designed in 1889 and put in operation early in 1894. This outlet is
tocated near the Deer Island beacon at the northerly side of the en-
trance to Boston Harbor, and the sewage is discharged at about the
level of low water. The sewage brought to this outlet is collected from
the cities and towns of Arlington, Belmont, Lexington, Woburn,
Winchester, Wakefield, Stoneham, Melrose, Maiden, Everett, Medford,
Somerville, Cambridge, Revere and Winthrop, and the Charlestown
and East Boston districts of the city of Boston. The sewers in most
of the cities and towns of the north metropolitan sewerage district
are constructed upon the separate plan, but the sewers in the older
sections of the district, especially in Cambridge, Somerville, Chelsea,
and the Charlestown and East Boston districts of Boston, are con-
structed upon the combined plan and receive both sewage and storm
water. In this case, as in Boston, the dry-weather flow of sewage and
a certain portion of storm water are admitted to the system, and
the remainder of the flow at times of storm is discharged into local
waters.
In the course of the investigations relative to the disposal of the
sewage of the north metropolitan system, careful studies were made
of the volume and movement of the tides near the outer end of Deer
Island, the results showing that a much larger volume of water would
be available at this point for the dilution of the sewage than is the
case at Moon Island and that the velocity of flow of tidal currents is
considerably greater than in the smaller channel into which the Moon
Island sewage is discharged.
As a result of these studies the conclusion was reached that the
sewage could be discharged to advantage at all stages of the tide with
less effect upon the waters of the harbor than if large quantities were
discharged at one time, and the plan selected provided for continu-
ous discharge at all stages of the tide. The actual results obtained by
this method of sewage disposal corresponded to the conclusions reached
as the result of the careful preliminary investigations. The sewage
brought to this outlet is discharged as it comes, without storage at any
point. There are several pumping stations along the line of the main
sewer and its tributaries, and while the flow is continuous, on account of
the great length of the system, a part of the sewage is many hours in
reaching the outlet. The sewers of this system receive large quantities
of manufacturing waste from tanneries, rendering works and other estab-
346 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
lishments, and the total quantity of sewage discharged in the year
1915 amounted to 60,300,000 gallons per day, or about 111 gallons per
person connected with the sewers, the total population connected with
the sewers amounting to 542,575. On the incoming tide the sewage
flows toward the harbor and is noticeable under most favorable con-
ditions for somewhat more than half a mile from the outlet. Toward
high tide the sewage can be detected in the water on fairly calm days
for a distance of three-quarters of a mile, and the oily film known as
"sleek" is usually observable over a larger area. During the outgoing
tide the sewage flows directly to sea and is detectable at about the
same distances as on the incoming tide, though in a somewhat narrower
area. As the quantity of sewage discharged at this point increased
it covered a larger area of the sea and was noticeable at times on
vessels passing into and out of the harbor and became objectionable
to the keepers of the light. It has been decided to extend this outlet
to deep water, which is reached within a short distance of the present
outlet, and the works for this extension are already under construction.
Salem and Peabody.
Following the installation of the outlet of the north metropolitan
sewerage system at Deer Island, works were designed for the disposal
of the sewage of Salem and Peabody into Salem Harbor near Great
Haste Island. These works were designed in 1895 but were not con-
structed until 1906. The average quantity of sewage discharged at
this outlet in 1915 was 7,560,000 gallons per day. The outlet is lo-
cated at a point in Salem Harbor where the depth of water is 7 feet
at low tide, and the sewage is discharged continuously at the approxi-
mate rate at which it is received at the pumping station, the average
rate of discharge consequently being a little over 300,000 gallons per
hour.
The effect of the discharge of sewage at this outlet has been observed
from time to time since it was first used, and samples of the water
of Salem Harbor in the neighborhood of the outlet and elsewhere have
been analyzed from time to time. An examination of this outlet in
1915 shows that the area of the sea visibly affected by the sewage
varies greatly with different conditions of wind and tide. With winds
of considerable velocity the area affected is limited to less than 1,000
feet from the outlet, while in very calm days the sewage is noticeable
for a maximum distance of half a mile, though the thin oily film
known as "sleek" is noticeable for greater distances.
There is no doubt that the outlet could be greatly improved and
No. 34.] METHODS OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL. 347
the area of the sea affected by the sewage very materially diminished
if the outlet were extended to deep water, which can be reached at
no great distance beyond its present location.
The Disposal of Sewage from the South Metropolitan System
INTO THE Sea North of Peddocks Island.
The sewage disposal works of the south metropolitan system were
designed in 1899-1900 and completed in 1904. The system receives
the sewage of the cities and towns in the Charles and Neponset river
valleys formerly tributary to the Boston main drainage system, the
sewage of the higher districts in the southerly part of the city of
Boston, and the sewage of the city of Quincy. The estimated popu-
lation connected with the sewers in this system in 1915 was 300,435,
and the total quantity of sewage discharged during the year 1915 was
52,300,000 gallons per day, or 174 gallons per person connected with
the sewers. The main sewer operates wholly by gravity, but the sew-
age of the Charles River valley district, and of a portion of the Back
Bay district of the city of Boston tributary to this system, is pumped
into the upper end of the high-level sewer at Roxbury. A part of the
sewage of Quincy also is pumped into the main sewer in that city.
The sewer terminates at Nut Island, whence two pipes are laid be-
neath the bottom of the sea to outlets into the deep channel known as
Nantasket Roads in the southerly part of Boston Harbor, one outlet
being located 1 mile north of Nut Island and the other 1,500 feet
easterly therefrom. The depth of water over the westerly outlet at
low tide is 27 feet and over the easterly outlet 30 feet.
In the course of the studies which led to the selection of these out-
lets the experience acquired in the disposal of sewage at the sewer
outlets already described was carefully considered, especially the rapid
disappearance of the sewage when thoroughly diffused in' water, and
the outlets were placed at the bottom of the sea at a point where
a large quantity of water is available for dilution at all times in order
to secure a greater diffusion of the sewage than takes place where the
outlet is located near the surface of the sea. The results of the dis-
charge of sewage at these outlets show the great advantages in the
dilution of the sewage obtained where the discharge takes place at a
considerable depth as compared with discharge near the surface of the
sea. In order to determine the degree of dilution of the sewage that
takes place before it reaches the surface and the condition of the sea
water immediately over the outlets, samples of water were taken very
carefully immediately over the outlet in use at different times in the
348
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
past year. In the first test, made on Aug. 25, 1915, samples were
collected from a tug when passing immediately over the outlet. The
results of the analyses show that the quantity of free and albuminoid
ammonia present in the water at this time amounted to about 5 per
cent, of that found in the sewage, while the maximum number of
bacteria was less than 2 per cent, of the number present in the sewage.
It was found, moreover, at this time that the effect of the sewage upon
the sea water near the outlet diminished with very great rapidity as
the distance from the outlet increased, and later on additional samples
were taken with the aid of rowboats immediately over the outlet
itself.
The results of these tests with analyses of the sewage flowing from
the sewer at this time, together with samples taken at different depths,
are shown in the following table: —
Table showing Analyses of the Sewage and of the Water immediately over the Nut
Island Sewer Outlet, Oct. IJf, 1915.
Parts in 100,000.
Bacteria
Hour
A.M.
Free
Ammo-
nia.
ALBUMINOID AMMONIA.
Chlo-
rine.
per
Cubic
Cen-
timeter.
Total.
In Solu-
tion.
In Sus-
pension.
Sewage, ....
8.30
1.7600
.4500
.1400
.3100
53.5
610,000
Surface over outlet.
9.13
.1440
.0590
.0280
.0310
1.560.0
316,800
Surface over outlet,
9.33
.1950
.0725
.0305
.0420
1,620.0
290,400
Surface over outlet.
9.53
.2400
.0770
.0385
.0385
1,540.0
277,200
Surface over outlet,
10.13
.1220
.0550
.0235
.0315
1,570.0
38,200
10 feet below surface, .
10.20
.0750
.0340
-
-
1,650.0
25,080
20 feet below surface, .
10.25
.0480
.0175
-
-
1,690.0
-
In the above tests the maximum amount of albuminoid ammonia
found in any of the samples collected immediately above the outlet
was 14 per cent, of the amount present in the sewage, while the aver-
age quantity of free ammonia obtained in the surface samples was 10
per cent, of the amount found in the sewage. The maximum amount
of free ammonia found in any sample was 17 per cent, of that of the
sewage, and the average amount 14 per cent.
Samples were collected at the same time in the line in which sewage
was flowing from the outlet and at various distances therefrom. The
average results of the analyses of several samples at each station are
shown in the following tables: —
No. 34.
METHODS OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL.
349
Samples of Harbor Water collected in Path taken hxj the Sewage from the Nut
Island Outlet.
Hours
after
Release
of Floats.
Miles
from
Outlet.
Feet
from
Outlet.
Parts in 100,000.
Bacteria
per
Cubic
Cen-
timeter.
Station.
Free
Ammo-
nia.
Total
Albu-
minoid
Am-
monia.
Chlo-
rine.
Screen house (sewage), .
-
-
-
1.7600
.4500
53.5
610,000
A (at outlet), .
-
-
-
.1753
.0659
1,572.5
230,650
B
0.50
0.04
200
.0555
.0210
1,670.0
26,080
C
1.00
0.05
260
.0242
.0165
1,710.0
525
D
1.50
0.27
1,400
.0330
.0177
1,765.0
46,220
E
2.62
0.47
2,500
.0165
.0145
1,720.0
850
G
2.87
0.66
3,500
.0130
.0140
1,730.0
180
Samples of Harbor Water collected from Points outside Path of Seioage from the
Nut Island Outlet.
Hours
after
Release
of Floats.
Miles
from
Outlet.
Feet
from
Outlet.
Parts in 100,000.
Bacteria
per
Cubic
Cen-
timeter.
Station.
Free
Ammo-
nia.
Total
Albu-
minoid
Am-
monia.
Chlo-
rine.
F
H
I
J
2.70
2.95
3.12
3.28
0.82
0.43
0.23
0.28
4,300
2,300
1,200
1,500
.0100
.0170
.0120
.0115
.0175
.0115
.0095
.0130
1.740.0
1,720.0
1,740.0
1,750.0
700
4,800
130
400
It will be noted that in the sample collected at Station D, 1,400
feet from the outlet, the amount of free ammonia represents less than
2 per cent, and the amount of albuminoid ammonia 4 per cent, of the
quantity present in the sewage.
The remaining samples collected at greater distances show the pres-
ence of very much smaller quantities of organic matter, and numerous
examinations along the path which this sewage takes, determined with
the aid of floats and at various times, fail to show a quantity of free
ammonia exceeding 0.0170 parts in 100,000 or an amount of albumi-
noid ammonia exceeding 0.0175 parts in 100,000. A comparison of the
analyses of harbor waters in the immediate neighborhood of this outlet
350
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
and along the course followed by the sewage with waters in other parts
of the harbor shows that, except within a distance of about 1,400 feet
from the outlet, the quantity of free and albuminoid ammonia in the
water is no greater at the surface of the harbor and at points 20 feet
below the surface than is found in the harbor waters at points far
removed from sewer outlets.
Samples of Harbor Waters collected at Points remote from Seirer Outlets.
[Parts in 100,000.1
Free Ammonia.
Albuminoid
Ammonia.
Surface.
Twenty
Feet
below
Surface.
Surface.
Twenty
Feet
below
Surface.
Hingham Bay,
In the outer channels of harbor along a line running approx-
imately northwest from Point Allerton.
Off Outer Brewster Island
Ocean off East Point, Nahant
.0159
.0178
.0065
.0060
.0169
.0132
.0115
.0137
.0160
.0120
.0135
.0141
.0160
.0165
The total number of bacteria found in the sample of sea water col-
lected off Nahant was 300 per cubic centimeter. Samples taken from
the sea several miles beyond Outer Brewster Island on the incoming
tide indicate that the quantity of free ammonia in the water of the sea
many miles from the coast is 0.0025 of a part in 100,000 and the
bacteria 25 per cubic centimeter.
Comparisons of the foregoing tests show very clearly that the waters
of the harbor generally are higher in bacteria and in organic matter,
as shown by the free and albuminoid ammonia, than the waters of
the sea, a condition which is inevitable in view of the large quantity
of waste matter that must find its way into the waters near the coast,
not only from sewer outlets but from the sewage and waste from
vessels, and especially from rivers and other waters flowing into the
sea from populous areas such as those which surround Boston Harbor.
The examination of the sea beyond a distance of 1,400 feet from the
Nut Island outlet at the time the recent test was made failed to show
any sewage matter or other effect objectionable to the senses. Further-
more, the analyses of the water in the region beyond this limit, when
compared with waters along the beaches used by large numbers of
bathers in the summer season, indicate that, so far as pollution goes
or any visible effect of the sewage, the condition of the harbor water
was better beyond a distance of 1,400 feet from this sewer outlet than
No. 34.
METHODS OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL.
351
the waters used by large numbers of bathers at the beach resorts near
the city.
A comparison of the results of analyses of the waters from different
bathing beaches with the analyses of waters about the Nut Island
sewer outlet at the time of the test in October last is shown in the fol-
lowing table: —
Table showing Comparison of Analyses of Sea Water off the Nut Island Outlet with
Sea Water at Popular Beaches.
Nut Island Outlet.
Distance from Outlet.
Free Ammonia
(Parts in 100,000).
Bacteria
Miles.
Feet.
Cper Cubic Centimeter).
0.47
0.65
2,500
3,500
.0165
.0130
850
180
Samples collected at the Surface of the Sea at Various Points in Front of Bathhouse at
Nahant Beach, i
Free
Ammonia
(Parts in
100,000).
Bacteria
(per Cubic
Centimeter).
B. CoLi.2
Analysis
Number.
0.1 Cubic
Cen-
timeter.
1.0 Cubic
Cen-
timeter.
10.0 Cubic
Cen-
timeters.
100 Cubic
Cen-
timeters.
124963
124964
124965
124966
124967
.0500
.0200
.0100
.0720
.0145
200
101
100
432
500
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
+s
0
0
+
+
+3
0
+s
+
+
Samples from Surf along Revere Beach, July 18, 1915.
124968
.0520
1,200
+s
+s
+
+
124969
.0590
3,700
0
+3
+
+3
124970
.0550
2,100
0
+
+
+
124971
.0570
2,400
0
+
+3
+
124972
.0490
1,500
+3
+3
+
+
124973
.0380
2,200
0
+
+
+
124974
.0280
5,600
0
+
+s
+
124975
.0115
7,900
0
+
+
+
1 Samples collected on July 18, 1915, with large numbers of bathers along the beach.
2 -t- signifies presence of B. coli. s signifies presence of sewage streptococcus.
352 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
The samples generally were collected about 100 feet from shore,
but sample 124975 was collected 600 feet from shore and beyond the
line of bathers, these samples being taken at about high tide.
The appearance and the general condition of the water at these
bathing beaches were not objectionable at the time these samples were
collected, though a marine growth (Cladophora) was present in a con-
siderable quantity in the water along the Nahant Beach. The results
show clearly that the waters at the surface of the harbor are not
affected in the neighborhood of the sewer outlets at Nut Island by the
ordinary quantity of sewage discharged there in such a way as to be
noticeable or even detectable by chemical analysis beyond a limit of
less than half a mile in the region immediately about the outlet itself.
These examinations were made when the rate of discharge was ap-
proximately 1,380,000 gallons per hour and when the depth of water
over the outlet was about 30 feet.
Other Deep-sea Outlets.
In view of the very satisfactory results obtained from the discharge
of sewage into deep water north of Nut Island, this practice has been
followed in the construction of new outlets into the sea since that time
at Swampscott, New Bedford and Manchester.
At Swampscott the sewage is discharged at a point where the
depth of water at low tide is approximately 50 feet, and while the
average quantity of sewage discharged at this outlet amounts only to
about 1,000,000 gallons per day, the sewage in this case is stored in a
reservoir before discharge, so that it has been practicable, by storing
the sewage as long as jpossible, to obtain a rate of discharge at this
outlet amounting to 3,100,000 gallons per day for a period of one and
one-quarter hours. The results of this test were similar to the experi-
ence at Nut Island. Observations about the outlet during this period
show that the presence of the sewage is not noticeable to sight or
smell beyond a very limited area extending some 300 feet from the
outlet, and that the quantity of organic matter in the water at a distance
of 1,300 feet from the outlet was no greater, as shown by chemical
analysis, than is found in waters bordering populous shores remote
from sewer outlets.
A new deep-sea outlet has recently been constructed for the city
of New Bedford, the population of which by the census of 1915
amounted to 109,568. This sewer outlet is located at a point 3,300
feet south of the extreme end of Clark's Point in Buzzards Bay, where
the depth of water at low tide is about 30 feet. A very careful
examination was made of this outlet on two occasions during the past
No. 34.
METHODS OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL.
353
year, and samples were collected along the line taken by floats launched
at the sewer outlet. The results of these observations show that
sewage was noticeable only in a limited area in the immediate neigh-
borhood of the outlet and was not traceable with certainty by chemi-
cal or bacterial analysis beyond a distance of 1,000 feet.
The results of the observations at New Bedford and Swampscott are
shown in the following table, and the locations of the stations at
which samples were taken are indicated on the accompanying chart: —
Table showing Resvlts of Analyses of Water in the Path of the Sewage from the
New Bedford Sewer Outlet.
Aug. 9, 1915.
Hours
after
Release
of
Floats.
Dis-
tance
from
Outlet
(Miles).
Dis-
tance
from
Outlet
(Feet).
Pasts in 100,000.
Bacteria
Station.
Free
Ammo-
nia.
Total
Albu-
minoid
Am-
Chlo-
rine.
per
Cubic
Cen-;
timeter.
moma.
A (outlet)
-
-
-
.1276
.0323
1,589.0
-
1
0.52
0.21
1.100
.0025
.0225
1,710.0
-
2,
1.02
0.44
2,600
.0025
.0180
1,690.0
-
3
1.52
0.82
4,300
.0025
.0165
1,690.0
-
4
1.99
1.14
6,030
-1
-1
-1
-
5
2.48
1.46
7,680
.0005
.0195
1,690.0
-
1 Bottle broken.
Sept. 24, 1915.
A (outlet), ; . . .
-
-
.0207
.0224
1,697.0
219,850
6
0.32
0.15
800
.0165
.0205
1,740.0
2,650
7
0.82
0.35
1,800
.0077
.0125
1,755.0
27
8
1.32
0.49
2,600
.0045
.0096
1,757.0
17
9,
1.82
0.60
3,150
.0072
.0114
1,735.0
63
10
2 32
0.92
4,900
.0050
.0140
1.757.0
95
354
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Table showing Results of Analyses of Water collected from Stations outside the Area
affected by Sewage from New Bedford.
Aug. 9, 1916.
Hours
after
Release
of
Floats.
Dis-
tance
from
Outlet
(Miles).
Dis-
tance
from
Outlet
(Feet).
Parts in 100,000.
Bacteria
Station.
Free
Ammo-
nia.
Total
Albu-
minoid
Am-
monia.
Chlo-
rine.
per
Cubic
Cen-
timeter.
11
12,
0.77
1.18
0.61
0.65
3,200
3.400
.0100
.0120
.0145
.0160
1,740.0
1,722.5
-
Sept. 24, 1916.
13
0.53
1.17
6,180
.0025
.0125
1,750.0
25
14
2.17
1.00
5,280
.0060
.0165
1,750.0
99
15
2.87
0.61
3,200
.0025
.0095
-
65
16
3.03
1.25
6,580
.0065
.0140
-
163
Table showing Results of Analyses of Water in the Path of the Sewage from the
Swampscott Sewer Outlet.
July 19, 1916.
A (outlet),
-
-
-
.0758
.0395
1,648.8
0.83
0.310
1,600
.0085
.0125
1,690.0
2.07
0.470
2,500
.0045
.0125
1,700.0
2.90
0.630
3,300
.0085
.0170
1.690.0
Oct. 1, 1916.
A (outlet)
-
-
-
.1264
.0417
1,702.5
99,750
1
0.18
0.028
150
.0405
.0320
1.700.0
38,800
2
0.68
0.057
300
.0330
.0370
1,725.0
21,500
3
1.18
0.250
1,300
.0127
.0225
1,750.0
2,400
4,
1.68
0.310
1,600
.0033
.0140
1,765.0
13
5
2.18
0.390
2,100
.0030
.0130
1,740.0
66
No. 34.
METHODS OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL.
355
Table showing Results of Analyses of Water collected from Stations outside the
Area affected by Sewage from Swampscott.
July 19, 1915.
Hours
after
Release
of
Floats.
Dis-
tance
from
Outlet
(Miles).
Dis-
tance
from
Outlet
(Feet).
Parts in 100,000.
Bacteria
Station.
Free
Ammo-
nia.
Total
Albu-
minoid
Am-
monia.
Chlo-
rine.
per
Cubic
Cen-
timeter.
9
10
11
2.32
_i
0.32
0.360
0.140
1.570
1,900
740
8,300
.0050
.0055
.0035
.0085
.0110
.0110
1,608.0
1,700.0
1,700.0
;
1 Eleven minutes before.
Oct. 1, 1915.
12
2.12
0.390
2,100
.0045
.0100
1,740.0
0
13
2.33
0.210
1,100
.0025
.0100
1,810.0
22
14, . . -.
2.43
0.230
1,200
.0015
.0100
1,760.0
0
Comparing the various sea outfalls where sewage is discharged into
deep water, especially those of the south metropolitan district, New
Bedford and Swampscott, it is found that the dilution of the sewage
by the time it reaches the surface of the sea is very great, amounting
so far as shown by the albuminoid ammonia to about 85 per cent,
in the case of the south metropolitan outlet at Nut Island, where the
quantity discharged at a single outlet amounts to 2,500,000 gallons
per hour, to 98 per cent, in the investigations conducted at Swamp-
scott, where the discharge during the period of observation was at the
rate of 3,000,000 gallons per day, and to 94 per cent, at New Bedford.
These comparative results are shown in the following table: —
356
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
cc
05
t<
•jBAomay;
00
00
CO 05 1
■^
•inao j9d^
03
03
03 OS
00
s
•*
0 t- lO
0
Ph
CO
m CO
10
s
•jlBj^no WAO
0
M -H (rq
000
I'dV^tk ''SS
0
d
0 d ^-
t
0
0
(0
0
0
000
0
0
000
l:
•aSBMag
§
0
§ s §
o
to
N
d »-< "5
o
Pi
•IBAOxna'jj
00
00
CO OS 1
1
•!>uao jaj
OJ
OS
OS OS
t-
in
0 W5 0
>o
Oi
cq t^
s
ja^'BAi Bag
0
cS
0
d
° ° i
1
»
B
0
0
000
00
0
0
E
•e3BM9g
0
£0
>o cq (M
0 .-t CO
1
z
•IBAotaaH
0
10
OS OS 1
cq
<
o
d
z
•^nao jaj
en
00
t- 00
CO
<N
01
i-H 00 »0
0
P4
0
K
H
e
D
•n^j^no JaAo
ja^'B/^ Bag
0
0
d
0 m
^ ° l^'
0
i
§
^
n
0
0
000
0
?>
0
000
0
0
m
0
•eSBMag
i
"5
rt CO 10
0
0
'^
d
d d CO
U5
0
^
"IBAoraa'}!
C5
CO
1 1 1
•^
z
s
•;>nao jaj
03
05
<o
g
■*
e<i -H lo
0
S
H
•nB^no jaA.0
ja^BAi Bag
0
0
0
d
rt 0 t^
0 0 g
<~i 0 ^
a
<M
0
<M
<M
0
d
2
0
0
•aSBAOg
00
CO
1 - 1 ^
b
CD
.-(
d
10
0
u
•jBAoraay;
CO
•«
1 1 1
,
H
Z
H
•()uao jej
0
OJ
S
CO
CO 0 0
S
"HBj^no jaAO
ja^BA\ Bag
d
0
0
0 CJ
cq ^H 0
000
00^-
1
<M
CM
0
CO
0
0
0
El
•aSBAiag
00
•0
d
10
1
_g
.S -2
-
3
03 '3
&
"S 0
§
Id
§ a
u
0
g
a a .
s
0
a
§ "^ °
,g
03
"3 0 d
-2
0 1=1 <=>
1
'0
1 1 5
0
0
0
0
3
,
S
^^
p.
s
Is c:
CJ O-rt - ®
C8
^Sgg.S
C3
c
tH
~ 0 — r "^ ^ ^
4^
"3 =
Sg p. _ 0
-fjC:
mO m ia--3
0
O"
.^rt 3 — ja
c8
P^
H
Q 02 0
m
£jocoA/onof>5/or/orfs Q
or yv/?/c/t k
/.ocor/or? a^sSro/Zo/TS
No. 34.] METHODS OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL. 357
Furthermore, by setting off floats at the various outlets and taking
samples along the path taken by the sewage, as indicated by the
floats, it was found that the quantity of organic matter attributable to
sewage in the water into which the sewage is discharged, so far as
shown by chemical analysis, falls within a period of less than an
hour after the discharge of the sewage to an amount comparable with
that found in waters bordering populous shores distant from sewer
outlets and in waters adjacent to bathing beaches used by large num-
bers of people.
The results of the experience with the various systems of sewerage in
the State having outlets into the sea show conclusively that this
method of disposal may result in great nuisances where large quanti-
ties of sewage are discharged near the shores and in shallow waters.
Even when discharged into large tidal volumes the sewage, if dis-
charged at the surface, may spread over a considerable area before
becoming thoroughly diffused in the water of the sea. But where the
sewage is discharged at the bottom of the sea in depths of 30 feet
or more of water, where the tidal volume is at all times ample for the
dilution of the sewage, the sewage mingles rapidly with the sea water,
becoming diluted by the time it reaches the surface of the sea to an
extent comparable in degree of purification with that effected by the
most efficient methods of sewage disposal. Even when large quantities
of sewage are discharged at one point, as at Nut Island in Boston
Harbor, the area of surface of the sea over which the sewage can be
seen reaches less than half a mile from the outlet, and beyond that
distance the effect upon the waters of the sea, as shown by chemical
and bacterial analysis, is no different from that which is caused by
other conditions, such as pollution from shipping and the natural
washings from populated shores.
CONDITION OF SEWAGE-DISPOSAL WORKS.
During the year the town of Franklin completed the construction of
its sewage-disposal works, but they were not put into operation until
about the end of the year and no analytical results have been ob-
tained. The works consist of settling and dosing tanks and 11 sand
filter beds, having an aggregate area of about 3.24 acres, constructed
of sand and gravel of good quaUty for the purpose and suitably under-
drained.
At Andover, where an extension of the sewer system is under con-
struction, an additional sludge bed has been provided and a large
358 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
V
quantity of soil has been handled preparatory to increasing the area
of filter beds.
At Hopedale the filtration works have been improved and extended,
the addition making an aggregate filtration area of 3.79 acres.
At Framingham considerable attention has been given to the filters
in the removal of clogged surface soil and in the construction of addi-
tional underdrains, so that at present 11 of the various filter beds are
adequately underdrained and their efficiency increased.
At Pittsfield the area of the sewage filters has been increased nearly
50 per cent., so that early in 1916 the aggregate area of filters available
will be about 41.15 acres. The quantity of sewage discharging upon
these filters has been increased greatly during the last two or three
years, and a further additional area will soon be required for the ade-
quate purification of this sewage.
A large part of the sewage now discharging at the Amherst sewage-
disposal works will soon be diverted to the Connecticut River through
sewers constructed during the year, but it will still be necessary to use
the existing works for the disposal of the sewage of a portion of the
town.
Owing to the heavy rainfall in January, July and August there has
been in general a slightly greater amount of leakage into the various
sewerage systems than usual. On the whole the year has been a
rather difficult one for the successful management of sewage-disposal
works, but very little complaint due to overflow of sewage or to offen-
sive odors arising from the various works has reached this Depart-
ment. It has been observed, however, that more care is required for
the efficient operation of many of the filtration works. It is still
very difficult for the municipal officers having charge of sewerage
works to obtain a sufficient appropriation for the proper maintenance
and necessary extensions of such works.
The following tables contain the results of chemical analyses of
sewage and efiluent from the more important sewage-disposal works,
together with general information as to the design, construction and
maintenance of the works : —
No. 34.]
METHODS OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL.
359
•B»«J
.-HCMOiOM
.*to-^moo
OOCVIOCOO
O'i'COCOOO
COIOOIM-*
00 O ■* LO CD
•rH«(M-*0
Cl(»
eo-*»ocooo
oaio-Hcooo
00t~CO .-KM
co-<)<eot~io
■*lO'i<NCO
t».io
o
•pajain^
OOtDtO
I:^ IT- O ^^
ira coooo
o o o o
OC^iO CD
CDt^r)< O
ooo o
r->oo iM
inous -.ji
ooo -^_
00 -H
•ra(M
•paaa^igun
eocooio<N
■* CM o (Moa
cq eo (M c<5 CO
coooo
COC^.-l
Ot^OuO
C0t^c350
N — (MC4
1M(M05 CO
-HCM rt CO
OIM(M ta
c5(N -H IM
OO
(MO
.<)ioo'
naSoj'
^TN iq^pptH
CMOOiOlM
-(*« O -^ Cs •.#
o-.s<ocoo
00 CO CO COO
— COCOOO
oooor-t^ t^
com
coo
rtrtrtlMCSI
-H-HCOCOCO
<N-*« (M
.H.-CrtrHN
-HM.^ .-1
(M(M
2;
o
O
O
•paja^nj
STj<coeiiCi
OiCOCOCDOO
CD lO t-Cq O
iraco'.i<-H(M
COt-lMOOO
OOt-COOCO
IM.-1 t^t^CO
lOCq
0-*
coeoMOto
(Mcot^ooin
U5 00U5«CCi
■*co.-i-*>o
CO CO CO .-"W3
com
•paiajignn
■.^.OOOOQO^H
(Mr-lcslMiO
00 CO »c coo
ococo oa t-
CO-hOOOO
CO — O-*'*
0(M
moo
I0t~i0-*05
•^lOCOCOOi
C5 -.** 00 .-H Ca
t--*co>oo
>OrtiO(Mt~
<MO
•anuoiTio
00 OO 00 00 00
iMcoint^oj
co-.a<o-*co
eooort — -H
OOW5 00COU3
ooooo CO CO
CO(M-H-<0
ot^
■*t~oo-<iib.
■^t^O»ft o
t>ioeoco-*
ooo cow*
■<in:~ lO evj .-1
— ""
■A
O
Q
O
B
•papnadsng
Tj< WCOOOOi
CO cor- 00 lO
l£5 05b-05 O
COOCOrHO
ot^omco
CO CM-* CO CO
coooo CO -.«<
COCOCOM-OH
00 -H
t>.o
•paAiossiQ
ir5(M t^ r-> -^
^ooo-*co
COCOOCO— 1
K5 — CO t~ LO
r-oo COO'S'
■fl-OOlOCMlO
•<J<CO
^T^T^
"
•I«*ox
OOOOiO-<J<
sgsss
OOCOCOIO
cocoes COM
.-^ t- COOO ^H
CO CD lO CO 00
oo>rtocoo
lOOO
(MO
„ -- -«- „o. -, ^ - ^ „
•aai^
OCKIMOtM
t- t^ 03 02 C31
lOCOlOCOO
oo«cnN
C5 W3I-..CO (M
ssass
oo.*toio
•*rtCO<MIM
-.J4CO
1M(M
cQcceoioco
CsllNiO-*0»
COIOC4 to
coco «■*
CCICOCOrHCO
co<^^
O
<!
«
O
<
>
•A
:
2
H
P3
15
O
s
o
M
^:
o
'papnadsng
w<j<!OcnQO
OO -# O C-- o
I^^rtOOCO
COOOtJ. 1-.0
co>o™coco
CO >o N w> -.It
^OO (M '.J< CO
OiO-HOCO
CO^ — .— .(M
00 OO
(MO
o.-. o t^ o
OOOCS003
0(MCO-*1M
— i^lM IM
t^c^ooo
-ss-'-s
>rao
•paApssiQ
t^^(Moor~
C5 050CO (N
CO(MOt-0
§Scom3
OO — OO
■*(Ml^COO
<M ^^t-CO t^
oa>>or-tn
o>o
(Mtr-
CO (M c<j ecco
OOrtCOCOO
CO OCOlOCO
00-*.*lM t^
-.CO«t-CO
IflOO
•IBjox
ooooot^ira
^lOiOiOCO
CO O •* Oi -cjl
C^iOCOiC*"
00 OJ 05 t-00
-H CO 00 CO o
t-COCOOO t-
5Si
(MCO(M"5"5
t~.-IMrJIOO
(MC^CDCOCO
CO CO OS 05 00
COt-CO CO
i-o -< T}< cq o
COCM— iNCO
tMco — l-H^^
<M.*OI-H(M
ooo
-*co
D
a
BS
§
•papnadsng
<M00»^O03
^(•eqococo
oco coooo
.-•■OcoiOtr-
Oint^com
.-HCOOOrf -H
»Or^(M t-co
(MOO CO coo
(MCO
(MCOIM — C3
oooooo -<
■*comoo2
(M>0!M (M
000<N (N CD
IM -^ «(M
iOO-^iOt^
CO(M
•paAiosstQ
t^CSCOOO N
CO CO -^ 00 00
•*QOOOt>-0
OCD'^-.J^OO
t^r-i^t^co
CO o-.** t^ ^^
t^ (Mr- in 00
COO<M t^ t^
OOOOlOCOt^
t-.-(CO CDt~
•4>o
OC0 05-#tO
meocooio
■.»*coocooo
(MC0CD5O-*
C»(MU50IM
COiOCOrtUS
«.tJ<OCC O
lO-^ — IN O
.-■OC:co(M
CO-* cvltM-a<
?:s
•I'B^^OX
eOCDQO lO o
cocqoinoo
ooooo coco
t^co QC Cq C3
l^t-^ ooco
t-CO .-< .-tO
CO iO t- O CO
OO — ooo
gi2
(MCO .-'O CO
tOtO>OC2 0>
rfOOO^O
C0U5OC0— 1
CO O CO C<J 00
-HIM(M — CO
t- — — o o
OO
o
Eh
«
o
!-
&
O
1
Amherst,' ....
Andover, . . . . '
Brockton
Concord, ....
Fitchburg
Framingham,
Gardner (Gardner area).
Hopedale,
Hudson,
Leicester, > .
Marion, i
Marlborough,
Milford,
Natick,
North Attleborough, i
Northbridgo,
Norwood,
Pittsfield, .
Southbridgo,
Sponccr,
stockbridge, »
Wcstborough,
Worcester (day), .
Worcester (night),
360
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
•e?'Bj[
4.85
7.47
5.07
9.06
28.22
9.04
2.19
21.14
16.15
4.47
4.95
3.65
4.71
1.37
3.50
6.30
4.54
1.49
3.50
4.06
4.18
4.54
4.24
2.45
6.06
c<;
'na3oi:>T^ IR-Bpiatg;
riOO (Mt^-^
C<1 OO^J"
CO OaOCS^-
NOOOOtOO
CO-*Tl<OJU5
CO CO CO 00 CO
^HIOCO O O
O0coir-l>t^
to
rH-HTlCqiM
—1 TOC3— 1
-H.-H -H
«-. rt
-"-"-• -'
o
PS
M
•paja^n,a
omuscoo
t^cOOOOtM
O OO ,-H ^H
1 1 OOO
eOco OO
O'lOO
OOCMCTl (M
kCOO UO , ■<*<
OOO 1 ^
OO
•o
•pajaijgufi
COC^OMO)
•OtMOOOl
1-1 —1 (TJ TO CC
CO 00 CO
1 i«^S
ot^o»o
, -a<iM02co
1 -HCOC-J,-l
'-t CM-^ 00
COt»<00 , o>
oo(M in
H
o
O
2
P
to
/?
o
o
•p3ia:HTj
3.77
3.93
3.33
9.58
6.41
2.21
3.01
7.38
8.28
2.73
3.38
4.55
1.90
1.26
3.73
3.42
3.73
1.01
2.30
4.36
3.28
4.55
3.76
1.79
5.33
o
•paaa:Hgu£i
5.87
4.92
5.18
14.23
9.78
4.24
3.48
13.98
13.28
3.89
4.24
6.01
' 2.64
1.93
4.99
5.04
4.84
1.21
2.85
7.80
5.33
5.68
5.60
2.40
7.48
o
•anuojqa
10.99
8.74
8.18
14.18
7.28
4.32
7.34
10.05
15.47
5.41
5.83
29.54
3.97
3.40
9.41
9.55
8.58
4.33
4.74
18.98
4.68
8.32
5.18
2.16
11.03
<
5
o
<
d
o
■papuadsng
Ocs t^co w^
■^cccooo O
CO ,-iC^OOCO
••lioeooo
CM •<»<•-. ,-1 CO
ot^totoo
COtNOi-H-*
COCO OSCO -^
00
•paAjossiQ
iO»O»Ot^00
■*c^oi<^
coco OCO T*4
OOCOT«t~-*
35! 22??^
t^OcOO-^
-^lOiOCMiO
rHrt
•l«*ox
OOOOOiii*-^
00 I^CO CSJTJ*
t^ CO CO CO 00
S;=2§S
CO CO to CD 00
00 t^ OS CO OS
"'"'
-H(M
^
•eaj^
2.95
4.39
3.93
5.86
3.92
2.05
2.12
5.15
4.96
3.69
4.40
5.18
1.69
.83
4.87
3.48
3.53
.77
2.45
3.93
2.49
4.16
3.64
1.26
3.25
^
! O
<
«
o
•<
>
H
;s
o
H
0
g
0
S
o
S5
O
o
•papuadsng
13.66
6.05
10.06
23.55
30.08
18.75
3.09
39.19
40.82
5.75
5.50
11.80
4.24
4.61
8.04
7.78
7.05
1.28
3.38
12.16
11.69
5.86
10.11
4.10
14.23
OO
•paAjossiQ
13.57
14.08
12.82
23.43
23.57
8.69
9.87
23.66
23.73
10.02
13.18
24.07
8.33
5.34
12.22
15.27
14.20
4.29
8.77
12.94
11.02
14.89
11.57
7.73
13.47
O
CM
•IB^ox
27.23
20.13
22.88
46.98
53.65
27.44
12.96
62.85
64.55
15.77
18.68
35.87
12.57
9.95
20.26
23.05
21.25
5.57
12.15
25.10
22.71
20.75
21.68
11.83
27.70
00
p
P5
<
§
•papuadsng
15.23
7.19
12.15
26.91
39.98
20.94
4.50
48.00
48.06
6.78
6.55
13.40
7.14
6.50
9.74
9.69
8.35
1.57
4.38
14.82
15.25
7.70
11.82
5.37
17.06
f2
CO
•paAiossiQ;
45.90
40.02
39.43
62.90
56.82
24.04
32.55
60.48
63.47
28.70
32.93
96.00
24.43
16.77
40.68
45.55
44.02
19.53
22.37
58.58
31.78
37.75
29.35
23.63
42.77
•*
CO
■I«»oi
61.13
47.21
51.58
89.81
96.80
44.98
37.05
108.48
111.53
35.48
39.48
109.40
31.57
23.27
50.42
55.24
52.37
21.10
26.75
73.40
47.03
45.45
41.17
29.00
59.83
to
O
to
o
§
o
Tanks,
Tank,
None,
Revolving screer
None, 2,3 .
None, 3
Imhoff tanks.
None, 3
None,
Tanks,
Tanks,
Tanks,
Tank,
None,
Tanks,
Tanks,
None, 3
Tanks,
Tanks,
Tank,
None, 3
Tanks,
None,
None,
None,
H
K
O
6
C3
3
1
Amherst,'
Andover, ....
Attleboro,
Brockton,
Clinton
Concord
Fitchburg,
Framingham, .
Gardner (Gardner Area),
Gardner (Templeton area).
Hopedale,
Hudson, .
Leicester, i
Marion,! .
Marlborough, .
Milford, .
Natick, .
North Attleborough
Northbridge, .
Norwood,
Pittsfield,
Southbridge, .
Spencer, .
Stockbridge, i .
Westborough, .
No. 34.
METHODS OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL.
361
Oh .S
2 ru
O
s
e
^
CO
^
^
1-3
<
,
"^ t.' 1^ ^
*j
-3
Tanks.
. ffl s ^ ■"■"
, , t. O'g 03 So
1 -p|^ II
o
5
S3
.^i
! ^
'a
3 S'S-Sl -3
i
_e
O bC
o
equcncy of Cle
1 o 1 t, IB y.X c3 cS o S
c ^ a oU a o a to
Sees
Sou
§
o
is a '^
o
i
o
c
f^
O HO >^>^0
OH
>«:^
mS
O
■(smoH) s^TSodgQ
^^
! on sure^noo jiubx Sni
"7,7^ 1"?1
T?
iV
7V
j -ranss^ 'uoi;B;naraip3g
X "S §2
ii?
^
:s;:s:
i JO poiJ8<j 9:t'Braix6jddv
>o
CO
r-^
— o
CO 'I'
00 C^
00
H
cst^^co-.** OOtOOi
-JtiO
s
; °
pa^^ajx JO pandas
OOO-^i^t^iO IC Oi CC
o>c:i
-*"1"
OD 00
o
■*co
^Ht-4
.-O
t^
a
•a3BM9g MB'JJ
-H ^_ t>. ^ CO M "O Oi
■*oi
co'>o
Si'^
OJ
o
cqcM
'"r'
00
!
■paAotnaj '^nao Jaj
IM-*C<5tO-* ^t~0
oo
en o
St;
(M
•aSBAiag
oo-*o — •* enot-
1 &
pa^jBaJX JO pa^ag
■.Jft^OSC^-^ •^CO'^
coo
rtCO
^^
^CT>
coco
OOO
rt
•aSBMag M^a
CO -^ CO o 00 00 r^ CO
oco_
CTCO
co"i>^
tdi6
lO
1 --
OiO
coo
(MO
t^
•paAoraaa '^uao jaj;
-*co
•aSBAiag
t — C^ CO 00 o^ ■*?* ^^ ^
OOOJM-'J'OO OOtO
§s
(NOO
OOO
00 CO
CO
a S
o p
>< in
pa^Bsix JO psn^^S
l^^.J<COCO ^'OC^
•*iO
-<(M
r-io
•*
OiO
in CO
lO-H
CJ
1 '-^
•aSBAiag MBH
■* o 02 ", lo ^ "=; "!
cit-^
CO "5
o'rf'
o
1 1
CQO
(M-H
1 " <
si
■paAoraai '^naQ ja j
c^ cow »o-*o
■^
OOO
coco
'S
■aS'BMag
OO OO •* ■* tr^ t^COCO
pa^BaJX JO pa^iag
rl ^^
LO— •
inc<i
(M CO
00
•aSBAiag MB^
GOO^Ct^t^ cocoes
H
r-(M
QOU5
eoio
CO
0
•paAoraaj •!^^^o ja<j
t^ I— 1 1^ CD t^t^t^
t^OO
(MO
CO
z 9
1 H 3
ft o
■aSBAiag
§q — mSt^ «ra-*-H
pa^Baij, JO pap^ag
lCt^cO'.*<CO COCOt^
005
«•*
•Jtlr-
OOO
C;£2
""J:;
CO
1 02
•aSBMag jttB'a;
OiO
C-)C-1
COO
o
1
rt-H
(M
1
■ft
a
>>^
2".
§
■s^g
■ -gj •
p*
Form
relimi
reatm
Mfi
,
.5 5
gd
oa" -.^ ia to IK m -
.s^
ss
.iTrS
a-2
' PhC-i
a a >-a c c c c
c a
a a
O 03
(SeSOflia C3c3c3
ci c3
HH
HH
ir<b^
o
15
• • ■ • c . . •
o
• • • -"ft • • •
1
o .
H
a
o
.a
1^
o
moO^ ^- c3 C_2
3
So
11
ll
©
o
-<<Hii,0 WHh:i
SS
^;^
•^
o|
I i
O t3
•^ O
ft °
~ ""^ 11^
.2 'E <; =*
sag
ft ^ "t! 3
a & > I
eg > S P5
362
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
1
►4a
05
t
3
•< ^
Pi, ^
CO
^
Pi,
e si
^ ^
^ s
■o
s -<
0^
o
n
<
00 ,ij S
3 an
and
feet
rom
® fc'i
ol-^ffe
m as^.-
■•" ^ ^ 8 -S
c3 om""
i
fl i p I- a
1 ^§&
S|«"
M o^-a
it c3 0) »
o £ go
J3 C3 c3 O
5h^^
•g^ss-ia
H
(S
J^
•S^B^
OS CO
CO
00
ii
•paja^n^
§ §
'
i
1
«
•p8ia:)igufi
2 g
1
2
1
en t--
Ol
a
a
•paaa^nj
1
.
O
to CO
m
CJ to
CO
O
•paja^ignfi
o
Z
o
t^
H
•sa:HJ^!N
1
O
■>S
^
•sa^Bj:jtj^
' i
'
?^
1
to Oi
to
•enuojqo
m -<
'
cj '
1
d
•papnadsng
N
s
■*
o
to
■<
o
t?
s
CO ^
o
s
<
(5
■[■^%ox
00 00
M 05
Oi
to 1^
CO
•aaj^
■*
lfl> o
>o
0
O (M
•papnadsng
to 1^
1^
g
o
2
"=■ SS
•paAiossiQ
1
" 1
1
5
o
OO
<
S
■[V^OJ,
>
o
J
(33 -41
(M'
p
•papnadsng
o>
m <Si
m
M
•paAIOSSTQ
1
■^ 1
1
•«!
ira •*
■»<
H
t^ C2
g
"IB^Oi
g
lO
73 tT
Jj o
i.-^
.S cs
a <C
OS fi
i'H.
^ o 3
13
1^ •«"
Mia a
>
o
"S . o
©13
1^ s
13 o ^
(D • to i3
■5 fc-i E_: G
"S3 -t:
g'5 1
12 1
fitcl
02 W
Ol
W flH
fL.
No. 34.]
METHODS OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL.
363
M • o o-S
o S-- _, .. ^
03 -^
<D bfi
Co •
Oo >,
Oo"0
o o g
MX! fe
03 oj eS
Ct3 --3 g
o c ^ o-«
•^ C3 ^ C «
'^pD
^ to a>'^
03 tl m 2
M 75
is O e b
> g o -S
., 0) a) o !3
,_,
'"'
'"'
1 II 1 II
III 1 II
CO -H
00 .-I
lO .-H
r-l O ^
to
(M — i -
lO ^
3 d
3
S3
2"g
-«"
.a
-a-d
^3
u
>
O
^P
>
o
^s
03 o
a
s
o
^1
1-
c
a
8
T3*
>
S
0)
!.l
w
Ph
w
PM
Ph
364
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Table No. 5. — Average Results of the Analyses of Monthly Samples of Effluent
from Sand Filters.
[Parts in 100,000.]
City or Town.
/
o
c3 >
d
'a
B
a
<;
o
2
-a
§
x> a
-as
o
■?
1
Z
1
Q
Amherst,^
36.85
2.06
.1198
12.18
.0250
.0052
1.533
Andover.s
37.83
1.40
.1668
7.69
.5354
.0226
.163
Brockton (sand filters used foi
sewage). ^'
Brockton (sand filters used for set
ling filter effluent).
Clinton, 2 ....
scr
tied
jenec
;rick
44.38
42.85
32.83
3.82
1.84
.51
.1415
.1017
.0847
14.20
13.21
5.23
.0944
.1857
.0970
.0054
.0086
.0129
1.660
.708
.253
Concord,* ....
20.60
.43
.0193
4.50
.2878
.0009
.013
Framingham,2
40.47
1.85
.0973
9.02
.2303
.0097
2.026
Gardner (Gardner area),
35.87
1.14
.0898
6.27
1.2500
.0039
.091
Gardner (Templeton area),^
34.11
1.82
.1888
6.69
.6978
.0178
.150
Hopedale,'' ....
29.21
1.86
.1703
5.70
.4090
.0120
.536
Hudson, ....
84.32
.92
.1006
29.87
.8354
.0067
.197
Leicester,! ....
24.40
.37
.0797
3.98
.2483
.0058
.171
Marion, 1 ....
22.15
,32
.0508
4.71
.5117
.0038
.053
Marlborough, 2
38.95
.45
.0418
7.84
1.1762
.0045
.019
Milford
34.80
.87
.0751
8.45
.8558
.0093
.146
Natick, ....
32.57
1.16
.0814
7.74
.1991
.0179
.748
North Attleborough,! .
18.50
.06
.0134
4,06
.3421
.0007
.008
Northbridge,
22.28
.59
.0997
4.59
.4104
.0155
.052
Norwood
53.40
.95
.0823
19.39
.2985
.0244
.511
Pittsfield,2 ....
33.26
.73
.0847
4.57
.3536
.0164
.209
Southbridge, 2
30.35
2.82
.1057
7.25
.0359
.0012
2.163
Spencer, ....
21.78
.59
.0505
3.97
.5263
.0173
.062
Stockbridge,i,2 .
23.82
.13
.0505
2.66
.3075
.0087
.131
Westborough, 2
28.37
.36
.0595
5.94
.8661
.0160
.061
Worcester, ....
63.98
1.41
.1188
13.33
.1928
.0247
1.555
1 Every other month.
2 Regular samples from two or more underdrains combined in one average.
' February, March and April omitted.
* February, April and June omitted. '
Note. — Attleboro effluent omitted, as very little effluent has as yet been collected in the underdrains.
Concord filters not underdrained, but purified sewage forms a spring from which the samples, repre-
sented by the above analysis, were collected.
No. 34.]
METHODS OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL.
365
Table No. 6. — Efficiency of Sand Filters (arranged in Order of Per Cent,
of Albuminoid Ammonia removed).
[Parts in 100,000.]
Free Ammonia.
Total Albumi-
noid Ammonia.
Chlorine.
f|l
City or Town.
.2
"a
<
1
<s
o
1
"ft
0.
a
p
-2
>
1
O
1
6
bC
1
m
"a
p.
<
§
Rate of Operation
Even Distribi
(Gallons per Acre
Day).i
Concord, '
2.05
.43
79
.68
.0193
97
4.32
4.50
121,000
Gardner (Gardner area), ^ .
4.96
1.14
77
2.22
.0898
96
15.47
6.27
64,000
Marlborough
4.87
.45
91
.84
.0418
95
9.41
7.84
33,000
Spencer,
3.64
.59
84
.95
.0505
95
5.18
3.97
48,000
Clinton,
3.92
.51
87
1.46
.0847
94
7.28
5.23
36,000
Framingham,
5.15
1.85
64
1.73
.0973
94
10.05
9.02
33,000
Westborough,
3.25
.36
89
.98
.0595
94
11.03
5.94
65,000
Hudson,
5. IS
.92
82
1.36
.1006
93
29.54
29.87
34,000
North Attleborough
.77
.06
92
.18
.0134
93
4.33
4.06
107,000
Milford
3. 48
.87
75
.82
.0751
91
9.55
8.45
47,000
Brockton (filters for screened sewage),
5.86
3.82
35
1.49
.1415
90
14.18
14.20
48,000
Pittsfield,
2.49
.73
71
.83
.0847
90
4.68
4.57
105,000
Worcester
3.24
1.41
56
1.25
.1188
90
14.79
13.33
61,000
Natick,
3.53
1.16
67
.71
.0814
89
8.58
7.74
57,000
Norwood
3.93
.95
76
.76
.0823
89
18.98
19.39
81,000
2.95
2.06
30
.83
.1198
86
10.99
12.18
187,000
Marion,
.83
.32
61
.36
.0508
86
3.40
4.71
190,000
Southbridge,
4.16
2.82
32
.76
.1057
86
8.32
7.25
81,000
Stockbridge,
1.26
.13
90
.36
.0505
86
2.16
2.66
-
Brockton (filters for settled trickling
filter effluent).
3.58
1.84
49
.62
.1017
84
12.16
13.21
94,000
Northbridge,
2.45
.59
76
.49
.0997
80
4.74
4.59
70,000
Andover,
4.39
1.40
68
.81
.1668
79
8.74
7.69
75,000
Leicester, .......
1.69
.37
78
.37
.0797
78.
3.97
3.98
194,000
Hopedale,
4.40
1.86
58
.72
.1703
76
5.83
5.70
29,000
Gardner (Tenapleton area).
3.69
1.82
51
.74
.1888
75
5.41
6.69
64,000
1 See also Table No. 8.
' See note at foot of Table No. 5.
» These filters given long periods of rest when necessarj-.
366
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Table No. 7. — Filter Effluents arranged according to the Amount of Nitrates
in Effluent.
[Parts in 100,000.
NiTBOGEN AS
Iron in
Effluent.
Total
Albuminoid
City or Town.
Nitrates in
Effluent.
Nitrites in
Effluent.
Ammonia
in Applied
Sewage.
Gardner (Gardner area)
1.2500
.0039
.091
2.22
Marlborough
1.1762
.0045
.019
.84
Westborough,
.8661
.0160
.061
.98
Milford
.8558
.0093
.146
.82
Hudson,
.8354
.0067
.197
1.36
Gardner (Templeton area)
.6978
.0178
.150
.74
Clinton
.6970
.0129
.253
1.46
Andover,
.5354
.0226
.163
.81
Spencer
.5263
.0173
.062
.95
Marion,
.5117
.0038
.053
.36
Northbridge
.4104
.0155
.052
.49
Hopedale,
.4090
.0120
.536
.72
Pittsfield - .
.3536
.0164
.269
.83
North Attleborough
.3421
.0007
.008
.18
.3075
.0087
.131
.36
Norwood,
.2985
.0244
.511
.76
Concord,
.2878
.0009
.013
.68
Leicester,
.2483
.0058
.171
.37
Framingham,
.2303
.0097
2.026
1.73
Natick,
.1991
.0179
.748
.71
Worcester,
.1928
.0247
1.555
1.25
Brockton (sand filters used for settled trick-
ling filter effluent).
Brockton (sand filters used for screened sew-
age).
Southbridge
.1857 -
.0944
.0359
.0086
.0054
.0012
.708
1.660
2.163
.62
1.49
.76
.0250
.0052
1.533
.83
No. 34.
METHODS OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL.
367
■a
• -. e3 0) fe o^ oj t. t^
; w» J ^ O^ „ „
w-
]<at
o oo o o o
CD CD o <=> o o
00 t^ C^ -^OiC
oo rJH CO ^H ' CO ■■
ooo ooooo ooooo oooo
OOO CD ^ O O CD O O C> C3 O OOOO
OOO 0> CD O O O ooooo O CD ^ O
CO Ci Ci CO -^ lO O t^ oo O oo .^ CO CD
O iOO OOeo
to o c:i o CO CD o o
c^ CO to o t-* CO CO o eq CO oa
(M T-<
.CDOO — OOC
to oo to o
oo 1 co-*co
oo OCD -"^
CO lO to Oi
to I o coco
hQ
j» to
fH O
O Q
o5 a
^<2
oo OOO
O O OOO
QO O to »0 CO CO I>-
T-,CO (M '^ tr* CO *0
"^r CO lo CO c^ o c^
oo OOO
C) O Oi O o
cVw5 c; lO c
OOO OOO
OOO Oi O) G5
OOOOO OOOOO CD O O O O OOOO
.^ — 11 — ir — ,(— ir-i , — 'OOCDiO CSOOO!^ ^OOO
O O O lO O O Oi Oi o o o o o_
l_;j .-- ^ w*_^^^ — rj3 ^^OiOOtC iCOOCD-rjT S<5P^^
-**io-* c>ooooo ot^cqoico '-'IP^'^22 SS^£st2
_i. ,-= -i ~Ij ,— . ^*-h rrf^ ^—r *v^ _j fi-i *M r^ t~^ ^fM r^ «-i CO ^* CO ^H
^ CO 0> -^ O CO 00 ,-(
»— ICO'^ t* t^ -Tj* t- CO O -^ CO ^
fl o
ft H fi b ,5 S
^ O C- 1 ^ooos
1 C5^oo or--t— 1-4'^
tijwJi.-^ c^j C0*00 (MOOO'*!J<-H
,-( CD C*l iO ^H Oi •-« CO -^ ^ 00 -^
to CO --^ fH »0 lO ,-1 f-tO MtO ■«1<COt*COO -^OWO"^
oo O oo CO CO t*- lO 05 C^ CO !>• lO CO -^ «D 00 kO '— • O »0
r^ C^ mCNCsl CSI ^H r-l i-H i-H T-H kO »-< ^H t^
00 (M »-^cOOCOCO oo W b* O -^ Ci CO -^ t^ I
oo OS OOiOCOt^CD IOCMOO»OCO *— «Ci»Ot-^C
,-1 O --I
^ ,-H .-( i-HCO »-t
^3
£ ffl O
pq
•w
S
^
a o
J3
!^
dSSow W»3SSS ^^2;2;S ccm^j
s-^g a
C3 p] O o
ffl M c «
^ g cj cS
"°'r >.^
'SiJ'^ a
o'S'^ 2
rtco cS^S
McO ^ C3
2§a-«
"J tH
c =^
CJO
bO -
.2 °
ii ti n ft
e s Sa
r-ra . oE-t
O 3 £ O
""^S Men
nT3 t.o
-" C 3 te O)
c a a 2 «
oo«j5o
368
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
a |a
:: oj
o
2 I .§•§
-a 1^
>o
a o
o ® ©
§ 2.9
o a ^
C fc. ^
OH
"3 "3 =3
S (^ s
2 03 3
aaa
Odd
c c a
OOO
a 9 >> a
.5.2 ci •-
*^->^'^ t^
o « .^ 2
^ » >> -g
■*^ +J D _
— =« > t:^
5J OJ ® O "^
c3 -•-> cS.S C3
Sr, a & a
O O
1 >>S
o S) o o
" S " ^
a a a a
^ m & ,«
5 o:2 o
o .. o .-
^a^a
>.^ >>-g
0_ d.
<B c3 O C3
c c a 1^
c3 c3 c3 2
aaaa
o o o g
s e a &
OOOH
s
^^
a
a ni
a
a^
M
^•H
^
^S-n
to t;
f\
J3
ja (3
r>
""
O •-
•-
q43
F
03
D.
*j
p
X3
-a US
+^ ca
^ d
— '
5^ -- p —
a a
OOO
a > g
K O ai
Om
Q, IS
a a
82 ««
—tJ >-■ a ca r.
- a-o o
a ® 03 M
a m o
^"a 03
a".2 a
o .w-ja
S^^
a o o
a O.
il
§ a■Sg-
.- ^ a: -3 (-
■^- a g M
!!"'§«
=Sl1a1
t; 03-d.P CO
^ " So-d
■".SS S o O
03 s-^ s^ 2
p^p^ wo
■S a M
_^'«i: a
T! C3 o 03
•gXi-d to
fe 03 Sg
a p o<„
^ 3 ..— •
■2^ 03 S
8182
Occ
" a a
a-- o
S,-^ a
-d a 03
a '»~^
03J3 2
•^ .. 03
C-0 a-g
c3 a o3 g
p ^
o"a £ p
a S S 3
« O o o
OOm
^.Sop-t;
a-d to-2 „
gSp=^-9
03 a ^"o
-rt*^ a^a
- g t" p o3
5 03 _, tD M
f^ n i3 P
"SaSi^a
03
o
CMS «
a O" . .
« a .
>, "^ p .
u T! 2 P
■o -Sa^g
03 ^1^.9^3
M So a-S
!=• P — .1," O
.O p ~ " ^- 3
, ^ > > p O
S'n. a 03 > ""
a '^■dT3 to
D*-:) a a-a o
-d 9 '^ "^S S
boT. 3 03 a a
t„ m m <» 03 c3
O P p p to to
TS c3 £ ""dT)
Cr? c3 c3 O O
S O-O O O O
M oooo
a 3 a
^-ial^-
p 9 =^^ p
M g (O^ bD
J >>a 2i2
ua-
o . ..-^
" §"3 S p-Sg
> a t._ d 2 t-
2 a Mg 2 feiu)
C £3 03 - L- c3 03
°3 a-Tj !- f -d-d
-d o a.2 a o a
a '^•73. 2 03 OS
CO S-73t3 a-d-d
.ti o o a."? o o
03 CO O 3 h O O
fe OiBAOO
o ti-0 aS'
o3 c3 rt *2 P
ITS o mo
OOO o<» I
C<l •ot--^oo
I eoooo
(M OO-^iO
o»o
a) O g g p
Q t5-sfe
I
»0 .^ CO CO ••i* iO CO lO <0 »0 Ti4 CD .* -.^ I lO lO U3 CO
1 "d m •
° S 03 O-^
■s-g-s'-^ o
C3 to Oli t*
p a r^-o^
Jh O g-d o
CO lO tMCS
-"■SS 2222 oo
SI . - - - g§
Ol CO CI 00
^So S^CO
1-HO 1-H r-l„
C5 05 _ Oi __ C5
1-H 1— I c^ *-H CO r>- 03 T-H GO
2 « -
o o a
" o .9
<m 6
OH 1
■2^
§2
WhjS S S 12:
^ p ^
O O O..W g c, 2
Division of Water and Sewage
Laboeatoeies.
[369]
DIVISION OF WATER AND SEWAGE
LAEOEATORIES.
Director and Chemist, H. W. CLARK.
Dr. Allan J. McLaughlin, Commissioner of Health.
Sir: — I have the honor to present herewith the following report of
the Division of Water and Sewage Laboratories for the year ending
Nov. 30, 1915.
Respectfully,
H. W. CLARK,
Director and Chemist.
Eepoet of Laboeatories and Experiment Station.
The Division of Water and Sewage Laboratories comprises labora-
tories in the State House and the experiment station and its labora-
tories at Lawrence. The work of the Division is carried on very
largely under the provisions of the act entitled, " An Act to protect
the Purity of Inland Waters of the State." Work is also called for
by the provisions of many of the special acts defining the duties of the
Department of Health, in regard to specific questions or matters of
public welfare and public health as related to water supply, sewerage,
etc. The general and special laws have to do with the public water
supplies of the State, the improvement or the prevention of pollution
of ponds, rivers, streams and, in fact, the condition of all the inland
waters of the Commonwealth, including the bays and estuaries along
the shore. Many of the special acts have to do with specific questions
in regard to water, as the acquirement, development and control of
watersheds, the study and improvement of certain rivers, the construc-
tion of sewers, the purification of sewage, the treatment of manu-
facturing wastes, etc.
At the State House laboratories chemical and microscopical exam-
inations of water supplies from ponds, lakes, storage reservoirs, dis-
tributing reservoirs, filter galleries, tubular and driven wells, efiluents
from water filters, etc., are made, and also many examinations of
water for new water supplies or enlargement of water systems already
in existence. Examinations of rivers, polluted and otherwise, of sew-
age and the effluents from sewage purification plants, together with
examinations of trade wastes and the effluents from filters treating
these wastes, are made. Much work is also done at times in regard
to the action of the water of certain towns and cities on lead and
other service pipes, — this in connection with corrosion, lead poison-
ing, etc. Special work coming up from time to time involving various
chemical analyses and experiments is carried on; for example, exam-
ination of air from sewers; examination of deposits in water pipes
for the information of city and town w^ater departments; the exam-
ination of water to show its fitness for boiler use; examination of
spring waters sold to the public; examination of drinking water sup-
372 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
plied on railroad trains and in mills and factories; examination of
sands from sewage filter beds in use or proposed for use in order to
give the necessary information in regard to the availability, the quality
or the degree of clogging of this sand by organic matter after a period
of use, and laboratory investigations as to the best methods of analysis
for special work.
The Lawrence Experiment Station, established by authority of the
Legislature in 1887, has always been the investigating or research labor-
atory of the Department for nearly all questions that have to do
with the treatment and purification of water, sewage, trade wastes,
and many allied subjects. It is also the laboratory where up to the
present time all the bacterial work of the Department in connection
with these Lawrence studies is done, and also where the bacterial
examinations of samples from water supplies, rivers, wells, etc., are
made. At the station many sewage and trade waste filters and a few
water filters are in operation at the present time, principally for the
study of particular problems brought before the Department, and for
illustration of methods of purification and treatment of water and
sewage. Many other investigations are always under way having to
do with matters, information in regard to which is required of this
Department by the State.
The laboratory work, especially the analytical work at the State
House laboratories, is closely allied with the work of the Engineering
Division. Many of the laboratory studies and analytical results are
incorporated in and appear only in the reports of the Department
coming from that Division, or in the advice of the Department to
cities and towns, etc. In all this work the director of the Division of
Water and Sewage Laboratories is in frequent consultation with the
engineer of the Department, or his principal assistants. Twenty-one
special reports were made by this Division during the year to the En-
gineering Division on subjects connected with water purification, sew-
age purification, treatment of manufacturing wastes, etc.
During 1915 a more thorough and systematic bacterial study of
many of the principal water supplies of the State was made than in
previous years, and tables presenting the results of these studies are
given in this report.
At the Lawrence Experiment Station 50 filters and other devices
for the treatment of water, sewage, etc., were maintained in operation
during the year, and special studies, the brief details of which are
given in a subsequent portion of this report, were made upon the fol- '
lowing subjects : —
1. Studies in regard to sewage sludge and its disposal in a new form
of stabilizing tank.
No. 34.] REPORT. 373
2. Studies in regard to available nitrogen in sludge, and processes
for increasing its availability for commercial purposes.
3. Studies of the factors controlling the putrescibility of river de-
posits, especially the influence of the ratio of carbon to nitrogen.
4. Studies of the purification of sewage by aeration and growths,
both by slate colloiders and by the activated sludge process.
5. Studies of the greater rate eflBciency of deep trickling filters
compared with shallow filters, and the cause of this efiiciency.
6. Studies in regard to the purification of the waste liquors from
paper mills, tanneries, leatherboard mills, wool-washing establishments,
cloth-bleaching processes, etc.
7. Studies of shellfish pollution.
8. Studies of water sterilization by ultra violet rays.
9. Studies of sterilization of water by liquid chlorine.
10. Studies of improvement of water by the removal of iron, etc.
In carrying out the analytical work of this Division made necessary
by the samples forwarded to this laboratory by the Engineering Di-
vision, and for the studies enumerated here and various other minor
studies called for by the work of the Department, the following amount
of analytical work was done: —
Laboratory, Room 540, State House.
Chemical examinations of water, sewage, wastes, etc., . . 7,250
Microscopical examinations of water, 2,438
Special examinations for lead and manganese, .... 198
Special examinations (field work) for carbonic acid, dissolved
oxygen, alkalinity, turbidity and color, 268
Examinations of fats, arsenic, zinc and other miscellaneous
examinations, ■ . . 563
Lawrence Experiment Station.
Chemical examinations of water, sewage, ice and manuf actural
wastes, 3,090
Chemical examinations of sand, 85
Mechanical examinations of sand, . . ■ . . . . . 75
Bacterial examinations of water, sewage, ice, manufactural
wastes and sand, 4,559
Bacterial examinations of shellfish, 135
10,717
As stated previously, many bacterial analyses of certain water
supplies were made during the year, and a summary of the work is
given in the following table: —
374
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Results of Bacterial Examinations of Water Supplies of Cities.
Average Number of
Per Cent, of Samples in
Bacteria per
which
B. Col
were found
Num-
ber of
Sam-
ples.
Cubic
Centimeter.
IN
—
Cities.
4
Days,
20° C.
24 hours,
37° C.
0.1
Cubic
Centi-
meter.
1.0
Cubic
Centi-
meter.
10
Cubic
Centi-
meters.
100
Cubic
Total.
Red.
Centi-
meters.
Attleboro, .....
3
8
0
0
0
0
0
33
Boston (Metropolitan): —
City proper
Stoneham, Spot Pond,
36
27
82
162
20
6
1.9
1.0
0
0
0
0
8
4
/ 1
I 11
31
26
North Suburban,
102
104
9
1.0
0
0
16
11
South Suburban,
28
85
17
0.8
0
0
0
{ ■!.
Brockton (including Whitman), .
11
112
1
0.9
0
0
0
9
Cambridge: —
Fresh Pond, intake, .
Taps in city, ....
13
29
89
182
20
26
2.0
0.5
0
3
0
3
0
10
46
47
Chicopee,
3
123
8
1
0
0
33
100
Fall River: —
Cress Brook
Highland Brook,
5
9
3,960
918
70
83
0
7.4
0
11
0
11
40
56
100
78
/ 86
I 141
Terry Brook, ....
7
421
14
1.4
14
14
58
Five other inlets to Watuppa
Lake.
Watuppa Lake, intake.
5
21
80
80
9
6
4
0.2
0
0
20
0
60
14
100
62
FlTCHBURO: —
Reservoirs and taps, .
7
137
5
1.4
0
0
14
29
Gloucester, ....
10
119
10
5.6
0
0
0
10
Haverhill (including Bradford),
13
96
7
1.4
8
0
f 54
1 81
) -
Holyoke,
3
35
5
0.3
0
0
0
33
Lawrence
355
50
8
1.7
0
3*
28
70
Ltnn,
5
160
4
0.6
0
20
20
60
Marlborough, ....
5
35
2
0
0
0
20
40
New Bedford, ....
22
31
2
0
0
0
f 18
I 51
1 23
Newburyport
6
71
9
1.0
0
0
0
33
Newton,
4
33
3
0
0
0
0
/ 25
1 251
Northampton, ....
3
36
7
0.7
0
0
0
0
Salem: —
Ipswich River at Topsfield,
14
458
68
9
19
56
/ 100
I 61
} 100
Wenham Lake, upper end and
inlets.
Wenham Lake, P. S. tap, .
City taps,
} -
14
12
832
81
64
45
10
11
6.0
0.6
0.4
0
0
7
25
0
7
/ 45
I 51
13
36
65
51
68
57
Springfield, ....
2
24
1
0
0
0
0
0
Taunton
5
48
1
0
0
0
20
20
Waltham,
5
6
1
0
0
0
0
20
WOBURN,
4
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
Worcester
14
248
10
0.4
0
0
7
50
1 Per cent, of samples in which sewage streptococcus was found.
No. 34.
REPORT.
375
Results of Bacterial Examinations of Water Supplies
of Towns.
Num-
ber of
Sam-
ples.
Average Number op
Bacteria per
Cubic Centimeter.
Per Cent, of Samples in
which b. coli were found
in —
Towns.
4
Days,
20° C.
24 HOURS,
37° C.
0.1
Cubic
Centi-
meter.
1.0
Cubic
Centi-
meter.
10
Cubic
Centi-
meters.
100
Cubic
Total.
Red.
Centi-
meters.
Abington (including Rockland), .
6
12
2
0
0
0
0
17
Adams,
8
89
23
25
0
25
/ 100
1 251
100
13 »
Amesbury,
4
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
Athol
3
290
20
0
0
0
0
33
Braintree,
6
536
6
0.5
0
0
f 17
1 171
} 100
Bridgewater,
3
8
3
0
0
0
0
0
Brookline
4
8
2
0
0
25
25
/ 50
1 25»
Clinton,
3
53
17
2.3
0
0
33
100
Concord,
4
12
1
0
0
0
0
50
Danvers,
4
262
10
0.8
0
50
75
100
Dedham,
4
5
2
0
0
0
0
50
Framingham, ....
3
25
2
0
0
0
/ 33
\ 331
} 33
Gardner,
4
229
1
0
0
0
0
0
Hudson,
3
16
1
0
0
0
0
67
Ipswich,
4
41
29
13
0
0
0
50
Marion,
5
24
1
0
0
0
80
100
Maynard
4
103
4
1
0
0
0
25
Middleborough
3
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
Milford,
4
76
2
0.3
0
0
/ 50
\ 251
1 "
Natick
4
5
0
0
0
0
0
25
North Attleborough,
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Northbridge (Whitinsville), .
4
161
27
7
0
0
75
100
Norwood,
4
24
1
0
0
0
25
100
Peabody
4
142
8
2
0
0
50
75
Plymouth,
3
59
28
14
0
0
0
0
Reading,
3
8
3
0
0
0
0
0
Salisbury,
6
12
1
0
0
0
17
67
Southbridge,
4
52
5
0.8
0
0
25
75
Stoughton
3
31
2
0.3
0
0
67
f 100
\ 671
Wakefield: —
Crystal Lake, intake,
14
77
31
5.7
0
0
14
/ 29
1 71
Tap in P. S. and town taps.
52
49
23
2
0
0
0
0
1 Per cent, of samples in which sewage streptococcus was found.
376
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Results of Bacterial Examinations of Water Supplies of Towns — Concluded,
Towns.
Webster,
Weymouth,
Winchendon,
Winchester,
Num-
ber of
Sam-
ples.
Average Number of
Bacteria per
Cubic Centimeter.
4
Days,
20° C.
24 HOURS,
37° C.
Total. Red
Per Cent, op Samples in
WHICH B. CoLi were found
IN —
0.1
Cubic
Centi-
meter.
1.0
Cubic
Centi-
meter.
10
Cubic
Centi-
meters.
100
Cubic
Centi-
meters.
•
No. 34.] PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE. 377
Experiments upon the Purification of Sewaoe and
Water at the Lawrence Experiment Station
during the year 1915.
Character of the Sewage used in the Experiments.
The sewage used in former years at the station was pumped from
the Lawrence Street sewer through a 2§-inch pipe about 4,400 feet
long. For much of this distance the pipe is laid in the bed of the
Merrimack River, and sections of the pipe have been replaced from time
to time as it has become weakened from cori'osion.
Early in the summer of 1915 a considerable amount of leakage of
river water into the pipe began, and gradually increased. An un-
usually high river during the summer months made it impossible to
repair the pipe, and, indeed, it was evident that it was a case of re-
newing and relaying the entire pipe line if sewage was still to be
obtained from the Lawrence Street sewer. It seemed on the whole
more advisable to extend the old pipe from the point at which it
enters the river to the Osgood Street sewer, so called, on the opposite
bank of the river.
This sewer has been built since the station was established, and
drains a less densely populated section than the Lawrence Street
sewer. By September 13 the extension was completed, the pipe being
extended about 100 feet into the sewer beyond the connection from
the mill, located directly over the outlet. The sewage is at present
considerably weaker than the old supply and reaches the station in a
fresher condition, the pipe through which it is pumped being only
about one-third as long as the old pipe.
"Regular station sewage" is the average of samples collected four
times each day of the sewage as it reaches the experiment station;
"settled station sewage" is the same sewage settled for at least two
hours in a cylindrical tank; "sewage applied to Filters Nos. 1, 6 and
9A" is the average of daily samples of all the sewage applied to the
large intermittent filters situated out of doors.
The average analyses of the various representative samples of sew-
age collected during the year are shown in the following table: —
378
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Average Analyses.
Regular Station Sewage from Dec. 1, 1914, to Sept. 13, 1915.
[Parts in 100,000.)
Ammonia.
Chlorine.
Oxygen
consumed.
ALBUMINOID.
Bacteria
per Cubic
Centimeter.
Free.
Total.
In
Solution.
Total.
In
Solution.
2.86
.42
.22
.97
.48
8.44
3.30
2,563,000
Regular Station Sewage from Sept. 13, to Dec. 1, 1915.
2.11
.38
4.73
3.03
1,669,000
Sewage applied to Filters Nos. 1, 6 and 9 A.
2.43
.83
6.84
Average Solids.
Regular Station Sewage.
(Parts in 100,000.]
Unfiltered.
Fn.TERED.
In Suspension.
Total.
Loss on
Ignition.
Fixed.
Total.
Loss on
Ignition.
Fixed.
Total.
Loss on
Ignition.
Fixed.
46.1
20.2
25.9
35.8
12.4
23.4
10.3
7.8
2,5
Preliminary Treatments for the Clarification of Sewage.
Comparative studies of the clarification of sewage by sedimentation,
by sedimentation preceded by aeration in slate tanks, by straining
through coal and by chemical precipitation have been continued dur-
ing 1915.
Sedimentation in Open Tanks.
All the sewage applied to the filters in the filter house, amounting to
about 1,000 gallons a day, is clarified by at least two hours' settling in
a cylindrical tank with a bottom sloping at an angle of 60° and from
which sludge is drawn at least twice a week. The average weight of
No. 34.]
PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE.
379
dry suspended matter per million gallons removed by this tank from
the sewage pumped from the Lawrence Street sewer was 592 pounds,
and from the Osgood Street sewer, 472 pounds; that is, the per cent,
of suspended solids removed from the former was 61.2, and from the
latter, 44.9.
Precipitation 7vith Sulphate of Alumina.
Throughout the year sewage was treated daily with from 3.5 to 7
grains per gallon of sulphate of alumina. After four hours' settling the
clarified sewage was drawn from the sludge to be applied to trickling
Filter No. 457 and sand Filter No. 432. The average removal of sus-
pended solids was 54.4 per cent.
Straining through Anthracite Coal.
Strainer E, containing 12 inches in depth of buckwheat coal and
first put into operation in 1901, was operated at a rate of 1,000,000
gallons per acre daily throughout the year. The surface of the strainer
was raked four times to relieve clogging, and finally on November 26
an inch of sludge was removed and the upper 3 inches of coal removed,
washed and replaced. The average removal of suspended solids was
62.1 per cent.
Average Analyses.
Settled Station Sewage.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Ammonia.
Free.
ALBUMINOID.
Total.
In
Solution.
Kjeldahl Nitrogen.
Total.
.58
In
Solution.
.38
Chlorine.
Oxygen
consumed.
Bacteria
per Cubic
Centimeter.
Sewage precipitated with Sulphate of Alumina.
3.05
.27
.17
.60
.35
7.75
1.81
582,000
Effluent from Strainer E.
2.45
.23
.16
.56
.35
6.79
1.93
506,000
380
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Average Solids.
Settled Station Sewage.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Unpiltered.
Filtered.
In Suspension.
Total.
Loss on
Ignition.
Fixed.
Total.
Loss on
Ignition.
Fixed.
Total.
Loss on
Ignition.
Fixed.
39.0
15.2
23.8
34.6
12.0
22.6
4.4
3.2
1.2
Sewage precipitated with Sulphate of Alumina.
36.6
12.4
24.2
31.9
9.2
22.7
4.7
3.2
1.5
Effluent from Strainer E.
32.5
11.0
21.5
28.6
8.3
20.3
3.9
2.7
Studies of Sludge,
Fertilizing Value. — The utilization of se'wage sludge for fertilizer
purposes -was one of the earliest problems of se'wage disposal. Up to
the present time, ■with fe'w exceptions, ho'wever, sludge has been con-
sidered -without commercial value on account of the large proportion
of fats and -water present. In several places in England processes
have been installed to remove part of the fats, and the sludge is then
sold and used as a fertilizer. Any process that concentrates the sludge
or increases the relative percentage of nitrogen present, increases its
value. The activated sludge process is of considerable promise in this
latter respect.
Available Nitrogen. — The only satisfactory test of the value of a
fertilizer is its use in actual practice. There are a number of labora-
tory tests -which are claimed to give results comparable -with actual
tests, and one of these (described by Jones in the Journal of Industrial
and Engineering Chemistry, 4, 438) was used on a number of sludges
at the Lawrence Experiment Station. The process consists in digest-
ing a sample containing about .05 of a gram of organic nitrogen in a
flask containing 15 glass beads, 20 cubic centimeters of water and
100 cubic centimeters of alkaline permanganate (25 g KMn04 and 150
g NaOH per liter). The flask is connected with a condenser, to the
outlet of which a receiver-'containing standard acid has been attached.
No. 34.] PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE. 381
The digestion is continued thirty minutes at a temperature just below
the distillation point, and then 95 cubic centimeters are distilled off,
the whole procedure taking ninety minutes. The organic nitrogen
converted to ammonia by this process is considered available for plant
growths. This process does not, however, show what effect the fats
would have in actual practice.
Five samples of sludge from Lawrence sewage, containing on an
average 2.88 per cent. N, when tested by this method gave percentages
of available nitrogen or availabilities of from 40 to 71 per cent, with
an average of 58 per cent. Press cake from a wool-degreasing plant
gave 37 per cent, of available nitrogen, which is about that found for
peat. Peat is known to have little direct fertilizing value, in spite of
the fact that it may contain over 3 per cent, of nitrogen. At the
other extreme, dried meat scraps had an availability of 89 per cent.
A sample of light, unmanured loam gave an availability of 68 per
cent. Jones gives availabilities slightly below 65 per cent, for the
organic nitrogen of medium grade tankage, cottonseed meal and com-
mercial fertilizer. From these results it would seem that if the fats
which run from 20 to 25 per cent, in this Lawrence sludge were re-
moved, the organic nitrogen would be as valuable as much of the
organic nitrogen used in fertilizers.
Available Nitrogen in Trickling Filter Sediment. — The organic nitro-
gen of the sediment from trickling filters gave an availability of 68
per cent. This sediment contained 3.73 per cent, of nitrogen and
less than 1 per cent, of fats, and should be much more valuable than
the sewage sludge. Besides the nitrogen, sewage sludge contains from
1 to 3 per cent, of P2O5.
Effect of Age. — To determine what effect aging sludge has on
availability, fats, etc., 12 gallon bottles were filled with sludge con-
taining 1 per cent, of solid matter and the contents of one bottle were
analyzed each month. As usually happens in a series of this sort,
there were occasional irregularities in the results. There was little
difference in the analyses after the sixth month and little change in the
availability, there being an increase from 55 per cent, at the start to
60 per cent. The fats dropped from 27.4 per cent, at the start to 7
per cent. The changes in the per cent, of nitrogen in the sludge were
the most irregular, decreasing from 4.21 per cent, to below 3 per cent.
The per cent, loss on ignition decreased from 70 per cent, at the start
to around 50 per cent. At no time was there any great increase in the
organic matter in solution, showing that the nitrogen and organic
matter lost must have disappeared as gas.
These results indicate that only slight improvement in the fertilizer
382 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
value of sludge results from the simple aging of sludge in contact with
sewage. Similar results, extending over a shorter period, were ob-
tained from sludge which had been drained of as much moisture as
possible. Probably none of these sludges went through the biological
changes that occur in Imhoff or similar tanks, as they were all putres-
cent after several months.
Processing. — The most promising way of utilizing sewage sludge is
by one of the processing methods. In the "wet-mixed" process base
goods, consisting of any dry nitrogenous trade wastes, are mixed in
a closed chamber with rock phosphate and the requisite amount of
sulphuric acid to make acid phosphate and allowed to stand several
days until cool. Under these conditions more or less hydrolysis takes
place and the inert organic matter is broken up into a variety of
simpler compounds, many of which are utilized directly by plants or
are readily converted by soil bacteria to plant food. The only diffi-
culty in such use of sludge would be the cost of drying and removing
fats.
Hydrolysis. — Much work has been done by agricultural and physio-
logical chemists on the hydrolysis of proteid bodies. It was thought
that by applying their methods to the nitrogenous bodies in sludge
some information might be obtained as to the nature of the changes
taking place when a sludge becomes non-putrescible, and as to why
this change takes place more readily in some sludges than in others.
The method of Van Slyke ^ was followed. The time required for the
work upon each sample is so considerable that not enough analyses
were made to show satisfactory, definite results in this respect.
Lathrop's ^ results show that hydrolysis in the "wet-mixed" process
mentioned above is nearly as complete as in the Van Slyke laboratory
process, so that the results at Lawrence show roughly at least what
would have occurred in actual practice if the "wet-mixed" process
were applied to sludge.
The following table, showing representative results of analyses made
at Lawrence, gives the per cent, of the total nitrogen appearing in the
various organic compounds after ten hours' hydrolysis with boiling
hydrochloric acid. These analyses show that an increase in available
nitrogen can be obtained from sewage sludge, the same as from "base"
goods, by the wet process.
1 Journal Biological Chemistry, 10, 15-55.
2 United States Department of Agriculture, Bulletin 158, p. 15.
No. 34.
PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE.
383
Per Cent, of Total Nitrogen.
LawTence
Sludge.
Andover
Sludge.
Brockton
Sludge.
Degreasing
Press Cake.
Form of nitrogen: —
Insoluble, .......
Amide, .......
Humin,
Diamino acid fraction: —
Arginine,
Histidine,
Lysine,
Monoamine acid fraction: —
Amino, .......
Nonamino, .....-■
Per cent, availability of nitrogen by alkaline
permanganate test.
6.1
13.7
3.3
7.9
16.7
2.3
48.6
3.8
50.0
5.8
3.9
1.3
18.3
0.0
7.8
57.9
6.3
43.0
14.0
9.5
5.3
8.5
7.9
3.0
38.0
14.3
38.0
6.1
13.2
5.9
10.3
6.4
1.3
48.7
5.4
37.0
Stabilizing Sludge by Oxidation.
All the processes of digesting sludge to render it less offensive and
more easy to handle — from the septic to the Imhoff tank — are car-
ried on under anaerobic conditions. In experiments to hasten the
stabilizing of sludge in an activated sludge tank the addition of ni-
trates was found to be so efficient that it was decided to continue
experiments along this line. During June sludge, amounting to 21.5
gallons and containing 95 per cent, of water, was placed in one com-
partment of a galvanized iron tank (No. 470), 2§ feet deep, 2| feet
wide and 4 feet 2 inches long. This tank was divided into two nearly
equal compartments by a wooden partition with openings 18 inches
above the bottom of the tank. From 20 to 30 gallons of well-nitrified
effluent from a sand sewage filter were passed into the tank daily.
During the first few weeks active but inoffensive methane fermentation
occurred and a scum tended to form at the surface which it was
necessary to break in order to allow intimate contact between the
sludge and effluent. It is probable that during this period insufficient
nitrate oxygen was present. The sludge, however, became dense and
inoffensive.
During September and October 48 gallons of sludge containing 5
per cent, of solids was again run into the tank. Sand filter effluents
were added as before until December, when the tank was again emp-
tied. The sludge at this time was inoffensive. The overflow from the
tank was at times somewhat turbid but generally clear and always
inoffensive. Whenever a well-nitrified effluent is available, this method
offers a means of rendering sludge inoffensive without expensive deep
tanks.
384
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
For convenience in expressing results, the sludges have been calcu-
lated to volumes of sludge containing 5 per cent, solids, and the filter
effluents to a basis of 2.0 parts in 100,000 of nitrates. On this basis,
during the first three months of operation, one volume of effluent was
added daily for each volume of sludge. During the second three
months only 0.61 volume of effluent was added for each volume of
sludge.
Average analyses are shown in the following tables, and the great
destruction in the tank of matters determined as "loss on ignition,"
and of fatty matters, will be noted: —
Average Sand Filter Efflv^nts applied to Tank No. J^IO.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Date.
Ammonia.
Nitrogen as
Free.
Albuminoid.
Nitrates.
1915.
June 1 to August 31, inclusive,
September 1 to November 30, inclusive.
.0521
.0696
.0166
.0141
2.00
2.00
Average Overflow of Tank No. 470.
June 1 to August 31, inclusive, .
September 1 to November 30, inclusive.
1.20
0.71
.1200
.1200
0.21
0.14
Analyses of Sludge on a Dry Basis, Sludge added to Tank No. 470.
Per Cent.
Date.
Loss on
Ignition.
Kjeldahl
Nitrogen.
Fats.
1915.
June,
September and October,
66.4
70.0
2.27
3.80
28,7
30.9
Sludge drawn from
Tank No. 470.
September
December,
44.9
31.0
1.23
2.01
5.5
19.0
No. 34.1 PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE. 385
Carbon Monoxide in Gases from Fermenting Sewage Sludges.
A number of deaths from inhaling carbon monoxide in sewers hav-
ing recently occurred in Massachusetts, it was thought desirable to
determine the volume of carbon monoxide in the gases coming from
fermenting sewage sludge such as might collect in such sewers.
Samples of station sludge were collected in carboys and allowed to
stand until fermentation took place, when 4-liter samples of gas were
collected for analysis. Analyses in previous years showed that these
gases consisted of from 50 to 75 per cent, methane, the remainder
being nitrogen and carbon dioxide.
The method of analysis employed at this time was that used by
Kinnicut^ and others, and consists in passing the gas through fuming
sulphuric acid, then through a tube containing lumps of caustic .soda
and then a U-tube containing iodine pentoxide heated to 150° C. in
an oil bath. The iodine set free is titrated, and from the amount of
iodine the carbon monoxide is calculated. Kinnicut and Seidell^ used
this method for small amounts of carbon monoxide, largely diluted
with air and containing only small amounts of hydrocarbons. In the
Lawrence work the carbon monoxide was diluted largely with methane
and possibly other hydrocarbons. Methane is not supposed to be
oxidized by the iodine pentoxide, and unsaturated hydrocarbons are
supposed to be absorbed by fuming sulphuric acid.
The results obtained must be considered as representing the maxi-
mum amount of carbon monoxide present, and are subject to an un-
certain correction. The first lot of sludge stood from April 24 to
June 23, and 10 4-liter samples of evolved gas were collected and
analyzed. The maximum carbon monoxide value found was .009
per cent., and the average .005 per cent. The second lot of sludge
stood from June 23 to August 13, and 23 4-liter samples of gas were
analyzed. The maximum carbon monoxide found was 0.19 per cent.,
and the average 0.132 per cent. The third lot of sludge stood from
August 20 to October 8, and 15 4-liter samples were analyzed. The
maximum carbon monoxide found in the gas was 0.14 per cent., and
the average was 0.098 per cent.
These results indicate that it is extremely unlikely that dangerous
amounts of carbon monoxide are formed from fermenting sewage
sludge.
1 Journal of American Chemical Society, 22 (1900), 14.
2 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 6, 321.
386
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Relation between the C/N Ratio in Muds or Deposits, and
THE Production of Offensive Odors under More or Less
Anaerobic Conditions.
While determining the oxygen absorptive powers of certain samples
of mud from river beds, etc., it was noticed that some developed
offensive odors and others did not even when they absorbed approxi-
mately the same amount of dissolved oxygen. To study the reason
for this, the following study was made: From 1 to 4 inches of mud of
known composition was placed in gallon bottles filled with water and
closed with rubber stoppers fitted with two glass tubes, one reaching
nearly to the bottom and the other just through the stopper. Aerated
tap water was introduced through the longer tube and portions with-
drawn through the shorter tube for examination. The conditions in
the mud were thus kept anaerobic, while fresh water was introduced
often enough to keep a small amount of dissolved oxygen in the
supernatant water, imitating conditions in the beds of ponds and
streams. Dissolved oxygen and odors were determined daily.
In the following table of results it will be noticed that when the
C/N ratio was low, offensive odors were formed, even though the
actual amount of nitrogen was lower than in a sample that did not
produce offensive odors, and it was very evident that the kind of
changeable organic matter and not the amount determines whether or
not a deposit will be offensive. It appears also that the ratio between
C and N will give an indication of the result. In this experiment
the muds having the largest amount of fats and the lowest C/N ratio
were the ones giving the most offensive odors.
Per Cent.
C/N
Ratio.
Sample from —
Loss on
Ignition.
Carbon.
Nitro-
gen.
Fats.
Odor.
Merrimack River,
Salt water flat, .
Merrimack River,
Polluted pond.
Storage reservoir, .
10.5
5.0
7.8
5.0
15.0
4.20
2.00
3.12
.2.00
6.00
.500
.120
.240
.190
.370
1.08
0.17
0.27
8.4
17.0
13.0
10.5
16.2
Offensive.
Vegetable, not offensive.
Slightly offensive.
Offensive.
Vegetable, not offensive.
No. 34.1 PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE. 387
Purification of Sewage by Aeration with the Aid of Biological
Growths.
In 1911 and 1912 studies were made at Lawrence in regard to the
life of fish in polluted waters, and in water containing in some cases
much, and in others little, dissolved oxygen. In the course of this
investigation many interesting data were obtained in regard to the
part that growths of algae, largely Protococcus, Scenedesmus and Monas,
played in the consumption of CO2 and the liberation of oxygen.
Weak sewage in sealed bottles was found to be partially purified
when these organisms were present. Further, forced aeration and the
presence of growths gave remarkable purification results in these
bottle experiments (Report of Massachusetts State Board of Health,
1912, pp. 344, 345).
Immediately following this work, that is, in April, 1912, three and
one-half years ago, quite extensive experiments were begun in regard
to the purification of sewage by aeration aided by bacterial and
microscopic growths. This work was for a month or two carried on
in gallon bottles and carboys, and we found that by twenty-four hours'
aeration we could obtain a sewage or bottle effluent which was stable
and contained at times nitrates equal to 1.5 parts in 100,000 (Report
of Massachusetts State Board of Health for 1912, p. 291). This was
the first recorded successful work and method of purifying sewage
in mlume; that is, without the aid of filtering media. This was the
work shown to Dr. Fowler of Manchester, Eng., in August, 1912, and
which he mentions in his discussion of Ardern and Lockett's paper
(Journal of Society of Chemical Industry, May 30, 1914). His state-
ment as applied to Ardern and Lockett's activated sludge work, so
called, is as follows : —
It is only right to admit that the work was really due to a visit to the experi-
ment station at Lawrence, Mass., where I (Fowler) saw sewage which had been
completely purified by twenty-four hours' aeration.
In our work with gallon bottles the sewage was emptied from them
daily, leaving only the growths on the sides and bottoms of the
bottles, these growths and the sides of the bottles being also, of course,
covered with a sewage slime. Fowler's first experiments were almost
identical with this Lawrence work. Following our first work, a tank
containing a few layers of slate was put into operation late in 1912.
Growths, brown and gray in color (Massachusetts State Board of
Health Report for 1912, p. 292), soon covered these slate layers, and
sewage slime was also prominent. These growths, aided by aeration
388 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
and the circulation of the sewage in the tank caused by the air cur-
rents, collected not only suspended matters, but also a large percent-
age of the colloidal matters of the sewage; bacterial oxidation occurred,
and again as with the bottle experiments, stable and well-clarified
effluents were obtained by twenty-four hours' treatment in this tank.
To sum up the work so far, then, it is plain that many investigators
at home and abroad, including Drown, Dupre and Dibdin, Mason and
Hine, Black and Phelps, Fowler and others, had sought to purify
sewage by direct chemical oxidation by air currents and had failed.
At Lawrence, however, we discovered the efficiency of growths in
aiding the purification of sewage by aeration and changed the current
of investigation along this line of work. The work up to Dec. 1,
1914, has been given in previous reports.
Aerating Tank No. 449, started in January, 1913, was continued
without change throughout 1915. Tanks Nos. 458 and 459, started
April 13, 1914, were continued as last year up to March 16, 1915,
when enough of the slates were removed to make the area of slate per
gallon of sewage one-half and one-fourth, respectively, that of Tank
No. 449. All 3 tanks were now operated with regular sewage. The
square feet of slate surface per gallon of sewage treated was from this
date as follows: Tank No. 449, 1.09 square feet; Tank No. 458,
.55 square feet; and Tank No. 459, .27 square feet. On October 6
the period of aeration was increased from five to six hours, and
throughout the year the volume of air applied was maintained at
50,000 cubic feet per hour per million gallons of sewage on a basis of
a working depth of 5 feet of sewage.
As far as can be judged from the work during the year, the effluent
from a slate aerating tank will be of practically the same quality
whether the sewage treated is fresh or septic. The removal from the
sewage of suspended solids by the tanks with the smaller amounts of
slate was slightly better than by Tank No. 449, while the removal of
colloids, as shown by reduction of Kjeldahl nitrogen remaining after
filtration through filter paper, was about the same. Practically none
of the effluents from these 3 aerating tanks were absolutely stable.
The method of operation of secondary aerating Tank No. 449B,
receiving the effluent from aerating Tank No. 449, was changed a
number of times during the year. ~ During the last two months of
the year the period of aeration was eight hours. Nitrification was
fairly good during this period and about 90 per cent, of the samples
were stable.
The following tables show the reduction of organic matter, matters
in suspension and colloidal matter by these tanks: —
No. 34.]
PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE.
389
Average Analyses.
Regular Station Sewage applied to Aerating Tank No. 449,
[Parts in 100,000.]
Ammonia.
KjELDAHL
Chlo-
rine.
Oxygen
con-
sumed.
ALBUMINOID.
NiTKOGEN.
Nitrogen as —
Bacteria
per
Cubic
Cen-
timeter.
Free.
Total.
In So-
lution.
Total.
In So-
lution.
Ni-
trates.
Ni-
trites.
3.07
.46
.30
1.03
.63
8.50
-
-
3.25
2,563,400
Effluent from Aerating Tank No. 449.
2.69
.18
0.49
.37
7.70
.000
.0013
1.62 1,196,000
Effluent from Aerating Tank No. 449B after Eight Hours' Aeration.
4.40
.030
.0007
1.17
Settled Station Sewage applied to Aerating Tank No. 458, Dec. 1, 1914, to March 15, 1915.
3.45
.42
.27
0.95
7.09
2.96 1,466,000
Effluent from Aerating Tank No. 468, Dec. 1, 1914, to March 15, 1915.
3.07
.24
.18
0.53
.35
9.00
.000
.0003
1.86 915,000
Regular Station Sewage applied to Aerating Tanks Noa. 458 and 459, March 15 to Dec. 1,
1915.
.42
.27
0.95
.57
7.09
2.96 2,563,000
Effluent from Aerating Tank No. 458, March 15 to Dec. 1, 1915.
2.00
.17
.14
0.40
.26
6.30
.000
.0013
1.46
1,202,000
Regular Station Sewage applied to Septic Tank No. 459, Dec. 1, 1914, to March 15, 1915.
3.28
.55
.35
1.13
10.30
4.49 2,563,000
Septic Sewage applied to Aerating Tank No. 459, Dec. 1, 1914, io March 15, 1915.
3.25
.25
0.58
.45
.80
2.41 1,580,000
Effluent from Aerating Tank No. 459, Dec. 1, 1914, to March 15, 1915.
3.20
.26
0.48
.38
9.40
.000
.0002
807,000
Effluent from Aerating Tank No. 459, March 15 to Dec. 1, 1915.
1.96 .19
.36
6.70
.000 .0006 1.61 1,202,000
390
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Average Solids.
Regular Station Sewage applied to Aerating Tank No. 449.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Unfiltebed.
Filtered.
In Suspension.
TotaL
Loss on
Ignition.
Fixed.
Total.
Loss on
Ignition.
Fixed.
Total.
Loss on
Ignition.
Fixed.
46.8
21.6
25.2
35.8
13.6
22.2
11.0
8.0
3.0
Effluent from Aerating Tank No. 449.
34.8
10.9
23.9
29.6
9.7
19.9
5.2
1.2
4.0
Settled Station Sewage applied to Aerating Tank No. 468, Dec. 1, 1914, to March 15, 1916.
41,1
25.2
37.8
13.7 24.1
3.3
2.2
1.1
Effluent from Aerating Tank No. 458, Dec. 1, 1914, to March 15, 1915.
36.6
12.2 24.4
34.2
10.6
23.6
2.4
1.6
0.8
Regular Station Sewage applied to Aerating Tanks Nos. 468 and 459, March 15, 1915, to
Dec. 1, 1915.
20.7 25.4 34.4 11.2
23.2
11.7
Effluent from Aerating Tank No. 458, March 15 to Dec. 1, 1915.
8.1
16.9
7.6 16.2
1.2
0.5
0.7
Regular Station Sewage applied to Septic Tank No. 469, Dec. 1, 1914, to'March 15, 1915.
59.4
27.8 31.6
16.5
27.5
Septic Sewage applied to Aerating Tank No. 459, Dec. 1, 1914, to March 15, 1915.
41.7
15.9
25.8
37.1
23.6
4.6
2.4
2.2
Effluent from Aerating Tank No. 459, Dec. 1, 1914, to March 15, 1915.
12.4
34.5
10.9
23.
1.5
0.4
Effluent from Aerating Tank No. 459, March 15 to Dec. 1, 1915.
28.6 9.2
19.4
26.0
7.1 18.
2.6
2.1
0.5
No. 34.] PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE. 391
An activated sludge tank, so called, No. 465, was put into operation
on February 15. This tank is 26 inches in diameter, 4 feet deep, with
a conical bottom, and has a capacity of 110 gallons, exclusive of the
cone. Air is applied at the point of the cone, insuring a good circula-
tion of the sludge. During the first month sludge from trickling
filters, a sewage settling tank and some deposits from the slate tanks
were placed in this tank until it was about one-fifth full of concentrated
sludge. As the air supply was then arranged, air was not available
during the night, hence the dissolved oxygen became exhausted, and
more or less septic action set in during the night. It was undoubtedly
a mistake to add the sludge more rapidly than it could be rendered
stable by the tank. After a month's aeration there was little im-
provement, the sludge being still foul-smelling and not settling readily.
On September 13 a continuous supply of air became available, and
average samples were collected for analysis at the end of five hours'
and twenty-four hours' aeration. Beginning October 6 samples were
collected after three and eight hours' aeration, and the sludge was
continuously aerated to maintain aerobic conditions. Eighty-eight
per cent, of the samples after three hours' aeration and settling and
all samples after longer aeration were stable on incubation. The
heavy part of the activated sludge settles readily in a few minutes,
but the finer, light-colored matter settles more slowly and sedimenta-
tion is not complete in one hour. The longer the time of aeration the
more readily the fine matter settles. During the latter part of the
year, however, the tank was in good operation, and a clear, nearly
odorless effluent containing some nitrates was invariably obtained.
Analyses are shown in the following tables: —
392
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Average Analyses.
Effluent from Activated Sludge Tank No. 465 after Three Hours' Aeration and One Hour
Settling, Sept. 13 to Oct. 6, 1916.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Ammonia.
Kjeldahl
Nitrogen.
Chlo-
rine.
Nitrogen
AS —
Turbidity.
Free.
ALBUMINOID.
Oxygen
Total.
In So-
lution.
Total.
In So-
lution.
Ni-
trates.
Ni-
trites.
sumed.
Slight,
1.45
.15
.11
.40
.29
4.20
.100
.0014
1.13
Effluent from Activated Sludge Tank No. 465 after Twenty-four Hours' Aeration and One
Hour Settling, Sept. 13 to Oct. 6, 1916.
Slight,
0.63 .12 .08 .28 .22 4.40 .230 .0032 0.82
Effluent from Activated Sludge Tank No. 466 after Five Hours' Aeration and One Hour Set-
tling, Oct. 6 to Dec. 1, 1916.
V. slight.
0.85
.13
.09
.33
.24
4.48
.160
.0033
0.98
Effluent from Activated Sludge Tank No. 466 after Eight Hours' Aeration and One Hour
Settling, Oct. 6 to Dec. 1, 1916.
V. slight, .
0.36 .10 .07 .26 .18 4.06 .140 .0020 0.
The following analyses show the changes taking place in the sludge
in the aerating tanks, and the increase in nitrogen and the decrease
in fatty matters is very marked. Experience at Lawrence has shown
that the more stable sludge or filter sediment is, the lower will be the
per cent, of fats present.
Per Cent.
Kjeldahl
Nitrogen.
Fats.
Regular sewage sludge,
Deposits from Aerating Tank No. 449, .
Deposits from Aerating Tank No. 458, .
Deposits from Aerating Tank No. 459, .
Deposits from Activated Sludge Tank No. 465,
3.12
4,06
4.99
3.54
4.06
20.2
4.3
5.0
2.1
4.2
No. 34.
PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE.
393
Operation of Trickling Filters.
During 1915 15 trickling filters receiving sewage and 4 receiving
trade wastes were operated at the station. Filters Nos. 135 and 136
have been in operation sixteen years, and Filter No. 248 eleven years.
All of these filters received sewage clarified by some form of treatment
during the year. Filters Nos. 135 and 136 are 10 feet in depth, and
Filter No. 248 is 6 feet deep. Every sample of the effluent from
Filters Nos. 135 and 136 and 72 per cent, of the samples of effluent
from Filter No. 248 were stable.
The average analyses of the effluents from these 3 filters are shown
in the following table: —
Average Analyses.
Effluent from Filter No. 135.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Quantity
applied.
Gallons
per Acre
Daily.
2,145,000
Appear-
ance.
2.2
.28
0.76
AI/BUMINOID.
.18
.40
Nitrogen
AS —
.0318
1.71
4.6
t-, o
o <.>
p. ®
78,600
Effluent from Filter No. 136.
1,357,700
2.6
.30
0.84
.23
.11
.37
8.44
1.40
.0247
1.86
4.8
133,000
Effluent from Filler No. 248.
1,389,900
3.0
.36
1.45
.34
.17
.68
7.86
1.20
.0284
2.40
7.4
592,000
The Depth of Filtering Material and Trickling Filter •
Efficiency.
It has been long recognized at Lawrence that the maximum results
in efficiency of purification and volume of sewage purified in trickling
filter sewage purification are obtained when the filter is of considerable
depth and is constructed of comparatively fine material. There is un-
doubtedly a maximum depth beyond which the additional efficiency
obtained is not commensurate with the additional cost of construe-
394
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
tion and which interferes with filter aeration, and a minimum depth
below which economical rates of filtration cannot be maintained. In
co-ordination/- with the depth, a filtering material should be selected
that will have the greatest efficiency at that depth when the filter is
operated at economical rates and yet be coarse enough to preclude
clogging of the filter, and, if possible, surface pooling.
On May 1, 1913, 4 new trickling filters were put into operation at
the station, to determine at what rates trickling filters constructed
of different depths and of the same material must be operated in order
to obtain effluents of equal quality. Each of these filters is con-
structed of pieces of broken stone between f of an inch and If inches
in size. Filter No. 452 is 4 feet in depth; Filter No. 453, 6 feet;
Filter No. 454, 8 feet; and Filter No. 455, 10 feet. The sewage ap-
plied to each has been clarified by sedimentation. We have attempted
to operate each filter at such a rate that the effluents will contain
about 1.5 parts nitrates in 100,000, this being the amount of nitrifi-
cation which previous experience at the station has shown to be neces-
sary, in order to insure stable effluents in trickling filter purification.
Early in 1914 these filters reached a condition of equal biological
activity, and it was possible to so adjust their rates that practically
equal effluents were obtained.
The average rates of operation and analyses of the effluents from
these filters for the years 1914 and 1915 are given in the following
tables: —
Average Analyses of Effluents, 1914'
[Parts in 100,000.]
Depth
(Feet).
Quantity
applied.
Gallons
per Acre
Daily.
Ammonia.
Chlo-
rine.
Nitrogen
Oxygen
con-
sumed.
Filter
Free.
ALBUMINOID.
AS —
Per
Cent, of
Nunaber.
Total.
In So-
lution.
Ni-
trates.
Ni-
trites.
Samples
Stable.
452
453
454
455
4
6
8
10
332,700
585,100
1,801,000
3,733,000
1.8600
1.2900
1.3575
1.7275
.3050
.2950
.3715
.3900
.2006
.1796
.2292
.2616
13.20
13.30
12.98
13.48
1.63
1.81
1.66
1.76
.0065
.0128
.0126
.0081
1.89
1.79
2.17
2.38
85
95
97
86
No. 34.
PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE.
395
Average Analyses of Effluents, 1915.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Quantity
applied.
Gallons
per Acre
Daily.
Ammonia.
Nitrogen
Oxygen
con-
sumed.
Bacteria
per
Cubic
Cen-
timeter.
Filter
Free.
ALBUMINOID.
Kjel-
dahl
Nitro-
gen.
Chlo-
rine.
AS —
Number.
Total.
In So-
lution.
Ni-
trates.
Ni-
trites.
452
453
454
455
466,400
805,500
1,767,250
3,501,000
1.2354
1.2179
1.1808
1.1162
.2450
.2104
.2684
.2131
.1856
.1371
.1688
.1631
.5517
.4320
.5375
.4835
9.12
9.26
9.47
8.62
1.03
1.07
1.00
1.26
.0050
.0160
.0068
.0035
1.89
1.62
1.84
1.80
444,800
318,400
200,000
347,500
All of these filters are constructed of comparatively fine broken
stone averaging about 1 inch in diameter, and they are, of course,
operated under ideal conditions; that is, under such supervision and
care as it is almost impossible to actually duplicate with municipal
filter plants. This does not affect their comparative results, however.
Judging from these results, the deeper filters are much more economi-
cal than the shallower filters, as they allow greater rates, foot for
foot. The maximum average rate of filtration per foot of depth with
filters of the depths studied, with equal nitrification and stability of
effluent, during 1915, was as shown in the following table: —
Gallons filtered per Acre Daily per Foot of Filter Depth, with Equal Nitrification
and Stability Results.
According
to 1915
Rates
(Gallons).
With a 4-foot filter, .
With a 6-foot filter, .
With an 8-foot filter,
With a 10-foot filter.
116,600
134,250
220,906
350,100
After looking at these results the question, of course, arises as to
the cause of the great rate-efficiency of the deeper filters. Why should
a filter 10 feet deep allow not simply a rate two and one-half times as
great as a 4-foot filter with equal purification, but a rate five or six
times as great? The explanation when worked out is comparatively
simple, and shows these striking results to be due simply to the
hydraulics of the flow of the sewage through the filtering material.
Twenty-five years ago in the first special report of the Lawrence
Experiment Station, the flow of water through sand filters was de-
396 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
scribed.^ This description, based upon experiments then made, showed
that when water or sewage is applied to a sand filter, which at the time
of application contains much water in its interstitial spaces, some of
the applied water will, especially in filters of coarse sand, pass by the
held interstitial water, instead of pushing it before it and appear at
the filter outlet ahead of a large percentage of the held water. This
held water is really partly interstitial water and partly absorbed water;
that is, water held or absorbed by the organic matter lodged in the
filter.
Now, the rate and purification results in the operation of trickling
filters of different depths have to do with this flow of water and the
progressive mixture of the applied with the held water in filters of
broken stone or other coarse material, and with filtering depths vary-
ing in the cases cited in this report from 4 to 10 feet. In the early
work only sand filters 5 feet in depth were studied.
In this recent work a factor was revealed, not noticed in the sand
filter studies of twenty-five years ago, which affects the results very
materially. This is the simple fact, that the deeper the trickling filter
up to a certain point the greater the tendency of the applied water
to mix or mingle with the held water, instead of passing by this held
water. This tendency to mingle as the filter depth increases, and to
push the held water towards the underdrains, is great enough to cause
a large percentage of the sewage passing through a 10-foot filter to be
not simply twice as long in passing as through a 5-foot filter, but five
or six times as long. Conversely, the rate of the deep filter may, on
account of this, be from fiye to six times that of the shallow filter
with equal purification results. This is illustrated by the following
diagrams.
On these diagrams are data from experiments made at Lawrence in
regard to the flow through the 4 trickling filters, — the rate and puri-
fication results of which were shown in the table, — namely. Filters
Nos. 452, 453, 454 and 455, 4, 6, 8 and 10 feet deep, respectively.
On the first diagram, the results are shown when each filter was being
operated at the rate of 1,000,000 gallons per acre daily. In order to
determine the time of passage of the water or sewage through the
filters operated at this rate, and the degree of mingling of applied
and held sewage, enough salt was placed at a definite time in the
applied sewage to raise the chlorine 100 parts in 100,000, this amount,
of course, being readily detected in the filter effluent, and increased
chlorine in the effluent, due to the large application, being detected
with equal readiness.
After the application of this salt sewage to each filter, samples of
1 Special report for 1890, Purification of Sewage and Water.
No. 34.1
PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE.
397
the effluent were collected every few minutes for the determination
of chlorine. Examining the diagrams it will be seen that 50 per cent,
of the salt sewage applied to Filter No. 452 appeared at its outlet in
about twelve minutes, mingled with 50 per cent, of the held sewage;
that is, the chlorine had increased to 50 parts or more in 100,000
parts; that with the 10-foot filter operating at the same rate, an hour
and three-quarters elapsed before an effluent containing 50 per cent,
of the salt sewage reached the underdrains; that is, instead of being
TtM£ /N HOURS
two and one-half times as long, or thirty minutes, most of this salt
sewage was nine times as long in passing the deep as in passmg the
shallow filter. The results are given with 4 filters, and perhaps for
clearness the flow may be summarized as follows: —
With a 4-foot filter, as stated, 50 per cent, of the salt sewage ap-
398
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
peared at the outlet in twelve minutes, 75 per cent, in eighteen min-
utes, and the remainder came slowly, mingled with the "held" sewage
through many hours. With Filter No. 453, 6 feet in depth, 50 per
T/M£ /y HOUffS
cent, appeared in eighteen minutes, 75 per cent, in forty-two minutes,
and the remainder appeared as with the first filter, mingled with the
held sewage through many hours. With Filter No. 454, 8 feet in
depth, the elapsed times were forty-eight minutes and one and one-
No. 34.] PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE. 399
half hours, respectively, while with the 10-foot filter, as stated, the
elapsed times were one and three-quarters hours and three and one-
half hours, respectively. In other words, with equal rates of operation,
50 per cent, of the sewage applied to the 4-foot filter reached the filter
outlet mingled with 50 per cent, of the held sewage twelve minutes
after its application, while with the 10-foot filter, one hundred and
twenty-five minutes elapsed before 50 per cent, of the applied salt
sewage reached the filter outlet mingled with 50 per cent, of the
held sewage.
It follows, then, that at this rate — 1,000,000 gallons per acre daily
— 50 per cent, of the sewage is subjected at the most to only twelve
minutes' bacterial action in the 4-foot filter, while in the filter 10 feet
deep, 50 per cent, receives at the most one hundred and twenty-five
minutes' bacterial action.
Now to reverse the application of the data gained in this way, these
4 filters were operated at rates of 500,000, 800,000, 1,500,000 and
2,500,000 gallons 'per acre daily at the time of a second experiment.
Applying salt sewage as before and collecting and determining the
chlorine in samples from the outlets, make clear, as will be seen by an
examination of the diagram, that with these rates the applied and
held sewage were about equally intermingled, hence were about equal
periods of time in passing through each filter. Through the shallow
filter operating at a rate of 500,000 gallons per acre daily, 50 per cent,
of the salt sewage appeared in fifty minutes; through the 6-foot filter,
operating at a rate of 800,000 gallons per acre daily, 50 per cent, ap-
peared in fifty-five minutes; through the 8-foot filter, operating at a
rate of 1,500,000 gallons per acre daily, a little divergence was noted,
owing perhaps to slight clogging in this filter, as 50 per cent, of the
applied salt sewage was seventy-seven minutes in reaching the filter
outlet; but through the 10-foot filter, operating at a rate of 2,500,000
gallons per acre daily, 50 per cent, of the salt sewage reached the filter
outlet in one hour; that is, this Filter No. 455, two and one-half times
as deep as Filter No. 452 and operated at a rate five times as great,
gives equal time for sewage purification to occur as given by the shal-
low filter operating at one-fifth the rate and hence equal purification.
It is evident, moreover, from the diagram that the rate of the deep
filter could have been at least 3,000,000 gallons per acre daily. These
results show very clearly the reasons for the great economy of deep
compared with shallow trickling filters. These filters are constructed
of stone between f of an inch and 1^ inches in diameter. Filters of
larger or smaller stone allow differing times of passage and degree of.
intermingling, hence different but comparative results.
400
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Trickling Filters Nos. 472, 473, 474 and 475.
Filters Nos. 472 to 475, inclusive, were put into operation on April
10, 1915. They are similar in construction to Filters Nos. 452 to 455,
inclusive, except that the stone is much coarser, and they are oper-
ated in the same manner as these latter filters in a study of the rates
of operation necessary for equal efficiency of filters from 4 to 10 feet
deep. The average rate of Filter No. 472 for the year was rather
higher than it should have been, as shown by the low nitrates and
degree of stability of its effluent, compared with the effluents from
the other filters of this series. Apparently, Filter No. 475 might have
been operated at a somewhat higher rate.
The average analyses of the effluents from these 4 filters are given
in the following table, and on diagrams beyond are presented the
same facts in regard to these filters of coarser material as on the pre-
vious diagrams concerning the depth and efficiency of Filters Nos.
452 to 455, inclusive. These diagrams show that the deeper filter,
No. 475, 10 feet in depth, can operate at a rate six or seven times
as great as Filter No. 472, 4 feet in depth, with the same efficiency
and purification.
Average Analyses.
Effluent from Filter No. 472.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Appbab-
Ammonia.
2
1
Nitrogen
13
a
3
a
o
o
'2
Quantity
ANCE.
ALBUMINOID.
AS —
3
o
applied.
a
o
Gallons
•73
o
•
oj a
per Acre
Daily.
S
<B
"3
3
1
a
a
o
>>
h-t
Ch
O
fc.
Eh
W
O
'Z
2
d
w
464,200
3.0
.39
1.3000
.2530
.1764
.5800
7.71
0.57
.0257
2.00
1,217,140
Effluent from Filter No. 473.
616,200
3.0
.39
0.8257
.2429
.1649
.5003
7.60
0.99
.0204
1.96
798,571
Effluent from Filter No. 474.
674,600
2.8
0.9897
.1906
.5467
7.62
0.87
.0272
1.86 640,700
Effluent from Filter No. 475.
738,100 2.6 .37 0.7386 .2316 .1429 .5047 7.93 1.74 .0265 1.74 700,000
No. 34.]
PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE.
401
too
/ 2 3 4
' S ff 7
^^
75
50
1
No. 472
25
1
/P«y/
e /.OOO.OO
0 ^a/s. ^Ci
■eds/Vy
"^iSo
^~ 75
y
^
^ 50
/
F/LT£:/=?
A/0.473
/
/?«y
^e /.OOO.C
'>00^3/S.,
icrea^/V)
'
/
1 7'S-
>^ 50
/
X
F/LTER
A/O. 474
1 F^f>-f-
S 25
/
/Pd
fe/.OOO.C
00 ^a/s.a
cred^/'/y
^>.2
/
/oo
75
SO
^
^--^^^
F/LTER
Afo. 47S
25
y
y"
P3
Depth t
fe /.OOO.C
0 Feet
00 (f^/s.
"jcre ct3/t
y
0
_^^
3 4
T/M£ /N/^0U/9S
402
/oo
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
/ g 3 4- ^ S , 6 7
3 4- S
StabiliUj of Effluents from Trickling Filters Nos. 452 to 1^5, inclusive, and Trick-
ling Filters Nos. 47S to 475, inclusive.
Per Cent, op Samples.
FiLTEB Number.
452,
453,
454,
455,
472,
473,
474,
475,
No. 34.
PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE.
403
Ahsorytion of Oxygen by Trickling Filter Effluents.
When Filters Nos. 452, 453, 454 and 455 were started, 1.50 parts in
100,000 of nitrogen as nitrates was selected as the standard to be at-
tained by all 4 filters to insure satisfactory effluents. With the appli-
cation of weaker sewage during part of the year and the use of the
Osgood Street sewage since September, the nitrates have dropped to
about 1.0 parts in 100,000.
The average amount of oxygen absorbed from nitrates and dissolved
oxygen by these effluents during twenty-four hours' incubation at 70°
F. is shown in the following table: —
Oxygen absorbed from —
Nitrates
Dissolved oxygen,
Total,
Average total since filters were started.
[Parts in 100,000.
Effluent
from Filter
No. 452.
0.75
0.40
1.15
1.27
Effluent
from Filter
No. 453.
0.79
0.38
1.17
1.12
Effluent
from Filter
No. 454.
0.77
0.22
0.99
0.97
Effluent
from Filter
No. 455.
0.93
0.16
1.09
1.24
Method of Rating the Size of Beoken Stone used in the Con-
struction OF Trickling Filters.
All crushed or broken stone is screened through circular, rotary
screens having round openings, and it has been customary to express
the size of the pieces of such stone as being between the diameter of
the ring through which all the pieces will pass and the diameter of
the ring through which none of the pieces will pass. Both the angle
of the screen and the speed of rotation have a decided influence on
the size of the pieces passing a given sized ring or opening. The min-
eralogical nature of the stone also influences the shape and hence the
volume of each piece of stone passing through the rings. Therefore,
mistakes and inaccuracies arise in expressing the size of the pieces
used in the construction of trickling filters. This can be largely
obviated, however, by expressing size as the actual volume of each
piece of stone, calculating this from the average weight and specific
gravity of a number of selected pieces. Making this rating of the
broken stone used in the trickling filters at Lawrence has given the
following results: —
404
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Filter Number.
Average Volume
of Pieces of
Stone (Cubic
Centimeters).
Size of Screen
(Inches).
0.52
K-1
0.52
H-1
3.03
_i
5.06
1-2
3.90
^A-m
3.73
M-m
4.06
H-m
5.33
H-m
4.88
1-2
4.82
1-2
4.51
1-2
25.2
-
27.8
-
28.5
-
29.4
-
135,
136,
248,
449,
452,
453,
454,
455,
457,
458,
459,
472,
473,
474,
475,
1 Twenty-five per cent, finer than 1.
Operation of Contact Filters.
Contact Filters Nos. 175 and 421 to 4^8, inclusive, and Secondary Con-
tact Filters Nos. 44-3 and 456.
During 1915 11 contact filters were operated, one of which, No. 175,
has been in operation for about fifteen years in a study of permanency;
8 were started during 1911 in a comparative study upon the effect of
different methods of operation; and 1 was started during 1912 as a
secondary contact filter, receiving the effluent from a primary contact
filter. Filter No. 456 was started last year to study the effect on loss
of open space of sewage which had been clarified by treatment in a
slate aerating tank.
Filter No. 175, first put into operation in June, 1901, is constructed
of coke of such size that all will pass through a sieve having a 1-inch
mesh, 75 per cent, through a sieve having a §-inch mesh and prac-
tically none through a sieve with a j-inch mesh. This filter has always
received sewage that has passed through a coke or coal strainer; it is
filled once daily in one dose, stands full two hours before draining
and is allowed to rest every sixth week. The loss of open space at
the end of the year was 35 per cent.
No. 34.]
PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE.
405
Studies of the Effect of Methods of Operation of Contact Filters.
Filters Nos. 421 to 4^8, inclusive. — These 8 filters were first put
into operation on Jan. 18, 1911. Each is constructed of 33 inches in
depth of pieces of soft coal clinker having a diameter between j and
Ij inches, and is operated with settled sewage. The difference in the
methods of operating these filters is shown in the following table: —
Filter
Number.
Method of Filling.
Contact
Period
(Hours).
Number
of Cycles
Daily.
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
Rapidly from surface,
Rapidly from surface, ........
, Rapidly from surface,
Rapidly from surface,
Rapidly from surface
Rapidly from surface,
Rapidly from bottom, ........
Slowly from surface, with distributor 12 inches above surface,
The differences in the degree of purification due to the different
methods of operation are relatively small. The longer period of con-
tact tends to produce a more stable effluent but with greater loss of
open space. The number of fillings daily has little effect on the
stability. With three fillings daily there is a greater proportional
decrease of open space than with two fillings daily. Filling from the
bottom instead of the top decreases the stability of the effluent but
gives the least loss of open space.
Briefly summed up, these results indicate that for conditions similar
to those in these experiments, the best results will be obtained by
filling twice daily from the top with as much aeration as practicable
and a period of contact somewhat longer than an hour.
Double Contact Filtration.
Filter No. 443, containing 21 inches in depth of broken stone pebbles,
all of which will pass a screen with a |-inch mesh, 43 per cent, a
screen with a |-inch mesh and practically none a screen with a ^-inch
mesh, was put into operation on April 21, 1912. The effluent from
Filter No. 425 has been applied to this filter at an average rate of
650,000 gallons per acre daily, the filter being filled twice daily and
allowed to stand one hour before draining. The effluent has contained
406
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
on an average 1.61 parts in 100,000 nitrates and has been perfectly
stable. The loss of open space at the end of the year was 32 per cent.,
4 per cent, less than a year ago.
Contact Filtration of Sewage clarified by Aeration.
Filter No. 456, containing 3 feet in depth of clinker passing a 1-inch
screen and held back by a ^-inch mesh screen, was put into operation
on Jan. 1, 1914, to study the effect of clarification of sewage by aera-
tion in a slate tank on the operation of contact filters. The effluent
from aerating Tank No. 449 was applied in three fillings at a rate of
about 1,300,000 gallons per acre daily. The average nitrates in the
effluent were higher than last year, being 0.82 parts in 100,000 against
0.60 parts in 100,000, and all samples were stable. The loss of open
space at the end of the year was 11 per cent, against 22 per cent, a
year ago.
Filter No. 426, which was also filled three times daily, but with a
sewage which was merely settled, lost 43 per cent, of its open space
after two years' operation. From this it is evident that preliminary
clarification of sewage applied to contact filters prolongs the life of
the filter, and as the rate depends on the open space, it increases the
rate at which the filter may be operated.
The average analyses of the effluents from these various contact
filters are shown in the following tables: —
Average Analyses.
Effluent from Filter No. 175.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Appear-
Ammonia.
Nitrogen
i
'2
Quantity
applied.
ance.
albuminoid.
AS —
O
fe o
Gallons
per Acre
^
^
13
03
6
a
0)
OJ
a
8
0
>>
'a
Daily.
6
03
o
CI
O
1
>>
X
O
3
<
■4^ o
439,215
1.6
.24
0.56
.13
.09
.28
7.30
1.63
.0180
1.17
6.2
401,800
Effluent from Filter No. 421.
255,500 2.1 .30 0.59
.16
.36
.15 0.23 .0321 1.34 7.6 759,500
Effluent from Filter No. 422.
272,400 2.2 .30 0.73
.11
.35 8.75 0.75 .0206 1.35 6.4
890,900
No. 34.
PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE.
407
Average Analyses — Concluded.
Effluent from Filter No. 423.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Quantity
applied.
Gallons
per Acre
Daily.
290,700
Appear-
ance.
2.5 .33
Ammoxia.
1.04
ALBUMINOID.
.19 .13
.43
9.65
Nitrogen
AS —
0.80
.0176
1.57
7.1
as
1,277,700
Effluent from Filter No. 4.24.
291,000
2.6
.32
0.91
.19
.13
.38
9.16
9.69
.0216
1.70
7.0
883,600
Effluent from Filter No. 425.
464,000
2.6
.33
0.94
.20
.14
.46
8.60
0.83
.0084
1.70
6.8
738,630
Effluent from Filter No. 426.
454,300
2.8
.33
0.75
.23
.14
.45
7.63 0.78
.0039
1.90
7.0
842,540
Effluent from Filter No. 427.
312,400
2.5
.33
1.55
.22
.15
.48
8.55
0.40
.0190
1.75
8.8
1,376,300
Effluent from Filter No. 428.
301,000
2.7
.32
1.14
.21
.13
.45
8.57
0.95
.0522
1.73
7.4
864,500
Effluent from Filter No. 443.
455,700
1.8
.27
0.46
.15
.12
.31
8.90
1.61
.0364
1.31
3.6
770,000
Effluent from Filter No. 456.
1,119,000
3.3
.32
1.73
.16
.10
.44
8.39
0.82
.0120
1.19
8.9
1,070,000
408
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Stability of Effluents from Contact Filters, 1912 to 1915, Inclusive, and Total Loss
of Open Space.
Filter Number.
175.
421,
422,
423,
424,
425,
426,
427,
428,
443,
456,
Per Cent.
Loss of
Open Space.
Nitrates
(Parts in
100,000).
1.76
0.13
0.47
0.56
0.56
0.57
0.52
0.32
0.88
1.50
0.71
Per Cent, of Samples.
Putrescible. Doubtful.
0.0
1.4
8.2
31.4
28.9
32.8
19.0
42.9
20.7
0.0
0.0
1.5
11.1
12.2
6.9
2.6
6.7
6.8
5.3
1.4
0.0
0.0
Stable.
98.5
87.5
79.6
61.7
68.5
60.5
74.2
51.8
77.9
100.0
100.0
Intermittent Sand Filters operated with Untreated Sewage.
Filters Nos. 1, 2, 4, oC, 6 and 9 A.
These 6 sand filters are each 20-0 of an acre in area, and are situated
out-of-doors. At the end of 1915, Filters Nos. 1, 2, 4 and 6 had been
operated continuously for nearly twenty-eight years, and Filter No.
9A had been operated twenty-five years. Regular station sewage
without preliminary clarification has always been applied to these fil-
ters, and for some years it has been the practice to apply only as much
sewage as can be purified without increasing the amount of organic
matter stored within the filters. Since 1893, a period of about twenty-
two years, all of these filters have been operated without the removal
of any sand from the surface. The depth and size of sand of which
each of these filters is constructed, the date when first put into opera-
tion, and the total volume of sewage treated upon each filter since it
was started are shown in the following table: —
Filter Number.
Depth (Feet).
Effective Size
of Sand
(Millimeter).
Date first
operated.
Actual
Volume of
Sewage
applied since
Start
(Gallons).
1
2, .......
4
5C
6
9A
5
5
5
5
3?i
5
0.48
0.08
0.04
0.22
0.35
0.17
Jan. 10, 1888
Dec. 19, 1887
Dec. 19, 1887
July 20, 1905
Jan. 12, 1888
Nov. 18, 1890
2,763,896
1,591,551
961,865
743,765
2,287,882
2,300,607
The average analyses of the effluents from these filters are shown
in the following table: —
No. 34.
PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE.
409
34,300
45,200
Average Analyses.
Effluent from Filter No. 1.
[Parts in 100,000.]
u
Appearance.
Atataotxik.
Nitrogen as—
3
o
Quantity
applied.
•c
fe s
Gallons
>.
g
1
o
>»
per Acre
Ti
c
<u
o
e
c
s ■?
Daily.
u
"o
O
6
o
Ut
■^5
o
2
>>
X
O
2g
pa
49,000
0.3
.17
.6061
.0408
7.61
2.50
.0004
.52
-0.1
21,800
Effluent fro7n Filter No. 2.
0.1
.0680
.0069
7.40
2.23 .0023
-0.3
Effluent from Filter No. 4-
0.1—
.07
.0048 .0115
7.20
.0003
.16
0.1
Effluent from Filter No. 5C. i
0.3
.9350
.0549
.0002
—0.4
Effluent from Filter No. 6.
0.3
.0583
.0455
2.43
.0003
.44
Effluent from Filter No. 9 A.
46,050 0.1
.21
.0448
.0415
8.27
.0002
0.1
1 Filter stopped May 14.
4,500
192
11,000
—0.1 10,800
Wastes from Woolen Mills.
Certain changes have been made in the processes at a woolen mill
since past investigations were completed, resulting in changes in the
nature of the wastes. Little or no wool-scouring liquors were pro-
duced during 1915, and there was enough waste aluminum chloride
from one process carried on in the mill to furnish from two-thirds to
three-fourths of the necessary precipitant for chemical treatment of
the wastes.
The average volume of wastes discharged during ten or twelve hours
410
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
of the day was around 2,000,000 gallons. The wastes discharged during
the remainder of the twenty-four hours probably did not require treat-
ment. Aluminum chloride and alum, equivalent to 8 or 9 grains per
gallon, or 1,150 to 1,500 pounds of alum per million gallons, were added
to the wastes at the mill. Sedimentation from ten to forty minutes
was allowed in tanks holding about 125,000 gallons. It was stated by
the mill chemist that if an excess of coagulant is used a large amount
of flocculent matter is carried off into the stream, and that if the
tanks were larger from 10 to 12 grains of alum would be used.
Many samples from the outlet of these tanks showed that but little
clarification had been accomplished at the mill, and at the station an
average of 6.3 grains per gallon, or about 900 pounds per million gal-
Ions, additional alum was found necessary for complete clarification.
With the proper amount of alum a large proportion of the dye in the
waste is removed, and a very clear, supernatant liquor results. Occa-
sional samples from the outlet of the tanks showed a fairly satisfac-
tory precipitation in the tank.
The following table shows the clarification resulting from adding an
average of 6.3 grains additional alum per gallon to the waste liquor
from the outlet of the settling tanks: —
Waste Liquor from the Outlet of Settling Tanks.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Ammonia.
ALBUMINOID.
Oxygen consumed.
Free.
Total.
In Solution.
.29
.29
.12
8.29
Waste Liquor after Additional Precipitation.
.23
Besides chemical precipitation of these wastes at the station experi-
ments were started on filtration through deep trickling filters. On
September 20, 2 filters, Nos. 480 and 481, containing 7 feet in depth
of stone passing a 1-inch ring and retained by a J-inch ring, were
started at a rate of 500,000 gallons per acre daily. This rate was
increased to 1,000,000 gallons per acre daily on October 2. Filter No.
480 received the waste as it flowed from the settling tank without
further settling, and Filter No. 481 received the effluent from Filter
No. 480.
No. 34.]
PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE.
411
The purification accomplished by these filters was very satisfactory
except as to color removal. They reduced the color considerably, but
when the wastes were highly colored, the effluents still retained an
objectionable amount of color. Filter No. 480 received an average of
147 parts in 100,000 suspended matter, but as yet has done no "un-
loading," the effluent being practically free from sediment. The fats
in the wastes averaged 13.3 parts in 100,000. This is approximately
the same amount as was present in the wastes in 1909, when experi-
ments at the station in filtering through sand at high rates were un-
successful on account of the clogging of the sand by fats.
The average analyses of the waste applied to and of the effluents
from these filters are shown in the following table: —
Average Analyses.
Effluent from Settling Tanks applied to Filter No. 480.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Ammonia.
KjELDAHL
Nitrogen
-a
13
Nitrogen.
AS —
3
a
a
u
c
c
ft-g
>>
.2
.o
d
to
o
>.
"3
o
1
"o
h-l
o
_2
a
O
o
s
k.
g
2
a
o
6
a
1
o a
pa
-
-
.38
.29
.12
.78
.30
15.15
-
-
6.14
7.6
2,482,000
Effluent from Filter No. 480.
V. slight Pale green .20 .06
.43 .0009 1.39 3.9 252,000
Effluent from Filter No. 481.
V. slight Pale green .09 .03
.12
62 .0010 0.77 5.4 374,000
Average Solids.
Effluent from Settling Tanks applied to Filter No. 480.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Unfiltered. I
Filtered.
In Suspension.
Total.
Loss on
Ignition.
1
Fixed.
Total.
Loss on
Ignition.
Fixed.
Total.
Loss on
Ignition.
Fixed.
63.9
26.9
37,0
49.2
13.6
35.6
14.7
13.3
1.4
412 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Paper Mill Wastes.
On July 1 investigations were begun in regard to methods for the
purification of the washer wastes from a paper mill on the Neponset
River, varying in volume from 200,000 to 400,000 gallons per day.
This waste is a thick, turbid liquor containing much matter in sus-
pension. It varies in color according to the stock worked up or the
dye being used.
The raw stock used is largely old rope and cotton rags. None of
the rotary digester liquors are mixed with these washer wastes. At
times when a certain grade of red paper is being made, the paper
machine wastes are so highly colored that in order to prevent inter-
ference with the operations of mills below on the stream, these wastes
are mixed with the washer wastes. At such times the combined wastes
may reach a total of 550,000 gallons a day.
Two trickling filters, Nos. 471 and 476, containing 7 feet in depth
of crushed stone passing a 1-inch ring and retained by a j-inch ring,
were put into operation on July 1 at a rate of 500,000 gallons per
acre daily. Filter No. 471 received the raw washer wastes, and Filter
No. 476 received the effluent from Filter No. 471.
On July 27, a sand filter, No. 478, containing 3^ feet in depth of
sand of an effective size of 0.25 millimeter, was started at a rate of
100,000 gallons per acre daily with the effluent from Filter No. 476.
On July 29, another sand filter. No. 479, of the same construction as
Filter No. 478, was started. This filter received waste which had been
well clarified by a slight excess of sulphuric acid, settled and then
made slightly alkaline. This treatment requires 3,650 pounds of acid
per million gallons of waste, but produces a liquor that can be easily
purified upon a sand filter at the rate of 100,000 gallons per acre
daily, as shown by the analytical results for Filter No. 479 in the
table following. Experiments late in the year indicated that at times,
at least, the waste can be more economically and efficiently treated
with aluminum sulphate than with acid.
The 2 trickling filters have produced rather remarkable results con-
sidering the character of the waste liquor applied. Filter No. 471, 7
feet in depth, produces a stable, fairly clear effluent, containing some
nitrates, and the effluent from Filter No. 476 has always been clear,
low in color, high in nitrates, stable and with but little sediment.
Tables showing the average analytical results are given here: —
No. 34.
PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE.
413
Average Analyses.
Washer Waste from Paper Mill.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Ammonia.
KjELDAHL
0)
o
Nitrogen
a
i
d
O
Is
<
c
3
6
ALBUMINOID.
Nitrogen.
AS —
O
■©
O
1
.2
1
d
.2
"o
02
1
1
1
0.-S
II
pa
-
-
.33
1.07
.75
2.68
2.15
14.00
-
20.3
40.2
947,000
Effluent from Filter No. 471.
Decided Brown 1 .17 0.62 .39 1.55
13 .0065 7.61 39.0
Effluent from Filter No. 476.
Slight Brown .11 0.35 .28 1.03
83 .0223 5.40 33.3 166,000
Effluent from Filter No. 478.
V. slight 1.10 .17 0.18 - 0.53
.0163 3.34 28.4 28,000
Chemically Precipitated Waste applied to Filter No. 4T9.
31 0.74 .66 1
12.0 ^.51 370,000
Effluent from Filter No. 479.
V. slight 0.55 .42 0.13
0.30
06 .0030 1.85 15.5 38,100
1 Made alkaline before applying to filter.
Average Solids.
Washer Waste from Paper Mill.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Unfilterbd.
Filtered.
In Suspension.
Total.
Loss on
Ignition.
Fixed.
Total.
Loss on
Ignition.
Fixed.
Total.
Loss on
Ignition.
Fixed.
214.6
122.0
92.6
148.1
81.9 66.2
66.5
40.1
26.4
414
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Digester Liquors.
The most difficult paper mill wastes to purify are the digester
liquors, as they are too concentrated and too alkaline to be treated
by bacterial action without dilution. In mills using soda as the alkali,
the wastes are frequently evaporated to a thick syrup and burned
in a long rotary kiln. The soda is then recovered from the ash. These
liquors are sometimes used for laying the dust on town or city streets.
During September and October samples of digester wastes were
received at the station from a mill in the Neponset valley and tested
for possible methods of treatment. The bacteria in the wastes aver-
aged only 65 per cubic centimeter, and the organic content over 2,000
parts in 100,000. The alkalinity averaged 930 parts in 100,000, part
of which was caustic, precluding any bacterial treatment. The alkali
being largely lime, an attempt was made to precipitate it as CaCOs
by passing CO2 through the hot liquor. This treatment was hardly
successful, as the resulting precipitate was fine and crystalline and very
slow in settling. The reduction of organic matter and lime was be-
tween 10 per cent, and 20 per cent. Various other precipitants were
tried without success, and the only possible conclusion was that the
waste must be evaporated or diluted and disposed of with other
wastes.
Average analyses of the samples of waste are shown in the following
table: —
Average Analysis of Digester Liquor.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Ammonia.
Chlorine.
Oxygen
consumed.
ALBtTMINOID.
KjELDAHL iNITROGEN.
Alkalinity.
Free.
Total.
In
Solution.
Total.
In
Solution.
8.20
11.7
9.2
20.3
18.7
187
487
930
Average Solids.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Unfiltered.
Filtered.
In Suspension.
Total.
Loss on
Ignition.
Fixed.
Total.
Loss on
Ignition.
Fixed.
Total.
Loss on
Ignition.
Fixed.
3,512
2,066
1,446
3,396
1,977
1,419
116
89
27
No. 34.]
PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE.
415
The Effect on Bacteria of Certain Cloth-washing Liquors
WHEN mixed with SeWAGE.
The Department was asked what effect cloth-washing liquors in
relatively large volumes from a proposed mill would have on the
sewage-disposal area of Westborough. The principal kinds of liquors
from the washing of cloth were secured and analyzed at the station.
The kier liquor was alkaline to phenolphthalein to the extent of 432
parts in 100,000, and practically sterile. Three sour wash liquors were
from 98 to 155 parts in 100,000 acid, and also very low in bacteria.
Two kier wash liquors were low in alkalinity and contained over
5,000,000 bacteria. This large number was probably due to growth
between the time of collection and examination. None of the samples
contained free chlorine, and any bactericidal property of the wastes
was probably due to acidity or alkalinity.
Station sewage was diluted with 10, 25 and 50 per cent, of these
wastes, allowed to stand four hours and then plated. A brief sum-
mary of the bacterial reduction resulting from the mixing of the dif-
ferent wastes with sewage is shown in the following table: —
OF Waste.
Average Per Cent. Reduction in Total
Bacteria by —
Kind
10 Per Cent.
Waste.
25 Per Cent.
Waste.
50 Per Cent.
Waste.
Kier liquor, .........
54
561
441
97.3
5.9
97.6
99.94
Kier wash waters,
12.50
99.97
1 Increase.
Portions of the diluted acid wastes were also neutralized just before
plating, in order that the acid might not prevent the full development
of the bacteria on the plates, and the results were practically the same
as those from plates without this precaution. The results in the pre-
vious table show the effects of the separate wastes. In any plan of
disposal the wastes would become more or less mixed before mingling
with the domestic sewage, and the acid and alkaline wastes would tend
to neutralize each other, decreasing the sterilizing effect on sewage.
Leatherboard Waste.
At a certain factory in which 1| tons of dry leatherboard are made
each day, the liquid wastes, amounting to 83,000 gallons per day,
were stated to cause a nuisance at the point of discharge, pooling of
416
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
the waste and putrefaction of the organic matters occurring. The
stock used consists of scrap leather, mixed paper, leatherboard scraps
and jute. The process of treating the stock is similar to that in a
paper mill, and the stock is treated with an aniline dye to color it
reddish brown or a tan bark color.
Experiments at Lawrence showed this waste to be very easily clari-
fied and rendered inoffensive by chemical precipitation. Various co-
agulants were tried, but aluminum sulphate at the rate of 2,000
pounds per million gallons has proved the most efficient. Wastes
collected at the factory and received at the experiment station during
a number of weeks were always reddish brown in color, very turbid,
and contained considerable matter in suspension. Odors developed
in them in a few days when kept at laboratory temperatures. Treat-
ment with sulphate of alumina in the proportion stated resulted in
an efficient coagulation and precipitation, and the production of an
inoffensive, dark, straw-colored liquid which was entirely stable, as
shown by laboratory tests. This treatment caused a reduction and
removal of 90 per cent, of the organic matters present.
It was evident from this investigation that the installation of set-
tling tanks of proper capacity and construction, for which there is
ample space in the yard of the factory, and treatment of the liquid
wastes with aluminum sulphate would result in the production of a
waste liquid which probably could be allowed to flow from the fac-
tory without further treatment, such as filtration.
Average analyses of the samples of liquid received at the station
and of the effluent from chemical precipitation follow: —
Waste from Settling Tank at Works.
[Parts in 100,000.]
Ammonia.
Chlorine.
Solids in
Suspension.
Free.
ALBUMINOID.
Oxygen,
consumed.
Total.
In Solution.
47.1
.14
.58
.18
8.10
100.0
Chemically Precipitated Waste. — Supernatant Liquor.
0.0
.08
52*0
No. 34.] PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE. 417
Experiments upon Wastes from Fourteen Tanneries.
Similar experiments were made on the wastes from 14 tanneries and
plants handling hides in Peabody. These wastes, and consequently
the treatment necessary for their clarification, vary from time to time,
and the results of these experiments, while important from a practical
point of view, are not included here. Reports in regard to this work
were made to the Engineering Division.
Pollution of Shellfish.
The question of pollution of clams obtained along the Massachu-
setts coast and the possibility of obtaining clams free from pollution
having become quite prominent again in the work of late, investiga-
tions were made in the laboratories to demonstrate that clean clams
can be obtained, but that shucking, even under the best conditions,
may cause a certain amount of contamination.
Clams were obtained from Castle Neck Creek off Castle Neck, south
of the lighthouse at Ipswich. This clam flat is as free from sewage
pollution as any along the northern portion, at least, of the Massa-
chusetts coast. The results of the examinations of these clams are
given in the following table.
It will be noticed that the numbers of bacteria in the unshucked
clams were low at first, but coli were found in 0.1 of a cubic centi-
meter on the day of collection. Examinations of the shellwater were
made each day for ten days, five clams being taken for each test.
The number of bacteria at 20° C. increased from 3,000 to a maximum
of 75,000 per cubic centimeter, and the total colonies growing at 37° C.
from 300 to 900 per cubic centimeter. On at least half of the days,
however, coli were not found in any of the clams tested either in .01,
0.1 or 1.0 cubic centimeter of the clam water examined.
An equal number of clams from the same source were shucked
under as good conditions as feasible, the clams being placed in a wire
basket and water of good quality run over them rapidly from a faucet
for several minutes before opening with a knife. Every precaution
was taken as regards cleanliness, except sterilization of the worker's
hands, of the knife and wire basket, and of the water used in washing
the clams. Notwithstanding the degree of cleanliness used in this
work, the number of bacteria found was very much greater than in
the unshucked clams, as shown by the table. The number of bacteria
growing at 20° C. and at 37° C. increased enormously, and coli were
found in as small a volume as .01 of a cubic centimeter of the clam
water in every test made during the six days of experiment.
418
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Considering the bacterial results obtained by this careful and cleanly
manner of shucking, the high bacterial results obtained in the exami-
nation of shucked clams sold in the ordinary market is not to be won-
dered at. Observations of the conditions under which clams are often
shucked show these conditions to be far from sanitary.
Average of Five Clams.
Stobage (Days). I
Start,
2, .
3, .
4, .
5, .
7, .
8, .
10, .
Bacteria per Cubic
Centimeter.
4 Days,
20° C.
3,000
1,200
7,300
5,000
1,400
17,000
75,000
29,300
24 HOURS, 37° C.
Total. Red.
300
500
630
266
540
420
10
SO
100
100
230
100
100
40
.0001
c. c.
B. CoLi.
.001
c. c.
.01
c. c.
.1
c. c.
1
c. c.
+
0
+S
+
0
0
0
Avert
ige of Five Shiicked Clams.
Start
72,000
140,000
130,000
+
+
+
+
+
2
107,000
69,000
12,000
0
0
+
+
+s
3,
90,000
50,000
10,000
0
0
+
+
+
4
460,000
65,000
35,000
0
+
+
+
+
6
200,000
18,000
10,000
0
0
+
+
+
1 Clams kept at 42° F.
S = fermenting bacteria overgrown by sewage streptococcus.
No. 34.] PURIFICATION OF WATER. 419
Purification of Water.
Lawkence City Filters.
The water supply of the city of Lawrence is taken from the Merri-
mack River, purified by sand filtration. Two filters are in use. The
older one was constructed in 1893, and dividing walls separating it
into three sections were built in 1902. This filter contains about 4
feet in depth of sand of an effective size of 0.25 millimeter, and the
net filtering area is about 2.2 acres. It is not covered and has an
earth bottom, through which some ground water finds its way into the
underdrains and becomes mixed with the filtered water. The average
rate of operation during the past few years has been about 1,000,000
gallons per acre daily.
In November, 1907, a modern covered filter of concrete construc-
tion was put into operation to supplement the supply. This filter is
f of an acre in area and contains about 4^ feet in depth of sand of an
effective size of 0.25 mijlimeter. The average rate of operation during
the year was about 3,000,000 gallons per acre daily.
The effluents from both of these filters flow into the same pump-
well, from which they are pumped into the distributing reservoir. The
difference in the degree of purification produced is shown by the aver-
age analyses in the tables following. As has been the case for the
last few years, the effluent from the older filter was better bacterially
than that from the covered filter, which is operated at a much higher
rate.
The average analyses of the effluents from these filters, and of the
samples from other points on the Lawrence water supply system, are
shown in the following tables: —
420
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Average Chemical Analyses. .
Merrimack River. — Intake of the Lawrence City Filters.
[Parts in 100,000.]
fe
Appear-
Ammonia.
Nitrogen
AS —
a
ALBUMINOID.
<S
-^ ®
;3
>.
a
o
8
^
o3
r
a
Eh
1
o
6
6
"S
1
a
o
0)
j
J5
1
a
O
d
2
Is
<
t
51
0.3
.35
.0190
.0214
.0177
.47
.021
.0002
.64
.0540
1.6
1.8
Effluent from the Lawrence City Filter (Old Filter).
0.1 .31 .0150 .0081
.48 .033 .0002 .45 .1070 1.8 2.0
Effluent from the Lawrence City Filter (New Filter) .
52
0.0
.26
.0057
.0074
-
.43
.027
.0000
.44
' .0230
1.4
Water from the Outlet of the Distributing Reservoir.
0.1 .31
.0062
.0080
-
.46
.034
.0001
.40
.0680
1.7
Water from a Tap at Lawrence City Hall.
53 0.1 .30 .0052 .0072
037 .0001 .40 .0800 1.7 2.0
Water from a Tap at the Lawrence Experiment Station.
50 0.1 .32 .0038 .0072
.46
035 .0001 .42 .0750 1.7 2.0
Average Bacterial Analyses.
Merrimack River. — Intake of the Lawrence City Filters.
Bacteria per Cubic
Centimeter.
Per Cent, of B.icteria
removed.
Per Cent, op
Samples
40° C.
20° C.
40° C.
containing B. Coli.
20° C.
Total.
Red.
Total.
Red.
1 c. c.
100 c. c.
12,000
815
295
-
-
100.0
100.0
Effluent from the Lawrence City Filter (Old Filter) .
7.5
77.9
No. 34.1
PURIFICATION OF WATER.
421
Average Bacterial Analyses — Concluded.
Effluent from the Lawrence City Filter (New Filter).
Bacteria per Cubic
Centimeter.
Per C
ent. of Bacteria
removed.
Per Cent, of
Samples
40° C.
20° C.
40° C.
contaixing B. Coli.
20° C.
Total.
Red.
Total.
Red.
1 c. c.
100 c. c.
50
11
3
99.6
98.1
99.0
15.6
85.8
Mixed Effluents as pumped to the Distributing Reservoir.
11.7
Water from, the Outlet of the Distributing Reservoir.
1.8
Water from a Tap at Lawrence City Hall.
75.9
28
58
0 0 i 50.9
Water from a Tap at the Lawrence Experiment Station.
4,1 74.3
Investigation on the Efficiency of Ultra-violet Rays in the
Sterilization of Water.
In January of this year an ultra-violet ray apparatus, known as
Type B-2, was installed at the Lawrence Experiment Station to study
the sterilization of water by ultra-violet rays. This type, with a
capacity of 120 gallons per hour, was the kind installed, as it is the
one recommended by the makers for use in hospitals, schools, for the
army, for field construction camps, and for experimental work.
The sterilizer is made of iron, coated with enamel, and is cylindrical
in shape, with outside dimensions, roughly, 10 by 15 inches. Metal
cones are so constructed inside the sterilizer that the water circulates
about them and comes in closest contact with the rays twice. While
this type of sterilizing apparatus is generally made portable, larger
units having pistol lamps, so called, are used in municipal works. The
pistol lamps are entirely immersed in the water to be treated, thereby
using 100 per cent, of the rays, while in Type B-2 such as is used in
our experiments only 30 per cent, of the rays are said to be available;
422
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
the other 70 per cent, radiate from the top and sides of the cyHnder.
To obtain the highest efficiency of the rays, the water submitted to
the sterihzer for treatment must be free from any soHd suspended
matter. Such material may not only form shadows in which the
bacteria are protected, but also contain bacteria protected from the
rays. We have made, therefore, experiments with waters of varying
degrees of turbidity.
On January 11 Merrimack River water was delivered directly to
the sterilizer at the station. One hundred and twenty gallons per
hour was the maximum rate at which the sterilizer was operated, and
at this rate the bactericidal action of the rays was not particularly
efficient. The average turbidity of the river water during the experi-
ment was 0.35 parts in 100,000. As recommended by the R. U. V.
Company, the quartz lamp in the sterilizer was always lighted about
thirty minutes before any samples were collected. This first experi-
ment was continued for one month and the following table shows the
average bacterial results : —
•
Average Bacterial Results.
Rate (Gallons per
Hour.)
30,
60,
90,
120,
River Water.
BACTERIA PER CUBIC
CENTIMETER.
4
Days,
20° C.
7,900
17,000
27,100
23,700
40" C.
Total.
240
355
440
330
Red.
140
210
210
175
River Water after
Radiation.
bacteria per cubic
centimeter.
4
Days,
20° C.
63
370
1,930
2,440
40° C.
Total. Red
77
Per Cent, of Bac-
teria REMOVED.
4
Days,
20° C.
99.2
97.8
92.9
89.7
40° C.
Total. Red
94.4
85.0
76.7
100. 0
98,6
92.9
83.4
Average B. Coli Results.
River Water.
River Water after Radiation.
PER cent, of samples contain-
per cent, of samples contain-
Rate (Gallons per
Hour.)
ING B. coli.
ing b. coli.
.001
.01
0.1
1
0.1
1
10
100
c. c.
c. c.
c. c.
c. c.
c. c.
c. c.
c. c.
C. 0.
30
40.0
GO.O
100
100
0.0
22.2
100
100
60
33.3
55.5
100
100
6.3
56.2
100
100
90
14.3
14.3
100
100
18.2
81.8
100
100
120,
28.6
28.6
100
100
50.0
100.0
100
100
No. 34.]
PURIFICATION OF WATER.
423
Use of Roughing Filter. — From February 10 to March 15, inclusive,
river water before being passed to the steriHzer was passed through
a roughing filter to remove any suspended matter present, this filter
containing about 1 foot in depth of coarse sand. At first, this filter
was operated two hours a day and only when the sterilizer was run-
ning. It was observed, however, that high bacterial counts obtained
in the effluent from the filter were due, as frequently happens, to a
growth in the underdrains of the filter when not in operation, and,
consequently, when the filter was started this growth of bacteria, etc.,
would be flushed out into the sterilizer in large numbers or in groups,,
thereby forming shadows protecting the bacteria from the bactericidal
action of the rays. Hence, from March 18 to May 23, inclusive, the
filter was operated continuousl^^ Although the bacterial efficiency of
the filter increased when it was operated continuously, the bacte-
ricidal action of the ultra violet rays on the resulting water was not
improved.
The following table presents the average bacterial content of
many samples of river water before passing through the roughing fil-
ter, and the effluent from the roughing filter before and after steriliza-
tion. The table on page 424 presents the B. coli results. The water
delivered to the sterilizer was practically free from turbidity and low
in color.
Average Bacterial Results.
February 10 to March 16, inclusive.
(Gallons per
Hour.)
River Water.
Effluent from
Roughing Filter
No. 464.
Effluent from
Roughing Filter No.
464 AFTER RaDI.VTION.
Rate
bacteria per cubic
centimeter.
bacteria per cubic
centimeter.
BACTERIA PER CUBIC
CENTIMETER.
4
Days,
20° C.
40° C.
4
Days,
20° C.
40° C.
4
Days,
20° C.
40° C.
Total.
Red.
Total.
Red.
Total.
Red.
30, .
300
26
5
600
60
27
4
0
0
60, .
2,900
99
47
2,200
46
19
52
4
0
90, .
1,900
125
68
1,700
62
34
85
8
2
120, .
7,100
137
82
2,600
59
35
163
6
1
March 18 to May 23, inclusive.
30,
60,
90,
120,
1,600
76
35
31
12
0
6
4
5,700
164
73
285
23
11
23
6
2,150
160
111
290
15
1
38
9
2,900
164
114
520
24
8
45
16
424
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Average B. Coli Results.
February 10 to March 15, inclusive.
Rate (Gallons per
HODR.)
Effluent from Roughing
Filter No. 464.
PER CENT. OP SAMPLES CONTAIN-
ING B. COLI.
0.1
c. c.
30.
60,
90,
120,
30,
«0,
•90,
120,
100.0
40.0
37.5
44.5
1
0. c.
100.0
60.0
75.0
89.0
10
c. c.
100
100
100
100
100
c. c.
100
100
100
100
Effluent from
Roughing Filter No. 464
AFTER Radiation.
per cent, of samples contain-
ing B. coli.
0.1
c. c.
0.0
0,0
4.2
0.0
1
c. c.
0.0
10.0
20.8
7.2
10
c. c.
0.0
95.0
96.0
85.8
100
c. c.
100.0
95.0
100.0
96.5
March IS to May 23, inclusive.
0.0
0.0
66.7
100
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
50.0
100.0
100
0.0
4.2
58. 3
0.0
50.0
100.0
100
0.0
0.0
37.5
25.0
33.3
100.0
100
0.0
14.6
73.0
25.0
79.2
75.0
96.0
Table showing Per Cent. Reduction of Bacteria by Radiation.
Rate (Gallons per Hour.)
30,
60,
90,
120,
February 10 to March 15,
inclusive.
per cent, op bacteria
removed.
4 Days,
20° C.
99.3
97.6
95.0
93.7
40° C.
Total.
100.0
91.3
87.1
89.8
Red.
100.0
100.0
94.1
97.1
March 18 to May 23,
inclusive.
PER cent, of bacteria
REMOVED.
4 Days,
20° C.
80.7
91.9
86.9
91.3
40° C.
Total.
66.7
74.0
40.0
33.3
Red.
100.0
* 0.0
62.5
' Increase.
More Thorough Cleaning of Apparatus. — The bacterial results so
far given were obtained without frequently cleaning the sterilizer. It
was not cleaned often enough, for it was observed finally that an algal
growth formed a thin coating on the cone inside the sterilizer at the
overflow. Hence, during the following work, the sterilizer was thor-
oughly cleaned before each run and flushed out as completely as pos-
sible. Special precautions were also taken by heating the interior of
No. 34.
PURIFICATION OF WATER.
425
the sterilizer to a high temperature while empty; that is, allowing
the rays to radiate and destroy any growth adhering to the sides of
the sterilizer.
The sterilizer was operated at a rate of 120 gallons per hour, and
samples for bacterial analysis collected at intervals of thirty minutes.
From 5 to 10 samples were included in a series, and the ultra-violet
ray lamp was allowed to radiate between twenty minutes and one-
half hour before the samples were collected. The results are given in
the following tables, and it is evident that even under this more per-
fect operation the results were far from satisfactory: —
Average Bacterial Results.
.2
Effluent from
Effluent from
Roughing Filter No.
River Water.
Roughing Filter
S
46^ after Radiation
No. 464.
"3.
1
(Rate, 120 Gallons
per Hour).
Series Nttm-
BACTERIA PER CUBIC
BACTERIA PER CUBIC
bacteria per CUBIC
CENTIMETER.
CENTIMETER.
fe.a
centimeter.
4
Days,
3700.
4
Days,
40° C.
4
Days,
40° C.
20° C.
Total.
Red.
20° C.
Total.
Red.
^-^
20° C.
Total.
Red.
1, . . .
1,850
78
67
730
42
30
10
338
15
6
2,
6,000
100
40
2,000
58
34
5
228
18
0
3.
6,000
114
85
2,800
120
80
5
646
38
19
4,
750
90
50
800
26
10
10
459
26
5
5,
29,000
2,520
200
1,900
380
160
8
553
159
89
6,
4,200
1,980
1,000
450
102
76
5
89
29
9
7,
1,000
510
80
540
27
12
5
94
53
22
8,
5,400
500
140
2,200
360
80
8
938
121
40
9,
4,500
380
130
1,210
360
150
5
538
102
35
10,
1,200
130
80
400
84
28
5
50
20
5
Av
eragt
5,990
640
186
1,303
155
66
-
393
58
23
Table showing Per Cent. Reduction of Bacteria by Radiation.
,
Number of
Per Cent
op Bacteria removed.
40° C.
Series Number.
Samples
determined.
4 Days,
20° C.
Total.
Red.
1
10
53.7
90.8
80.0
2
5
88. 5
68.9
85.0
3
5
76.9
■ 68.2
76.2
4
10
42.6
100.0
50.0
5
8
70.5
58.1
44.3
6,
5
80.1
71.5
88.1
7
5
82.4
-I
-1
8
8
57.4
63.3
50.0
9
5
55.5
71.6
76.6
10,
5
87.5
76.0
82.0
Average,
-
69.5
63.1
70.2
1 Increase.
426
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Average B. Colt Results.
Effluent from Roughing Filter No. 464 after Radiation.
ScniES Number.
1, ■
2, .
3, .
4, .
5, .
6, .
7, .
8, .
9, .
10, .
Average,
Number
of Samples
de-
termined.
Per Cent, of Samples containing B. Coli.
30.0
20.0
0.0
30.0
S7.5
20.0
80.0
50.0
60.0
20.0
39.8
80
80
100
70
100
80
100
100
100
60
10 c. c.
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
80
100 c. c.
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
Treatvieni of Water comparatively Low in Bacteria. — It was evident
from the results that the number of bacteria in the water used so far
was too great for satisfactory bactericidal action by the lamp, hence,
filtered water of a lower bacterial content was next experimented with.
The following results show the efficiency of ultra-violet rays in this
experiment: —
Average Results of Radiation of Water Low in Bacteria and Practically Free from
Turbidity.
Num-
ber of
Sam-
ples
deter-
mined.
Filtered Water.
Filtered Water after
Radiation.
Date.
Rate
(Gallons
per
Hour.)
BACTERIA PER CUBIC
CENTIMETER.
bacteria per cubic
centimeter.
4
Days,
20° C.
37° C.
4
Days,
20° C.
37° C.
Total.
Red.
Total.
Red.
1915.
August 19, ...
5
60
175
64
24
51
18
5
October 5,
10
60
600
163
34
77
14
9
October 6,
10
60
190
27
15
39
8
3
October 22,
10
60
270
35
24
15
4
1
October 25,
10
60
1,000
40
40
19
5
1
October 26,
9
60
110
12
9
22
4
2
October 28,
10
90
600
125
125
85
18
6
October 29,
10
90
158
23
13
33
7
2
No. 34.
PUEIFICATION OF WATER.
427
Average B. Coli Results.
Filtered Water.
Filtered Water after Radiation.
PER
:ent. of samples containing
PER CENT. OF SAMPLES CONTAINING
Date.
B. COLI.
B. COLI.
0.01
0.1
1
10
100
0.01
0.1
1
10
100
c. c.
c. c.
c. c.
c. c.
c. c.
c. c.
c. c.
c. c.
c. c.
c. c.
1815.
August 19, .
100
100
100
100
100
0
20
40
80
100
August 20, .
100
100
100
100
100
0
0
30
100
100
September 30,
0
100
100
100
100
0
0
0
100
100
October 1, .
0
100
100
100
100
0
0
0
100
100
October 5, .
0
100
100
100
100
0
0
0
100
100
October 6, .
0
0
0
100
100
0
0
100
100
100
Disinfection of Water by Liquid Chlorine and Bleach.
The work along this line, started in September, 1914, w^as continued
until July 1, 1915. Liquid chlorine was applied to the effluent from
roughing Filter No. 460 until January 18 of this year, and after that
liquid chlorine and bleaching powder were applied alternate weeks.
Filter No. 4^0 is constructed of 1 foot in depth of sand of an effec-
tive size of 0.34 millimeter over the usual underdrains. The average
rate of operation was about 25,000,000 gallons per acre daily. Sand
removed by scraping was replaced from time to time to maintain the
original depth. The effluent from this filter is piped to the bottom of
a storage tank 10 feet deep, with an overflow at the top. Liquid
chlorine or bleach was passed into the effluent pipe just below a trap
near the filter, and was thoroughly mixed with the water as it entered
the storage tank. Storage w^as slightly over two hours. The amount
of available chlorine used is given in the following tables. Free chlo-
rine in the amounts added had no appreciable effect on the organic
matter in the water. In the tables showing the bacterial results the
samples are divided into groups according to the amount of chlorine
added.
All bacterial samples of the chlorinated water were tested for free
chlorine by the starch iodide test as soon as collected. The great
majority of samples to which 1.5 parts or more free chlorine per mil-
lion had been added contained free chlorine, while few samples to
wdiich 1 part or less had been added contained any. Intermediate
samples were evenly divided between those that did and those that
did not contain free chlorine. All of these tests w^ere made about
two hours after the chlorine was added. With a longer period of
storage the free chlorine would tend to disappear. The amount of
liquid chlorine or bleach required for a satisfactory bacterial purifica-
tion of Merrimack River water after passing a roughing filter is such
428
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
that free chlorine would remain after several hours' storage of the
water and possibly longer. Free chlorine from bleach seemed slightly
more efficient than liquid chlorine.
Average Chemical Analyses.
Merrimack River (Canal) Water applied to Filter No. 460.
[Parts in 100,000.]
2
Appear-
Ammonia.
Nitrogen
Quantity
ance.
ALBUMINOID.
AS —
applied.
of.
3
.
d
Ci
Gallons
^Q
>>
.2
8
>>
per Acre
fe^
^
0
a
1
c
c
Daily.
p.
S
.c
S
"o
6
2
o
a
2
si
is
'E
"3
h
H
O
fe
H
o
S
S
o
^
-
43
0.3
.27
.0188
.0181
.0144
.43
.021
.0003
.59
1.4
Effluent from Roughing Filter No. 460 (before Disinfection) .
23,084,000 43
0.0
.0167
.43
.026
.0005
Effluent from Roughing Filter No. 460 {after Disinfection).
46 0.0 .22 .0138 .0133
71 .028
.0003
50 1.2
Average Bacterial Analyses.
Number
of
Samples
averaged.
Merrimack ]
llVER
EFFLUENT FROM ROUGHING
FILTER NO. 460.
Average
Parts per
Water.
Before Disinfection.
After Disinfection
with Liquid Chlorine.
Million
of
Chlorine
bacteria per cubic
centimeter.
bacteria per cubic
centimeter.
bacteria per cubic
centimeter.
added.
20° C.
40<=
c.
20° C.
40° C'
20° C.
40° C.
Total.
Red.
Total.
Red.
Total.
Red.
0.50
10
3,400
139
79
1,603
62
31
304
38
12
1.14
21
7,186
263
172
3,844
121
71
51
43
9
1.60
23
7,739
233
183
7,277
130
73
16
16
2
2.00
15
7,540
259
163
5,347
116
93
13
19
6
2.60
20
5,620
245
155
3,425
75
47
9
10
6
3.00
9
8,500
496
231
4,062
102
64
10
10
0.3
3.40
10
5,230
388
104
2,672
78
43
5
7
0
3.80
5
2,520
89
53
1,750
42
22
2
2
0
4.25
5
4,020
160
104
1,780
54
30
2
2
2
11.30 ,
25
3,780
136
81
2,605
54
31
3
2
0
No. 34.]
PURIFICATION OF WATER.
429
Average Bacterial Analyses.
Number
of
Samples
averaged
Merrimack River
Water.
EFFLUENT FROM ROUGHING
FILTER NO. 460.
Average
Parts per
Before Disinfection.
After Disinfection
WITH Bleach.
Million
of
Chlorine
BACTERIA PER CUBIC
CENTIMETER.
BACTERIA PER CUBIC
CENTIMETER.
BACTERIA PER CUBIC
CENTIMETER.
added.
20" C.
40° C.
20° 0.
40° C.
20° C.
40° C.
Total.
Red.
Total.
Red.
Total.
Red.
1.10 14
1.60 13
2.00 9
3,386
2,930
3,466
94
233
232
47
123
71
2,065
1,753
1,864
62
78
153
31
45
38
21
21
15
17
17
14
0.4
1.0
1.2
Average B. Coli Tests.
Effluent from Roughing Filter No. 460.
Average
Number
of Samples
averaged.
Per Cent, op Samples containing B. Coli.
Parts per
Million
BEFORE DISINFECTION.
AFTER DISINFECTION WITH LIQUID CHLORINE.
of
Chlorine
added.
.01
c. c.
0.1
c. c.
1
0. c.
.01
C. C.
0.1
c. c.
1
C. 0.
10
C. 0.
100
c. c.
0.50
1.14
1.60
2.00
2.60
3.00
3.40
3.80
4.25
11.30
10
21
23
15
20
9
10
5
5
25
30.0
29.0
22.0
33.0
20.0
38.0
40.0
0.0
0.0
12.0
70.0
48.0
87.0
87.0
75.0
88.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
56.0
90.0
81.0
91.0
93.0
100.0
100.0
80.0
60.0
100.0
84.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
o'.o
0.0
0.0
10.0
10.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
40.0
19.0
4.0
0 0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
40.0
22.0
8.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
50.0
29.0
8.0
7.0
5.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Average B. Coli Tests.
Effluent from Roughing Filter No. 460.
Average
Number
of Samples
averaged.
Per Cent, of Samples containing B. Coli.
Parts per
Million
BEFORE DISINFECTION.
AFTER DISINFECTION WITH BLEACH.
of
Chlorine
added.
.01
0. c.
o.r
c. e.
1
c. c.
.01
c. c.
0.1
c. c.
1
0. c.
10
c. c.
100
c. c.
1.10
1.60
2.00
14
13
9
29.0
30.0
44.4
71.0
61.0
77.7
100.0
92.0
100.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
10.0
8.0
0.0
10.0
8.0
11.1
Division of Food and Drugs.
[431]
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DEUGS.
Director and Analyst, HERMANN C. LYTHGOE.
Dr. Allan J. McLaughlin, Commissioner of Health.
Sir: — I have the honor to submit the following report of the Divi-
sion of Food and Drugs for the year ending Nov. 30, 1915.
Respectfully,
HERMANN C. LYTHGOE,
Director and Analyst.
Eepoet of Division of Food and Drugs.
The Division of Food and Drugs was created this year by com-
bining the Department of Food and Drug Inspection, which consisted
of the laboratory force and the food and drug inspectors, and the
Department of Dairy, Cold-storage and Slaughtering Inspection.
Under the former administration the secretary of the Board was the
executive officer of these various departments, and directed the activ-
ities of the four food and drug inspectors. The analyst was in direct
charge of the laboratory, with three assistants and one clerk. The
activities of the four food and drug inspectors were directed to some
extent by the secretary, but in general they traveled where and when
they pleased, and submitted to the analyst and his assistants such
samples as they collected.
After the analyses of these samples were made the results obtained
from the adulterated samples were copied on cards which were de-
livered to the inspectors, who in turn gave them to the secretary, the
latter passing upon the relative merits of each case and directing the
inspectors to prosecute if necessary, or if not, directing that warning
letters be sent, or making other disposition of the cases. Under this
system the laboratory force at times was overwhelmed with work, and
at other times there was but little work to be done.
The Department of Dairy, Cold-storage and Slaughtering Inspec-
tion was located in the Albion Building, 1 Beacon Street, Boston,
Mass., and consisted of the supervising inspector, three cold-storage
inspectors, two veterinary inspectors, three clerks and an office boy.
After these departments were consolidated under one head, it was
found practically impossible to operate the different sections of the
Division with any degree of efficiency, owing to the fact that they
were so widely separated.
An attempt was made early in the year to bring the entire Division
into the State House, and accordingly the smaller laboratory in the
State House was changed into an office. The dark room in the larger
laboratory was removed, and the laboratory benches and assistants'
desks transferred from the smaller laboratory to the larger laboratory.
The larger portion of the office furniture was then removed from
1 Beacon Street to Room 501, State House, the balance being returned
to the sergeant-at-arms. The Division is very much crowded in these
434 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
small quarters, but it has been promised that as soon as the bacterio-
logical laboratory and the water laboratory are removed to their new-
quarters, their present quarters are to be placed at the disposal of the
Food and Drug Division.
The appropriation for carrying on the work was found to be inade-
quate to meet the expenses regularly incurred. This deficit has been
taken care of in former years by paying certain of the employees'
salaries from the general appropriation. In order to avoid a deficit
this year it was found essential to transfer or remove some of the em-
ployees; therefore a clerk drawing a salary of $1,000 was transferred
to another division, and her place was not filled. The resignation of
one of the cold-storage inspectors drawing $1,400 was accepted, and
his position was not filled. The office of supervising inspector, at a
salary of $2,500, was abolished, and the incumbent transferred to the
position of veterinary inspector at a salary of $1,800 per annum. The
saving in rent and other expenses incidental, such as telephone and
electric lights, amounted to nearly $1,000. The total saving, therefore,
was $4,100 per annum. This was not accomplished at the beginning
of the year, but was developed from time to time during the year, the
last change being made on the first of October. Therefore, the saving
for the entire year does not equal $4,100, but has- been about $1,700.
The large amount of money necessary to carry on the work of the
Division has resulted in a deficit of about $1,000. This has been taken
from the general appropriation by employing certain of the inspectors
in assisting the milk committee in making investigation which could
properly be paid for out of the general appropriation.
The Division, in addition to performing the work entirely within its
control, also does certain work for police departments free of charge,
and for which the Legislature makes no appropriation. This work
consists of making examinations of liquor samples for all police author-
ities and boards of health in the State, and of making examinations of
poisons and turpentine for police authorities, and of paints, oils and
turpentine for the Massachusetts District Police. The liquor work
is, with but few exceptions, comparatively inexpensive, except on
those rare occasions when the analyst is required to testify in court,
and when the Department is required to make the analyses required
by chapter 484 of the Acts of 1914. One such request was received
this year and it was of such a nature that it was necessary to perform
the work requested, which required the exclusive time of one analyst
for nearly a week.
The work upon poisons is increasing rapidly and in many instances
is very expensive. Certain samples are received which require the
constant attention of the analyst for several days, and in many in-
No. 34.] DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS. 435
stances it is necessary for the analyst to testify in court, notwith-
standing the fact that the law provides that a sworn statement shall
be prima facie evidence. These statements are never] accepted in
those cases which are tried in the Superior Court, and in many in-
stances are not accepted in the lower courts.
It would seem desirable that the appropriation for the division of
food inspection should be a single appropriation, instead of as at
present divided in three portions. The statute relative to the appro-
priation for food and drug inspection provides that the Department
may spend not more than $17,500 per annum, of which three-fifths
shall be spent for the enforcement of laws relative to the adulteration
of milk and milk products. There is also an appropriation of $12,000
for the cold-storage and slaughtering inspection, and an appropriation
of $3,000 for the director's salary. An appropriation of $33,000 will
be sufficient to carry on this work, and with the provision that a
certain percentage of it should be spent for the enforcement of the
laws relative to milk and milk products would be comparable with the
present law.
The Division is in need of additional laboratory space and sufficient
money for the appointment of a research assistant. Work of this
nature is very difficult to perform if the analyst is interrupted to take
care of routine work which, on account of the perishable nature of
the samples, must be done at once. In addition to chemical research
there is unusual opportunity for biological research in conjunction with
milk and cold-storage work, but, in the absence of laboratory space
and the necessary research assistants, such work cannot be carried on.
The inspectors have brought in more samples this year than last year,
and the additional work has been taken care of by making it a matter
of routine. The inspectors, however, could very easily be required to
increase the number of samples collected if there were more analysts
to take care of the work. In case of any vacancy occurring in the
inspecting force another laboratory man could be employed who
would be used as an inspector in case of an emergency, or when not
required in the laboratory.
The force employed at present is as follows: —
Director of Division and Chief Analyst.
Hermann C. Lythgoe, S.B.
Assistant Analysts. Food and Drug Inspectors.
Charles H. Hickey, S.B. Daniel E. McCarthy.
Lewis I. Nurenberg, S.B. Frederick L. Marion.
Clarence E. Marsh, A.B. Maurice P. Crowe.
Katherine E. Rooney, S.B. James S. Kenneally.
436 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Cold-storage Inspectors. Veterinary Inspectors.
TowNELEY T. Fkench, M.D. Alvord H. Rose, D.V.S.
John F. McDonough, James M. Kingston, V.M.D.
George L. Drury, D.V.M.
Clerical.
Celeste E. Macaulay.
Ermyn E. Schumann.
Mildred M. Lynch.
The law relating to cold storage states that the State Department
of Health and its inspectors or employees shall have the right of enter-
ing into all cold-storage warehouses of the State. These warehouses
must be licensed by the Department, and the Department has the
power to revoke a license if the warehouse is in an unsanitary condi-
tion. The law also requires a report to be filed on the twenty-fifth
day of January, April, July and October from each warehouse. The
inspectors of the Department examine the various warehouses with
reference to their sanitary condition before the licenses are issued and
make several other examinations of a like nature during the year.
A list of the licensed cold-storage warehouses is given in Table 17.
Cold-storage articles cannot be held in storage within this State for a
period longer than twelve months without the consent of the Depart-
ment, and no decomposed article of food shall be placed or held in
cold storage.
All requests for extension of time of storage must be investigated by
the Department. If in the opinion of the inspector the article is in
proper condition for storage, and the request for the extension is not
exorbitant, the Department permits the extension as requested. Under
the former administration all of these requests were passed upon by
the Board at its monthly, meetings. This at times caused a delay of
nearly four weeks from the time the request was made until it was
acted upon. Under the present administration the Commissioner has
delegated the authority to pass upon these extensions to the director
of the Division of Food and Drugs. All requests for extension are
investigated by one of the cold-storage inspectors, who carefully ex-
amines the articles in question. If in the opinion of the inspector the
articles are not fit for further storage, and the inspector's report is,
in the opinion of the director, sufficient to warrant the action, an
extension is refused. In a few instances, however, before refusing an
extension chemical analyses have been made of the articles in question.
No. 34.] DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS. 437
and the results of the analyses have determined the action of the
director of the Division. Extensions are not granted for the entire
time requested if market conditions are such that the articles can be
sold in less time than is asked for in the request. Extensions are re-
fused if the articles are not considered to be in proper condition for
storage, if they have been in storage in other States before storage in
Massachusetts, and if there is a good market for frozen goods at the
time the extension is asked.
A large number of articles held in cold storage have been confiscated
by reason of the fact that they were decomposed. In each instance
the owner of the goods voluntarily released these articles to the State
Department of Health. When the owner refused a release the articles
were examined chemically and if found decomposed the owner was
given an opportunity to show reasons why he should not be prosecuted
for the sale of adulterated food. After receiving the report of the
analysis the dealer, in nearly all cases, released the articles to this
Department. All the samples of eggs which were confiscated had been
shown to be decomposed by chemical analysis. Prosecutions were
made for holding articles in storage for a period longer than twelve
months without the consent of the State Department of Health, for
transferring from one warehouse to another for the purpose of violating
the provisions of the act, for selling cold-storage goods for fresh goods,
and for the absence of the sign required by the statutes.
Inspection of Slaughtering.
Boards of health of all cities and towns are required to annually
nominate one or more inspectors of slaughtering, who must be ap-
proved by the State Department of Health before appointment.
Many of these are renominations, and if our previous year's experi-
ence showed no reason for adverse action they were approved without
being specifically investigated by the inspectors of this Department.
All nominees engaged in the business of slaughtering were disapproved,
and, under opinions of the Attorneys-General, all members of local
boards of health were disapproved.
The appointments of local inspectors of slaughtering we;"e formerly
carried out in the manner now employed for the appointment of in-
spectors of animals, and, in fact, the inspectors of animals were the
inspectors of slaughtering. During 1909 a severe criticism was made
of Massachusetts inspection of slaughtering. The Legislature requested
the State Board of Health to investigate and report upon this subject,
and the report submitted by the Board stated that the slaughtering
laws were very generally ignored. The Legislature of 1911 passed a
438 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
new law relative to slaughtering inspection, requiring appointments to
be made as outlined above. The result of this law is that there are
now two inspectors for each town instead of one, but there has been
some improvement in the character of local inspection. The law re-
quires that in cities at least one inspector shall be a veterinary sur-
geon. Inspectors of this class naturally are more efficient than persons
who have not the knowledge and experience; consequently, by reason
of the larger number of confiscations made by these inspectors the
slaughterers are gradually leaving the cities and carrying on their
business in the small towns, where the inspectors are more liable to
pass diseased carcasses than the inspectors in the city. The investi-
gations made by the veterinary inspectors of this Department war-
rants the statement that in many instances the local inspector in the
towns is liable not to be present at the time of slaughter, and to
stamp the carcasses after they have been dressed. This is also true
of some of the inspectors in the cities. This is borne out by the many
instances found of slaughtering going on in the absence of the in-
spector. The veterinary inspectors of Boston have found carcasses on
sale bearing the inspection stamp of surrounding towns, and have con-
fiscated these carcasses by reason of the presence of hog cholera and
of tuberculosis. In one of these instances the inspector who did the
stamping was ignorant, and in another, the inspector was both igno-
rant and not present until the carcasses were ready for shipment.
Illegal stamping is carried on to the greatest extent in establishments
where calves are killed. The law provides that all calves weighing
less than 40 pounds when dressed, with head, feet, hide and entrails
removed, as well as calves less than four weeks old, shall be condemned.
A number of inspectors make a practice of stamping such carcasses.
This law, however, puts an unnecessary burden upon the farmer and
the meat dealer. If the meat is fit for food there seems no reason
why it should not be passed, whatever its age or weight, and I recom-
mend that you request the Legislature to repeal this portion of the
meat inspection laws, and permit the inspector to judge veal upon its
fitness for food rather than its weight or age. The prosecutions in-
stituted this year were for slaughtering without the inspector being
present, for unlawfully using the stamp of the inspector, and for vio-
lations of the rules and regulations of the State Department of
Health.
Dairy Inspection.
Dairy inspection as carried out in former years has been discon-
tinued. The hoof and mouth disease was the prime reason for sO
doing, but before the quarantine was removed it was decided not to
No. 34.] DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS. 439
resume the work by reason of the fact that the Legislature of 1914
had made such work compulsory on the part of local boards of health,
and also on account of the fact that the Milk Board of the State
Department of Health was making a study of the milk situation in
Massachusetts. Some dairy inspection was carried on, however, and
in all 314 dairies were inspected and scored, of which number 228
were for the use of the Milk Board, and the balance were inspected
at the request of local boards of health. The statistical details of
these inspections have been submitted to the Milk Board for their
consideration and will not be reported here.
The board of health of Provincetown requested assistance in the
inspection of the dairies, and a representative of this Department
visited the town and in company with the chairman of the local board
of health inspected and scored 21 dairies supplying milk to Province-
town. The board of health of Holyoke requested the assistance of an
inspector in examining dairies. This request was granted and the in-
spector visited and inspected 75 dairies supplying milk to Holyoke
situated in the Connecticut valley. The board of health of Plymouth
requested and received assistance in investigating a milk supply re-
garding which a complaint was submitted to the local board of health.
The boards of health of Marlborough, Avon and Franklin requested,
and received the assistance of an inspector to act as instructor to their
local agents or inspectors relative to inspecting dairies. The boards of
health of Winchendon, Newton and Brookline requested and received
the assistance of agents of this Department upon certain of their in-
spection trips, as they desired the Department to have first-hand
knowledge of the existing conditions. The location of the dairies
visited and scored are as follows: —
Deerfield Valley, 82
Connecticut Valley, 80
LyndonviUe, Vt., and vicinity, 44
Maine, 28
Springfield, Vt., and vicinity, 26
Berkshire County, 22
Truro, 17
Pittsfield, N. H., . . . . .11
Provincetown, 4
Total, 314
Chapter 744 of the Acts of 1914 clearly places the sanitary inspection
and control of dairies within the jurisdiction of the local boards of
440 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
health. This act provides for the issuing of permits by the local
boards after an inspection satisfactory to the board of the place in
which and the circumstances under which the milk is produced, the
inspection to be made by the authorized agent of the local board.
These boards are given power to revoke permits if the regulations
under which the permit was issued are not complied with. It is un-
lawful for a producer of milk or a milk dealer to sell or deliver for
sale any milk without a permit. This part of the law must be en-
forced by the local boards as far as their local milk supply is concerned.
If a permit is revoked the board must notify the State Department of
Health. The State Department of Health must then inform the
boards of health of cities and towns where the milk may be liable to
be sold, and also must notify dealers who are liable to purchase such
milk of the action of the local board of health. After receiving such
a notice from the State Department of Health it is unlawful for the
dealer to sell the milk. The State Department of Health must en-
force the provisions of this portion of the law. The small number of
communications received from the local boards of health under the
provisions of this law show that either the dairies supplying milk to
the citizens of this State are in excellent condition, or that the local
boards of health, are not enforcing the provisions of the law. The
relatively few notices, however, received from local boards of health
under the provisions of this act have caused a considerable amount of
clerical work on the part of this Department. Sixteen cities and
towns have written that they have excluded the milk of 32 different
milk producers and of 2 milk dealers. The correspondence on the
part of this Department relative to these notices has resulted in the
sending of 196 letters to various boards of health, various producers,
and to dealers who may have been liable to purchase the milk. An
example of the extent of the clerical work in some instances is given
in the following summary of correspondence with the board of health
of Brookline relative to one producer.
On Aug. 14, 1915, Mr. Ward, agent of the Brookline board of health,
notified the State Department of Health that the milk of D. C. Fletcher
of Littleton was excluded from Brookline. Letters were sent to Mr.
Fletcher, L. W. Bradbury, who was selling the milk, and to the boards
of health of Brookline, Boston, Waltham, Newton, Somerville, Cam-
bridge and Chelsea. On August 17 Mr. Ward of the Brookline board
of health reported that Mr. Fletcher's milk was liable to be sold to
Joseph L. Griffin, Vernal C. Clem, both of Jamaica Plain, and possibly
to Messrs. Cossaboon and Nix of Waltham. Letters were sent to the
Brookline board of health, and to Messrs. Griffin, Clem, and Cossa-
No. 34.] DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS. 441
boon and Nix. On August 24 Mr. Ward wrote that Mr. Fletcher was
still selling milk and violating that section of the law which the State
Department of Health is required to enforce. Before this letter could
be answered Mr. Ward telephoned the Department stating his willing-
ness to assist in prosecuting Mr. Fletcher. Mr. Ward was asked over
the telephone to furnish a certified copy of the permit he had issued
to Mr. Fletcher and a certified copy of the order revoking the permit.
This Mr. Ward stated he was unable to do, as he had never issued a
permit. He stated, however, that the milk was sold to J. J. Corkery
of Cambridge, who retailed it in Boston. This Department then sent
a letter to Boston relative to Mr. Corkery. On Septembei; 4 Mr.
Ward wrote that Mr. Fletcher's milk was being sold by John Cor-
coran, Union Square, Somerville. Mr. Ward again called our attention
to section 2 of the act and desired our Department to follow the
matter up. Section 2 of the act, however, was not being violated by
Mr. Fletcher, as he never had a permit revoked. A letter was sent
to Mr. Corcoran and returned to this Department unclaimed. On
October 19 Mr. Ward notified the Department that as the necessary
corrections had been made he had granted a permit to Mr. Fletcher.
This Department then notified the following of the action of the board
of health of Brookline: the boards of health of Boston, Waltham,
Newton, Somerville, Cambridge, Chelsea, and Messrs. Bradbury,
Griffin, Clem, and Cossaboon and Nix. This one incident resulted in
27 letters being sent from this Department to various persons and
various local boards of health, and several conversations with the
agent of the Brookline board of health over the telephone. The State
Department of Health had no authority to prevent the sale of this
milk, as a permit had never been issued to Mr. Fletcher, and, con-
sequently, a permit could not have been revoked. The cities and
towns sending such notices and the number of notices sent from each
are as follows : —
Brookline, 13; Newton, 6; Holyoke, 5; Springfield, 3; 2 each from
Lynn and Middleborough, and 1 each from Boston, Cambridge, Fall
River, Fitchburg, Haverhill, North Adams, Quincy, Winchendon,
Waltham and Somerville. One of the persons in Middleborough who
was forbidden to sell milk in the town persisted in doing so and was
prosecuted by the local authorities, convicted and fined.
442 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Chemical Examinations made in the Laboratory.
Milk.
Milk samples were collected from milk dealers in 134 cities and
towns in Massachusetts, and from suspected producers in 59 cities
and towns. Of the total samples collected, 4,957 were obtained from
milk dealers, 1,170 from stores, 973 from suspected producers, and
134 were miscellaneous samples submitted for examination by the
public, making a total number of 7,234 samples. This number is
1,226 more than the number of samples of milk collected and ex-
amined in 1914, and but for the fact that the inspectors and analysts
were employed for part time during six weeks on work pertaining to
the Milk Board the number of samples would have been considerably
greater. Of the samples collected by the inspectors 1 per cent, was
skimmed milk not properly labeled, 3 per cent, contained added water,
and 10 per cent, gave reaction for pasteurized milk. Twenty-four
per cent, of the total samples and 2 per cent, of the pasteurized sam-
ples were found to be below the legal standard for solids. Fewer
samples were taken from suspected producers this year than during
1914. The samples so taken during 1915 were relatively higher in
low standard and skimmed samples, and relatively lower in watered
samples. Wherever possible and expedient milk dealers making com-
plaints regarding their producers have been asked to submit analyses
of the milk from their dairies before the inspectors have been sent to
the farms. It has not been deemed desirable to examine the dairies
of a milk dealer if he is known to have and to use a mixing tank, and
if the average milk of his dairies is above the standard. Under these
conditions the fault with the milk was assumed to be due entirely to
the actions of the dealer. Warning letters were sent to dealers if the
samples were simply below the standard, and in instances when
second samples were obtained from these dealers and were found to
be below the standard, prosecutions were instituted. The quality of
the average milk sold is not so high this year as in former years, and
the samples giving reactions for pasteurized milk are noticeably lower
than those obtained during former years.
The following table shows the average solids, fat and solids not fat
of the raw and pasteurized samples not declared adulterated during
1913, 1914 and 1915: —
No. 34.1
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
443
Raw.
Pasteurized.
Year.
Ntimber
of
Samples.
Solids.
Fat.
Solids
not Fat.
Number
of
Samples.
Solids.
Fat.
Solids
not Fat.
1913,
1914,
1915,
5,319
5,004
6,0S1
12.69
12.72
12.69
3.84
3.83
3.83
8.85
8.89
8.86
834
479
684
12.58
12.59
12.41
3.79
3.73
3.66
8.79
8.86
8.75
The solids, fat and solids not fat in all samples not declared adul-
terated during the past seven years are as follows: —
Year.
Number of
Samples.
Solids.
Fat.
Solids not
Fat.
1909,
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913,
1914,
1915,
4,242
5,032
4,341
4,516
6,154
5,502
6,765
12.78
12.85
12.83
12.66
12.69
12.70
12.68
4.10
4.02
4.00
3.89
3.84
3.82
3.82
8.83
8.83
8.77
8.85
The slight reduction in the average milk collected by the inspectors
seemed to indicate skimming, as the solids not fat are increased, while
the fat and solids are decreased. This explanation, however, is not
applicable to the figures obtained from pasteurized milk. In these
samples the per cent, of solids, fat and solids not fat are all decreased,
which seems to indicate the purchase of relatively larger quantities of
low grade milk than was formerly the practice. The usual milk sta-
tistics are found in tables 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
Cream.
Two cream samples were found to contain added water and 4 were
below the legal standard of 15 per cent, fat, and the balance of the
151 samples were found to be of good quality and free from adulter-
ation. The 4 samples below the standard had an average fat of 11
per cent.; 30 samples were between 15 and 20 per cent, fat, average
16.6 per cent.; 31 were between 20 and 30 per cent, fat, average fat
24.7 per cent.; 55 were between 30 and 40 per cent, fat, average fat
35.3 per cent.; 31 were between 40 and 48 per cent, fat, average fat
444 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
42.8 per cent. The average of the total samples above standard was
30.9 per cent, fat; the average of the samples above 20 per cent, fat
was 34.5 per cent. fat. The average of the samples above 30 per cent,
fat was 38.1 per cent. fat. The average of the samples below 30 per
cent, fat was 20.9 per cent. fat. There are apparently three grades
of cream upon the market. A light cream with a fat content in the
neighborhood of 16 per cent., a heavy cream with a fat content of
35 per cent., and a medium cream with a fat content of about 25 per
cent. The retail price of cream is based upon the cream containing
40 per cent, fat, of which there were about 30 samples collected.
There is in general no difference in the retail price between the various
grades of heavy and medium cream. Cream is bought and sold by the
dealers at prices based upon the value of the butter fat it contains.
The public, however, do not get the advantage of this method of
fixing the price, as the public buys by volume at a flat rate per half
pint.
Condensed Milk.
Fourteen samples were examined; 2 samples reported adulterated
were below the Massachusetts standard when diluted according to the
label upon the package.
Bvtter.
One sample of renovated butter was obtained, and 1 sample of
butter was rancid. The other 12 samples were found to be unadul-
terated.
Ice Cream.
In all 227 samples were examined, of which 11 were below the legal
standard of 7 per cent. fat. The average fat of the 216 samples above
7 per cent, was 11.2 per cent., the average fat of the 116 samples
above 10 per cent, was 13.7 per cent., and the average fat of the 40
samples above 15 per cent, was 17 per cent. The averages reported
are substantially the same as those found in previous years. In 1913
the average of all samples above 7 per cent, was 11.9 per cent., in
1914, 11.1 per cent., and in 1915, 11.2 per cent.
Foods exclusive of Milk and Milk Products.
One thousand six hundred and ninety-three samples of food, ex-
clusive of milk, were examined, of which 1,349 were found free from
adulteration, and 344 were adulterated. The statistical summary of
these analyses may be found in Table 9.
In selecting the samples for analysis particular attention is given to
No. 34.] DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS. 445
those varieties of food which, on account of their nature, are subject
to adulteration, and in the collection of samples those brands which
experience has shown us are not liable to be adulterated are seldom
purchased. The coffee and cocoa examined during the year were found
to be pure. Four samples of compound coffee containing chicory were
purchased. The containers stated that the contents were a mixture
of coffee and chicory, but did not state the per cent, of each ingre-
dient, as is required by the statutes.
There are no statutory standards for flavoring extracts, and in most
instances we are obliged to use the dictionary in order to define the
nature of the substances. In general, however, the tentative standards
of the Federal authorities are followed, although these standards can-
not be introduced as evidence in courts. It is an easy matter to
establish a standard of purity by relying upon the past editions of the
United States Pharmacopoeia, but it is a difficult matter to pass upon
the correct labeling of the factitious extracts, particularly the cheap
lemon and orange extracts. Under our present statutes there is no
way of selling these extracts unless they are labeled with the name
and per cent, of each ingredient, but except alcohol and water they
contain little else than a fraction of a per cent, of citral. One hundred
and eighteen samples of these various extracts were examined, of
which 28 lemon and 3 peppermint extracts w^ere low in essential oil,
and 20 vanilla extracts were adulterated, 8 of which bore labels stating
the name but not the percentage of the ingredients, and 12 of which
were mixtures of vanilla extract and solutions of vanillin sold as pure
vanilla extract. These latter were the product of two firms, the man-
ager of one of which was prosecuted and convicted, and the members
of the other firm will be prosecuted early in the coming year.
The various fruit juices, except cider, were found to be sold in com-
pliance with the law, but a large number of samples of the latter
contained preservatives and were sold without the necessary label
stating the name and per cent, of the added antiseptic.
Eight samples of preserved fruits were found containing benzoic
acid and were not correctly labeled. One brand of soft drink (orange-
ade) and 11 samples of soda water contained benzoic acid. After the
soda water samples were examined it was suggested to the Public
Health Council that the dispensers of such beverages be permitted to
place a sign in the store, rather than be compelled to label the glass, as
a strict compliance of the law would require. The Council acted
favorably upon this suggestion.
The samples of syrup sold as such were all pure. Nine samples of
compound molasses contained glucose, the name but not the percent-
446 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
age of which was stated upon the labels. In these instances, however,
the sales of the compound syrup were made when the inspector asked
for molasses. One sample of compound honey was sold without a
label. It was ascertained that the balance of the stock in the store
was correctly labeled, and the label of the particular bottle obtained
by our inspector had fallen off in the store. Seventeen samples of
maple product were adulterated by the addition of cane sugar, and one
sample of confectionery, almond milk chocolate, was adulterated, as it
contained nuts other than almonds. The manufacturer of this prod-
uct has since changed his label to comply with the requirements of the
law.
A number of samples of compound lard and adulterated olive oil
have been obtained, 18 of the former, and 8 of the latter. The amount
of cottonseed oil in the olive oil varied from 40 to 100 per cent. All
the samples of condimental sauces, pickles, spices, salad dressing and
eggs were found to be unadulterated, but a number of samples of
vinegar were found to be below the standard of solids or of acid.
Three hundred and fifty-four samples of meat products were ex-
amined. The samples of bacon, Hamburg steak, mince meat and veal
were found free from adulteration. A large number of adulterated
sausages were obtained during the year, 324 samples in all being ex-
amined. The law regarding sausages specifies that they may contain
added cereal or vegetable flour to an extent of 2 per cent., but that
they cannot contain any added coloring matter. The addition of
water practically to any extent is permitted by the statutes. One
hundred and thirteen samples were adulterated, 93 of which contained
starch in excess of 2 per cent. Seventeen samples contained starch in
excess of 2 per cent., and coloring matter; 3 contained coloring matter.
Of the samples not declared adulterated, 138 were free from starch,
and 73 contained less than 2 per cent, of starch. During December,
January, February and March 39 per cent, of the total samples of
sausages contained starch, 17 per cent, contained starch less than 2
per cent., and 44 per cent, contained starch in excess of 2 per cent.
During October and November 45 per cent, of the total sausages con-
tained starch; 31 per cent, showed less than 2 per cent, of starch, and
24 per cent, showed more than 2 per cent, of starch.
Three samples of fish were found to be decomposed; 2 samples of
shrimp were found to be decomposed, and 10 were found to contain
borax. Eighty-seven samples of scallops were examined, 34 of which
contained added water, the water as a rule being put into the scallops
by the persons who opened them. Four and a half gallons of scallops
may be swelled by the addition of water until they become 7 gallons.
No. 34.] DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS. 447
Food held in Cold Storage.
It was found necessary during the year to examine 162 samples of
articles held in cold storage. Of these samples 92 were found to be
decomposed and 70 were found to be normal. Sixty-two samples of
frozen eggs were examined, of which 38 were found to be decomposed.
Twenty-five lots of frozen eggs, representing these 38 samples and
amounting to 5,231 pounds, were confiscated.
The 17 samples of butter were examined for the purpose of ascer-
taining whether or not they were in proper condition for further
storage. The physical appearance of all these samples indicated that
the articles were in good condition, but 3 of the samples were found
upon analysis to be rancid and were, therefore, ordered out of storage.
The samples of meat were examined for decomposition products as
described in former reports, using the ammonia-nitrogen ratio as an
indication of the condition of the samples. In many samples decom-
position had progressed sufficiently to form trimethylamine.
The 2 samples of salmon reported were in reality one fish. This
fish was representative of a large lot in storage and had been exposed
for sale before being frozen, and as the season advanced and the price
dropped the owner placed it in storage to hold for the following year.
The physical appearance of the meat indicated that the tail ends were
in good condition, while the ends near the body cavity were not. The
chemical examinations showed that the portion of the fish near the body
cavity was badly decomposed, while the tail pieces were in good condi-
tion. The fish were looked over by the inspectors and confiscated or
not according to the physical appearance of each fish.
The statistical summary of examinations of articles held in cold
storage will be found in Table 10.
Drugs.
A total of 1,141 drugs were examined, of which 173 were adulterated.
The statistical summary of drugs examined will be found in Table 11.
The drug samples collected and examined are in general only those
drugs which druggists are liable to make from the raw materials.
Nearly all the drugs prepared by the reliable wholesale drug houses
may be said to comply with the Pharmacopoeia or to be up to the
professed standard under which they are sold. When dealing with
such articles as tincture of iodine, spirit of peppermint or spirit of
anise, the findings are vastly different. These drugs are made by the
simplest possible manipulation from raw materials which are nearly
448
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
always pure, and there is no reason for not preparing and dispensing
full strength tinctures and spirits.
The examinations made of 944 of these drugs show a total of 148,
or 15.6 per cent, of the total samples, to be below the standard required
by the Pharmacopoeia, the deficiency being on the average about 30
per cent. With the possible exception of spirit of nitrous ether, this
adulteration is done either for fraudulent purposes or is the result of
gross incompetency; and when one considers the fact that the United
States Pharmacopoeia gives explicit directions for keeping spirit of
nitrous ether in such a manner that it will be up to the standard, the
weak samples of this drug obtained by our inspectors are due to in-
competency. The following table gives the results of the analyses of
the adulterated samples of spirits and tinctures: —
Per
Cent
OF U
S. P.
Strength.
90.
80.
70.
60.
50.
40.
30.
20.
10.
Less
than
10.
Totals.
Spirits.
Anise
1
7
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
19
Camphor, ....
-
8
2
4
1
-
1
-
1
-
17
Lemon
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
1
Nitrous ether,
-
13
17
14
12
5
2
4
1
1
69
Peppermint, ....
2
8
3
4
5
1
-
3
-
-
26
Tincture.
Iodine,
-
5
4
2
4
1
-
-
-
-
16
Totals, ....
3
41
29
26
23
11
4
9
3
2
148
The samples of alcohol submitted were found in general to be up
to strength, 1 sample only, containing 82 per cent, of alcohol, being
deficient. The samples of denatured and wood alcohol, with the ex-
ception of 2 samples of denatured alcohol, were properly labeled.
Many samples of denatured alcohol were found to be free from methyl
alcohol, and therefore did not require a poison label under our State
laws.
A number of samples of aspirin tablets were obtained which were
deficient in aspirin, and one of which was found to contain a foreign
substance. These samples were collected late in the year and are at
present under investigation.
The samples of camphor liniment examined with but two exceptions
were of the strength required by the Pharmacopoeia. This drug, how-
ever, is sold by the dispensatory name — camphorated oil — and the
latest editions describe several different strengths.
No. 34.] DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS. 449
Nine proprietary drugs were examined, one containing alcohol
slightly in excess of the percentage stated upon the label, and two
were headache powders upon which the name but not the percentage
of acetanilid was stated.
The olive oil and anise oil samples were found to be pure, but a
number of samples of citronella oil were examined in consequence of
a complaint, 3 of which were found to contain alcohol. One of these
adulterated samples was labeled "Mosquito Remedy," and when the
inspector went a second time to obtain the official sample the pure
drug was dispensed. The other samples came from one store, and the
court for a technical reason refused to grant a summons for the dealer.
In response to a complaint several samples of citrate of magnesia
solution were collected and found to be either pure or properly labeled.
The samples of zinc ointment were found to be up to strength, but
a small number of the samples of blue ointment were found to be
below the standard. The 3 samples of morphine tablets which were
examined were submitted by a hospital for the purpose of ascertaining
whether or not the required amount of morphine was present. The
analyses showed the tablets to be of the quality designated.
Examinatio7i of Liquor for Police Authorities.
Forty-four samples of liquor were submitted by police authorities,
of which 2 were below 1 per cent, and 42 above 1 per cent, in alcohol.
Table 12 gives the statistical summary of the samples submitted.
The only samples of an unusual nature were 4 samples of medicine
submitted by the Newton police. The results of the analyses obtained
were used in the case for practicing medicine without being a duly
licensed physician. The police department sent their agents, known
to be in perfect health, to a medium who prescribed and furnished
these highly alcoholic medicines.
Examinalion of Poisons for Police Authorities.
The number of samples of narcotic drugs and poisons submitted by
police authorities has increased nearly 50 per cent, over those sub-
mitted last year. It is possible that the restrictions placed upon
druggists by the Federal law relative to narcotic drugs has resulted
in an increased sale upon the streets and possibly in the smuggling
of these drugs from Canada into the United States.
The police department of Boston submitted 224 samples, the Watch
and Ward Society submitted 149, and the other police authorities in
this State submitted only 9 samples. It seems highly improbable that
450 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
the sale of drugs of this nature is confined to Boston, but it is possible
that some police authorities prefer to submit samples to chemists
doing business in their own cities or towns. The police department of
Springfield submitted samples of this nature to a chemist of that city.
Of the samples submitted, 195 were pure morphine sulphate, 23
were tablets and pills containing morphine, 11 were tablets or powders
containing heroin, 8 were derivatives of morphine in tablet or powder
form too small in quantity for further identification, 77 were cocaine
hydrochloride either in the pure state or mixed with some inert sub-
stance, and 10 were medicines containing morphine. The police of
Boston, Cambridge and Haverhill each sent in a sample of alleged
abortive medicine. Several alleged samples of poison were received
during the year. The Boston police submitted a portion of spaghetti
soup, together with a sample of rat biscuit. Both the soup and rat
biscuit contained considerable quantities of arsenic. An Italian woman
stated that this soup was prepared by her husband for the purpose of
poisoning her. She later admitted that through jealousy she had her-
self placed the rat biscuit in the soup and turned the sample over to
the police authorities for the purpose of implicating her husband.
After making this admission she was sent away for observation.
The District Police submitted a sample of liquid found upon a
prisoner which, upon examination, proved to be a solution of mercuric
nitrate. The police of Beverly submitted a sample of bread mixed
with a phosphorous preparation. A case relative to poisoning of hens
by this preparation is at present pending in the Superior Court.
The samples of liquor submitted by the police departments of
Boston, Quincy and Peabody and by the Watch and Ward Society
were examined for poisons with negative results.
The statistical summary of poisons examined will be found in Table
13.
Prosecutions.
The results of the cases entered into court will be^ found in Table 1.
A total of 273 cases were entered into court, of which 225 were con-
victed and 28 were discharged or dismissed on motion of the inspector.
The total fines imposed amounted to $4,340.08. Of these prosecutions
169 were relative to food and drugs, 74 of which were for the sale of
adulterated milk or milk below the legal standard, 72 were for the sale
of adulterated foods, and 23 were for the sale of adulterated drugs.
Five milk cases and 4 food cases were discharged, and 2 cases were
dismissed on motion of the inspector. The total fines imposed in cases
relative to milk, food and drugs were S3,424.33. There were prosecuted
No. 34.] DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS. 451
31 cases more this year than during 1914, and the amount of fines im-
posed was greater in 1915 by $975.83.
Seventy prosecutions were made relative to violations of the cold-
storage laws. Fifty cases were for the absence of the sign "Cold
Storage Goods Sold Here," 17 for the sale of cold-storage eggs without
a proper label, 2 for unlawfully returning goods to cold storage, and
1 for holding goods in storage longer than twelve months without the
consent of the State Department of Health. Fifty-nine cases were
convicted and 11 acquitted, the total amount of fines imposed being
Thirty-four cases were entered into court for violations of the
slaughtering laws, of which 19 were for slaughtering in the absence of
the inspector, 11 for the possession of unstamped meat with intent to
sell the same and for selling unstamped meat, 2 for violation of the
rules and regulations of the State Department of Health, and 1 each
for allowing improper use of stamp and for slaughtering without a
license. The total fines imposed were $275.75.
Confiscations.
The statistical summary of confiscations of articles of food made
during the year is shown in Table 2.
Nearly 11 tons of decomposed fish were confiscated by the inspectors
of the Food and Drug Division, and 71,734 pounds of articles of food
held in cold storage were confiscated by the cold-storage inspectors.
Twenty-two thousand two hundred and fifty pounds were fish, 20,650
pounds were meat, and 18,780 pounds were poultry. Two thousand,
nine hundred and twenty-seven and one-half pounds of meat were
confiscated by the veterinary inspectors. These confiscations included
10 of veal, 8 of beef, and 1 of pork.
Requests foe Extension of Time on Food Products in Cold-
STOEAGE WaEEHOUSES.
During the year 225 requests for extension were received from
owners of articles of food held in cold storage. Of these requests 218
were granted because the articles in question were in proper condition
for further storage and 7 requests were refused. Sixty-eight requests
for immediate removal were granted because the articles were in proper
condition for food and 1 request was refused. In this instance the
substance was confiscated. The detailed summary of these extensions
is given in Table 15.
452 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Quarterly Reports of xVrticles in Cold Storage.
The statute requires that storage warehouses shall make a report
upon December 31, March 31, June 30 and September 30 of the ar-
ticles of food placed in cold storage during the previous three months,
and the quantity of butter and eggs held in storage on the first day
of April, June, July and October. The summary of these reports is
given in Table 16.
A total of about 157,000,000 pounds of food were placed in storage
during the year ending September 30, of which 56,000,000 pounds
v/ere placed in storage in the spring, 46,000,000 in the summer,
35,000,000 in the winter and 25,000,000 in the fall. All classes of food
appear from these reports to be stored at all seasons during the year.
If monthly reports, however, were required to be submitted by the
warehouses the returns would have a different significance, viz., the
reports submitted show that 1,500,000 dozens of eggs were placed in
storage during the quarter ending March 31, but in all probability all
of these eggs were stored during March. Similarly, the reports show
544,000 dozens of eggs stored during the quarter ending December 31,
and all were, undoubtedly, stored during October. It is very im-
probable that eggs are placed in storage during November, December,
January and February, when fresh eggs are selling at such a high price.
The storage of eggs begins in the spring and becomes less as the season
advances. The storage of butter, like that of eggs, begins in the
spring, but advances during the summer and decreases in the fall.
The storage of poultry is greatest in the fall and continues during the
winter, but becomes less during the spring and summer. The storage
of meats is fairly uniform during the year, except in the winter time,
when it is very heavy, and the storage of fish appears to be the least
in the fall.
Table 16 also shows the percentage of articles stored during the
various seasons of the year. These figures, calculated from the broken
eggs, indicate a relatively higher amount of broken eggs stored in the
summer than of whole eggs stored during the same season. This in-
dicates that cold-storage eggs may be removed in the summer time,
and such eggs as cannot be sold in the shell are broken out and re-
placed in the cold-storage warehouses.
No. 34.] DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS. 453
Nominations of Inspectors of Slaughtering by Local Boards
OF Health.
The local boards of health made 522 nominations of inspectors of
slaughtering, of which 489 were approved and 30 were disapproved by
the State Department of Health. No official action was taken in 2
instances. The local boards were notified in these cases that the nom-
inees were respectively engaged in the business of slaughtering or were
members of the local board of health, and, therefore, were requested
to make new nominations, as the State Department of Health could
not approve of those made for the reasons given.
Of the total nominations made 80 were new nominees and their
qualifications were investigated by the veterinary inspectors. The
balance of the nominees had previously held the position of inspector
of slaughtering and were not specifically investigated. Ten of the
nominees approved have resigned and 2 have died.
Reports of Inspectors of Slaughtering.
The law requires that the inspectors of slaughtering shall keep a
record of all inspections made by them and their doings thereon, and
that they shall make regular returns thereof to the State Department
of Health upon prescribed forms. These reports by direction of this
Department are made quarterly for the quarters ending December
31, March 31, June 30 and September 30. The compilation of the
returns made is shown in Table 18.
The inspectors of 146 cities and towns in which slaughtering was
done reported that there were no confiscations made during the year
ending Sept. 30, 1915. In these localities there were inspected and
passed 2,842 cattle, 8,521 calves, 12,861 hogs and 2,326 sheep. It
seems incredible that all these animals slaughtered in these cities and
towns could be in such a health}- condition that all were passed. The
only other alternative is that the cattle had not been properly in-
spected at the time of slaughter, and that the inspector must have
stamped diseased meat.
The total number of carcasses inspected was 125,283, of which
22,729 were cattle, 60,696 were calves, 34,355 were hogs and 7,953
were sheep. The total carcasses condemned were 1,585, or 1.27 per
cent, of the total carcasses inspected. There were confiscated 510, or
2.29 per cent, of the cattle, 721, or 1.18 per cent, of the calves, 348,
or 1.02 per cent, of the hogs and 6, or 0.08 per cent, of the sheep.
Assuming that the percentages of diseased cattle follow the laws
454 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
of probability we should expect to find one confiscation of beef in
every 44 cattle slaughtered, one of calves in every 84 slaughtered, and
one of hogs in every 98 slaughtered. In 82 of these 146 localities
where no carcasses were confiscated, the number of animals slaugh-
tered was insufficient to warrant, according to the above figures, the
assumption of the presence of a diseased animal. If the percentage
confiscations, however, are calculated from the figures submitted by
those localities where confiscations have been made, the results will be
a better guide to the probable number of cattle, etc., which one would
expect to slaughter before a diseased carcass was found.
Recomputing upon this basis we find that there were slaughtered
in those localities where confiscations were made 118,732 animals, of
which 19,436 were cattle, 52,175 were calves, 21,494 were hogs and
5,627 were sheep. The per cent, of confiscated animals is as follows:
Total, 1.33 per cent.; cattle, 2.63 per cent.; calves, 1.38 per cent.;
hogs, 1.67 per cent.; sheep, 0.11 per cent.
Recomputing from these percentages it would be expected that 1
animal should be confiscated out of every 38 cattle, 73 calves and
80 hogs. Using these figures the inspectors in each of 60 cities prob-
ably would not be expected to find a diseased animal, but a few dis-
eased animals may probably have been passed by some of the inspectors
of those 60 towns, as among all of the animals killed in these towns one
would expect a number to have been diseased. The assumption that
many diseased animals are passed for food is further emphasized by
the fact that the veterinary inspectors of this Department find it to
be a practice in man^^ towns for persons to slaughter in the absence of
the inspector of slaughtering, who in all probability is liable to stamp
meat which he has not seen slaughtered and of which he has made no
inspection.
The inspectors in these 146 localities should have confiscated,
according to the computation made, nearly 75 cattle, 117 calves and
215 hogs, the majority of which should have been confiscated in 86
of these localities. It is possible, however, that strictness on the part
of an inspector and carefulness in purchasing on the part of a slaugh-
terer would have a tendency to reduce the percentage confiscations
in any one locality.
The following summary has been computed from Table 18, using,
however, only those figures obtained from cities and towns where in-
spectors have made confiscations.
The prevailing cause for condemnation is tuberculosis in cattle,
2.34 per cent, being condemned for this reason; immaturity in calves,
1.21 per cent, being condemned for this reason; hog cholera in hogs,
No. 34.]
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
455
0.66 per cent, being condemned for this reason, and tuberculosis in
hogs, 0.56 per cent, being condemned for this reason.
A report to the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists by
Mr. Nurenberg, assistant analyst, is included with this report and
deals with the detection of added water in milk by the examination
of the milk serum. The methods of preparation and examination of
milk serum, now adopted as provisional by this association and now
used throughout the United States, have been most extensively studied
and developed in this Department, and one of the methods used was
devised by an employee of this Department. It is appropriate that
this article should be published as an appendix to this report.
Table No. 1.
Number of Complaints entered in Court.
Yeab.
Food
and Other
Articles
(not
including
Milk).
Drugs.
Milk.
Total.
Convic-
tions.
Fines
imposed.
1883
-
5
4
9
8
-1
1884,
2
1
45
48
44
-»
1885,
I
50
1
68
119
103
-1
1886,
>
10
-
10
20
19
-»
1887,
30
-
34
64
60
-»
1888,
22
-
43
65
61
$2,042 00
1889,
74
-
66
140
124
3,889 00
1890,
78
-
24
102
96
3,919 00
1891,
96
5
49
150
135
2,668 00
1892,
52
12
72
136
123
3,661 70
1893
26
3
67
96
92
2,476 00
1894
14
-
76
90
77
2,625 00
1895
13
11
68
92
86
2,895 30
1896
7
-
68
75
74
2,812 20
1897
13
1
51
65
64
2,756 60
1898
10
-
54
64
62
2,060 98
1899
19
2
26
47
45
1,432 66
1900
45
5
44
94
89
1,890 70
1901
30
-
65
95
90
1,874 70
1902
25
3
48
76
74
2,617 98
1 No record kept.
* To May 1,
' Four months only.
456
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Number of Complaints entered in Court — Concluded.
Year.
Food
and Other
Articles
(not
including
Milk).
Drugs.
Milk.
Total.
Convic-
tions.
Fines
imposed.
1903.
34
1
44
79
70
$1,297 66
1904.
6
6
50
62
57
1,509 00
1905,
209
27
77
313
275
8,486 00
1906, 1
177
60
171
409
383
7,316 00
1907,
123
63
147
333
290
6,546 00
1908,
76
138
219
433
386
8,300 30
1909,
72
44
180
296
267
5,666 74
1910,
112
26
119
257
244
5,395 21
1911.
49
30
82
161
147
4,015 91
1912.
20
36
65
121
111
2,805 00
1913.
36
19
1062
161
116
2,922 75
1914.
44
36
58
138
114
2,438 50
1915.
72
23
743
169
158
3,424 33
■ Fourteen months, from Sept. 30. 1905.
' One case was on account of obstruction of an inspector.
3 Two cases were on account of obstruction of inspectors, and two were for assault and battery and
cruelty to horse.
List of Prosecutions.
For Sale of Milk not of Good Standard Quality.
Name.
Address.
Court.
Date.
Result.
Curley, George H.,
Chelsea. .
Chelsea,
Nov.
3.
1915
Conviction.
Gisin. Isaac,
Springfield,
Springfield,
June
25,
1915
Conviction.
Hood, H. P., & Sons, Inc.. .
Boston, .
Dedham, .
May
12,
1915
Conviction. »
Hood, H. P., & Sons. Inc., .
Boston, .
Somerville,
May
25.
1915
Conviction. '
Hood, H. P., & Sons, Inc., .
Boston, .
Chelsea,
May
26,
1915
Discharged.
Nichols, Harry D.,
Richmond,
Pittsfield, .
May
6,
1915
Conviction.
Rice, Albert A., .
Framingham,
Framingham,
May
15,
1915
Conviction.
Strniste, John,
Westfield,
Westfield, .
Dec.
8,
1914
Conviction.
Tait, Frank D.. .
Springfield,
Springfield,
June
25,
1915
Conviction.
Yerkes, Leon J., .
Richmond,
Pittsfield, .
May
6,
1915
Conviction.
Appealed.
No. 34.]
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
457
List of Prosecutions — Continued.
For Sale of Milk from which a Portion of the Fat had been removed.
Name.
Address.
Court.
Date.
Result.
Burnham, Francis,
Ipswich, .
Ipswich,
Oct. 15, 1915
Conviction.
Caldwell, Brown, .
Stockbridge, .
Stockbridge,
Aug. 28, 1915
Conviction.
Day, Ivory
Gloucester,
Gloucester,
May 5, 1915
Conviction, i
Friedman, Samuel,
Attleboro,
Attleboro, .
July 29, 1915
Conviction.
Golart, Joseph,
Gloucester,
Gloucester,
Apr. 21, 1915
Conviction.
Graustein, William A., .
Charlestown, .
Chelsea,
Dec. 11, 1914
Discharged.
Klonkinota, George,
Hull,
Hingham, .
Nov. 2, 1915
Conviction.
Levasseur, Ludger,
New Bedford,
New Bedford, .
Feb. 5, 1915
Conviction.
Lupo, Emanuel D.,
New Bedford,
New Bedford, .
Feb. 5, 1915
Conviction.
Manley, Edward F.,
North Abington, .
Abington, .
Apr. 22, 1915
Conviction.
McGrath, Thomas,
North Abington, .
Abington, .
Apr. 22, 1915
Conviction.
Merry, Charles,
Gloucester,
Gloucester,
Apr. 21, 1915
Conviction. '
Schmidt, Peter C,
Charlestown, .
Chelsea,
Dec. 11, 1914
Conviction. ^
Simmons, Manuel,
Gloucester,
Gloucester,
Apr. 21, 1915
Conviction.
Stratus, Stevens, .
Hull,
Hingham, .
Nov. 2, 1915
Conviction.
Strniste, John,
Westfield,
Westfield, .
Dec. 8, 1915
Conviction.
Trevoy, George C,
Gloucester,
Gloucester,
Apr. 21, 1915
Conviction.
Williams, Joseph E.,
Gloucester,
Gloucester,
Apr. 21, 1915
Conviction.
For Sale of Milk containing Added Water.
Ardizzoni, Henry,
Plymouth,
Plymouth,
Aug.
10,
1915
Conviction.
Bennett, Matthew J., .
Billerica,
Lowell,
July
30,
1915
Conviction. >
Blume, George,
West Acton, .
Concord, .
Apr.
20,
1915
Conviction, i
BoUes, George,
Wellesley,
Dedham, .
June
21,
1915
Conviction.
Cameron, Daniel E.,
Dracut, .
Lowell,
Jan.
28,
1915
Conviction. '
Cameron, Daniel E.,
Dracut, .
Lowell,
Nov.
2,
1915
Conviction. »
Chemalska, Kostonly, .
Chelmsford, .
Lowell,
Oct.
14,
1915
Conviction.
Day, Ivory, ....
Gloucester,
Gloucester,
Apr.
21,
1915
Discharged.
Dobro, Walter,
North Attleborough,
Attleboro, .
Aug.
7,
1915
Nol prossed.
Duponte, John,
Reading,
Woburn, .
Nov.
20,
1915
Conviction.
Elliot, W. P
Lynn,
Lynn,
Jan.
16,
1915
Discharged.
Furmanick, Karl, .
Sterling, .
Clinton,
Dec.
8,
1914
Conviction.
Gates, Llewellyn F.,
Westford,
Ayer, .
Oct.
2,
1915
Conviction, i
Appealed.
458
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
List of Prosecutions — Continued.
For Sale of Milk containing Added Water — Concluded.
Name.
Address.
Court.
Date. Result.
Goldman, Morris, .
Chelsea, .
Chelsea,
Nov. 10, 1915
Conviction.
Handverger, Louis,
Franklin,
Franklin, .
Mar. 20, 1915
Conviction.
Hennessey, John, .
Ashby, .
Fitchburg,
Dec. 31, 1914
Conviction.
Hoerman, Herman,
North Attleborough,
Attleboro, .
July 29, 1915
Conviction.
Jaques, George H.,
Methuen,
Methuen, .
Feb. 26, 1915
Conviction.
Kashanian, Sirkis,
West Andover,
Lawrence, .
Dec. 12, 1914
Conviction.
Keene, Miles P., .
North Weymouth, .
Quincy,
June 19, 1915
Conviction.
Kerepka, John,
Dracut, .
Lowell,
July 30, 1915
Conviction.
Lahti, Herman,
Ashby, .
Ayer, .
Feb. 3, 1915
Conviction.
Marquis, Ephram,
Blackstone,
Uxbridge, .
July 13, 1915
Conviction.
Montenari, Louia, .
Plymouth,
Plymouth,
Aug. 28, 1915
Conviction.
Moynihan, John C.,
Newburyport,
Newburyport, .
Aug. 3, 1915
Conviction.
Owen, John F
South Weymouth, .
Quincy,
June 19, 1915
Conviction.
Perry, Frank S., .
Attleboro,
Attleboro, .
Apr. 26, 1915
Conviction.
Perry, Frank S., .
Attleboro,
Attleboro, .
Aug. 7, 1915
Discharged.
Phinney, Clarence,
Hyannis,
Barnstable,
Oct. 19, 1915
Conviction. •
Reed, Frank,
Waltham,
Waltham, .
Aug. 3, 1915
Conviction. »
Rego, John
Plymouth,
Plymouth,
July 23, 1915
Conviction. >
Riley, Thomas F.,
Tewksbury, .
Lowell,
June 23, 1915
Conviction.
Roderick, Joseph, .
Reading,
Woburn, .
Nov. 20, 1915
Conviction.
Roper, Harry H., .
Ipswich, .
Ipswich, .
Oct. 15, 1915
Conviction. «
Schaefner, G. H., .
Watertown,
Waltham, .
Jan. 1, 1915
Conviction. »
Schaefner, G. H., Jr., .
Watertown, .
Waltham, .
Jan. I, 1915
Conviction.
Smith, Jacob,
Hull, .
Hingham, .
Apr. 6, 1915
Conviction.
Sughrue, Charles, .
Carlisle, .
Lowell,
May 18, 1915
Conviction.
Sullivan, Roscoe, .
West Springfield, .
Springfield,
May 28, 1915
Conviction.
Willard, Emery C,
Ashby, .
Fitchbvu-g,
Feb. 4, 1915
Conviction.
Wing, Nathaniel, .
Bourne, .
Bourne,
Aug. 11, 1915
Conviction.
For Sale of Milk containing Added Foreign Matter. ^
Petitt, John, .
North Attleborough, Attleboro,
Dec. 12, 1914 Conviction. >
For Sale of Ice Cream below Standard.
Todd, Henry,
Todd, Henry,
Nantucket,
Nantucket,
Nantucket,
Nantucket,
Aug. 19, 1915
Aug. 19, 1915
Conviction.
Conviction.
> Appealed.
' Formaldehyde.
No. 34.]
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
459
List of Prosecutions — Continued.
For Sale of Adulterated Foods Other than Milk and Milk Products.
Cider.
Contained Benzoic Acid.
Name.
Address.
Court.
Date.
Result.
Panagakis, Stra, .
Lynn,
Lynn,
Jan. 23, 1915
Conviction.
Laed.
Compound: not marked.
Amorelli, Mikel,
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Apr.
7,
1915
Conviction.
Bistany, Ameen, .
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Apr.
7,
1915
Conviction.
Cutsulianos, John,
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Apr.
7,
1915
Conviction.
Gavin, Michael,
Stoneham,
Woburn,
Jan.
19,
1915
Conviction.
Gavin, William, .
Woburn,
Woburn, .
Jan.
19.
1915
Conviction.
Hajjar, Samuel, .
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Nov.
18,
1915
Conviction.
Jegelwicz, Simon, .
Westfield,
Westfield, .
Mar.
24,
1915
Conviction.
Kitisopandier, Mary,
Springfield,
Springfield,
May
28,
1915
Dismissed.
Klonda, Kostontia,
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Apr.
7,
1915
Conviction.
Nayazbek, Noum A.,
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Apr.
7,
1915
Conviction.
Silva, Joseph,
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Nov.
18.
1915
Conviction.
Silva, Maria A.,
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Apr.
7,
1915
Conviction.
Molasses.
Contained Glucose.
Lindgren, John A.,
Gardner,
Gardner, .
Feb. 24, 1915
Conviction.
Toolin, William E.,
Brookline,
Brookline, .
Feb. 18, 1915
Conviction.
Townsend, W. J., .
Fitchburg,
Fitchburg,
Jan. 29, 1915
Conviction. >
Olive Oil.
Contained Cottonseed Oil.
Amorelli, Mikel, .
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Apr. 7, 1915
Conviction.
Copodanna, Erasma,
North Attleborough,
Attleboro, .
Mar. 27, 1915
Discharged.
Dailia, John, ....
Peabody,
Peabody, .
Apr. 30, 1915
Conviction.
Raphael, Costa,
Peabody,
Peabody, .
Apr. 30, 1915
Discharged.
Routhes, Peter,
Peabody,
Peabody, .
Apr. 30, 1915
Discharged.
'^Appealed.
460
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
List of Prosecutions — Continued.
For Sole of Adulterated Foods Other than Milk and Milk Products — Continued.
Orangeade.
Contained Benzoic Acid.
Name.
Address.
Court.
Date.
Result.
Isenberg, Louis,
Boston, .
Boston,
Oct. 7, 1915
Conviction. »
Sausage.
Contained Cereal or Vegetable Flour in Excess of 2 Per Cent.
Adamson, Frank C,
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Feb.
3,
1915
Conviction.
Almond, William A., .
New Bedford,
New Bedford, .
Feb.
5,
1915
Conviction.
Almond, William A.,
New Bedford,
New Bedford, .
Feb.
5,
1915
Conviction.
Barran, John,
Fall River, .
Fall River,
Feb.
19,
1915
Conviction.
Barran, John,
Fall River, .
Fall River,
Feb.
19,
1915
Conviction.
Bay State Packing Company,
Boston, .
Boston,
Mar.
11,
1915
Conviction.
Bean, Robert E
Brockton,
Brockton, .
Feb.
10,
1915
Conviction.
Butler, William A.,
Haverhill,
Haverhill, .
Feb.
15,
1915
Conviction.
Close, Hubert,
Pittsfield,
Pittsfield, .
Apr.
15,
1915
Conviction.
Davidson, James, .
New Bedford,
New Bedford, .
Feb.
5.
1915
Conviction.
Eberwein, John, .
Pittsfield,
Pittsfield, .
Apr.
15,
1915
Conviction.
Furneau, Henry J.,
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Feb.
3,
1915
Conviction.
Gareis, Fritz L., .
Brockton,
Brockton, .
Feb.
10.
1915
Conviction.
Greenwood, Arthur,
Lowell, .
Lowell,
May
18,
1915
Conviction.
Holt, John, ....
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Feb.
3,
1915
Conviction.
Holt, John
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Feb.
3,
1915
Conviction.
Holt, John, ....
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Nov.
18,
1915
Conviction.
Jegelwicz, Simon, .
Westfield,
Westfield, .
Mar.
24,
1915
Conviction, i
Kuechler, Kurt H.,
New Bedford,
New Bedford, .
Feb.
5,
1915
Conviction.
Main Provision Company, .
Boston, .
Lynn,
Jan.
23,
1915
Conviction.
Park Sausage and Provision
Company,
Parker, Charles A.,
Boston, .
Lawrence,
Boston,
Lawrence, .
Mar.
Feb.
is',
3,
1915
1915
Conviction.
Conviction.
Perkins, Daniel F.,
Fall River,
Fall River,
Feb.
19,
1915
Conviction.
Roussell, Isiae,
Dracut, .
Lowell,
May
18,
1915
Conviction.
Schmidt, Jacob H.,
New Bedford,
New Bedford, .
Feb.
5,
1915
Conviction.
Weitz, Carl A
Boston, .
Boston,
Mar.
23,
1915
Conviction.
Wigglesworth, Alfred, .
Holyoke,
Holyoke, .
Nov.
16,
1915
Conviction.
Wilde, Arthur,
New Bedford,
New Bedford, .
Feb.
5,
1915
Conviction.
Wilde, Arthur,
New Bedford,
New Bedford, .
Feb.
5,
1915
Conviction.
Wilkinson, Thomas,
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Feb.
3,
1915
Conviction.
Zimmerman, M., Company, .
Boston, .
Boston,
Mar.
11,
1915
Conviction.
Appealed.
No. 34.
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
461
List of Prosecutions — Continued.
For Sale of Adulterated Foods Other than Milk and Milk Products — Concluded.
Sausage — Concluded.
Contained Coloring Matter.
Name.
Address.
Court.
Date.
Result.
Bean, Robert E
Brockton,
Brockton, .
Feb. 10, 1915
Conviction.
Butler, William A.,
Haverhill,
Haverhill, .
Feb. 15, 1915
Conviction.
Furneau, Henry J.,
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Feb. 3, 1915
Conviction.
Gareis, Fritz L., .
Brockton,
Brockton, .
Feb. 10, 1915
Conviction.
Velosa, Jesse V
Fall River, .
Fall River,
Feb. 19, 1915
Conviction, i
Weitz, Carl A.,
Boston, .
Boston,
Nov. 23, 1915
Conviction.
Scallops.
Contained Added Water.
Baker, Alton J
Dennis Port, .
Boston,
Nov. 23, 1915
Conviction.
Cahoon, Leander, .
South Yarmouth, .
Boston,
Nov. 23, 1915
Conviction.
Morse, Daniel J
Boston, .
Boston,
Nov. 23, 1915
Conviction.
Small, William C,
West Chatham,
Boston,
Nov. 22, 1915
Conviction.
Tripp, Nathaniel, .
Dennis Port, .
Boston,
Nov. 23, 1915
Conviction.
Shrimp.
Decomposed.
Catalonotti, Joseph,
Mantia, John,
Boston,
Boston,
Boston,
Boston,
Mar. 11, 1915
Mar. 11, 1915
Conviction.
Conviction.
Contained Compoiind of Boron.
Cassius Hunt Company,
Rich Company, H. A.,
Boston,
Boston,
Boston,
Boston,
Mar. 30, 1915
Apr. 6, 1915
Conviction.
Conviction.
Vanilla Extract.
Contained an Alcoholic Solution of Vanillin.
Colman, Fred E., .
Colman, Fred E., .
Boston,
Boston,
Milford,
Natick,
Oct. 9, 1915
Oct. 9, 1915
Discharged.
Conviction.
' Appealed.
462
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
List of Prosecutions — Continued.
For Sale of Drugs Deficient in Strength.
Spirit of Anise,
Name.
Address.
Court.
Date.
Result.
Donovan, Thomas J., .
Gould, Orville A.,
Robillard, L. Emile,
Salem, .
Gardner,
Gardner,
Salem,
Gardner, .
Gardner, ,
Mar. 19, 1915
Feb. 10, 1915
Mar. 10, 1915
Conviction. >
Conviction.
Conviction.
Spibit of Camphor.
Judson, George E.,
McGinty, John A.,
Westfield,
Springfield,
Westfield, .
Springfield,
Mar. 2, 1915
June 25, 1915
•Conviction.
Conviction.
Spirit of Nitrous Ether.
Cavan, r>aniel J., .
Crane, George E., .
Fowler, Frank E.,
Kilgore, Joseph W.,
Kimlock, William A.,
Macaluso, Emanule,
Nabb, Thomas,
Nelson, Charles A.,
Parkis, Henry H.,
Raynsford, Charles,
Rourke, William, .
St. George, Charles,
Salem, .
Haverhill,
New Bedford,
Boston, .
Salem, .
Boston, .
Fall River,
Haverhill,
Gardner,
Clinton, .
Gardner,
Fall River,
Salem,
Haverhill, .
New Bedford,
West Roxbury,
Salem,
Boston,
Fall River,
Haverhill, .
Gardner, .
Clinton,
Gardner, .
Fall River,
Feb.
Feb.
Feb.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Feb.
Feb.
Feb.
Jan.
Feb.
Feb.
20,
1915
5,
1915
12,
1915
1,
1915
11,
1915
11.
1915
19,
1915
15,
1915
10.
1915
15,
1915
10,
1915
26,
1915
Conviction.
Conviction.
Conviction.
Conviction.
Conviction.
Conviction.
Conviction.
Conviction.
Conviction.
Conviction.
Conviction.
Conviction.
Spirit of Peppermint.
Eaton, Arthur H.,
Waltham,
Waltham, .
Nov. 23. 1915
Conviction.
Hamilton, W. Allan,
Boston, ,
Dorchester,
Jan. 18, 1915
Conviction.
Patterson, Darwin D., .
Waltham,
Waltham, .
Nov. 23, 1915
Conviction.
Sargent, Earl L., .
Beverly, .
Salem,
Mar. 19, 1915
Conviction.
Tincture of Iodine.
Frost, A. T., .
Macalviso, Emanule,
Clinton, .
Boston, .
Clinton,
Boston,
Jan. 15, 1915
Mar. 11, 1915
Conviction.
Conviction.
• Appealed.
No. 34.
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
463
List of Prosecutions — Continued.
For Obstruction, etc.
Name.
Address.
Court.
Date.
Result.
Perry, Frank S., .
Attleboro,
Attleboro, .
Aug. 18, 1915
Conviction. »
Perry, Fraak S., .
Attleboro,
Attleboro, .
Aug. 18, 1915
Conviction, i
Perry, Frank S., .
Attleboro,
Attleboro, .
Aug. 18, 1915
Conviction.*,'
Perry, Frank S
Attleboro,
Attleboro, .
Aug. 18, 1915
Conviction.*,'
For Violation of the Laws relative to Cold Storage.
Fob holding Abticles of Food in Cold Storage Longer than Twelve Months
WITHOUT Permission op the State Department op Health.
MacFarlane, Joseph J.,
Somerville,
Boston,
Oct. 21, 1915
Conviction.
For Unlawfully returning Goods to Cold Storage.
MacFarlane, Joseph J.,
Soracco, Thomas, .
Somerville,
Boston, .
Boston,
Boston,
Oct. 21, 1915
Oct. 21, 1915
Conviction.
Conviction.
For Absence of a Sign masked " Cold Storage Goods Sold Here."
Alfred. Ida
Lynn,
Lynn,
Jan.
8, 1915
Conviction.
Angelico, Pietro, .
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Dec.
30, 1914
Discharged.
Blanchard, Samuel F., .
Brookline,
Brookline, .
Jan.
18, 1915
Conviction.
Bonatakis, Victor,
Chicopee,
Chicopee, .
Apr.
2, 1915
Discharged.
Brunell, Victor,
Ludlow, .
Ludlow,
Apr.
2, 1915
Conviction.
Button, Sidney,
North Adams,
North Adams, .
Mar.
26, 1915
Conviction.
Cascio, Prospero, .
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Dec.
30, 1914
Discharged.
Castelman, H.,
Salem, .
Salem,
Jan.
1, 1915
Conviction.
Clayton, Matthias,
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Dec.
30, 1914
Conviction.
Faro, Giovanni,
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Dec.
30, 1914
Discharged.
Foley, Daniel M
Holyoke,
Holyoke, .
Apr.
16, 1915
Conviction.
Ford, Atwood L., .
Weymouth, .
Quincy,
Jan.
6, 1915
Conviction.
Fugere & Co., Inc.,
Salem, .
Salem,
Mar.
29, 1915
Conviction.
Goodman, F., ...
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Dec.
30, 1914
Conviction.
Green, Benjamin, .
South Boston,
South Boston, .
Apr.
27, 1915
Conviction.
Guiffrida, Giovanni,
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Dec.
30, 1914
Discharged.
Hadro, Ladwig,
Ludlow, .
Ludlow,
Apr.
2, 1915
Conviction.
' Appealed.
* Assault and battery.
• Cruelty to horse.
464
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
List of Prosecutions — Continued.
For Violation of the Laws relative to Cold Storage — Continued.
For absence of a Sign marked " Cold Storage Goods Sold Here " — Concluded.
• Name.
Address.
Court.
Date.
Result.
Kimmel, Louis,
Lynn,
Lynn,
Dec.
28, 1914
Conviction.
King, Oliver,
Adams, .
Adams,
Mar.
26, 1915
Conviction.
Klein, Louis,
South Boston,
South Boston, .
Apr.
27, 1915
Conviction.
Kronick, Simon, .
North Adams,
North Adams, .
Mar.
26, 1915
Conviction.
Long, Daniel,
Holyoke,
Holyoke, .
Apr.
16, 1915
Conviction.
MacFarlane, Joseph J., .
Somerville,
Boston,
Oct.
21, 1915
Conviction.
Maglia, Angelo,
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Dec.
30, 1914
Discharged.
MisitE., Rosario,
Lawrence,
Lawrence, .
Dec.
30, 1914
Discharged.
Morse, A. K.,
Salem, .
Salem,
Jan.
1, 1915
Conviction.
O'Keeffe, M., Inc.,
Boston, .
Salem,
Mar.
29, 1915
Conviction.
Orcutt, Sophia M.,
Weymouth,
Quincy,
Jan.
6, 1915
Conviction.
Parsons, C. G.,
Salem,
Salem,
Jan.
1, 1915
Conviction.
Pattow, Eva,
South Boston,
South Boston,
Apr.
23, 1915
Conviction.
Perkins, Frank L.,
Brookline,
Brookline, .
Jan.
18, 1915
Conviction.
Perroni, Anoclato,
North Adams,
North Adams, .
Mar.
26, 1915
Conviction.
Polansky, A.,
Salem, .
Salem,
Jan.
1, 1915
Conviction.
Prejsner, Wogciech,
Adams, .
Adams,
Mar.
26, 1915
Conviction.
Puleo, Carmelo,
Brookline,
Brookline, .
Jan.
18, 1915
Conviction.
Rourke, Patrick, Edward A.
and Patrick J.
Santos, Joas, ....
Chicopee,
Ludlow, .
Chicopee,
Ludlow,
Apr.
Apr.
2, 1915
2, 1915
Discharged.
Conviction.
Sfinarolakis, Michael,
Chicopee,
Chicopee, .
Apr.
2, 1915
Dischart,ed.
Simon, Louis,
North Adams,
North Adams, .
Mar.
26, 1915
Conviction.
Stapleton, Eugene,
South Boston,
South Boston, .
Apr.
23, 1915
Conviction.
Sualich, Michael, .
South Boston,
South Boston, .
Apr.
23, 1915
Conviction.
Suher, Max, . . . .
Holyoke,
Holyoke, .
Apr.
3, 1915
Conviction.
Theofeles, John,
Salem,
Salem,
Jan.
1, 1915
Conviction.
Tracey, Henry J., Company,
Salem,
Salem,
Jan.
5, 1915
Discharged.
VaLeri, Francesco,
Lynn,
Lynn,
Jan.
1, 1915
Conviction.
Viger, John, ....
Holyoke,
Holyoke,
Apr.
16, 1915
Conviction.
Walton, Jonathan,
Rockland,
Hingham,
Jan.
15, 1915
Conviction.
Williams, A. C, .
Salem,
Salem,
Jan.
1, 1915
Conviction.
Wolfenden, Robert,
Holyoke,
Holyoke,
Apr.
16, 1915
Conviction.
Ziemba, Walter,
Chicopee,
Chicopee,
Apr.
2, 1915
Conviction.
No. 34.1
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
465
List of Prosecutions — Continued.
For Violation of the Laws relative to Cold Storage — Concluded.
For exposing and offering Cold-storage Eggs for Sale without having them
properly marked.
Name.
Address.
Court
Date.
Result.
Angelico, Pietro, .
Lawrence,
Lawrence,
1
Dec.
30, 1914
Conviction.
Cascio, Prospero, .
Lawrence,
Lawrence,
Dec.
30, 1914
Conviction.
Castelman, H
Salem, .
Salem,
Jan.
1, 1915
Conviction.
Clayton, Matthias,
Lawrence,
. Lawrence,
Dec.
30, 1914
Conviction.
Faro, Giovanni,
Lawrence,
Lawrence,
Dec.
30, 1914
Conviction.
Fee, Thomas,
Lynn,
Lynn,
Dec.
28, 1914
Conviction.
Feilteau, Hubert J.,
Lynn,
Lynn,
Dec.
28, 1914
Conviction.
Guiffrida, Giovanni,
Lawrence,
Lawrence,
Dec.
30, 1914
Conviction.
Kendall, Walter M.,
Attleboro,
Attleboro,
Jan.
28, 1915
Discharged.
Leven, William S.,
Brookline,
Brookline,
Jan.
18, 1915
Conviction.
Maglia, Angelo,
Lawrence,
Lawrence,
Dec.
30, 1914
Conviction.
Misita, Rosario,
Lawrence,
Lawrence,
Dec.
30, 1914
Conviction.
Parsons, C. G
Salem,
Salem,
Jan.
1, 1915
Conviction.
Polansky, A.,
Salem, .
Salem,
Jan.
1, 1915
Conviction.
Theofeles, John, .
Salem, .
Salem,
Jan.
1, 1915
Conviction.
VaLeri, Francesco,
Lynn,
Lynn,
Jan.
1, 1915
Conviction.
Walton, Jonathan,
Rockland,
Hingham,
Jan.
15, 1915
Conviction.
For Violation of the Laws relative to Slaughtering.
For slaughtering in the Absence of a Duly Appointed Inspector of
Slaughtering.
Broverman, Hyman,
Holliston,
Framingham,
Jan.
26,
1915
Conviction.
Cunningham, P. W.,
Boxborough, .
Ayer, .
Oct.
29,
1915
Discharged.
Cunningham, Wallace F.,
Boxborough, .
Ayer, .
Oct.
29,
1915
Discharged.
Eaton, J. B., ....
Peabody,
Peabody, .
Sept.
8,
1915
Conviction.
Evans, Fred 0
Randolph,
Quincy,
Nov.
16,
1915
Conviction.
Evans, Fred 0
Randolph,
Quincy,
Nov.
16,
1915
Conviction.
Goldman, Max,
Dudley, .
Webster,
Oct.
28,
1915
Conviction.
Green, Abraham, .
Middleborough,
Middleborough, .
Nov.
3,
1915
Conviction.
Greenfield, Max, .
New Lenox, .
Pittsfield, .
July
7,
1915
Conviction.
Katz, Max, ....
North Adams,
North .4. dams, .
Apr.
21,
1915
Conviction.
Katz, Max
North Adams,
North Adams, .
Oct.
1,
1915
Conviction.
Malumphy, P. 0.,
West Stockbridge, .
Lee, .
June
15,
1915
Conviction. »
' Appealed.
466
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
List of Prosecutions — Concluded.
For Violation of the Laws relative to Slaughtering — Concluded.
For slaughtering in the Absence of a Duly Appointed Inspector op
Slaughtering — Concluded.
Name.
Address.
Court.
Date.
Result.
Murphy, Edward J.,
Easton, .
Taunton, .
May 7, 1915
Conviction.
Nichols, Charles, .
Reading,
Woburn,
Aug. 30, 1915
Conviction.
Shapiro, Samuel, .
North Adams,
North Adams, .
June 22, 1915
Dismissed.
Solomon, Philip,
North Adams,
North Adams, .
June 22, 1915
Conviction.
Winters, Reuben L.,
Fitchburg,
Fitchburg,
Oct. 30, 1915
Discharged.
Witt, Lester, ....
Marlborough, .
Marlborough,
Oct. 2, 1915
Conviction.
Wolf, Harry, ....
Dudley, .
Webster,
Oct. 28, 1915
Conviction.
For having
Unstamped Meat in Possession with Intent
to
SELL.
Baskin, Harry,
Adams, .
Adams,
June 30,
1915
Discharged.
Belander, Jacob, .
Rockport,
Gloucester,
Apr. 8,
1915
Conviction.
Berwick, Harry,
Dudley, .
Webster,
Nov. 22,
1915
Conviction.
Clifford, Daniel E.,
Ware, .
Ware, .
Aug. 28,
1915
Conviction.
Curran, Simon J.,
Lee,
Lee, .
.Tune 15,
1915
Conviction.
Eaton, J. B., .
Peabody,
Peabody,
Sept. 8,
1915
Conviction.
Gilday, John,
Rowley, .
Newburyport, .
June 18,
1915
Conviction.
Nichols, Charles, .
Reading,
Woburn,
Aug. 30,
1915
Conviction.
Wheeler, Alvin,
Marlborough, .
Marlborough,
Oct. 2,
1915
Discharged.
For selling Uninspected and Unstamped Meat.
Chandler, Howsird,
Edwards, R. L., .
Hanson, .
Whitman,
Abington,
Abington,
May 5, 1915
May 5, 1915
Conviction.
Conviction.
For slaughtering without a License.
Belander, Jacob,
Rockport,
Gloucester,
Apr. 8, 1915
Conviction.
As Inspector of Slaughtering, allowed the Use of Branding Stamp by One
Other than an Authorized Agent.
Eames, J. Howard,
Wilmington,
Woburn.
Aug. 30, 1915 Conviction.
As Inspector of Slaughtering, neglected to comply with the Orders and
Regulations as directed by the State Department of Health.
Bickford, Albert F.,
Bickford, Albert F.,
Randolph,
Randolph,
Quincy,
Quincy,
Nov. 16, 1915
Nov. 16, 1915
Conviction.
Conviction.
No. 34.]
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
467
Table No. 2.
Articles in Cold Storage condemned upon Physical and Chemical Examinations as
Unfit for Food.
Article.
Weight
(Pounds).
Owner.
Eggs, broken out,
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out,
Eggs, broken out,
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out,
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out,
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out.
Eggs, broken out,
Eggs, broken out,
Butter, .
Butter, .
Butter, .
Butter, .
Butter, .
Butter, print.
Broilers, .
Broilers, .
Chickens,
Chickens,
544
800
160
350
300
150
90
60
300
60
120
ISO
37
780
225
240
225
120
30
30
120
60
90
21
3,742
356}^
240
30
27
49
34
121
Brown, Morris.
Brown, Morris.
Brown, Morris.
Bunshaft, B.
ELsenberg, Joseph.
New York Egg and Fruit Company.
New York Egg and Fruit Company.
Pollen, J-'icob.
Standard Egg Company.
Standard Egg Company.
Standard Egg Company.
Triangle Egg Company.
Triangle Egg Company.
White Star Egg and Fruit Company.
White Star Egg and Fruit Company.
White Star Egg and Fruit Company.
White Star Egg and Fruit Company.
White Star Egg and Fruit Company.
White Star Egg and Fruit Company.
White Star Egg and Fruit Company.
Winer, Morris.
Winer, Morris.
Winer, Morris.
Owner unknown .
Owner unknown.
Cudahy Packing Companj".
Eastern Butter Company.
Lawrence Produce Company.
Lawrence Produce Company.
Turner Centre Dairying Association.
Strong, Marson Company.
Hanly, E. A., Company.
Strong, Marson Company.
Allen, Slade & Co.
Allen, Slade & Co.
468
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Articles in Cold Storage condemned
Unfit for
upon Physical and Chemical Examinations as
Food — Continued.
Article.
Weight
(Pounds).
Owner.
Chickens,
74
Allen, Slade & Co.
Chickens,
102
Allen, Slade & Co.
Chickens,
5
Atwood Brothers.
Chickens,
110
Borst, Pierce Company.
Chickens,
38
Cowan Brothers.
Chickens,
43
Cowan Brothers.
Chickens,
37
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Chickens,
120
Hanly, E. A., Company.
Chickens,
20
Humphrey, J. L.
Chickens,
164
Jackson & Jeffrej'.
Chickens,
11
Jegelwicz, Simon.
Chickens,
290
Kimball, J. F., & Company.
Chickens,
2
King's Public Market Company.
Chickens,
211
Lawrence, J. P., & Company.
Chickens,
160
Lawrence, J. P., & Company.
Chickens,
153
Lawrence, J. P., & Company.
Chickens,
615
Lawrence, J. P., & Company.
Chickens,
187
Lawrence, J. P., & Company.
Chickens,
101
Morris & Company.
Chickens,
662
Smith Brothers.
Chickens,
40
Strong, Marson Company.
Chickens,
77
Strong, Marson Company.
Chickens,
38
Worcester Market.
Chickens,
65
Owner unknown.
Chicken breasts.
70
Lawrence, J. P., & Company.
Chicken breasts.
75
Lawrence, J. P., & Company.
Chicken breasts.
75
Lawrence, J. P., & Company.
Ducks, .
34
Allen, Slade & Co.
Ducks, .
45
AUen, Slade & Co.
Ducks, .
110
Bannister, J. W.
Ducks, .
176
Emerson, F. 0. (estate).
Ducks, .
775
Saunders, J. F.
Duck breasts.
112
Lawrence, J. P., & Company.
Fowl,
106
Allen, Slade & Co.
Fowl,
78
Allen, Slade & Co.
Fowl,
54
Allen, Slade & Co.
No. 34.]
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
469
Articles in Cold Storage condeimied upon Physical and Chemical Examinations as
Unfit for Food — Continued.
Article.
Weight
(Pounds).
Owner.
210
Burns, P. L.
28
Dorr, Arthur E., & Company.
454
Hanly, E. A., Company.
105
Jackson & Jeffrey.
195
Jackson & Jeffrey.
285
Lawrence, J. P., & Company
48
Lawrence, J. P., & Company.
6
Mansfield's Market.
69
North Main Market.
220
Smith Brothers.
70
Smith Brothers.
161
Bannister, J. W.
245
Bannister, J. W.
80
Eastern Cold Storage Company
932
Lawrence, J. P., & Company.
195
Lawrence, J. P., & Company.
324
Strong, Marson Company.
5
Strong, Marson Company.
3
Thurston, R. M.
180
Eastern Cold Storage Company
323
Legg, George M. D., Company.
173
Lawrence, J. P., & Company.
161
Burgess, J. M.
382
Burns, P. L.
26
Dorr, Arthur E., & Company.
234
Hanly, E. A., Company.
173
Hanly, E. A., Company.
196
Hanly, E. A., Company.
220
Hanly, E. A., Company.
237
Hanly, E. A., Company.
168
Haworth, James.
26
Hosmer, F. H.
5,801
Humphrey, J. L.
25
Jones, William H., & Company.
318
Lawrence, J. P., & Company.
75
Smith Brothers.
Fowl,
Fowl,
Fowl,
Fowl,
Fowl,
Fowl,
Fowl,
Fowl,
Fowl,
Fowl,
Fowl,
Geese,
Geese,
Geese,
Geese,
Geese,
Geese,
Guinea hens,
Pigeons, .
Roosters,
Roosters,
Squab,
Turkeys,
Turkeys,
Turkeys,
Turkeys,
Turkeys,
Turkeys,
Turkeys,
Turkeys,
Turkeys,
Turkeys,
Turkeys,
Turkeys,
Turkeys,
Turkevs,
470
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Articles in Cold Storage condemned
Unfit for
upon Physical and Chemical Examinations as
Food ■ — ■ Continued.
Article.
Turkeys,
Turkeys,
Turkeys,
Turkeys,
Miscellaneoxis poultry,
Miscellaneous poultry.
Miscellaneous poultry,
Miscellaneous poultry,
Beef,
Beef,
Beef,
Beef,
Beef, boned, .
Beef, dried.
Beef hearts, .
Beef hearts,
Beef hearts.
Beef livers.
Beef livers.
Beef loins,
Beef rumps, .
Beef tenderloins.
Beef tops.
Beef trimmings.
Beef trimmings.
Beef trimmings.
Beef trimmings.
Beef trimmings.
Beef trimmings.
Calves' heads.
Calves' livers.
Calves' livers.
Hams, fresh.
Hams, fresh.
Hogs' snouts.
Lamb,
Weight
(Pounds).
Owner.
93
Stevens, Genery, & Son.
370
Wilcox, C. A., Company.
29
Wilcox, C. A., Company.
35
Wilcox, C. A., Company.
185
Allen, Slade & Co.
38
Allen, Slade & Co.
125
ScanloD, E. J., Company.
286
Owner unknown.
41
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
178
Johnson, C. L.
296
Mindick,M., Co.
1,059
Rounsevell, P. W.
456
Hawkins & Withington.
40
Readville Race Track.
175
Eastern Cold Storage.
586
Hawkins & Withington.
35
Owner unknown.
137
Morris & Co.
53
Shiel, Bernard F.
28
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
75
Lipsky, Samuel.
63
Murphy, E. R.
409
Boston Beef Company.
1,750
Hawkins & Withington.
780
Kelly, J. J., & Company.
209
Lipsky, Samuel.
1,915
Mindick, M., Company.
12
Zimmerman, M., & Company.
1,305
Zimmerman, M., & Company.
24
Owner unknown.
49
Cowan Brothers.
2}^
King's Public Market Company.
4,800
Titcomb & Co.
36
Owner unknown.
1,174
Robinson, W. E.
91
Eastern States Refrigerating Company.
No. 34.]
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
471
Articles in Cold Storage condemned upon Physical and Chemical Examinations as
Unfit for Food — Continued.
Article.
Weight
(Pounds).
Owner.
Lamb,
85-
Owner unknown.
Lamb fries.
20
Cobb, Bates & Yer.xa Company.
Lamb fries, .
135
Cudahy Packing Company.
Lamb kidneys,
IH
King's Public Market Company.
Lamb racks, .
23
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Moose meat.
60
Heslor, J., & Company. «
Mutton, .
41
Owner unknown.
Mutton flanks,
110
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Ox tails, .
14
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Ox tails, .
50
Eaton & Co.
Ox tails, .
64
Strong, Marson Company.
Ox tails, .
•
33
Strong, Marson Company.
Pigs' hearts.
34
Cobb, Bates & Yerxa Company.
Pigs' kidneys.
48
Squire, John P., & Company.
Pork,
180
Hawkins & Withington.
Pork, .
47
Mello, S. P.
Pork butts, .
50
Furneaux, Henry J.
Pork cheek meat.
57
Morris & Co.
Pork loins.
201
Boston Terminal Refrigerating Company.
Pork loins.
40
Owner unknown.
Pork trimmings, .
605
Baldau, F. W.
Pork trimmings,
1,471
Baldau, F. W.
Pork trimmings,
727
Hunt, A. J., & Company.
Rabbits,
43
Boston Terminal Refrigerating Company.
Rabbits,
47
Lawrence, J. P., & Company.
Sheep plucks.
116
LawTence Market Company.
Veal,
35
Chitofif, Isaac H.
Veal,
250
Cohen, Isaac.
Veal,
Venison,
• .
63
36
Saunders, J. F.
Allen, Slade & Co.
Venison,
30
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Venison,
28
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Venison,
127
Lawrence, J. P., & Company.
Sausage, blood,
122
Owner unknown.
Butterfish,
530
Burns, John, Company.
Clams,
324
Atwood, D., & Company.
472
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Articles in Cold Storage condemned upon Physical and Chemical Examinations as
Unfit for Food — Concluded.
Article.
Weight
(Pounds).
Owner.
Flounders,
Haddock,
Haddock,
Lobster meat.
Lobster meat,
Lobster meat,
Mackerel,
Mackerel,
Mackerel,
Mackerel,
Mackerel,
Mackerel,
Mackerel,
Salmon, .
Salmon, .
Salmon, .
Salmon, .
Sand eels.
Sardine herring.
Sardine herring,
Sardine herring,
Scup,
Scup,
Scup,
Squid,
Swordfish,
Miscellaneous fish.
Miscellaneous fish.
Miscellaneous fish".
Miscellaneous fish,
Miscellaneous fish.
4,550
545
464
25
50
30
200
500
366
132
130
1,950
54
60
12
1,250
• 773
70
490
1,750
70
1,063
170
35
415
1S2
3,250
940
900
745
225
Schwartz & Bernstein.
Boston Fish Market.
Story-Simmons Company.
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Massachusetts Fish and Game Commission.
Massachusetts Fish and Game Commission.
Gloucester Cold Storage and Warehouse
Company.
Johnson, S. C, Company.
Lawrence Market Company.
Ocean Fish Company.
Prior & Mahoney.
Prior & Mahoney.
Shedd, W. P.
Atlas Fish Company.
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Star Fish Company.
Star Fish Company.
Belmonte, J.
Belmonte, J.
Consolidated Weir Company.
Owner unknown.
Darus, A.
Mantia, Salvatore.
Owner unknown.
Mantia, S.
Ocean Fish Company.
Gloucester Cold Storage and Warehouse
Company.
Owner unknown.
Owner unknow%.
Owner unknown.
Owner unknown.
No. 34.]
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
473
Articles of Food confiscated according to the Provisions of Acts of 1908, Chapter
329, Section 4.
Article.
Weight
(Pounds).
Owner.
Fish in pickle, . . . . • .
Fish in pickle
Fish in pickle,
Fish in pickle
900
8,000
12,000
400
Treat, Leonard.
Rock, Eugene H.
Rock, Eugene H.
Rock, Eugene H.
Slaughtering Confiscations for the Year, Dec. 1, 1914, to Dec. 1, 1915.
Beef,
Beef,
Beef,
Beef,
Beef,
Beef,
Beef,
Beef,
Pork,
Veal,
Veal,
Veal,
Veal,
Veal,
Veal,
Veal,
Veal,
Veal,
Veal,
385
280
251
314
254
252
244
131
185
46
90?^
29
35
37?i
92
30
133
28
110
2,927^2
Broverman, Hyman.
Katzman & Fine.
■Robbins, George L.
Robbing, George L.
Robbins, George L.
Robbins, George L.
Robbins, George L.
Robbins, George L.
Neelon, F. J.
Berwick, Harry.
Blanchard, A. F.
Blanchard, A. F.
Davis, Perley R.
Green, Abraham.
Katz, Max.
Keller & Kremer.
Mclntire, Edward.
Prince, S. R., Company.
Tower, Frank E.
474
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Table No. 3.
Milk from Cities and Towns.
Locality.
Above
Stand-
ard.
Below^
Stand-
ard.
Total
Samples.
Total
Solids in
Lowest
Sample
(Per
Cent.).
Skimmed
Milk
sold as
Such.
Skimmed
Milk
sold as
Pure
Milk.
Watered
Milk.
Abington,
38
4
42
10.86
1
2
-
Acton,
-
10
10
9.42
-
-
10
Agawam,
16
14
30
10.54
-
-
-
Amesbury,
42
9
51
10.46
-
-
-
Amherst,
2
-
2
13.10
-
-
-
Andover,
48
19
67
9.52
-
1
4
Arlington,
51
21
72
9.80
1
-
-
Athol,
18
-
18
10 06
1
-
-
Attleboro, .
102
51
153
10 62
-
6
4
Ayer,
20
5
25
7.66
1
-
1
Barnstable,
38
15
53
10.20
-
-
5
Belmont,
3
-
3
12 70
-
-
-
Beverly,
43
7
50
11.64
1
-
-
Billerica,
14
11
25
10,08
-
-
7
Blackstone,
37
9
46
10.18
-
2
1
Bourne,
11
5
16
10.80
-
-
1
Braintree,
46
7
53
11.12
-
-
-
Bridgewater, .
34
1
35
10.30
2
1
-
Brockton,
83
26
109
11.02
-
-
-
Brookfield,
6
1
7
12.00
--
-
-
Brookline,
119
25
144
9 80
1
1
-
Cambridge, .
106
22
128
9.46
2
1
-
Canton, .
21
6
27
11.40
-
-
-
Chelmsford, .
6
5
11
10.34
-
-
1
Chelsea,
80
10
90
10.30
-
1
2
Chicopee,
32
11
43
11.34
-
-
-
Clinton, .
21
5
26
9.06
1
-
-
Cohasset,
5
1
6
11 56
-
1
-
Concord, ,.
11
3
14
9.46
1
-
-
Danvers,
29
5
34
11.74
-
-
-
Dedham,
24
3
27
11.80
-
-
-
Dracut, .
27
17
44
10.24
-
4
4
Easthampton,
16
2
18
11.92
-
-
-
Edgartown,
14
1
15
12.38
-
-
-
No. 34.1
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
475
Milk from Cities and Towns — Continued.
Locality.
Above
Stand-
ard.
Below
Stand-
ard.
Total
Samples.
Total
Solids in
Lowest
Sample
(Per
Cent.).
Skimmed
Milk
sold as
Such.
Skimmed
Milk
sold as
Pure
Milk.
Watered
Milk.
Essex,
47
25
72
11.12
-
-
-
Everett, ....
59
7
66
9.72
2
-
Fall Riveb, ....
147
28
175
10.88
-
-
2
FiTCHBURG, ....
26
12
38
9.06
1
-
2
Foxborough, ....
14
2
16
12 04
-
-
-
Framingham,
40
8
48
9.60
1
1
-
Franklin, ....
29
6
35
11.30
-
-
-
Gardner, ....
28
8
36
11.66
-
-
-
Gloucester,
205
65
271
9.42
-
5
10
Great Barrington, .
19
1
20
11 50
-
-
-
Greenfield, ....
16
4
20
11.60
-
-
-
Hamilton, ....
4
-
4
12.90
-
-
-
Harwich, ....
10
5
15
10.62
-
-
-
Haverhill, ....
84
19
103
10.38
1
-
-
Hingham
39
3
42
10.10
3
-
1
HOLTOKE, ....
32
8
40
11.80
-
-
-
Hudson, ....
20
5
25
11.00
-
2
-
Hull,
11
9
20
10 40
-
2
-
Ipswich,
58
10
68
9.58
-
2
3
Lawrence, ....
82
11
93
9.82
1
1
-
Lee,
8
2
10
9.35
2
-
Lenox,
9
1
10
11.45
-
-
-
Leominster, ....
16
2
18
11.90
-
-
-
Lexington, ....
28 ■
3
31
11.84
-
-
-
Lowell, ...
120
34
154
9.50
1
1
_
Ludlow,
13
1
14
11.74
-
-
-
Lynn,
96
6
102
11.54
-
-
2
Lynnfield
0
3
12
11.66
-
-
-
Malden, ....
93
15
108
9.60
1
-
-
Manchester, ....
6
2
S
12.12
-
-
-
Man!=field, ....
14
3
17
11.28
-
-
-
Marblehead, ....
28
11
39
11.70
-
-
-
Marlborough,
38
4
42
11.58
-
-
-
Medfield, ....
-
2
2
12.06
-
-
-
Medfokd, ....
SO
17
97
10.88
-
-
-
476
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Milk from Cities and Towns — Continued.
Locality.
Above
Stand-
ard.
Below
Stand-
ard.
Total
Samples.
Total
Solids in
Lowest
Sample
(Per
Cent.).
Skimmed
Milk
sold as
Such.
Skimmed
Milk
sold as
Pure
Milk.
Watered
Milk.
Melrose,
57
7
64
10.04
1
-
2
Methuen,
5
9
14
8.44
-
-
8
Middleborough,
11
1
12
11.22
-
-
1
Millbury,
37
14
51
9.36
1
-
-
Millis, .
13
3
16
11.82
-
-
-
Milton, .
9
1
10
9.46
1
1
-
Montague,
6
-
6
12.20
-
-
-
Nantucket,
45
4
49
9.52
1
-
-
Natick, .
25
6
31
9.92
1
-
-
Needham,
45
8
53
11.46
-
1
-
New Bedford,
196
83
279
9.10
4
16
Newburyport,
40
17
57
11.10
-
1
2
Newton,
95
9
104
9.76
2
-
-
North Adams,
14
-
14
12.18
-
-
-
Northampton,
40
5
45
10.82
-
1
-
North Attleboroug
ii
78
20
98
9.30
-
-
7
North Brookfield,
17
-
17
10.40
1
-
-.
North Reading,
4
-
4
12.60
-
-
-
Norwood,
5
6
11
• 11.84
-
-
-
Oak Bluffs, .
14
3
17
11.49
-
-
-
Orange, .
17
1
18
12.00
-
-
-
Oxford, .
1
1
2
9.28
1
-
-
Palmer, .
14
1
15
11.60
-
-
-
Peabody,
42
3
45
11.70
-
-
-
Pittsfield, .
44
15
59
11.40
-
1
-
Plymouth,
46
26
72
8.74
-
1
17
Provincetown,
10
4
14
11.54
-
-
-
QUINCY, .
78
30
108
9.64
1
-
-
Randolph,
25
5
30
10.86
-
-
-
Reading,
19
2
21
10.52
1
-
-
Revere,
66
11
77
11.04
-
-
-
Rockland,
32
1
33
11.74
-
-
-
Rockport,
18
5
23
9.90
-
-
1
Salem, .
32
8
40
11.64
-
-
-
Salisbury,
17
5
22
10.90
-
'
-
No. 34.
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
477
Milk from Cities and Towns — Concluded.
LOCALITT.
Above
Stand-
ard.
Below
Stand-
ard.
Total
Samples.
Total
Solids in
Lowest
Sample
(Per
Cent.) .
Skimmed
Milk
sold as
Such.
Skimmed
Milk
sold as
Pure
Milk.
Watered
Milk.
Saugus, .
31
10
41
11.09
-
-
4
Scituate,
4
-
4
13.50
-
-
-
Somerset,
2
-
2
12.50
-
1
-
SOMERVILLE, .
89
26
115
11.40
-
-
-
Southbridge, .
33
14
47
10.18
1
-
-
Spencer, .
14
2
16
11.74
-
-
-
Springfield,
78
45
123
10.54
-
2
-
Stockbridge, .
7
3
10
10.95
-
1
-
Stoneham,
35
4
39
9.50
1
-
Stoughton,
26
4
30
11.72
-
-
-
Swampscott, .
16
6
22
11.80
-
-
-
Taunton,
32
3
35
9.30
1
1
-
Templeton, .
3
-
3
12.88
-
-
-
Uxbridge,
30
9
39
11.22
-
-
-
Wakefield, .
19
3
22
11.48
-
-
-
Walpole, .
2
-
2
12.28
-
-
-
Waltham,
83
22
105
9.38
2
-
-
Wareham,
13
3
16
11.18
-
-
-
Warren, .
17
1
18
12.12
-
-
-
Watertown,
76
23
99
11.56
-
-
-
Webster,
19
10
29
9.68
2
-
-
Wellesley,
39
3
42
10.48
-
-
1
Westborough,
2
-
2
12.34
-
-
-
Westfield,
26
17
43
10.64
-
-
-
West Springfield,
15
5
20
11.60
-
-
-
Weymouth,
49
10
59
10.10
-
3
2
Whitman,
12
3
15
12.02
-
1
-
Winchendon, .
23
-
23
12.26
-
-
-
Winchester,
32
5
37
11.76
-
-
-
Winthrop,
62
-
62
12.16
-
-
-
WOBURN,
77
20
97
9.84
-
1
1
Worcester, .
6
8
14
11.22
-
-
-
Totals,
4,881
1,246
6,127
7.66
43
55
122
478
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Table No. 4.
Milk from Suspected Producers.
Locality.
Above
Standard.
Below
Standard.
Total
Samples.
Total
Solids in
Lowest
Sample
(Per
Cent.).
Skimmed
Milk not
marked.
Watered
Milk.
Agawam, . . . .
12
6
18
11.60
4
-
Andover,
2
7
9
10.90
-
-
Arlington,
2
2
4
11.68
-
-
Ashburnham,
14
-
14
12.30
-
-
Ashby, .
4
7
11
10.26
-
8
Attleboro,
10
4
14
11.74
1
-
Ayer, .
-
9
9
11.02
-
8
Bedford,
15
21
36
11.16
-
-
Billerica,
22
12
34
10.63
-
-
Blackstone, .
5
7
12
10.64
-
4
Burlington, .
1
9
10
10.78
-
-
Chelmsford,
24
10
34
10.92
1
6
Cohasset,
-
2
2
11 50
2
-
Concord,
1
7
8
11 24
-
-
Danvers,
17
9
26
11.60
■
-
Dedham,
6
13
19
10.90
-
Dover, .
2
3
5
12.10
-
-
Dracut,
23
64
87
10.34
-
29
Fairhaven, .
14
4
18
11.16
-
-
FiTCHBURG, .
11
6
17
• 11.78
-
-
Framingham,
13
2
15
11.82
-
-
Franklin,
3
3
6
11.50
-
3
Gloucester,
2
6
8
10.54
2
-
Grafton,
3
5
8
11.52
2
-
Groton,
6
13
19
10.20
-
1
Ipswich,
27
14
41
10.60
-
1
Lexington, .
5
-11
16
11.16
-
-
Lowell,
25
19
44
10.53
-
1
No. 34.
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
479
Milk from Suspected Producers — • Concluded.
Locality.
Above
Standard.
Below
Standard.
Total
Sam.ples.
Total
Solids in
Lowe.st
Sample
(Per
Cent.).
Skimmed
Milk not
marked.
Watered
Milk.
Lynnfield, . . . ■
1
4
5
10.72
-
-
Medfield, ....
1
4
5
11.14
-
-
Melrose
1
1
2
12.02
-
-
Middleton, .
-
20
20
11.16
-
-
Millis
-
7
7
11.68
-
-
Natick, ....
1
-
1
12.68
-
-
North Attleborough, .
5
1
6
10.40
-
6
North Brookfield,
8
2
10
11.56
-
-
Oakham, ....
3
12
15
11.20
1
-
Pepperell, ....
6
7
13
11.48
-
-
PiTTSFIELD, ....
5
-
5
12.30
-
-
Reading, ....
15
6
21
10.24
-
6
Richmond, ....
3
9
12
10.59
-
-
Rowley, ....
12
7
19
11.10
-
-
Rutland, ....
-
6
6
11.14
-
-
Salem, ....
34
2
36
10.44
•
-
Saugus, ....
51
9
60
11.30
4
-
Sherborn, • .
9
-
9
12.60
-
-
SOMERVILLE,
7
4
11
11.68
-
-
Springfield,
9
20
29
10,44
-
3
Stoneham, ....
2
4
6
11.04
-
-
Xewksbury, ....
-
8
8
9.64
-
2
Wakefield, ....
10
19
29
10.86
-
-
Waltham, ....
-
5
5
7.24
-
5
Wellesley, ....
7
2
9
10.86
-
9
Westborough,
3
-
3
13.48
-
-
Westfield, . . ' .
2
2
4
11.56
-
-
Westford
3
4
7
8.94
-
4
West Springfield,
2
8
10
9.80
-
8
Weymouth, ....
23
13
36
10.83
-
10
WOBUEN, . . . .
4
16
20
11.68
-
-
Totals
496
477
973
7.24
17
114
480
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Table No. 5.
Summary of Milk Statistics.
Milk.
Above
Stand-
ard.
Below
Stand-
ard.
Total.
Total
Solids in
Lowest
Sample
(Per
Cent.).
Skimmed
Milk
sold as
Such.
Skimmed
Milk not
marked.
Watered
Milk.
Milk from cities and towns, .
Milk from suspected pro-
ducers.
Miscellaneous milk samples, .
4,881
496
118
1,246
477
16
6,127
973
134
7.66
7.24
11.64
43
1
55
17
2
122
114
1
Totals
5,495
1,739
7,234
7.24
44
74
237
Table No. 6.
Summary of Milk Statistics by Months.^
Month.
1
0)
>
0
■i
a
S3
m
"3
u
T3
o
1
6
i
m
s
m
s
o
a
"E,
S
ci
m
to <s>
Fi =1
"5.
. e
m
0)
m
a>
'u
a
3.
.2^
a 0.
OB
-a
2
ta
'0
aM
ts a,
OB
(O
3
Ph
"o ^■,
^ 6
el's
» ?
li
it
o3 0
Ph-5
.J ^
Co,
» c ■
-J
°l
OS
3 S
3 03
O
•yC
(A
03
"A^
feO!
!r,"^
feCC!
©M c3
!r>^
,:z:
2;
H
CO
m
ts
&H
Ph
Ph
Ph
Ph
Ph
Ph
1914.
December, .
256
62
318
3
1
21
43
2
0.31
0.66
13.5
0.63
19.5
1915.
January,
207
57
264
-
4
3
21
4
1.52
1.14
7.96
1.52
21.6
February,
475
115
590
5
6
12
69
4
1.02
2.03
11.70
0.68
19.5
March, .
502
152
654
3
12
33
71
8
1.83
5.05
10.85
1.22
23.2
April, .
498
218
716
6
8
5
64
30
1.12
0.70
8.94
4.19
30.4
May,
676
207
883
1
9
25
118
16
1.02
2.83
13.40
1.81
23.4
June,
553
174
727
6
4
8
65
10
0.55
1.10
8.93
1.37
23.9
July, .
448
264
712
2
11
63
107
40
1.55
8.85
15.00
5.62
37.1
August,
336
141
477
4
9
21
19
9
1.89
4.40
3.99
1.89
29.6
September,
346
152
498
4
3
19
37
8
0.60
3.82
7.44
1.61
30.5
October,
509
96
605
1
6
4
28
7
0.99
0.66
4.63
1.16
15.9
November,
580
95
675
9
1
23
54
9
0.15
3.41
S.OO
1.33
14.1
Totals,
5,386
1,733
7,119
44
74
237
696
147
1.04
3.33
9.77
2.10
24.3
1 Includes samples collected by inspectors only.
No. 34.]
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
481
Table No. 7.
Quality of Milk by Months.^
Number of Samples with Solids varying between —
Month.
*
a
a
o
ti
(1) o
ca
O
a
C3
o
Pi
■*
•a
a
03 -t^
a
Pi
a d
a
O
o
PL,
03
O
a
o
O
u
a>
fin
o
a
03
02
"S
o
Pi
-a
a
00
Pi
00
■d
d .
go
1914.
December, ....
3
17
73
161
57
5
2
-
-
318
1915.
January,
7
8
65
127
53
2
2
-
-
264
February,
3
22
126
323
99
6
9
2
-
590
March,
9
23
143
325
126
19
9
-
-
654
April, .
3
20
125
345
206
13
4
-
-
716
May, .
6
13
164
502
193
14
1
-
-
883
June, .
6
14
128
401
165
8
4
-
1
727
July, .
5
18
119
306
214
33
11
5
1
712
August,
5
17
108
204
125
14
3
1
-
477
September,
5
17
87
234
132
18
4
1
-
498
October,
3
22
160
323
91
2
4
-
-
605
November,
12
26
202
335
81
12
7
-
-
675
Totals,
67
217
1,490
3,586
1,542
146
60
9
2
7,119
1 Includes samples collected by inspectors only.
482
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
o
m
■<
<
0
Pi
B.
H
U
?.
«
o
M
0
H
K
H
0
0
W
0
H
s
M
O
>■
H>
a
<!
H
•(•^nao
■iad;)^^^'ionBp!iog
•(•^nao J8£) ^jBj
■{•luaoj8j)spnog
^^ »M 05 »0
oooooooooocooooooo
CO kO CO
CO CO CO CO
CO CO CO
U5 lO CO
(MC^CJCslNCSIWCslWCqN
uaqran^
rH CO O ^H CO N U3
H 3 O <
o A. afe
•(•^uao
•(•^nao jaj) ?ej
•(•*naoaaa)spiios
eococ^0500oOcDiOC<i
OO 00 CO GO
I^- 00 00
cccoeocccococococococo
00 00 ift CO
to kO CO
cqwcMcsiNC^Nwc^c^
•jaqran^
CO CO CO
<M <£> Ci
M csj CO CO
fe ^ W ss
j:; •■ W SS
O 03CQ H
IB W ^ El
S -< i «
>:a2g o
<< a
a
•(•*nao
Md:)*«J*ouspiiog
•(•inao ja<i) ■juj;
•(•luaoja^)spnog
.-nr^'^oou^iococo
CO
c»
OO
a>
t~
00
^-
t^
t^
t-
Oi
o
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
03
00
•-1
.1
o
m
CO
00
r.
N
OO
00
00
t^
OO
t^
'^~:
CO CO CO CO
CO CO CO CO
1-H O CO tC OO CO
LO CO U3 kO CO UD
c« cq cq c^ o» Cfl
•aaqmn^
c<t m io
«o -^Ji Tt* *o
•(•^oao jaj) 'i'B^
•(•^na3a9j)spnos
Oi OO 00 t* t*
00 00 CO 00 00
00 00 00 00 00
CO- Oi 00 M*
t-, ?0 !>. t^
CO CO CO CO CO CO CO
CO ^ CO
CO (M O i-H
C^J M (M
<N Cq C^ Cq (N CM
•jaqmn^
i-H cooio^'-HoocMr^t^
■^
a*
g a ^
Pm S <^
<j eg o ;^
No. 34.
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
483
Table No. 9.
Summary of Statistics of Food exclusive of Milk.
Chabactee of Sample.
6
a
Character op Sample.
a
s
ID
"3
a
6
<
i
o
'B
a
O
3
<
1
o
Bakers' supplies,
16
-
16
Honey, .
8
1
9
Baking powder,
3
-
3
Horse-radish, .
2
-
2
Bread
13
-
13
Ice cream.
216
11
227
Butter
10
2
12
Jams and jelUes,
40
8
48'
Canned goods,
8
-
8
Lard,
57
18
75
Cheese,
■ 1
-
1
Maple sugar, .
80
13
93
Cider
7
9
16
Maple syrup, .
10
4
14
Clam juice
1
-
1
Meat products: —
Cocoa,
28
-
28
Bacon, .
1
-
1
Coffee and compound coffee, .
3
4
7
Hamburg steak, .
18
-
18
Condensed milk.
12
2
14
Mince meat,
9
-
9
Condimental sauces.
13
-
13
Sausages,
211
113
324
Confectionery,
28
1
29
Veal, .
2
-
2
Cooking fat
1
-
1
Molasses, .
52
9
61
Cream
145
6
151
Oil of sweet almond.
3
-
3
Cream of tartar,
11
-
11
Olive oil, .
41
8
49
Eggs
26
-
26
Pickles, .
6
-
6
Fish
10
3
13
Root beer extract, .
2
-
2
Fish paste, ....
1
-
1
Salad dressing.
5
-
5
Flavoring extracts: —
Scallops, .
53
34
87
Almond
1
-
1
Shredded cocoanut.
1
-
1
Lemon, ....
31
28
59
Shrimp, .
17
12
29
Peppermint,
6
3
9
Soda water syrups.
18
11
29
Pineapple
2
-
2
Soft drinks.
9
2
11
Vanilla, . • .
26
20
46
Spices,
37
-
37
Wintergreen,
1
-
1
Syrups, .
5
-
5
Flour
4
-
4
Tomato soup, .
1
-
1
Frosting
5
-
5
Vinegar, .
Totals,
24
22
46
Fruit juices: —
1,349
344
1,693
Cranberrj', ....
1
-
1
Grape
1
-
1
Lime,
6
-
6
484
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Table No. 10.
Summary of Examination of Articles of Food held in Cold Storage.
Character of
Sample.
Good.
Bad.
Totals.
Character of
Sample.
Good.
Bad.
Totals.
Butter
14
3
17
Poultry — Con.
Eggs, ....
27
38
65
Duck,
-
1
1
Meat: —
Fowl,
6
5
11
Beef trimmings,
-
5
5
Geese, ...
_
2
2
Hams,
-
4
4
Rooster,
1
-
1
Pork cheeks.
3
1
4
Turkeys,
-
5
5
Pork loins, .
2
12
18
2
30
Salmon
Totals, .
1
1
2
Pork trimmings,
70
92
162
Poultry: —
Chickens, .
4
9
13
•
Table No. 11.
Summary of Drug Statistics.
<u
■d
<u
Character of Sample.
a
S
Character of Sample.
a
t.
3
d
C
3
<
o
E-i
3
a
o
O
3
<
3
Alcohol,
23
1
24
Precipitated sulphur, . ,
1
-
1
Aspirin tablets,
9
6
15
Proprietary drugs, .
6
3
9
Bay rum, ....
-
1
Sodium bicarbonate,
1
-
1
Borax,
1
-
Sodium borate.
1
-
1
Camphor liniment,
13
2
15
Solution of magnesium citrate.
6
-
6
Denatured alcohol,
32
2
34
Spirit of: —
Essence of pepsin, .
1
-
Anise,
59
19
78
Glycerine
1
-
Camphor, ....
150
17
167
Hamamelis water, .
8
-
Gaultheria, ....
17
-
17
Lime water
-
1
Lemon, ....
-
1
1
Methyl alcohol.
1
-
Nitrous ether.
130
69
199
Morphine tablets, .
3
-
3
Peppermint,
253
26
279
Oils: —
Tincture of: —
Anise,
1
-
1
Ginger, ....
4
-
4
Citronella
25
3
28
Iodine
179
16
195
Olive,
6
-
5
Iron,
1
1
Ointments: —
Myrrh,
1
-
1
Mercurial and blue.
22
13
6
28
13
Rhubarb, ....
Totals
1
-
1
Zinc oxide, ....
968
173
1,141
No. 34.
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
485
Table No. 12.
Summary of Liquor Statistics.
Locality.
Arlington, .
Beverly, .
Boston,
Cambridge,
Canton,
Lawrence,
Lynn,
Mansfield, .
Middleborough
Middleton, .
Newton, .
Norwood, .
Peabody, .
Revere,
Salem,
somerville,
Stonehana, .
Wellesley, .
Wrentham, .
Totals, .
S3
Miscellaneous and Remarks.
1 (punch),
1 (Jamaica Ginger),
4 (samples of medicine).
Table No. 13.
Summary of Poison Statistics.
Character of Sample.
o
I
a
o
O
6
"3
Ah
ID
y
s
OS
o
<1>
u
1
e
to
Q
6
1
6
u
X:
(2
<»
d
'3
■M
o
Ph
a
•d
SCO
o
Morphine sulphate, ....
Morphine pills or tablets, .
Substance containing morphine.
Derivatives of morphine, .
112
14
7
7
-
1
-
1
-
-
-
82
9
2
1
195
23
10
8
486
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Summary of Poison Statistics — Concluded.
Character of Sample.
a)
"o
Ph
d
o
a
m
6
o
't
9
m
Ph
a
bO
"3,
a
03
o
"o
Ph
a
03
Xi
<o
P
Ph
w
6
i
o
(2
6
1
a
a.
'B
6
o
i
1
•a
03 >>
.So
03 03
3
o
Heroin,
Heroin tablets
Gum opium,
Opium ash,
Cocaine hydrochloride.
Cocaine,
Tablets, etc., containing no alkaloids,
Abortion medicines
Suspected poisons (found).
Suspected poisons (not found), .
3
8
7
9
30
1
19
1
2
4
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
47
1
5
1
3
8
8
9
77
2
25
3
3
8
Totals,
224
1
2
1
2
1
1
1
149
382
Table No. 14.
General Summary.
Legal.
Illegal.
Totals.
Milk
Foods, exclusive of milk.
Drugs, . . . .
Totals,
Cold-storage goods, .
Poisons
Liquors, . . . .
Totals,
5,495
1,349
7,812
70
35
2
7,919
1,739
344
173
2,256
92
347
42
2,737
7,234
1,693
1,141
10,068
162
382
r 44
10,656
No. 34.]
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
487
Table No. 15.
Requests for Extension of Time or Removal of Articles in Cold Storage.
Requests for Extension of Time on Goods in Cold Storage granted during the
Year, Dec. 1, 1914, to Dec. 1, 1915.
(Reason for such extensions being that goods were in proper condition for further storage.)
Abticle.
Weight
(Pounds).
Placed in
Storage.
Extension
granted to —
Name.
Eggs, broken out,
S70
Dec. 30, 1913
Indefinitely!
Keith, H. J., Company.
Eggs, broken out,
10
Mar. 26, 1914
Indefinitely i
Keith, H. J., Company.
Eggs, broken out.
3,780
May 2, 1914
July
1, 1915
Marston, R., Company.
Eggs, dried.
9,000
Aug. 1, 1914
Dec.
31, 1915
Campbell, E. C, Company.
Eggs, dried,
2,850
Aug. 1, 1914
Dec.
31, 1915
Campbell, E. C, Company.
Eggs, dried,
300
Nov. 4, 1914
Mar.
20, 1916
Campbell, E. C, Company.
Eggs, dried.
850
Nov. 4, 1914
Mar.
20, 1916
Campbell, E. C, Company.
Eggs, dried,
625
Nov. 4, 1914
Mar.
20, 1916
Campbell, E. C, Company.
Egg whites.
25
July 21,1914
Oct.
1, 1915
Brown, M.
Butter,
3,960
Jan. 6, 1914
Mar.
1, 1915
Batchelder & Snyder Company.
Butter,
3,080
Jan. 31, 1914
Mar.
31, 1915
Batchelder & Snyder Company.
Butter,
1,400
Apr. 8, 1914
June
8, 1915
Batchelder & Snyder Company.
Butter,
1,800
Aug. 1, 1914
Sept.
30, 1915
Batchelder & Snyder Company.
Butter,
1,140
Aug. 26, 1914
Nov.
30, 1915
Beebe, Elmer.
Butter,
1,200
May 23, 1914
Aug.
31, 1915
Brown, DeLoriea Company.
Butter,
1,071
May 19, 1914
June
15, 1915
Covitz, M., & Son.
Butter,
1,020
Aug. 6, 1914
Sept.
6, 1915
Covitz, M., & Son.
Butter,
120
Aug. 7, 1914
Sept.
7, 1915
Covitz, M., «fe Son.
Butter,
4,080
May 20,1914
Aug.
20, 1915
Eastern Butter Company.
Butter,
860
Aug. 28, 1914
Nov.
.30, 1915
Eastern Butter Company.
Butter,
2,760
Aug. 24,1914
Nov.
30, 1915
Eastern Butter Company.
Butter,
90
May 21, 1914
Nov.
20, 1915
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Butter,
120
Aug. 26, 1914
Sept.
26, 1915
Ellis, George H.
Butter,
60
June 4, 1914
Oct.
1, 1915
Fowle, Hibbard Company.
Butter,
300
June 4, 1914
Nov.
1, 1915
Fowle, Hibbard Company.
Butter,
180
July 11, 1914
Nov.
1, 1915
Fowle, Hibbard Company.
Butter,
770
Sept. 5, 1914 "
Jan.
1, 1916
Fowle, Hibbard Company.
Butter,
580
Oct. 10, 1914
Jan.
1, 1916
Fowle, Hibbard Company.
Butter,
3,060
Dec. 31, 1913
Mar.
31, 1915
Green & Co.
Butter,
2,700
Sept. 8, 1914
Jan.
11, 1916
Green & Co.
Butter,
1,980
July 3, 1914
Nov.
3, 1915
Haire, William J., Company.
Butter,
900
Oct. 23, 1914
Jan.
24, 1916
Haire, William J., Company.
I For experimental purposes.
488
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Requests for Extension of Time or Removal of Articles in Cold Storage — Continued.
Requests for Extension of Time on Goods in Cold Storage granted during the
Year, Dec. 1, 1914, to Dec. 1, 1915 — Continued.
Abticle.
Weight
(Pounds)
Placed in
Storage.
Extension
granted to —
Name.
Butter,
1,860
Oct. 24, 1914
Jan. 24, 1916
Haire, William J., Company.
Butter,
1,320
Oct. 24, 1914
Jan. 24, 1916
Haire, William J., Company.
Butter,
500
Sept. 9, 1914
Jan. 8, 1916
Hilton & Aldrich Company.
Butter,
1,152
June 2, 1914
Oct. 15, 1915
Humphrey, J. L.
Butter,
3,320
June 18, 1914
Oct. 15, 1915
Humphrey, J. L.
Butter,
2,760
June 23, 1914
Oct. 15, 1915
Humphrey, J. L.
Butter,
448
July 3, 1914
Oct. 15, 1915
Humphrey, J. L.
Butter,
500
July 8, 1914
Sept. 7, 1915
Johnson, H. A., Company.
Butter,
2,160
Mar. 3, 1914
Apr. 15, 1915
Kennard, Alex D.
Butter,
11,280
Mar. 3, 1914
Apr. 15, 1915
Kennard, Alex D.
Butter,
2,880
Aug. 25, 1914
Nov. 25, 1915
Massasoit Creamery Company.
Butter,
2,142
Aug. 4, 1914
Nov. 1, 1915
Mills Tea and Butter Company.
Butter,
4,950
July 15, 1914
Nov. 1, 1915
Mills Tea and Butter Company.
Butter,
850
Aug. 28, 1914
Oct. 1, 1915
Osgood, C. H.
Butter,
396
July 9, 1914
Sept. 9, 1915
Plymouth Creamery Company.
Butter,
288
June 13, 1914
Oct. 1, 1915
Plymouth Creamery Company.
Butter,
500
Aug. 9, 1914
Nov. 1, 1915
Shawmut Egg Company.
Butter,
600
May 2, 1914
July 1, 1915
Thomas, J. M., & Co.
Butter,
600
Jan. 23, 1914
Feb. 10, 1915
Union Supply Company.
Butter,
330
Aug. 19, 1914
Sept. 14, 1915
Winer, M., & Co.
Broilers,
332
Dec. 5, 1913
Mar. 2, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Broilers,
3,056
Mar. 12, 1914
June 12, 1915
Hosmer, F. H., & Co.
Broilers,
2,324
May 19, 1914
Aug. 19, 1915
Swan, Newton & Co.
Chickens,
463
Jan. 6, 1914
Mar. 31,1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Chickens,
408
Jan. e, 1914
Mar. 31, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Chickens, .
464
Jan. 28, 1914
Feb. 28, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Chickens, .
110
Dec. 15, 1913
Feb. 6, 1915
Hosmer, F. H., & Co.
Chickens, .
353
Dec. 8, 1913
Jan. 31, 1915
Kimball, J. F., & Co.
Chickens, .
1,242
Dec. 6, 1913
Jan. 31, 1915
Kimball, J. F., & Co.
Chickens, .
115
July 8, 1914
July 19, 1915
Murphy, R. A., Company.
Chickens, .
316
Aug. 25, 1914
Oct. 1, 1915
Osgood, C. H.
Chickens, .
950
Jan. 1, 1914
June 1, 1915
Slay ton & Boynton.
Chickens, .
1,531
Jan. 2, 1914
June 1, 1915
Slay ton & Boynton.
Chickens, .
123
Jan. 3, 1914
June 1, 1915
Slayton & Boynton.
Chickens, .
497
Jan. 7, 1914
June 1, 1915
Slay ton & Boynton.
No. 34.
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
489
Requests for Extension of Time or Removal of Articles in Cold Storage — Continued.
Requests for Extension of Time on Goods in Cold Storage granted during the
Year, Dec. 1, 1914, to Dec. 1, 1915 — Continued.
Article.
Weight
(Pounds)
Placed in
Storage.
Extension
granted to —
Name.
Chickens,
796
Jan.
7, 1914
June
1, 1915
Slayton & Boynton.
Chickens,
327
Jan.
10, 1914
June
1, 1915
Slayton & Boynton .
Chickens,
185
Jan.
10, 1914
June
1, 1915
Slayton & Boynton.
Chickens,
122
Jan.
10, 1914
June
1, 1915
Slayton & Boynton.
Chickens,
1,272
Jan.
14. 1914
June
1, 1915
Slayton & Boynton.
Chickens,
181
Jan.
17, 1914
June
1, 1915
Slayton & Boynton.
Chickens,
1,239
Jan.
17, 1914
June
1, 1915
Slayton & Boynton.
Chickens,
1,305
Jan.
23, 1914
June
1, 1915
Slayton & Boynton.
Chickens,
398
Jan.
28, 1914
June
1, 1915
Slayton & Boynton.
Chickens,
373
Jan.
28, 1914
June
1, 1915
Slayton & Boynton.
Chickens,
316
Feb.
4, 1914
June
1, 1915
Slayton & Boynton.
Chickens,
250
Feb.
6, 1914
June
1,1915
Slayton & Boynton.
Chickens,
210
Feb.
6, 1914
June
1, 1915
Slayton & Boynton.
Chickens,
22
Apr.
15, 1914
Indefinitely i
State Department of Health.
Ducks,
225
Dec.
26, 1913
Mar.
29, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Ducks,
402
Aug.
25, 1914
Nov.
30, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E.,& Co.
Ducks,
1,480
Aug.
27, 1914
Nov.
30, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Ducks,
452
Aug.
29, 1914 •
Nov.
30, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Ducks,
28
Apr.
21, 1914
Indefi
nitely i
State Department of Health.
I owl.
240
Dec.
2, 1913
Mar.
2, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Fowl,
52
Dec.
29, 1913
Jan.
31, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Fowl,
400
Dec.
30, 1913
Jan.
31, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Fowl,
102
Jan.
5, 1914
Feb.
15, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Fowl,
390
Jan.
28, 1914
Feb.
28, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Fowl,
1,791
June
16, 1914
Oct.
1, 1915
Osgood, C. H.
Fowl,
74
Aug.
8, 1914
Sept.
10, 1915
Pratt, F. B., & Co.
Fowl,
159
July
19, 1914
July
24, 1915
Swift, E. C, & Co.
Geese,
286
Dec.
26, 1913
Mar.
29, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Geese,
408
Dec.
27, 1913
Mar.
29, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Geese,
1,525
Dec.
29, 1913
Feb.
28, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Geese,
159
Dec.
31, 1913
Feb.
28, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Geese,
161
Dec.
30, 1913
Jan.
31, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Guinea chickens.
120
Dec.
8, 1913
Mar.
2, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Guinea chickens.
468
Dec.
22, 1913
Mar.
29, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
1 For experimental purposes.
490
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Requests for Extension of Time or Removal of Articles in Cold Storage — Continued.
Requests for Extension of Time on Goods in Cold Storage granted during the
Year, Dec. 1, 1914, to Dec. 1, 1915 — Continued.
Article.
Weight
(Pounds).
Placed in
Storage.
Extension
granted to —
Name.
Roosters, .
289
Dec. 29, 1913
Feb.
28, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Roosters,
4,434
June 16, 1914
Oct.
1, 1915
Osgood, C. H.
Roosters, .
2,500
July 29, 1914
Oct.
1, 1915
Osgood, C. H.
Roosters,
843
Aug. 8, 1914
Oct.
1,1915
Osgood, C. H.
Roosters,
1,123
Aug. 15, 1914
Oct.
1, 1915
Osgood, C. H.
.Roosters, .
423
Aug. 18, 1914
Oct.
1, 1915
Osgood, C. H.
Roosters,
2,747
Aug. 26, 1914
Oct.
1, 1915
Osgood, C. H.
Roosters, .
2,572
Sept. 30,1914
Dec.
1, 1915
Osgood, C. H.
Roosters, .
1,731
Sept. 23, 1914
Dec.
1, 1915
Osgood, C. H.
Squab,
162H
Dec. 13, 1913
Mar.
2, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Squab,
20
Oct. 27, 1914
Jan.
27, 1916
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Turkeys,
224
Dec. 29, 1913
Jan.
31,1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Turkeys,
1,623
Aug. 26,1914
Oct.
26, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Turkeys,
6,915
Dec. 8, 1913
Mar.
31, 1915
Swan Newton & Company.
Turkeys,
11,036
Dec. 30,1913
Mar.
31, 1915
Swan Newton & Company.
Miscellaneous poultry.
19
Aug. 3, 1914
Oct.
1, 1915
Atwood Brothers.
Beef, . . . .
Beef
Beef, ....
Beef
6,147
47,126
13,813
41,102
Nov. 4, 1914
Nov. 20,1914
Dec. 2, 1914
Dec. 2, 1914
Mar.
Mar.
Apr.
Apr.
30, 1916
30, 1916
30, 1916
30, 1916
New England Dressed Meat and
Wool Company.
New England Dressed Meat and
Wool Company.
New England Dressed Meat and
Wool Company.
New England Dressed Meat and
Wool Company.
New England Dressed Meat and
Wool Company.
New England Dressed Meat and
Wool Company.
New England Dressed Meat and
Beef
Beef butts, .
Beef butts, .
41,986
1,340
1,202
Dec. 4, 1914
Oct. 30, 1914
Nov. 4, 1914
Apr.
Mar.
Mar.
30, 1916
30, 1916
30, 1916
Beef chucks.
Beef clods, .
Beef loins, .
1,368
1.483
2,212
Oct. 30, 1914
Nov. 4, 1914
Aug. 12, 1914
Mar.
Mar.
Nov.
30, 1916
30, 1916
30, 1915
Wool Company.
New England Dressed
Wool Company.
New England Dressed
Wool Company.
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Meat and
Meat and
Beef loins, .
585
Sept. 23, 1914
Mar.
23, 1916
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Beef loins, .
349
Oct. 2, 1914
Jan.
1, 1916
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Beef loins, .
587
Oct. 15, 1914
Jan.
15, 1916
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Beef loins, .
' 451
Oct. 21, 1914
Mar.
30, 1916
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Beef loins, .
811
Oct. 27, 1914
Jan.
27, 1916
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Beef loins, .
681
Nov. 3, 1914
Feb.
3, 1916
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Beef loins, .
474
Nov. 30, 1914
Jan.
30, 1916
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Beef loins, .
266
May 19, 1914
Aug.
1, 1915
Janvrin, J. D. L.
Beef loins, .
40
Apr. 28, 1914
July
31, 1915
Janvrin, J. D. L.
No. 34.
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
491
Requests for Extension of Time or Removal of Articles in Cold Storage — Continued.
Requests for Extension of Time on Goods in Cold Storage granted during the
Year, Dec. 1, 1914, to Dec. 1, 1915 — Continued.
Article.
Weight
(Pounds).
Placed in
Storage.
Extension
granted to — ■
Name.
Beef ribs, .
166
Sept. 2, 1914
Oct. 1, 1915
Beef ribs, .
282
Dec. 10, 1913
Mar. 2, 1915
Beef rounds,
4,452
Dec. 28,1913
Mar. 1, 1915
Beef rounds.
8,360
Dec. 28, 1913
Mar. 1, 1915
Beef rounds.
2,773
Oct. 30, 1914
Mar. 30, 1916
Beef rounds.
2,791
Nov. 4, 1914
Mar. 30, 1916
Beef rumps.
791
Sept. 24, 1914
Jan. 24, 1916
Beef rumps.
294
Oet. 27, 1914
Jan. 27, 1916
Beef tenderloins.
422
Oct. 30, 1914
Mar. 30, 1916
Beef tenderloins.
458
Nov. 4, 1914
Mar. 30, 1916
Beef veins, .
1,118
Oct. 30, 1914
Mar. 30, 1916
Beef veins, .
1,040
Nov. 4, 1914
Mar. 30, 1916
Hog plucks,
28,900
Dec. 14, 1914
Jan. 14, 1916
Kidneys (pork).
9,100
Sept. 10,1914
Dec. 30,1915
Lamb fries.
800
Oct. 13, 1914
Jan. 30, 1916
Lamb fries.
832
Oct. 14, 1914
Jan. 30,1916
Lamb plucks,
2,625
Oct. 30,1914
Feb. 28, 1916
Livers,
9,500
Sept. 23, 1914
Dec. 23, 1915
Livers (beef),
13,547
Nov. 10, 1914
Mar. 10,1916
Livers (pork).
19,596
May 22,1914
July 22,1915
Livers (sheep), .
461
Nov. 4, 1914
Mar. 4, 1916
Sweetbreads,
105
Sept. 16, 1914
Dec. 16,1915
Sweetbreads (calves).
43
July 28, 1914
Oct. 20, 1915
Sweetbreads (calves).
965i
Aug. 5, 1914
Oct. 20, 1915
Sweetbreads (calves),
54H
July 21,1914
Oct. 20, 1915
Sweetbreads (calves).
84
July 29,1914
Oct. 20, 1915
Sweetbreads (calves).
14054
July 23, 1914
Oct. 20, 1915
Sweetbreads (calves),
30
Aug. 5, 1914
Oct. 20, 1915
Venison,
160
Dec. 11,1913
Mar. 2, 1915
Venison,
72
July 15, 1914
Dec. 30, 1915
Venison,
37
July 25, 1914
Dec. 30, 1915
Butterfish, .
10,472
July 22,1914
Nov. 30, 1915
Butterfish, .
300
Aug. 16, 1914
Nov. 30, 1915
Butterfish, .
1,200
Dec. -, 1914
Jan. 1, 1916
Cusk, . . . .
370
Nov. 5, 1914
Nov. 30, 1915
Batchelder & Snyder Company.
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Hollis, N. E., & Co.
Hollis, N. E., & Co.
New England Dressed Meat and
Wool Company.
New England Dressed Meat and
Wool Company.
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
New England Dressed Meat and
Wool Company.
New England Dressed Meat and
Wool Company.
New England Dressed Meat and
Wool Company.
New England Dressed Meat and
Wool Company.
Poole, J. R., Company.
Swift, E. C, & Co.
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Zimmerman, M., Company.
Woodbridge, S. F., Meat Company.
Nye, George, Company.
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Squire, John P., Sons.
Squire, John P., Sons.
Squire, John P., Sons.
Squire, John P., Sons.
Squire, John P., Sons.
Squire, John P., Sons.
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Atwood & Co.
Rich, H. A., Company.
Rich, H. A., Company.
Hoare, William J., Company.
492
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Requests for Extension of Time or Removal of Articles in Cold Storage — Continued.
Requests foe Extension of Time on Goods in Cold Storage granted during the
Year, Dec. 1. 1914, to Dec. 1, 1915 — Continued.
Article.
Weight
(Pounds).
Placed in
Storage.
Extension
granted to —
Name.
Haddock, .
1,350
July 22,1914
Oct. 31, 1915
Bunting & Emery Company.
Haddock, .
500
-
Dec. 1, 1915
Ocean Fish Company.
Halibut, .
570
Aug. 29,1914
Dec. 1, 1915
Atlas Fish Company.
Halibut,
530
Aug. 25,1914
Dec. 1, 1915
Atlas Fish Company.
Halibut, .
350
Oct. 31,1914
Dec. 30, 1915
T Wharf Fish Company.
Halibut, .
337
Nov. 7, 1914
Jan. 15, 1916
T Wharf Fish Company.
Halibut, .
4,808
Nov. 16, 1914
Jan. 16, 1916
Whitman, Ward & Lee.
Halibut cheeks.
135
July 29, 1914
Nov. 20, 1915
New England Fish Company.
Mackerel, .
1,776
Dec. 18, 1914
Jan. 31, 1916
Arnold & Winsor Company.
Mackerel, .
1,045
Nov. 12, 1914
Feb. 1, 1916
Arnold & Winsor Company.
Mackerel, .
120
Aug. 9, 1914
Dec. 1, 1915
Atlas Fish Company.
Mackerel, .
900
Oct. 30, 1914
Dec. 4, 1915
Atlantic and Pacific Fish Com-
Mackerel, .
3,000
Oct. 30, 1914
Dec. 4, 1915
pany.
Atlantic and Pacific Fish Com-
Mackerel, .
Mackerel, .
150
350
Aug. 14, 1914
Aug. 14, 1914
Nov. 30, 1915
Nov. 30, 1915
pany,
Commonwealth Ice and Cold
Storage Company.
Commonwealth Ice and Cold
Mackerel, .
Mackerel, .
Mackerel, .
Mackerel, .
135
540
200
4,200
Nov. 11, 1914
Nov. 7, 1914
Nov. 14,1914
July 10, 1914
Feb. 1. 1916
Feb. 1, 1916
Dec. 15, 1915
Dec. 1, 1915
Storage Company.
Commonwealth Ice and Cold
Storage Company.
Commonwealth Ice and Cold
Storage Company.
Commonwealth Ice and Cold
Storage Company.
Fitch, Warren, Company.
Mackerel, .
1,000
July 10, 1914
Dec. 1, 1915
Fitch, Warren, Company.
Mackerel, .
1,200
Nov. 5, 1914
Jan. 1, 1916
Goodspeed, L. B., & Co.
Mackerel, .
150
Oct. 26, 1914
Jan. 1, 1916
Goodspeed, L. B., & Co.
Mackerel, .
610
Nov. 6, 1914
Jan. 1, 1916
Goodspeed, L. B., & Co.
Mackerel, .
2,100
Nov. 30, 1914
Jan. 30, 1916
Harding, F. E., Company.
Mackerel, .
1,300
Jan. 10, 1914
Feb. 28, 1915
Malone, E. A.
Mackerel, .
2,500
June 10, 1914
Oct. 30, 1915
Rich, E. A., Company.
Mackerel, .
135
Aug. 14, 1914
Nov. 30, 1915
Rich, E. A., Company.
Mackerel, .
2,100
Nov. 5, 1914
Feb. 1, 1916
Rich, E. A., Company.
Mackerel, .
2,595
Nov. 17, 1914
Feb. 1, 1916
Rich, E. A., Company.
Mackerel, .
877
Nov. 13, 1914
Feb. 1, 1916
Rich, E. A., Company.
Pollock,
1,632
Dec. 4, 1914
Feb. 4, 1916
Bunting & Emery Company.
Pollock, .
465
Dec. 3, 1914
Feb. 3, 1916
Bunting & Emery Company.
Polldck.
16,500
Oct. 10, 1914
Nov. 15, 1915
Burns, John, Company.
Pollock, .
855
July 2, 1914
Oct. 31, 1915
United Fish Company.
Salmon,
140
Nov. 28, 1914
Jan. 28, 1916
Atlas Fish Company.
No. 34.]
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
493
Requests for Extension of Time or Removal of Articles in Cold Storage — Continued.
Requests for Extension of Time on Goods in Cold Storage granted during the
Year, Dec. 1, 1914, to Dec. 1, 1915 — Concluded.
Abticle.
Weight
fPounds).
Placed in
Storage.
Extension
granted to —
Name.
Salmon,
375
Nov.
28, 1914
Jan.
28, 1916
Atlas Fish Company.
Salmon,
5,275
June
22, 1914
Sept.
1, 1915
EUis, E. S., & Co.
Salmon,
7,645
June
18, 1914
Sept.
1, 1915
Ellis, E. S., & Co.
Salmon,
6,307
July
3, 1914
Sept.
1, 1915
Freeman & Cobb.
Salmon,
6,000
July
16, 1914
Aug.
28, 1915
Star Fish Company.
Salmon,
500
July
16, 1914
Aug.
28, 1915
Star Fish Company.
Whiting,
1,094
Aug.
20, 1914
Nov.
30, 1915
Busalacchi Brothers.
Whiting,
1,096
Aug.
20, 1914
Nov.
30, 1915
Busalacchi Brothers.
Whiting,
1,475
Aug.
20, 1914
Oct.
15, 1915
Mantia, G.
Whiting,
375
Aug.
20, 1914
Oct.
15, 1915
Mantia, G.
Whiting,
500
Aug.
20, 1914
Oct.
15, 1915
Mantia, G.
Whiting,
375
Aug.
20, 1914
Oct.
15, 1915
Mantia, G.
Requests for Extension of Time on Goods in Cold Storage not granted during
THE Year, Dec. 1, 1914, to Dec. 1, 1915.
Article.
Weight
(Pounds).
Placed in
Storage.
Permission
to remove.
Name.
Butter,
2,940
Sept. 10, 1915
Sept. 14,19151
Beebe, Elmer.
Butter,
300
Aug. 26, 1914
Sept. 14,19151
Beebe, Elmer.
Butter,
720
Aug. 26,1914
Sept. 14,19151
Beebe, Ehner.
Livers (sheep), .
505
Aug. 15, 1914
Nov. 29, 1915 2
Goodspeed, L. B., & Co.
HaUbut, .
400
Apr. 8, 1914
Nov. 20,19152
Goodspeed, L. B., & Co.
Mackerel, .
380
Nov. 12, 1914
Nov. 12,19151
Arnold & Winsor Company.
Scrod haddock.
7,170
Oct. 8, 1914
Nov. 13,19151
Goodspeed, L. B., & Co.
1 Not in proper condition for further storage.
2 Already in storage fifteen months.
' Already in storage nineteen months.
494
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Requests for Extension of Time or Removal of Articles in Cold Storage — Continued.
Rkqttests roR Permission to remove Articles which had been in Cold Storage
LONGER THAN TwELVE MONTHS GRANTED DURING THE YeAR, DeC. 1, 1914, TO DeC.
1, 1915.
Article.
Weight
(Pounds).
Placed in
Storage.
Permission
to remove.
Name.
Butter,
Butter,
Butter,
50
60
60
Aug.
Sept.
Sept.
22, 1913
5, 1913
30, 1913
Feb.
Feb.
Feb.
15, 1915
15, 1915
17, 1915
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Butter,
60
July
18, 1914
Nov.
29, 1915
Butter,
60
Oct.
3, 1914
Nov.
29, 1915
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Butter,
240
July
9, 1914
Nov.
29, 1915
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Butter,
30
May
29, 1913
Nov.
29, 1915
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Butter,
60
June
7, 1913
Nov.
29, 1915
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Butter,
60
June
12, 1913
Nov.
29, 1915
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Butter,
60
Sept.
18, 1913
Nov.
29, 1915
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Butter,
60
June
20, 1914
Nov.
29, 1915
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Butter,
60
June
24, 1914
Nov.
29, 1915
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Butter,
60
July
9, 1914
Nov.
29, 1915
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Butter,
30
June
6, 1914
June
18, 1915
Stone, Charles H., & Co.
Butter,
20
July
6, 1914
Aug.
11, 1915
Heslor, J., & Co.
Broilers,
58
Dec.
24, 1913
Jan.
18, 1915
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Capons,
243
Dec.
9, 1913
Feb.
6, 1915
Capons,
237
Jan.
23, 1914
Feb.
12, 1915
Chickens,
256
Nov.
19, 1913
Feb.
1, 1915
Chickens,
70
Nov.
25, 1913
Feb.
1,1915
Chickens,
36
Dec.
13, 1913
Feb.
6, 1915
Chickens,
Chickens,
40
62
Dec.
Nov.
16, 1913
1, 1913
Feb.
Feb.
6, 1915
10, 1915
Chickens,
Chickens,
Chickens,
Chickens,
Chickens,
637
26
120
35
80
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
9, 1913
21, 1913
28, 1913
27, 1913
28, 1913
Dec.
Jan.
Jan.
Dec.
Jan.
19, 1914
18,1915,
4, 1915
19, 1914
4, 1915
Chickens,
80
Dec.
6, 1913
Jan.
4, 1915
Chickens,
62
Dec.
27, 1913
Jan,
20, 1915
Chickens,
Chickens,
45
65
Dec.
Nov.
29, 1913
1,1913
Jan.
Apr.
20, 1915
12, 1915
Chickens,
37
-
-
Apr.
17, 1915
Chickens,
30
June
29, 1914
Sept.
25, 1915
No. 34.]
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
495
Requests for Extension of Time or Removal of Articles in Cold Storage — Concluded.
Requests for Pebmission to remove Articles which have been in Cold Storage
LONGER THAN TwELVE MoNTHS GRANTED DURING THE YeAR, DeC. 1, 1914, TO DeC.
1, 1915 — Concluded.
Article.
Weight
(Pounds).
Placed in
Storage.
Permission
to remove.
Name.
Chickens, .
1,375
Jan.
14, 1914
Jan.
25, 1915
Kimball, J. F., & Co.
Chickens, .
1,696
Jan.
14, 1914
Jan.
25, 1915
Kimball, J. F., & Co.
Chickens, .
13
Jan.
14, 1914
Jan.
25, 1915
Kimball, J. F., & Co.
Chickens, .
402
Jan.
14, 1914
Jan.
25, 1915
Kimball, J. F., & Co.
Ducks,
70
June
29, 1914
Sept.
25, 1915
Eastern Cold Storage Company.
Fowl,
Fowl,
39
427
Dec.
Jan.
29, 1913
1, 1914
Aug.
Jan.
31, 1915
22, 1915
ConsoUdated Meat and Grocery
Company.
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Fowl,
252
Jan.
7, 1914
Jan.
22, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Geese,
Geese,
Geese,
224
187
241
Dec.
Jan.
Dec.
5, 1913
1, 1914
16, 1913
Feb.
Feb.
Feb.
1, 1915
1, 1915
6, 1915
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Geese,
Geese,
82
812
Jan.
Jan.
23, 1914
2, 1914
Feb.
Jan.
10, 1915
22, 1915
Geese,
441
Jan.
6, 1914
Jan.
22, 1915
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co.
Guinea chickens.
Turkeys,
Turkeys,
Turkeys,
120
262
190
1,110
Oct.
Dec.
Jan.
Nov.
16, 1913
26. 1913
31, 1914
27. 1914
Jan.
Feb.
Feb.
Oct.
18, 1915
10, 1915
17, 1915
5, 1915
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Borst, Pierce Company.
Turkeys,
9,624
Dec.
24, 1913
Aug.
7, 1915
Hanly, E. A., Company.
Beef, .
Beef, .
741
355
Dec.
Dec.
16, 1913
20, 1913
Feb.
Feb.
6, 1915
10, 1915
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Hanly, E. A., Company.
Beef butts, .
115
Nov.
3, 1914
Nov.
29, 1915
Beef ribs, .
788
Aug.
20, 1914
Sept.
6, 1915
Sulzberger & Sons Company.
Beef ribs, .
661
Aug.
26, 1914
Sept.
6, 1915
Sulzberger & Sons Company.
Livers (calves).
169
Aug.
30, 1913
Feb.
10, 1915
Boston Terminal Refrigerating
Company.
Cummings & Cummings.
Livers (calves').
45
June
10, 1914
Sept.
1, 1915
Livers (calves').
49
Mar.
12, 1914
Sept.
1, 1915
Cummings & Cummings.
Raccoons, .
16
Oct.
12, 1914
Nov.
4, 1915
Stevens, Genery, & Son.
Sweetbreads,
39
Aug.
13. 1914
Sept.
4, 1915
Squire, John P., & Sons.
Bluefish, .
900
Oct.
9, 1914
Oct.
28, 1915
Rich, H. A., Company.
Butterfish, .
3,010
July
29, 1914
Aug.
12, 1915
Prior & Townsend.
Salmon,
138
Sept.
4, 1914
Oct.
4, 1915
Goodspeed, L. B., & Co.
Salmon,
1,343
Mar.
27, 1914
July
3, 1915
Rich, E. A., Company.
Salmon,
1,079
Mar.
27, 1914
July
3, 1915
Rich, E. A., Company.
496
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Table No. 16.
Articles placed in Cold Storage and Qitantities of Butter and Eggs held during the
Year, Oct. 1, 1914, to Oct. 1, 1915.
Articles placed in Cold
Storage.
October,
November,
December,
1914.
January,
February,
March,
1915.
April,
May,
June,
1915.
July,
August,
September,
1915.
Totals.
Eggs, case (dozens), i
Eggs, broken (pounds), .
Butter (pounds).
Poultry (pounds), .
Game (pounds),
Meat, fresh (pounds).
Meat products, fresh (pounds
Fish, fresh food (pounds).
Totals,
Eggs, case (per cent.), '.
Eggs, broken (per cent.).
Butter (per cent.), .
Poultry (percept.),
Game (per cent.), .
Meat, fresh (per cent.), .
Meat products, fresh (per cent.)
Fish, fresh food (per cent.), .
544,920
175,703
2,795,183
8,048,5985i
31,529
8,416,1371^
831,387
4,314,058
1,513,980
322,420
1,634,128
4,826,702^
5,875
20,802,741J^
278,967
5,754,288
20,904,680
789,690
14,228,565J^
2,184,163
2,225
8,303,538H
2,200,980
7,540,856
25,157,516M
2.2
9.5
7.3
48.0
74.5
19.3
23.7
15.9
35,139,102
5.8
17.2
4.2
28.8
7.4
47.6
7.9
21.3
56,154,698
80.6
42.1
37.0
12.9
5.3
19.0
62.8
28.0
3,001,735
581,764
19,805,829
1,719,195K
2,768
6,189,935Ji
195,196
9,424,402
25,965,315
1,869,577
38,463,705^
16,778,659^
42,397
43,712,353>i
3,506,530
27,033,604
40,920,825
11.4
31.2
51.5
10.3
13.8
14.1
5.6
34.8
157,372, 141 Ji
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Butter and Eggs held in Cold
Storage.
Jan. 1, 1915.
Apr. 1, 1915.
July 1, 1915.
Oct. 1, 1915.
Eggs, case (dozens),
Eggs, broken (pounds)
Butter (pounds), ..'...
5,402,863M
9,102
10,210,622
1,307,289
25,381
1,315,732
22,166,910
72,869
12,150,428H
19,556,190
112,163
27,544,187
Totals,
15,622,587H
2,648,402
34,390,207K
47,212,540
1 The net weight of 1 dozen eggs, exclusive of the shells, is approximately 1 pound.
No. 34.
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
497
Table 17.
Cold-storage Warehoiises licensed during the Year Dec. 1, 1914, io -^^c. 1, 1915.
Name.
Location of Warehouse.
Date of
License.
Allen, Slade & Co.,
Austin, Nichols & Co., Inc.,
Bancroft, George, & Co.,
Batchelder & Snyder Company,
Booth Fisheries Company,
Boston Storage Company, .
Boston Terminal Refrigerating Company,
Brockton Public Market,
Burns, John, Company,
Butler-Paige Company,
Butler-Paige Company,
Cape Ann Cold Storage Company,
Cape Cod Cold Storage Company,
Cape Cod Fish Freezing and Packing
pany.
Clapp & Clapp
Con-
Cobb, Bates & Yerxa Company, .
Colonial Cold Storage Company,
Commonwealth Ice and Cold Storage Com-
pany.
Conant, Chapin Company, .
Consolidated Weir Company,
Cudahy Packing Company,
Cudahy Packing Company,
Dexter, S. K., Company,
Dillon & Douglass,
Dorr, Arthur E., & Co., Inc.,
Eastern Cold Storage Company,
Eastern States Refrigerating Company
Fisherman Cold Storage Company,
Fitchburg Public Market,
Gloucester Cold Storage and Warehouse
Company.
Hood, H. P., & Sons, .
Humphrey, J. L., Jr., .
Hunt, A. C, & Co
King's Public Market Company,
Lawrence Market Company,
Lawrence Produce Company,
18-30 Third Street, Fall River, .
343 Bridge Street, Springfield,! .
264 Lowell Street, Lawrence,
47-63 Blackstone Street, Boston, .
30-33 Boston Fish Pier, Boston,
2-40 New Street, East Boston,
239 Sumner Street, East Boston, .
155 Main Street, Brockton, .
8 Boston Fish Pier, Boston, .
140-142 Lyman Street, Springfield,
81 Clapp Avenue, Pittsfield,*
Fort Square, Gloucester,
123 Commercial Street, Provincetown,
Barnstable
147 Main Street, Northampton,
2 City Square, Taunton,
Commercial Street, Provincetown,
212-234 Northern Avenue, Boston,
8 Monument Square, Leominster,
503 Commercial Street, Provincetown,
600 Essex Street, Lawrence, .
172 Foster Street, Worcester,
360 Middlesex Street, Lowell,
343 Bridge Street, Springfield.i
5 Union Street, Boston,
28-44 North Street, Boston, .
Bridge, Dwight and Hillman Streets,
Springfield.
Commercial Street, Provincetown,
1068 Main Street, Fitchburg,
89 Rogers Street, Gloucester,
193 Alley Street, West Lynn,
95-97 Front Street, New Bedford,
16-32 Sanford Street, Springfield, .
152-154 State Street, Springfield, .
534-536 Essex Street, Lawrence, .
616 Essex Street, Lawrence, .
Sept.
May
July
Jan.
Sept.
Sept.
Sept.
May
Aug.
Apr.
Sept.
July
May
June
Oct.
Nov.
Oct.
Oct.
Jan.
Sept.
Aug.
Aug.
June
Sept.
Dec.
Sept.
Sept.
Sept.
Apr.
Aug.
June
Sept.
Sept.
Dec.
July
Aug.
1, 1915
1, 1915
3, 1915
4, 1915
1, 1915
1, 1915
1, 1915
24, 1915
1, 1915
27, 1915
1, 1915
23, 1915
28, 1915
15, 1915
15, 1915
1, 1915
1, 1915
29, 1915
27, 1915
1, 1915
13, 1915
4, 1915
5, 1915
1, 1915
12, 1914
1, 1915
1, 1915
1, 1915
3, 1915
13, 1915
12, 1915
1, 1915
1, 1915
1, 1914
19, 1915
25, 1915
1 Room in Eastern States Refrigerating Company, Springfield.
s Room in New England Cold Storage and Warehouse Company, Pittsfield.
498
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Cold-storage Warehouses licensed during the Year, Dec. 1, 1914, to Dec. 1, 1915
Concluded.
Name.
Location of Warehouse.
Date of
License.
Lowe Brothers Company
Martha's Vineyard Cold Storage and Ice
Company.
Mead, A. & O. W., &Co., . . . .
Moulton, Edwin H., Company, .
New England Cold Storage and Warehouse
Company.
New England Dressed Meat and Wool Com-
pany.
North Packing and Provision Company,
North Truro Cold Storage Company, .
Nye, George, Company,
Nye, George, Company, . .
Providence Public Market Company, .
Providence Public Market Company, .
Provincetown Cold Storage Company,
Puritan Fish Freezing Company,
Putnam, George E., & Son, .
Quincy Market Cold Storage and Warehouse
Company.
Ripley, E. V. N
Sandwich Freezer Company, Inc.,
Sheldon, W. O
Shiel, Bernard F.,
Springfield Provision Company,
Squire, John P., & Co.,
Squire, John P., & Co.,
Stevens, Genery, & Son,
Swift & Co. (E. C. Swift & Co.),
Swift & Co. (Anthony, Swift & Co.),
Swift & Co. (Swift, Coates & Co.),
Swift & Co.,
Swift & Co. (Swift & Bailey),
Swift & Co., ....
Swift & Co
Swift & Co., ....
Swift & Co. (G. H. Hammond),
Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse Com-
pany.
10 Gushing Street, Fitchburg,
Beach Road, Vineyard Haven,
35-36 North Market Street, and through
to 35 Clinton Street, Boston.
132 Essex Street, Haverhill, .
81 Clapp Avenue, Pittsfield, .
Somerville Avenue, Somerville, .
61 Medford Street, Somerville,
North Truro,
130 Lyman Street, Springfield,
81 Clapp Avenue, Pittsfield,*
242 Front Street, Worcester, .
627-633 Main Street, Worcester, .
363 Commercial Street, Provincetown,
Good Templar Street, PAvincetown,
205-207 Market Street, Lowell,
133-147 Commercial Street, Boston,
33-41 Richmond Street, Boston.
61-79 Clinton Street, Boston.
23-59 Eastern Avenue, Boston.
271-291 Commercial Street, Boston.
41-51 Mercantile Street, Boston.
409 Commercial Street, Boston.
20 Sanford Street, Springfield,' .
Rear Factory Street, Sandwich, .
132 State Street, Springfield,
16-24 Sanford Street, Springfield, 2
Plainfield Street, Brightwood, Chicopee,
165 Gore Street, Cambridge,
16 Main Street, Holyoke,
58 Bridge Street, Worcester, .
98 South Market Street, Boston,
66 Plymouth Avenue, Fall River,
Clay Hill, Greenfield, .
22 Main Street, Holyoke,
572 Dutton Street, Lowell, .
136-140 Pleasant Street, Lynn,
159 Ashland Street, North Adams,
270 Bridge Street, Salem,
274 Franklin Street, Worcester,
266 Franklin Street, Worcester,
May
Dec.
Sept.
Sept.
Sept.
Sept.
Sept.
June
June
Sept.
Aug.
Aug.
May
Oct.
May
Sept.
Dec.
June
Nov.
May
Sept.
Sept.
Sept.
Sept.
July
Sept.
Sept.
Sept.
Sept.
Sept.
Apr.
Sept.
Aug.
Sept.
15, 1915
16, 19J4
1, 1915
1, 1915
1, 1915
1, 1915
1, 1915
25, 1915
5, 1915
1, 1915
19, 1915
13, 1915
1, 1915
1, 1915
1, 1915
1, 1915
1914
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1 Room in New England Cold Storage and Warehouse Company, Pittsfield.
2 Room in A. C. Hunt & Co.
No. 34.
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
499
ft^
B.
1 1 1
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
o
J
02
1 1 1
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1
'
1
1
1
•i >>
. .
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
I«
1
A o
c>
S -S
(..
bl"
'S -g
1
2.2
— ra
^ a
0
tn
.-(
»-*
1 2
3 t.-'o
1
1
0 «
"o
;3
3
3_,
iberc
live:
ig ch
sis.
J3
«
0
1
u
^
icJ
_s'-s 2 o
1
1 1
0
1
1
:3
3
1
1
3 S
4J 0.13 0
M
•.^ 0
tn
o
M <M
'-'
^
'^
CO
a
c
■A
S
•2 fl 1
1
1
1
1
1
.2
1
1
1
1
1
■% 1
?;
os :i:
o
S -43
g
U
Ol
0 m
>
,_^ »— '
'^
C3
0
fl
o
3 immature
26 immatur
i
s
s
13 immatur
1
1
1
1
0
1
a
CO
1
1
1
1
1
..3 +s
.
g 1
03 .
C3
•2
>,a \
a
1
>)
"o'S >,
5
"3
t -o
a -
".Sft
a
fl)
"S 0
. a a
.2^^
□0
d
1
J-.^
_o
_o
0
_o
0
_o
0
1
1
tubercu
thritis,
parturie
3
"5
"3
3
"3
3
■3
3
0
u
0
M
u
0
0
tuberi
apop]
tube:
partu
tH
h
u
!-i
<D
b.
M
u
M
L.
3
0-
3
3
1
0
1
1
0
3
3
3
•6
3
-♦^
'-' "=^
'^
CO
'-*
CO
■^
'^
-^
«
l^
to
ira
d
1 c 1
1
"5 1
eo
N
1
t^
t~
^
^
0
,
M
CO
cq
<M
<M
o
m
m
1^ M rt
~
«*< CO
■*
0:
•*
CO
«
^^
21
OS
CO
t»
ta
«o
0
ta
CO
00
0
d
o
CO « CO
(M
1-H
P4
»— )
r-(
cq
us
•-<
H
H
M
0.
1
d c^ oc
■*
-H C<l
CO
CO
CO
1^
^s
0
I--
0
-*
•o
2^
M »o 10
c»
"--O
00
<M
C3
0
^ 02 <M
0
t^
C^l
ci
"3
O
o
t^ 0 OS
e^
in (M
t^
0
0
en
0
0
•^
y?"
f^
0
33 t-- M
oc
C^
0
t*
cc
CO
0
N
CJ
o
S5
^
o
Eh
«
.
O
^
.
bington, ,
cton,
cuslinet, ,
i
i 1
3
S
J3
lover, ,
ngton,
burnhai
1
2
i
a
0
c
K
0
n
a
d
3
3
-0
=s .2
a
a
a '
s -g
"g
i
j3
1:
1 <; <j <
<
< <J
<
<
< < <
<
<
<
<
-<
500
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
o
O
d
1
,
1
1
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
1
1
j=
CO
1
1
'
1
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
r
1
'
1 1
1
1
1
k 8
I
1
I
1
1
S c ,
1
.
'
'
•r «
•
'
as
M a"
^_o
03
b£l
o
ft
1
1
1
I
1
tuberculos
nary conge
mia.
0,
1
1
1
1
1
o
o
1
'a
a
C3
S '
1
1
1
o
CO
-^
-^
^
^
H
X!
1
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1 [
1
1
1
H
'O
0
■g
O
3
O
3
1
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
3
"§
C
1
CM
1
1 1
1
1
1
CM
i
CM
_QJ
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
•
'
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
1
1
-^,
.2
.2
o
1
1
1
1
'
1 tuberculos
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
t
1
f
1
1
1
00
eo
1 00
1
1
1
o
1
1
1
,
CD
O
CO
e«
CO
■*
^
oo
«
o
oo
^_,
to
(M
•* -*
UO
■*
j^
o
C-l
CO
^
-H O
OO
to
~
bS
CO
o
■*
C2 O
t--
CO
C5
CO
CM -H
CO
c
O
H
H
K
H
P<
•
o
00
CO
CO
=2
•>s<
1 ^H
o
CM
00
•o
1
■*
CQ 00
•*
OO
00
Sq
>
"5
CO
to
o
CM
t^
to
-3
O
lO
(M
CM
-S"
tH
lO
00
05
o
tH ^H
CO
1
o
CM
CO
1
CO
■^
OO to
^
U3
cq
l>.
CM
■*
CO
OO
CO
to
c3
o
si
^
o
H
K
o
edford, .
elchertown,
^
..
>-
6
a
g
o3
C3
1
5
"3
o
a
"3
1
0)
5
e
0)
a
w
H
03
cT
e
o
^ 1
^ o
3
O
o
13
1
1
-<
<5
M
m
PQ
« cq
«
PQ
m
PQ
PQ
PQ
S
5
M PQ
P
PQ
PQ
No. 34.] DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS. 501
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I r I I I I I I I I I
A
.
1
1
e
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
p-^
n
£i
a
CS
c.
"-I
£
•
-
.
a
2
B
.2
.2
>j
.5
j;
o
fe
o
o
"T^
J
0
ja
o
3
3
C-
.22
P
0
o
2
c
-1^
M
1
1
o
3-
H5
I
1
1
§
1
I
1
1
1
3
1
0
I
1
1
1
o
-a
■*^
.^
bO
-3
-^
'-'
"
CO
^
^
—
,
CO
^^
a
o
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Ci
t
1
1
"D
1
1
1
^
o
o
cd
-S
S
g
3
^
1
c^
g
^
'2
a7
o
.
>)
3
C3
>
c
i
3
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
1
2^
.
■
1
1
£
B
1
£
a
ft
a 1
1
1
1
1
1
~
CO
t^
"^
'^
^
o3
g
d
1
1
1
1
•
1
1
1
1
1
i
1
1
. i
0
a
1
1
1
-
1
.
•^
5
.
S
Ui
.2
3
93
m
K
_ro
*
*
m
a
O
'2
c
S
o
0.
_o
"§
1
0
0
1
1
3
^
3
o
;i
0
■3
"3
o
>H
O
o
O
t:
^
O
k.
GJ
3
^
^
,^
0
2
(S
o
3
0
Xi
o
^
X>
^
1'
^
.S
3
-.:>
1
1
1
3
1
1
I
1
1
1
3
1
3
1
3
)
3
1
1
•.^
^^
•♦^
■4^
■^
'^
t~
'^
■N
00
M
'-"
<M
M
1
^
■*
1
^
1
1
1
1
>o
■*
1
1
03
•^
1
CO
^
(M
C-)
CC
CJ
^_^
cq
•n
•*
J^
_
U5
1
o
^
1
(M
-*<
CO
t~
~
~
1
^
CO
00
00
0
00
•*
OO
-»<
ta
o:
US
"*
■*
o
IM
0
0
Ol
CO
N
CO
O
o
■*
CO
■*
OO
^
1
1
1
"TT
1
CT
o
CO
00
0
1
^
"7~
Oi
00
«o
US
r»
cq
CC
0
0
C5
o
^-
to
>o
OJ
to
•■o
t^
CO
U5
W3
1
CO
^
1
1
^_^
^
r-
00
■.*
0
1
0
t>-
^*<
CO
0
>o
CO
cq
■*
e^
03
10
CM
CO
CO
CO
a
o
0)
.9
u
1
i
13
1?
O
H
8
2
"a!
1
8
3
1
0
o
K
n
c
o
a
"5
o
S
o
c
2
03
£
1
<
IS
S
1
0
2"
CC
'A
c
c:
E
o
h
^^
i-l
'u
K
(h
3
«;
a
C3
03
-c
.C
J3
J3
n
JS
^
s
pq
eq
«
M
w
m
m
M
pq
PC
O
O
O
o
O
O
O
0
0
0
0
d
0
0
502
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
o
O
I I I I I I I I
I I I I I I I I
I I I I
I I I I
I I I I I I J I I I I >
^ o
£i s ?
5 c^
QO lO »- 1 lO
CO CO »o
I--. CO C^ 05
CO io cq c^ eo
g
»->(
0^
CO OO lO CO
Ji -^ o
^ s
O O O O O O O
2 <^
PPOGOPCPQCQQCP
No. 34.] DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS. 503
1
1
1
1
1
1
m
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
i
1
1
1
1
1
1
.o
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
C3
"
i
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
j:
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
'•■*
CO
d
.2
-
_
of
-J;^
oT
^
x"
_o
2
4)
"s
^3
1
_o
"3
"o
"3
"S
3
"o
3
o
c
o
,a
o
t-
.M.2
t4
ZJ
t.
o
Is
o
d/
^
SP
.n
.2
bi'
.o
3
1
1
1
o
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
^H
1
1
1
1
1
1
O
1
3
■u
.i::
*^
•^
-*^
'-'
-
IM
*-
-'
—
CI
!S
03
s
<&
■*
C<l
m
©
_
b.
cT
o
J
5
3
i
3
"3
.2
o3
+3
s
•"1
03
S
"S
:3
a
1
I
I
1
1
I
1
1
1
£
-*^
C-J "^
o
>o
-^
^
-J-
"^
'
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
r
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
»
•
■■
.2
•
ro
tr
m
w
b
2
ss
o
o
o
o
_o
_o
"3
r-*
3
3
3
o
3
3
3
3
o
t
o
ti
t.
^
^
t-i
o
Xl
0-
c
01
X!
/3
,o
^
.C
^
J2
1
1
1
3
1
3
1
1
1
1
*^
1
1
3
1
1
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
3
■.^
c^
■*-'
•*■*
-*^
-*^
(M
-'
-^
ci
CO
iO
""■
CO
1
1
1
1
Ci
I
1
1
1
CO
1
1
c.
^
CO
1
1
1
1
oo
o
CO
<N
t-^
CO
Ci
CO
i-O
1
o
CO
o
lO
■^
LO
f-
o
O
1
1
oo
>o
C5
o
lO
»o
oo
cr-
o
o
lO
•o
Cd
>0
o
en
ot
•*
tr~
CO
t^
(^
o
CO
CO
•.J^
c
^
CO
1
o
■*
05
„
c-
o
^
CO
^
1
1
05
o
CO
o
■^
to
lO
C<1
oo
cv:
'^
~
"^
CO
515
t«
■^
CO
c^
CO
CO
1
•^
05
tX
o
■*
CO
J_
^
CO
1
1
^^
o
oc
lO
CO
m
s
o
o
o>
CO
fcT
^
•
•
o
o
■a
C3
^
8
§
a
-a
«
,
_-
£
-
K
to
S
s
s
O
o
t
a
o
s
£
2
U3
g
a
o
>
03
>
^5*
3
O
«
p
K
O
"ti
3
s
O
"Si
a
S
c3
a
03
c
1
-a
1
>,
o
G>
Ui
o
o
p
c
rt
i
s
c3
C3
"O
bC
C
^
#
>
"Si
-'.
:3
o
^
c.
C3
•J
w
w
w
w
w
W
W
H
w
H
W
[=H
h
tin
S
E
fe
£
£
pi<
O
o
O
o
o
504
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
7i
.3
o
U
I
CO
05
d
1
1
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
1
.
1
1
1
1
1
1
.a
w
1
1
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
'
1
1
'
1
1
1
1
1
ui
o
,2 .2
rr7
■ ffi
J J
^
"3 "3
S
o o
CC
:-■ ^
o o
t!
.a ^
^
1
1
1
3 3
1
1
1
1
1
•^ '
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Q
-H ,-
(M
m
f.
,
,
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1 I
1
I
[
1
.
1
(
1
1 ^
<A
Q
S5
O
!
>
1
1
1
1 1
g"
3
S
n
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
,
1
3
1
1
„
c3
,
f- 1
1
■§ '
g '
s
s
4)
3
_aJ
T3
*"•
j
- dJ
OQ tr
J^
1
s?
II
g.2
■7
'K
1
U
o
a.
g^
_o
0
"3
'3
0
a
«;«
i
t)
E-i
1
1
o
II.
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
3
•^
CO
•"'
•.*<
^~*
'"'
d
t^
«,
(M «0
oo
<M
1
1
1
1-1 1
1
CO
0
CO
1
«
1
~
0/
■*
»-H
•*
CO
m
in
o
o
'S' to
CO
CO
CO
^
0
00 0
1
•0
^
0
t-
CO
ai
00
•*
iM a
•^J^
03
<J>
■*
0 .-1
"5
■«»<
to
o
00
C)
d
o
03
.— t
CO
CO
M
.-*
cJ
s
tn
tt]
p.
1
oa O
o
CO
■*
0 1
1
to
■*
<M
1
CO
0
■0
z
t-
oo w
C~l
e^
C^l
•0
to
e^
-^
hH
CO
o
"a
O
a;
C9
w
■*
o o
in
CO
Oi
1
1
c* M-
1
•^
CO
1
10
01
CCI
CO
<x
in <M
to
I-
^
<M
kO
(M
ce
O
15
is
o ,
Eh
o
«
U)
o
c
,
s
i
1h
2"
1
0
■0
J
"3
i i
1
1
0.
1
a
c
^
'%
OS
.c
2
•s
CI
c;
a a
(^ C3
«
a;
1
^ :s
1
g
a
0
(3
a
IH
g
tn
o
o
E
e S
K
M
OS 03
0!
ca
a
03
c3
CJ
03
C3
o
O
u
a a
o
0
a
u
0
K W
W
K
K
w
W
Hh
w
K
M
No. 34.1
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
505
I I I I
I I I I
I I I I I I I
I I I
I I I I I
I I I I I I I I I I I I I
III i I I I I I I I III
3 I I I
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
.2 .2
3 "a
rH.*
•2 5.
3§li
Cfl CO *-t
I ^ M ^
I CO I I
OO CC ■* CO lO
**<C^ tCOC*5 ICDOOOi^OS
cfl ^- eM 1-1
CO OO lO C<1 -^ W5
C3 OS »« GO O CX)
It^C^ICJt^COCCCICJOS I CO
COiOC^iOCO^HOi-H
<X> Cq CO O CO
I O ^ -H
I CO I lO
t^iOC^COCDOOCO I OO
w .2 .5
5 2 3 S 2
ft .Q "O s
ffiWKftWWWaKWKWWWMW^-W
506
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
o
fin
d
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1 1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
at
.c
W
1 1
1
1
1
1
'
1 1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
'
1
■k i
o S
1
1
1
1
-Sw '
1
1
1
M .
O CI
A §
.
cj'+3
- cj .
M)
O
1
o
.2
i
•Ill
1 •§
8
1
J
3
3 o<i;
■q
"o 3
"o
3
3
3
(-■
c3
>--,'T3
-d p
A
p
0
c;
Oj ®
^ CJ
o
t-t
. 1
a
s
^
•2 «2
SP -^
S?
J
^
1
1
o
1
;: s ci 1
2 3
o
I
3
1
1
3
N
©
.^
00
.a -tJ
-a
-*J
-(-»
Q
'-'
'-'
-H '-"
Hi
CO
-'
'-'
irJ
2
■s
H
a
z
o
O
1 1
1 E
€
3
1
2
2
3
1
1
1
E
a
1
1 1
1 2
1
1
1
1
a
2
1
"^ (M
"^
•-^
t^
■^
CO
CO
M
■ts
.
3
'5
.
,2
1
1
1
1
>. 1
1
1
1
•a
1
se •
"ea
t4
'•B
_3
aj
^
»— )
^
m . m
a
o
a
'vj 0*2
_o O^
o
rt
o
!>.
d
■J
o 3 a>
3
"3
s s
bl)
o
P 0.
o
i-t
C
g
>-.
S o
fc-
1
3
1
1
' 1
IS'
o
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
^ s
O
<M
-^
Ol
'-'
'-'
d
O CO
1
-*
•*
1
1
1 -H
N 1
1
1
1
1
1
^
C4
(U
S
xi
m
■* CO
o
o
W5
M-
o
O iO
o o
OT
M<
^
^
_
0
^
i
<M o
o
^
lO
CO
o
C5
0
d
(M
t^ -H
CO 1— t
CO
c^
CO
s
s
^^
1
O CO
t-
00
CO
■*
OO
r~ rt
t^ ■»(<
Tt*
1
o
1
CO
CO
01
z
•«** Oi
'^
lO
cq
1^ o
CO
■<1«
CO -^
OO
t^
t^
ca
*— '
d
o
aj
o t--
o
o
■*
•*
o
-a< CO
05 (M
lo
1
-X
1
1
■*
CO
lO c>
-»<
05
^H CO
C3
■*
CO
6
^
^
o
H
^
•
o
H
6
1 i
a
5
M
a
1
i
-a
3?
incoln,
ittleton, .
ongmeadow,
DWELL, .
udlow.
a z
3 (H
Lynnfield, .
Malden, .
Manchester,
2"
ta
a
'6
a"
.2
ta
0
§
K
0
n
•<
3
"2
u
a
hJ 1-1
H^l
1-1
1-1 h-1 ha
1-1 h-a
*-; >A
S
S
S
S
S
No. 34.1 DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS. 507
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
p
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
o-d
1
.
1
1
1
H
2
i
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
p.
3
■*
<B
0
'm
4
s
"3
.2
m
of
"3
1
S
-0
1
_o
o
"3
0
_s
"3
"o
(3
i
a)
.5
'
1
lO
1
1
1
■^
^
n
1
1
3
1
1
1
0
p.
s
'
1
1
0
.a
1
1
1
'
1
N
"=
-^
-^
-
(M
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
1
1
■ ,
1
1
1
1
.
h
(3
•
a
a
jj
a
£
£
0"
.2
M
3
-0
_g
3
03
1
1
43
S
S
1
1
1
1
1
1
H
0
1
1
1
S
1
3
C3
1
1
1
1
,
1
1
1
1
'"'
"'
eq
c^
CSl
j_^
,
0
0
1
1
1
1
)
.
1
1
S
1
1
1
1
1
.
1
1
3
©
0
.5
\a
S
"-•
'
CO
rt
m
1
fl 0
.2
OQ
.2
.2
'm
_o
.2
^
0
0
0
_o
3
"3
m
3
"3
"3
u
1
g
0
u
D- '-'
t;
M
f^
o
c3
0
0
0
.Q
0
J3
^
^
cj
^
^
.5
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
3
3
H '
1
1
1
3
1
3
1
1
1
(M
OJ
'"
t-
cq
— '
'^
'-'
1
■»
^
1
1
^
1
1
'
CO
■9<
'
-^
1
cq
1
0
CO
■«<
'
S
>o
--
'
1
^
^
CO
CO
u.
c^
^^
CO
x>
0
0
CO
Ci
^
0
CO
0
T)l
C3
CO
■*
1
r
ai
C5
t-
t^
0
■*
0
00
O)
■0
CO
to
<M
-*
10
>n
cq
-.*<
CO
•«*
t^
1
-.**
1
~
t^
0
CQ
«
CM
-*
t^
C5
a,
t^
U3
0
t-
^
1
1
0
s
01
C^
t^
0
CO
t^
•<J<
1
"
lO
■*
1
00
1
05
to
E::
-
S
CO
pq
T)<
'
'-
00
B
<o
0
CO
1
1
1
e
0
^
hD
g
bf
1
>.
]S
<u
p.
-a"
2"
"2
0"
0
>,
g
g
c
0
03
fl"
0
s
0
—
q
s
-E
3
a
§
§
3
iO
03
0
B
8)
1
a
1
3
^
a
«3
<?
r3
^
'^
t:!
0
^
0
Ui
52
cS
ca
a
C3
•0
t3
a
0
0
0
^
3
rs
b
a
0
a
0
a
0
a
0
□
0
3
0
J3
3
c3
S
S
s
s
S
S
g
s
15
s
s
s
s
S
s
s
S
S
S
S
S
s
S
2;
2
508
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
No. 34.1 DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS. 509
■0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
a
1
a
-S
.
1
1
1
.
1
1
1
t
1
s
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
'
'
'
a
W5
aT
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
'O
1
1
1
'
'
'
^
3
c3
-H
•
.2
.a"
g
1
.2
.2
-3
.2
'oQ
©-
m
_o
0
'0
3
_o
^
a
^
3
3
^
3
"3
.
a
c3
"3
0
V
0
t~,
®
0
M-9
M
0
i-i
^
£i
0
,Q
^
a
s
^
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
1
j3
*^
I
3
3
1
03
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
1
■^
CO *"*
•+^
•*^
0
■^
■^
"
"
«
•^
'^
'^
'^
M
^
^
'1
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
t
I
1
1
1
1
u
"3
0
0
t4
a
0
.Q
a
3
c
'^
^
,_,
1
2
a
.0
0
^
3
3
03
^
.9
a
03
*e:)
"c3
"K
^
S
S
§
a
en
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
s
1
1
.a
I
I
1
g
S
1
1
_a
t4
a
1
1
1
1
CO
CO
10
'"'
"^
a
a
.0
0
1
I
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
_c3
03
'0
'3
c3
c3
a
s
0
s
m
tn
-
m
en"
.sf
m
O
o
_o
0
_o
S
0
"3
■3
"3
"3
"3
3
"3
0
0
0
0
tH
Si
L^
ti
u
O
0
0
^
^
42
^
^
A
1
1
1
1
3
3
^
1
3
1
3
1
1
3
1
t
1
3
1
'
'
1
'
'
'
.*^
•*^
-M
-*^
Ol
-■
^
-^
10
C-J
05
r-
■*
1
1
so
1
00
-
>o
■*
1
r
(M
CO
CO
0
CO
s
-
10
1
1
1
r
to
05
lO
T*<
CO
»o
^
^
•*
0
0
^
0
in
(M
CO
0
0
10
00
0
CO
CO
<^
(M
M
*1^
C^
10
w
■^
•■^
CO
U5
CO
0
(M
M
N
e<i
CJ
-
cq
00
•*
CO
CO
0
0
015
CO
«
0
^
00
0
J^
10
0
^^
CO
Oi
IM
r
■^
0
Oi
O
00
CO
IM
"^
CO
CO
"
IM
"^
0
CO
U5
CO
0
to
>«<
•<t<
'
oo
00
CO
CO
00
CO
CO
C5
CO
-■
;:;
s
^
^
(M
CO
10
Tf
'
-
1
00
00
CO
,
,
.
.
S
1
13
O
1
1
s
i
C3
c
oi
_2
-3
1
1
0
0
C3
a
i
2
a
"3
0
p.
ft
3"
c
1
a.
Q
.J
2"
"3
'o3
.2
'c3
1
a
0
a
a
>>
0
i
0"
1
.2
0
1
a
p
ej
03
^
tn
c6
o3
03
0
0
0
0
0
^
IH
J-
f-i
'Z
o
o
o
0
0
0
P-,
PL,
fl,
d.
Ph
fu
PL,
fL,
P^
£
S
s
s
s
Ph
f^
Pi
olO
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
I
S
«
^
•-4
$5.
(2^
a
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
,
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
,
o
s
Ul
1
1
'
1
'
1
1
'
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
r
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
■
Ul
o
03
03
u
(4
S
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
t-i
3
t
.2
o
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
.2
.1=
1
Q
-^
-^
00
U
z
s
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
'
'
1
1
'
'
'
a
a
z
o
O
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
6
1
1
1
1
1
t
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
"S
' (ti
CO
O
1
1
1
1
■
1
'
3
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
■
1
1
1
1
1
a
1
1
OS
1
1
■>!<
^
1
~
o
^
1
1
1
,
1
r-
»
<M
O
lO
IM
o
u
J3
m
^
t^
115
to
CO
Ol
O
^
1
•O
CO
CO
CO
C3i
05
1
■*
=2
E-
ira
^
bfi
lO
>o
en
o
lO
tn
>n
CO
o
■*
CO
t-
CD
Q
O
B
m
1
•Tt*
l^
oo
ro
1
T}4
00
1
c»
M
,_^
N
t^
OO
1
1
OO
0
.-1
01
Z
>
CO
•*
I^
■*
lO
r^
CS
0
(N
"5
(M
M
"3
O
_o
1
1
00
lO
<»
1
00
o
1
^
IM
OO
M
^
O
1
1
^_^
01
■<»<
00
CO
CO
M
IM
<M
M
lO
<N
a
O
z
p;
o
Eh
«
O
6
T3
C3
K
o
a
O
CI
a
.a
o
2
>1
■a
CI
3
.a
3
2"
■3
Id
■3
a
C3
-a
c
03
CO
Si
3
c3
0
>
B
03
(S
«i
o
S
o
o
o
o
o
o
3
3
<
"3
s
a
rt
«
«
Ph
tf
s
rt
«
«
K
rt
«
tf
tf
CO
73
No. 34.] DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS. 511
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
"o
I I I I I I I I I 'C I I I r I I I .S I I I
" • • a
M o
1-1 <a
a
'S S ° 2 "" °
2 3 "3 3 g^m "3
3 o , a o d o 0)
Ilirii3|ii;3t,alili3lii a-S 1113
I I I I I I I I I I r I I I I II III
B
ft
I I I I g I I I I g I ^ I I I I I I .S I I ^ I I <
§ . s .s , • ^
00 o 00 o o.2'-''-'.2 '^,2
00 o SS o 00000 'og
ofe o Sffl o feoooo 22®
I I I I 331 31 I I 331 31 333331 I ©03
coco CO r»leO to >-l«COMCM .-Hrt
W5I |-H| I i-H(Mi loiMi l£r""'^J3
<M rt CO --l
>OCOO<M->l<-*snQOCO I O0Jt~-<t<00C0C0tg«0 1 SjiSSS
500CO<MC505"-<00"5 SJ'^S'*
.-1 — I I (M M
COt^OO^OCO I OCQ^HOOOCOCO'-iCOt^t^CO^CO
.-I ^H 1— ( t^eo 03t}icot-i05*^ "^ it;
o M - -3 g g - .a ^ » ? HJ S o -g -I tT fc. M -C g -S S &
.■2-^i1=§S3S2?Ss33?33gS§3§§§la'§
512
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
<D
US
.3
*-t3
o
O
C5
o
s
0^
p.
1
■ 1
1
1
1 1
1
.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
$
X
M
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
'
1
1
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
a
•2
2
■3
03
a
bD
.
O
cj"
.3
15
1
1
1
o
1
•s.
cs"
a
o
1
a
1
1
1
1
1
1
11
a 0
1
^
13
acq
d
«
C<1
■*
'-'
^
a
Z
1
1
1
I
1 1
1
1
1
I
1
1
1 1
^
H
a
^;
c
^
U
1
o
1
1
,
1
1 1
a
1
i
a
a
00
1
,
,
1
1
1
1
1
1 1
,
^3
I .
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
c
?
o
u
-2
.2
3
rt
.22
.2
03
•|
'§
.2
o
§
o
"3 o3
ft
0
^H
3
"3
f ■§
^
3
g
3
o
h fl
3
0
0
t-,
u
03 (U
(.1
t4
o
o
J3 o
S3
01
.o
XI
3 03
^
^
, ^
1
;3
1
3
s"
1
3
1
1
1
1
3
1
1 3
■.J
•3
^
i<
-^
IM
C-l
CO
ft
1
1
«
us .-4
,
,
■<<<
I
,
1
1
1
1
1
eo 1
1
o
CO
C4
0)
t^;^
.a
02
M
^
o
1
o
T(i >n
in
CO
CO
-*
ira
0
^
0
0
„
05
CO CO
00
d
bA
o
o
C5
CO
<M
«
t^
t-
t^
t^
CO CO
CO
o
t^ c^
CO
■* rt
ffi
S
If.
s
m
o
1
a>
«o CO
"5
"5
CO
t^
00
CO
Oi
"5
CO
r
■*
MS CO
CO
>
»o
t^
O
kO
CO
02
CO
CO
^ rt
"S
o
£
«
CO
1
JO
t^ Ol
>o
t^
t>.
CO
T)<
CO
«o
0
J^
,
(M
■* 0
^^
—1 CO
QO
CO
CO
"5
CO
CO
oj
o
2
o
,a
;;
O
T3
03
02
a
o
3
02
"o
ft
a
t
a
t
. a
^ o
g o
!5 "ft
u
3
1
3
13
2"
to
ft
13
a
%
a
f
^
W)
3
0
1
a
>>
H
a'
a
0
ft
i
13
1
■ffl
1
0
1
No. 34.]
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
513
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
•
'
1
1
'
1
1
1
"3
to
1
1
1
1
a
cS
4 .
.s
.2
"3
43
"3 1
'S
1
3
o
"3
o
g
1
'
1
1
1
o
1
1
'
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
1
'
ll
1
'
1
ft
J2
3
CO
■a
1
1
1
1
1
.
1
1
.
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
«
a
00
"^
P
o
qT
u
i-t
«r
^
!3
§
3
hi
3
§
3
§
o3
c3
o3
1
1
1
1
B-5
1
SS
a
,
1
,
1
1
a
1
1
a
_a
1
1
1
1
c3
a
a
1
,
a
C3
a
a
kC
"^
CO
.i-t
o
—'
CO
CO
t^
"^
e«
'a
1
1
1
'
•
1
'
1
1
s
1
1
1
'
'
1
t7
o
o
a
a
3
o
^
-H
03
OT
-
oa"
.2
n
oT
m
03
•3
• r^
m
'm
M
'm
O
o
M
_o
o
O
O
^
"3
"3
.s
"3
"3
"3
3
3
:3
g
a
2
Ui
g
a>
4>
o
^4
(S
o
m
o
»
©
.Q
^
^
3
J3
X3
X!
XI
-Q
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
t
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
3
3
1
3
3
D.
-*^
■*^
N
CO
-^
-
-■
■*
-^
'^
lO
(M
1
ui
'
•*
'
M
-
'
CO
CO
1
1
CO
lO
•
1
CO
oo
CO
IN
t-
cq
N
I
t~-
1
■*
■>*
^
t-
t-
•*
00
■*
1
t~
•x<
^^
Oi
oo
>ra
"*
05
j^
05
■*
Tt<
■<»<
05
^
■o
s;
oo
"»
r-
■^
eo
e<i
to
CO
CV)
00
CO
00
CO
o
Oi
CO
00
lo
«
■*
W5
CO
CO
CO
CO
00
00
02
cq
~
oo
O
CO
1
M*
•o
o
^
CO
CO
■^
CO
00
CO
(M
CO
rj
OO
o
^
o
CO
CO
cq
t~
s
■^
M
CO
CO
■*
o
CD
'-'
■«<
o
o
'^
t*
CO
00
t^
r>.
o
lA
CO
CO
■^
"7"
CO
C^3
CO
~
o
CO
Oi
OO
CO
I^
■*
CO
M
o
o
o
00
CO
»o
eq
CO
l^
CO
05
CO
U5
CO
"^
CO
o
s
1
a
a
a
1
1
o
03
13
0
o
">.
o
fQ
1
pa
2
ua
1
>>
3
2
.2
p.
.a
o
f-<
3
H
J3
bil
3
2
o
2
03
•6
o
o
ft
a
a
O
o
M
la
a>
o
wC
-*j
+j
u
C
M
m
>>
J2
a
0
OQ
CO
m
S
23
s
1
K
s
ci
03
c3
1:3
c4
c3
<D
o
o
O
o
a>
©
o
a>
ffi
3
.?
CD
o
K?
-2
k2
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
&:
^
^
^
^
&:
&:
^
^
^
&^
^
514
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
S3
I— t
u
i=l
O
O
OS
♦jr.
d
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1 1
%
s
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
1 1
1
1
1 1
i
i •
^
CS
o 1
1
1
1
1 1
M
F-i
c3
s>
0
-3
(-1
0
J3
>>
c«
0
^
o
M
,^
CO
0
O
.2
1
o
1-2
3^ '
1
1
1
Ui
0
0
03"
0
1 1
1
■3
1
3
■ a
fl
1
£«fl
S>>3
•Sj3 0
5n&
a
-"I
M
CO
0
CD
-^
-" '-'
»
z
^
H
■C
a
9
o
O
O
is
<0
IM
0
u
£
3
3
3
3
3
'S
d
■s
"S
%
cS
a
a
6
a
a
a
a
1
1 1
_S
1
1
a
a
.§ '
1
' .§
1
1 1
CO
'^
-^
00
C<1
-^
cq
0
0
1
.
1
a
,
a ,
1
1 1
73
1
1 1
3
0
3
Q.
3
a
^
[a
.2
(M
»-•
cQ (n
m
•S m
C3
o
.2"
1
1
-2
§8
_o
'3
"3
"3
0
"3
0
3-
1-S
" 03
3
2
i
1 '
.
3
1
2 '
5gi
1
1 1
3
OS
1
I 1
'"'
'"'
^^
to
(M
d
,
1 «»
1
1
«
1
1 1
0
1 I
t>.
0
r 1
a;
00
»o
CKI
o
■*
ja
m
~
nj
■o
■* r^
00
(M
eo
10
CO
-H 1
Ol
1 c»
<M
<M 0
■*
to ■*
■*
0
0
t^
<M
0 to
n
■*
CO
to
eo
(M
5h
K
-*"
-H
H
A.
S
o
2 "*
CO
0
ca
0
N 1
CO
s
00
0
0 •*
Z
_>
CXI
00
■^
<M
CO
tl
t^
10
(M
M
CO
00
00
00
"3
o
^
lO
(M Oi
CO
00
■*
0
CO
tM 1
01
00
^
to
CO 1
«
CO
<N
o>
0
CO
0
en
C3
o
^
p
o
Eh
«
o
6
8
1
1 i
C3
a
a
c3
-a
03
u
3
Xi
.3
0
a
.s
a
I
a
1
fl"
0 U
0 0
a a
indsor, .
inthrop, .
OBURN, .
1
0
c"
0
M
fl
2
0
a' 5
s 3
■3 s
c a
£ 53
^
^ ^
&
1
i
1
1
g g
^ ^ ^
^
^
^ >*
No. 34.1
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
515
Summary.
Total number of carcasses inspected 125,283
Cattle 22,279
Calves, 60,696
Hogs, 34,355
Sheep 7,953
Total number of carcasses passed, 123,698
Total number of carcasses condemned, . 1,585
Cattle, 510
Calves 721
Hogs 348
Sheep 6
Reasons for Condemnation.
Cattle.
Calves.
Hogs.
Sheep.
Totals.
Tuberculosis, .
Actinomycosis,
Immature,
Stillborn, .
Hog cholera, .
Pneumonia,
Pulmonary congestion,
Enteritis, .
Gastritis, .
Peritonitis,
Cirrhosis of liver.
Jaundice, .
Liver flukes,
Diarrhoea,
Dysentery,
Abscess, .
Pharyngeal abscesses.
Pulmonary abscess,
Abdominal abscesses,
Tumor,
Cancer,
Toxccmia,
Septicccmia,
PyiEmia, .
Polyarthritis, .
454
3
120
-
1
630
-
1
-
-
134
-
14
2
-
1
2
-
1
-
1
-
1
1
6
-
2
1
-
3
-
-
3
-
1
_
1
-
1
-
1
577
1
630
1
134
20
2
3
1
2
1
7
4
1
3
4
1
1
1
5
2
1
5
2
1
516
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Reasons foh Condemnation.
Cattle. Calves.
Measles, .
Eczema, .
Rheumatism,
Paralysis,
Dropsy, .
Cardiac dilation.
Cardiac hypertrophy,
Uramia, .
Fever,
Mammitis,
Parturient apoplexy,
Difficult parturition.
Retained foetus.
Retained placenta,
Prolapsus uteri.
Poisoning,
Sexual odor.
Emaciation,
Anaemia, .
Weak condition,
Exhaustion,
Wounded,
Bruised, .
Injured, .
Strangulation,
Natural death.
Improperly bled,
Improperly prepared,
Inspector not present,
Illegally slaughtered ,
Unstamped,
Decomposed, .
Totals,
510
36
22
721
Sheep.
Totals.
34S
No. 34.] DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS. 517
Appendix
REPORT ON DAIRY PRODUCTS TO THE THIRTY-SECOND CON-
VENTION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF OFFICIAL AGRICULTURAL
CHEMISTS AT WASHINGTON, D. C, NOV. 15, 1915.
By Lewis I. Nurenberg, Referee, Assistant Analyst, Massachusetts State De-
partment OF Health.
A study and compilation of figures have been made of the sour serum method
for the detection of added water in milk. In this work the referee has had the
co-operation of Messrs. J. T. Keister, associate referee, and L. W. Ferris of the
Bureau of Chemistry, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C, and Messrs. George B. Taylor, analyst, J. R. Keeney, assistant chemist,
and J. S. Slack, dairy inspector of the Louisiana State Board of Health.
The referee has obtained figures of over 660 samples of known purity milk
from individual cows, and 49 samples from herds. These samples are representa-
tive of practically all breeds of cows mentioned in the 1914 report, and of such
influencing conditions as variation in season and lactation period. More than
one- half of the total number represent low grade milk.
The methods of preparation and analysis of the serum are as follows: —
Preparation of the Sour Serum. ^ — Allow the milk to sour spontaneously, and filter.
Refraction of Sour Serum. — Determine the index of refraction of the clear serum at
20° C. by means of the Zeiss Inamersion Refractometer. A refraction below 38.3 indicates
added water.
Ash of Sour Serum. ^ — Transfer 25 cubic centimeters of the serum to a flat-bottomed
platinum dish and evaporate to dryness over the water bath. Then heat the contents of
the dish over a small flame (to avoid sputtering) until charred. Place the dish in an
electric muffle, with pyrometer connected, and ash at a heat not greater than 500° C. or
900° F. Cool and weigh. Result is expressed in grams per 100 cubic centimeters. An
ash below 0.730 indicates added water.
In the original article as described by A. Burr and F. M. Berberich^ the authors
have outlined the following method. Measure 50 cubic centimeters of the
serum into a platinum dish, evaporate to dryness and carbonize over a low
flame. Extract the char with hot water, burn the insoluble residue, add the
solution to this ash, evaporate to dryness, ignite at a low temperature and weigh.
Experience has shown, however, with the exercise of care and an accurate
pyrometer that the former stated method is as accurate as the latter, and in-
volves less manipulation.
1 Matthes and Muller, Z. Offentl. Chem., 9 (1903), 173.
2 A. Burr and F. M. Berberich, Chem.-Ztg., 32, 617-18.
518
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Table No. 1 contains the refractions of the sour serum of 660 samples of
known purity milk from individual cows and 49 samples from herds. In the
case of the individual cows the variation in the readings extends from 38.3
to 45.9. The greatest percentage of samples (25.2 per cent.) refract between
41 and 42. There appears to be a certain uniformity each side of this medial
point. The percentage of samples refracting between 40 and 41 and 42 and 43
is practically the same (from 18 to 20 per cent.) ; between 39 and 40 and 43
and 44 the percentage is from 12 to 13.5 per cent., while from 38.3 to 39 and
44 to 45 the percentage is 4 to 5 per cent.
In the herds the largest percentage of samples (75 per cent.) refract between
41 and 43. Between 40 and 41 and 43 and 44 the percentage is from 10 to 12.
As would be expected no samples were found refracting at the maximum (45.9)
or minimum (38.3) limits.
Table No. 1. — Variation in Refractive Indices of Sour Serum of Known Purity
Milk.
660 samples from individual cows; 49 samples from herds.
Refractive Indices.
Individual Cows.
Herds.
Refkactive Index.
20" C.
Number
of
Samples.
Per Cent.
of
Samples.
Refractive Index.
20° C.
Number
of
San pies.
Per Cent.
of
Samples.
38.3-38.9,
39-39.9,
40-40.9,
41-41.9,
42-42.9,
43-43.9,
44-44.9,
45-45.9,
34
81
121
167
133
90
27
7
5.2
12.3
18.3
25.2
20.2
13.6
4.1
1.1
38.3-38.9,
39-39.9, .
40-40.9, .
41-41.9, .
42-42.9, .
43-43.9, .
44-44.9, .
45-45.9, .
2
6
18
18
5
49
4.1
12.3
36.7
36.7
10.2
660
100.0
100.0
Following is the graphic representation of the figures given in Table No. 1.
The curves cross at the 20 per cent, line with a refractive index of 40.8, and
again at the 15 per cent, line with a refractive index of 43.3.
No. 34.
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
519
l/^r/gf/on m RefractJi^e /nd/ces of Sour Serum of-
/f/jcivn Pur/fy Mi IK
-^/////f from /nditrfduaf Cot^s 660 Samp/&s
5
I
I
I
4«
3T
1 —
1
— \
/
\
/
\
30
/
\
/
/
/
\
\
?5
^
i
/\
\
70
L
/
\
\
//
\
\
/S
/ /
^
\
w
/
/
/
/
\\
\\
J
/
"^
/
/
s
/
/
0
/
!
\
ja ^9 fo y/ ye -'/s
f^£FRA cr/ys iND ice^s at zo°c
^
HS
y<
)20
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Table No. 2. — Variation in Ash of Sour Serum of Known Purity Milk.
504 samples from individual cows; 35 samples from herds.
Ash of Sour Serum.
Individual Cows.
Herds.
REFBAcrn'E Index.
20" C.
Number
of
Samples.
Per Cent.
of
Samples.
Refeacttve Index.
20OC.
Number
of
Samples.
Per Cent.
of
Samples.
0.730-0.739,
0.740-0.749,
0.750-0.759,
0.760-0.769,
0.770-0.779,
0.780-0.789,
0.790-0.799,
O.SOO-0.809,
0.810-0.819,
0.820-0.829,
0.830-0.839,
0.840-0.849,
0.850-0.859,
0.860-0.869,
0.870-0.879,
0.880-0.889,
0.890-0.899,
0.900-0.E09,
0.910-0.919,
0.920-0.929,
0.930-0.939,
0.940-0.949,
-
41 41
S} «»
g} "
g} «3
1} ^
",} 2*
■5} «
I] "
'-} '
1) 2
2 2
8.2
17.3
17.7
19.3
17.3
7.0
4.8
4.6
2.2
0.8
0.4
0.4
0.730-0.739,
0.740-0.749,
0.750-0.759,
0.760-0.769,
0.770-0.779,
0.780-0.789,
0.790-0.799,
0.800-0.809,
0.810-0.819,
0.820-0.829,
1 1
1} «
1} »
1] «
2.9
17.1
22.8
42.9
14.3
35 35
100.0
504 504
100.0
Table No. 2 presents the sour serum ash figures^ of 504 samples of known
purity milk from individual cows, and 35 samples from herds. In the individual
cows only 8.2 per cent, of the ash figures extended between the minimum limit
0.730 and 0.740, while 71.6 per cent, were between 0.740 and 0.820. Sixteen
and four tenths per cent, of the figures were between 0.820 and 0.880, and 3.8
per cent, between 0.880 and 0.950. In the milk from herds no samples were
found with ash figures from the minimum limit 0.730 to 0.739, or from 0.830
to the maximum limit 0.949. Two and nine tenths per cent, of the ash figures
were between 0.740 and 0.749; 82.8 per cent were between 0.750 and 0.810,
and 14.3 per cent, were between 0.810 and 0.830.
The variation of the sour serum ash figures of Table No. 2 are shown in the
following plot. The curves cross at the 17.5 per cent, line with an ash per-
centage of 0.761.
No. 34.
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
521
i<4mT/^/\/w^s^o^ySoe//? Sf^i/Af 0FH'iVat9?^pa/?/7yM/i.K
I?
I
k
^T
M/'/fif from //7<//V/c/i/^/ Cotrs S04S^/rTp/es
,/ ., /^erds 3S
1
1
40
1
1
3f>
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
I
I
30
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
I
PfT
1
1
I
1
I
1
I
1
PO
/
/
/
1
1
I
1
/
^^
i
\ 1
/S
/ /
\ \
fO
1
/ /
/ /
/ /
/
/
\
^
1
;
/
/
\
s
/
/
^
\
0
/
/
N
a7?0 0.740 0.76O 0780 osoo ai2o ad4o af(to aggo 0.900 6920 0940 o.9SO
Sou/? S^RUM /iSH Gff/tMS P£-/i/00 CC
522
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Dec.
Table No. 3. — Variation in Refractive Indices of Known Purity Milk.
Refractive Indices.
From Individual
Fkom
Herds.
Cows.
Number
Per Cent.
Number
Per Cent.
of
of
of
of
Samples.
Samf)les.
Samples.
Samples.
38.0-38.4
20
3.0 3.01
1. 2.x»
38.5-38.9, .
14
2.1 5.1
38.0-38.4,
-
- -
39.0-39.4; .
45
6.8 11.9
38.5-38.9,
-
- -
39.5-39.9, .
36
5.5 17.4
39.0-39.4,
-
-
40.0-40.4, .
60
9.1 26.5
39.5-39.9,
2
4.1 4.1
40.5-40.9, .
61
9.2 35.7
40.0-40.4,
4
8.2 12.3
41.0-41.4, .
87
13.2 48.9
40.5-40.9,
2
4.1 16.4
41.5-41.9, .
80
12.1 61.0
41.0-41.4,
8
16.3 32.7
42.0-42.4, .
■87
13.2 74.2
41.5-41.9,
10
20.4 53.1
42.5-42.9, .
46
7.0 81.2
42.0-42.4,
11
22.4 75.5
43.0-43.4, .
52
7.9 89.1
42.5-42.9.
7
14.3 89.8
43.5-43.9, .
38
5.8 94.9
43.0-43.4,
4
8.2 98.0
44.0-44.4, .
44.5-44.9, .
18
9
2.7 97.6
1.4 99.0
43.5-43.9,
1
2.0 100.0
45.0-45.4, .
5
0.7 99.7
49
45.5-45.9, .
2
0.3 100.0
660
100.0
I Figures arranged for the arithmetic probability curve.
VAR/ AT/ON IN REFRACTIVE INDICES /IND ASH OF SOU/? SERUM
OF KNOyVN PUR/TV MILK.
S9.9 S9.99
Per cent, of Samples
No. 34.1
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
523
Table No. 4. — Variation in Ash of Sour Serum of Known Purity Milk.
Ash of Sour Seru^n.
0.730-0.734,
0.735-0.739,
0.740-0.744,
0.745-0.749,
0.750-0.754,
0.755-0.759,
0.760-0.764,
0.765-0.769,
0.770-0.774,
0.775-0.779,
0.780-0.784,
0.785-0.789,
0.790-0.794,
0.795-0.799,
0.800-0.804,
0.805-0.809,
0.810-0.814,
0.815-0.819,
0.820-0.824,
0.825-0.829,
0.830-0.834,
0.835-0.839,
0.840-0.844,
0.845-0.849,
0.850-0.854,
0.855-0.859,
0.860-0.864,
0.865-0.869,
0.870-0.874,
0.875-0.879,
0.880-0.884,
0.885-0.889,
0.890-0.894,
0.895-0.899,
0.900-0.904,
0.905-0.909,
0.910-0.914,
0.915-0.919,
0.920-0.924,
0.925-0.929,
0.930-0.934,
0.935-0.939,
0.940-0.944,
From Individual
Cows.
Number
of
Samples.
30
11
33
21
19
15
33
18
26
12
31
21
25
20
32
19
27
10
20
6
7
2
8
9
3
4
504
Per Cent.
of
Samples.
5.9
2.2
6.5
4.1
3.8
3.0
6.5
3.6
5.2
2.4
6.1
4.1
4.9
4.0
6.3
3.8
5.4
2.0
4.0
1.2
1.4
0.4
1.6
1.8
0.6
0.8
1.6
1.6
1.0
0.4
0.8
0.6
5.9
8.1
14.6
18.7
22.5
25.5
32.0
35.6
40.8
43.2
49.3
53.4
58.3
62.3
68.6
72.4
77.8
79.8
83.8
85.0
86.4
86.8
88,4
90.2
90.8
91.6
93.2
94.8
95.8
96.2
97.0
97.6
97.8
98.4
99.0
99.2
0.2 99.4
0.2 99.6
0.4 100.0
100.0
0.730-0.734,
0.735-0.739,
0.740-0.744,
0.750-0.754,
0.760-0.764,
0.765-0.769,
0.770-0.774,
0.775-0.779,
0.780-0.784,
0.785-0.789,
0.790-0.794,
0.795-0.799,
0.800-0.804,
0.805-0.809,
0.810-0.814,
0.820-0.824,
From Herds.
Number
of
Samples.
Per Cent.
of J
Samples.
2.9 2.9
5.7
5.7
5.7
2.9
2.9
5.7
11.4
11.4
5.7
11.4
14.3
11.4
2.9
14.3
22.9
31.5
54.3
71.4
97.1
100.0
If the samples were fairly representative and if the variable follows the law of
probability, the resulting curve will be a straight line. Although these lines
are not straight, they are so nearly straight that it can be said that sufficiently
representative samples have been taken to draw definite conclusions.
The medial line (50 per cent, line) shows that 50 per cent, of the samples had
refractive indices below 41.4 from individual cows, and 41.8 from herds. The
curves for the refractive indices of the herds and individual cows cross at the
73 per cent, point with a refractive index of 42.4. The medial line also shows
that in 50 per cent, of the samples the sour serum ash was below 0.784 from
individual cows, and 0.793 from herds. The curves for the sour serum ash of
524 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
the herds and individual cows cross at the 68 per cent, line with the sour serum
ash of 0.802.
Table No. 5 contains the results submitted by Mr. L. W. Ferris. His experi-
mental work has shown conclusively that the time of spontaneous souring affects
the sour serum ash. In the cases of partial souring the sour serum ash figure is
lower than the acetic serum ash, wliich of course should not be. Unless the
sample is sufficiently sour, some of the calcium salt is precipitated with the
casein, and the sour serum ash is very liable to be low, as shown in Table No. 5.
The minimum sour serum ash figure reported as 0.671 on longer souring was
raised to 0.722, which corresponds to the figure obtained by the acetic serum
after being multiplied by 1.02.
No. 34.]
DIVISION or FOOD AND DRUGS.
525
s
3
^
'■B
-?;>
a
o
e
^ 1
o .2
O
th
bb
bO
bb
bb
M
a
a
a
.5
_B
.5
cr
-M
_'^
^ 'S
■^ -n
•^ 'Z
*C
'in
*c
'
A
772
772
.^ 3
" —
3
3
OS
s
s
1 1
s g
e S
O
1
0
s
(U
o
!D o
t s
o
tx
0
«
^
,:^
M OO
.^ U)
M bO
bO
bO
bO
fri
b a.
b c;
!3 fl
a
n
B
1
03
C3
^ o
^ o
* o
O
o
0
S
S
S ►S
S H-l
S h3
h-1
iJ
■ . -
- . -
>> 2 u o oo
to
•*
0
0
(M
O
CO
CO
CO
1 s
1
l>i
CO
CO
CO
! B
•
1 ^
9
oo
CO
o
CO
■*
M<
^^
to
1
oo
o
oo
oo
o
s
u
t>-
t^
oo
OO
CO
00
<
<-gs."|
o
i
<
s^o
CO
CO
o
t-
N
■*
r~
<N
£ go
w
C<l
C<1
^
d
crj
0
d
ffl Oo
1
•*
■^
-*
■«l
CO
CO
-.*<
p:5"-5'=^
•
'
'
n
.■S S-:; ft . g
C<l
to CO
00 -H
CO oo
<s>
to
t^
to
to
CO
10
CO C3
o o
■o< o
CO
o
^
S5
1 s
1
TT
CO ira
to CO
•«< to
CO
CO
■*.
CO
CO
r^
t^
0
t»
5 o ""^
i «1
OO
CO
CO lO
c^ ^^
to CO
M
cq
1_(
cq
2?
to
1— t
N
t3
o
CO
r- oo
oo 00
r- t^
o
o
o
o
o
Oi
1 z
t-
t-
O- t~;
r- r-
r^ t^
00
oo
00
00
cso
f s
z
0
,
a^6
CD
o
Ol «o
t-; "^
to t--
r-
o
t»
Cs
■*.
r*
*-*
I^
a flo
i
c^
' ',
O ^H
-H O
o'
d
CO
05
oi
00'
0
oi
o> Oo
•TIH
•* ■*
-»< -K
■* ■*
CO
CO
CO
CO
CO
CO
rt-^c^
1
C:^?
o
o
o
o
o
0
0
0
sS rt
o
o
o
o
o
to
10
0
iS|
t
1
1 1
1 1
r 1
o
CO
d
o
d
cq
c^'
00
1
(M
ca
Ol
'— <
'-I
■< *5i
IS
•
a M
1
1
1 1
1 1
1 1
.
.
.
-
-
in
ro
CO
■S a
^
A
A
.a
A
J3
^
.a
o'>
a
"S
"S
fl
a
3
d
d
i =3
o
O
o
o
o
0
0
0
1
1
1 1
1 1
1 1
a
s
s
a
a
a
a
a
CD
CO
CO
CO
CO
CO
0
CO
i
K
m
m
.-
^
1
1
1 1
1 r
1 1
A
.13
A
•^
5
A
.§
.3
i
a
"S
a
s
d
a
c
d
o
o
O
o
o
o
0
0
0
S
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
"o
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
o
bC
m
m
tn
en
CO
CO
p
m
<
1
'
1 1
1 1
1 1
03
1
03
^
g
i
u
g
S
s*
>.
>»
>.
>.
>.
>>
>>
>>
1<
->j<
•*
•*
•*
■*
tK
•*
a
1
1
1 1
1 1
1 1
H
H
K
m
(
1
1 1
1 1
1 1
.s"
.s"
.a
■3
.9
a
'3
•s
-M
•*J
"m
"00
tn
"o
o
o
"o
0
0
0
0
«
w
w
W
a
W
w
tt
526
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
=1
a
o
O
•^3
o
n
e5
bb
ti
bi
3
3
fH
"
o
a
«
bC
bO
bll
fl
a
d
1
1
1
1
1
o
o
l-l
h-;
h-J
.^s-^^ji
j^
,_,
s
t^
t;
■^
t^
1
1
'
1
1
1
1
1
'
p
a
a
ej
OS
(M
r-
o
^,
to
CO
•*
o
m
<
o
<
§"Sd
00
<M
Ir-
o
cq
CO
o
r.
rt
r-
o
N
^
.^
,_,
o
,_,
,_,
,_,
_
,_^
,^
,_,
Tf
-»<
-Tj*
•^
•^
^
•^
•^
-^
■^
,_
,
.
,
.^s-ll'^?
00
tl
CO
■*
CO
■*
00
o
00
0
c^
c^
•0
Ed
m
o
-siSoS
f^
t~
05
^^
IM
^^
t^
Ol
t-^
f^
t~
^^
^5|-s
'~:
'^
t^
'~
'~:
»>•
t-
z
^o, CO
<
g
o
.H
i Co
ffl Oo
o
t-
t^
t^
r-
o
e<>
r~
r-
N
•<)<
t»
«
CO
o>
10
•*
O
o
o
o
o
o
o
O
o
C:j-;s«
o
•
^^
^_,
^__,
^_,
^
o
o
o
o
o
O
o
O
o
o
en
05
O
Ol
05
cq
(M
cq
a>
o
CO
^
cd'
^
t^
cm'
en
cq
<M
"
CJ
Cil
"
o
•
•
CI bO
ffl ^
.a
M
M
.a
J3
^
J3
ja
^
^
J3
M
JS
-d
J
^
J3
ja
.^
S'3
a
a
a
n
fl
a
d
d
d
d
a
a
d
d
d
a
d
d
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
0
ti
a
a
g
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
o
>o
to
w>
lO
lO
■o
u>
lO
«
CO
05
en
o
-*
■«**
t-
«^
.a
.3
.3
ja
i
^
.a
M
.d
1
s
a
a
0
d
d
d
a
d
o
o
o
o
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
o
--I
rt
i-H
<-i
.M
,-1
^
.1
.-f
£,
'"'
'"'
^^
' ^
'^
^^
"^
*"•
^^
<i!
oa
CD
tn
w
02
m
02
oT
TO
TO
02
m
m
02"
m
t>4
2
03
03
Ft
e3
03
cj
o3
03
c3
03
03
a
03
>>
>1
>.
>>
>.
>.
>>
!>.
>.
>>
>,
>>
>>
>.
>>
>>
>,
>,
(M
N
cq
(M
(M
e-j
<M
M
eq
K>
U5
o
cn
en
lO
>o
CD
CO
d
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
H
Ed
14
a
a
a
a
a
a
d
d
d
d
d
a
d
n
d
d
d
d
o
Ol
a>
o
S
*S
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
O
o
o
0
0
0
a
W
W
W
w
W
w
w
K
w
w
K
w
w
«
w
W
w
No. 34.] DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
527
1
1
1
1
i
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 t 1
>o
o
lO
«o
CO
t^
w
00
00
GO
00
oo
00
Ol
00
CO
o
00
CO
^
!>.
(M
>>
t^
t-
o
00
00
•o
o
o>
eq
CO
,_,
,_,
,_,
3
CO
C<l
oo
oo
t^
o
o
o
^H
.-.
CO
Tr
■*
■*
•<J*
-.1^
^
-^
■*
O
■*
^
•*
t~
CO
CO
a>
t~
r-
t^
t^
eq
^
'^.
to
CO
1
CO
CO_
CO
CO
«o
CO
CO
■*
in
■*
t~
t*
1
t^
t-
oo
OD
o
00
>,
o
lO
r^
t-
r^
CO
t-
o
•*
•^
CO
CO
<M
o
<R
o
•o
^
o
p
*
•
^
^
c^
1
,_^
o
a:
Oi
t~
OS
o
o
o
1— <
•*
-.»<
■"S^
■*
■*
■>>>
Tp
"*
CO
■*
■cC
■^
■*
o
O
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
>rt
o
o
o
o
o
o
•.**
o
^!
CO
CO
C<1
(N*
CO
t~
>o
00
OS
t~
o
t~
CO
00
t-
N
M
>,
>.
:
.^3
>1
•a
>>
a
a
a
■SI
m
J3
.2
1
Xi
J3
o
a
o
M
a
o
1
a
a
o
a
o
a
O
s
CO
o
s
00
o
S
2
o
H
CO
o
S
CO
a
o
a
o
a
o
o
a
oo
a
oo
1
a
a
a
a
fa
fa
^
oooicqcqcqtocq
3 ^
.S 3
a fl
° .3 is
KWKteOOOOOU
ooooaooooaPQ
2 c3 2
3^3
O X o
O W O
528
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
o
-^
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
(4
g
a
«
'
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
r> S o iJ cj'"^
.t^ H-5 a • a
0
'
1
1
1
1
'
1
■
en
0
^giidS
CO
^
CO
•*
ira
o
^
O
CO
oo
>o
o
t^
o
t^
00
t^
1-*
00
t^
<
o
o
<
§"So
"5
OO
^
£4
„
o
t^
o
£ go
(m"
^
o
<m'
C4*
oo
CO
1
•<*<
•^
■*
■»
■*
CO
■*
^
.^s-il;;?
,_,
•o<
CO
CO
o
32^-0 3
•o
o
t^
p
t>-
CO
'^
t>.
1
1
I
«
»
CQ
2o -A
-«ISdS
CO
co
CO
s
IM
^
■*
>n
0
H
o
CO
t^
CSI
CO
t-.
CO
t^
t^
CO
-<
g
o
0.
i-^„-
CO
|c30
05
lO
t^
£^
■*
Ol
t^
CO
(U Oo
^
^
OJ
^
r~'
cs
o
tX
CO
•^
■*
CO
^
■♦
•
OS 9
o
o
o
o
O
o
co'
o
o
o
o
1
1
1
<;o^
<D
•
u ,•
a y
1
1
•~ a
o2
.3
i
M
^
J<"
s,?
o
V
o
a
•"O
S?
o
<a
<D
H
&
^
&
^
&
CO
CO
<M
M
'-'
^
1
1
1
o
O
o
o
?
m
bO
t~i
Ut
(-•
<
cS
t-<
g
E
1
1
>.
C3
>.
>>
03
^
>.
^
:^
>>
CO
lO
N
CO
»^
,
d
(U
H
,
^
^
H
TJ
■a
a
^
.
n
a
s
§
"o
3
o
a'
3
a
3
OS
0
03
3
p
.i4
s
o
a
■«
a
03
a
m 03
>. 3 ^
.& g -g 5 i
"3 g" 03 S S
a s K? ^ «2
■^ <« "te "m /3
3 o >* o 3
(-1 .S -H fl cs
" s s
hn -^^ -t^
o Ml
3 "O O f
S H ft 5
3 a c
M 5 s *
a §|5
2 a
'3
J3
if
3
S
03
^
a
3
Tl
3^
T}
3
O
n
<u
a
m
_^
03
3
S
O
03
0)
3
O
a
3
3
3
■♦-J
o
3
3
(U
3
^
ft
ft
bis
3
"o
O
O
cS
3
O
ft
o
a
O
a
3
a
j3
a
3
f^
O
O
n
*-+3
01
UJ
p
a
3
1-4
g
_U
s-
3
o
3
03
o
03
1)
OJ
U
-3
o
a
03
tf
a o t. -S t3 OS
:Ss-9a^g
S 2 c — "S -^
a ^ o K ra u
■a *^ 3 ^ -3 03
S ° S ^ i^
•g J, jg .-S c3 >.
B 03 ° M O (U
3 t; O c3 "3 >
>;; ra (3 u " 03
S g" <B <B S '^
•2 9 § o ^ a
a " o s
S a
<: g g'2 a o
No. 34.]
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
529
o
-^ 'Si
■*^ P
.22 o
■^ +=>
a •«
(U r^
M.a
^ o i>
-2 :g a
CO O
3
- P QJ
3
6
Eh
9
ccj
^
►«
o
n
H
t-l
.Sf^-^
0
0
0
^
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
CO
■s^l
?*
10
CO
CO
CO
CO
00
CO
0
0
t^
t^
r*
CO
CO
0
t*
t~
r^
CO
r*
t=;
-=550
s
Ash
of Sour
Serum
(Grams
per 100
c. c).
QO
0
CO
£°
"5
■*
CO
Til
•*
0
U5
05
CO
■<J<
Ci
t--
CO
0
0
CO
W5
kO
TJ<
CO
00
t>;
CO
lr~
t>-
l<
t^
t^
rt 4i
.2 '^ ^ •
gtB So
(M
0
0
0
CO
00
01
CO
.-1
00
^
■*
05
CO
oi
c>
0
0
0
0
0
._J
^
0
^
0
0
)
J- ti; 0
0 0 ^^"^
CO
M
•*
■*
■^
■*
■*
■*
•*
■«<
■<1<
■*
•<»<
^
« '-^
t-<
to
00
0
(M
^
U5
00
CO
CO
0
CO
10
0
. CO
0
0
CO
■*
CO
0
•^
■*
•»
TJ<
0 -tJ-^ 0 <x»
t-^
t-^
Qo"
00'
00
00'
CO
00
00
00
00'
00
00'
*» ti
_ +r 0 0 •
Solids
lot Fa
ravim
ric (P
Cent.;
CO
00
a
00
(M
M
CO
•*
■<1<
eo
00
in
0
^
0
t>^
0
00
00
00"
10
00'
00*
00'
00
00
00'
CO
00
CO
00'
00'
^o
• ^
cock
hod
lent.
»o
0
0
0
>n
0
0
0
10
0
0
•o
in
0
QO
00
CO
CO
0
>o
00
0
Fat
Bab(
Met
PerC
e<3
«
im'
■*<
CO
cii
co'
co'
CO
<m'
ei
CO
CO
co'
t — i
"-g-s
^ 0.2 0
(M
_ 1
0
c^
00
"5
M
^H
■*
00
0
r--
<M
I^
^«1?
t^
•0
0
c
0
0
Jr~
CO
CO
ci
■*'
co'
(Tci
CO
CO
co'
<m'
<m'
CO
CO
co'
^0^
0
0
0
0
00
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
OJ
10
0
■*.
0
0
IM
00
0
10
«
»o
C4
00
eo'
c<i
OS
0
CO
^
co"
CO
^
^J
im'
S>_ 0
CJ
(M
<M
< °£j
ei
.g
'_?
"s
0
©
..
«
«
.
.
.
«
.
..
.
«
.
.
.
§
.a
.a
.J3
J3
.s
M
,a
j:
-C
s
J3
.s
_2
,a
4^
♦»
a;
13
a
a
"S
c
a
a
a
"S
a
"a
a
a
a
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
a
e
s
s
a
s
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
H
to
CO
CD
>o
in
>o
CO
CO
C5
OS
C5
■^
■^
t^
"B
.d
-C
1
i
a
a
c
0
0
0
0
0
a
a
a
0
.
-
-
^
^
^
0
[^
fH
bfl
c3
c3
m
<
0
s
s
t.
u
h
t.
t^
^
^
^
}->
t^
>.
>>
>»
C3
C3
c3
c3
c3
:S
ci
(S
53
rt
(U
0
lU
«
(S
0
ID
0
0-
:^
^
s
>>
>,
>.
>>
>>
>.
>>
>,
>>
'
>)
''J*
■^
T}<
Cil
a
N
>o
>o
a.
0
Oa
tn
0
d
s
a
^
^
_
^
^
.,
.
^
..
.
^
.
..
.
a
c;
.s
a
c
S
c
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
*s
'S
'0
'5>
■£
■3
'S
■5
■3
"5
■3
'S
'S
'3
-1^
.4^
*
03
tn
"S
"S
•.^
0
0
0
0
"5
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
w
w
w
w
M
a
w
w
M
w
w
w
w
a
530
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
0
o
O
?
CC!
o
n
<
^_
o
1
to
o
o
o
o
0
E2
0
0
0
0
'^
__
Ash
of Sour
Serum
(Grams
per 100
c. c).
03
CO
to
0
ri
I-:
t~-
t^
t^
00
oo
00
CO
CO
g -
efiact
of Sou
erum
20° C
IN
o
05
.^
t~
Oi
■*
t^
!M
oo
t^
00
to
'-'
<N
o>
1<
S
CO
.^
o
n
o
1
o
■rt*
^
5:
.^
'J-
**
0
0
'I"
CO
■« ^
Solids
not Fat
Calcula
tion (P
Cent.)
to
l-O
^
to
a>
•*
rt
0
00
r.
r^
00
ri
Oi
o
>o
CO
C4
a>
>o
t^
CO
»c
•^
CO
oo
oo
oc
CO
CO
00
t^
1^
en
Oi
t-
t^
t^
'-
Solids
not Fa
Gravim
ric (Pe
Cent.)
M
1
s
lO
1
to
2
oo'
1
1
1
10
1
1
1
00
t~^
^
at by
bcock
ethod
Cent.
o
o
o
in
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
O
CO
CO
>o
o
to
t-
■*
'"^
*-■"
■ \
CO
CO
CO
CO
CO
•*
CO
t^
CO
IM
.^
-^
CO
-H
CO
CO
(US, A
^
Fat
by Roes
Gottlie
(Per Cen
o
CO
c^
^
s
0
CO
c
ss
c
m
1
CO
CO
CO
CO
CO
Cil
'
'
-^
CO
CO
C>4- O
o
o
o
o
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Cl
o
o
o
o
o
CO
o
oo'
o
to
o
■*'
10
00'
OS
t^
'Z>
-
< o^
tb
c
>
-
"rt
en
oT
A
O
fl
rl
o
S
.a
,a
.a
X.
J3
i
g
ja
B
o
'S
'a
^
•5
M
J
A
.a
M
0
fl
c
c
CI
C5
o^
a
a
0
0
a
a
^
fl
o
o
B
S
e
S
s
c
O
0
s
S
o
0
id
ti
b
b
fa
ts
H
t^
^
CO
oo
<N
00
00
CO
CO
CO
'^
CO
i
1
1
1
o
U
.
o
a
^
01
co"
m
m
rr
tr
>,
>.
m
r£
^
a
VI
m
m
<
^
tH
tH
tM
05
03
^
c=
rt
oj
C3
c3
•A
c3
0<
o
o
0
lU
UJ
OP
>>
>,
>>
>-
t>>
o
o
>t
o
>>
>>
>>
to
O
to
to
'*
oo
oo
CO
CO
to
to
to
OS
Oi
05
Q
15
q"
H
fl
a
fi
C
a
fl
C
C
c
C
s
0)
V
»
OJ
a)
0)
a)
...»
"m
"m
"rfi
o
O
o
o
0
0
0
0
a
d
a
B
c
K
w
K
a
w
w
K
K
»
K
w
w
w
a>
o
<s
01
o
0
m
0
<U
a>
"m
"m
■^
TJ
T!
T)
T1
^
■o
-n
Tl
-a
-a
^3
•v3
-0
ff!
m
Cl
c«
C3
a
w
W
M
K
w
O
O
O
o
o
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
No. 34.]
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
531
-rf .-t CO Ci ^H
CD CO Oi
o
•*
00
o
QO
00
•*
1<
o
r-
o
^^
,_
o
_^
,_,
^^
o
^ 1
^^
o
■*
-*
^
■^
^
■^
^
-*<
■<**
Tj*
o
to
o
o
"-^.
•^
"•;
"■^.
CO
OO
>o
OO
-^
COOOOOGCOOOOOOOO
^
00
00
CJ
o
^ n
.
«
CO
CO
CO
CO
CO
CO
cq
•*
.
'^
rf
<-.
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
<=>. 1
00
"
o
<o
to
'-"
s
2
CO
s
o
o '
1
^ .a X,
X ^ J3 Ji X
s s a s £
— « rt M rt
CO ^^ ^H
C^ C<l C^ lO
^ m •-<
cess
i: i: .3 j: "O "«
^ QJ aJ a3
ffi a ffi p fi 0 Q
5-3 3
s s
-^ fi Q
ooooooopaHOUooo
532
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
0
>
'■S «'
N
as
(M
•^
-^
0
CO
-^
•*
lO
■<*<
to
0
0
CO
to
M
t^
00
"9<
00
>n
ei
1<
CO
CO
CO
C-5
CO
CO
^
•^
CO
c^
c<i
CO
CO
■**<
\
cq"
CO
cj
a
■^
•^
Tj*
■^
•^
■*
•*
-m
■^
T)!
-tl
■>*<
■^
•*
-*
■»<
■>a<
■*
■*
•"K
-*
0
©1-1
«
Ph
a
P
O
00
to
!2
00
■*
0
0
CI
■*
•*
•*
CO
<M
CO
"0
0
CO
0
»o
OD
j3
C5
0
DO
-SI
00
0
•^
■*
Tli
to
0
0
0
*^
GO
00
t^
t*
t^
00
00
00
00
00
t^
C30
01
00
t^
00
00
00
^
d
d
0
0
0
d
0
0
d
d
d
d
d
0
d
d
d
d
0
d
d
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
i
0
■^
0
to
"^
-!<
— ^
IM
CO
00
to
^
M
CT
■^
00
00
■^
■*
(M
0
"5
ui
to"
10
"i
d
00
d
■*
d
>o
«>
CO
■*
tii
"5
esi
d
U5
>,
CO
1— t
to
10
.— f
CO
05
•*
•0
0
(M
Ttl
W5
t^
_
l-O
(M
,^
0
00
10
10
■*'
to
00
1
to
TX
>«
00
■*'
1
"5
0
>fl>
0
10
CO
'"'
*"*
^
'^
^^
"*
'-'
'"'
—'
'-'
—'
-^
M
y c3
•«»<
■*
t~
00
W5
"5
<M
0
00
"5
00
CO
»0
to
_
_
Oi
CI
W5
c^
to
10
•^
c^
0
C3
05
C3
C-l
10
cs
^*i
0
2?
2?
IM
M
CO
CO
oj'Co
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
a§S
^
^
^
j
^
*
•
•
•
■
•
•
•
•
•
■
CO t
O
®
2 M-S
05
to
^
eq
"5
N
IM
C5
to
to
>o
ca
eq
0
0
"5
■*
c^
-<t<
1
1
H --
>> -^
4j m
•-^■5
0^ S
CO
to
to
03
■*
to
0
■*
0
0
00
j^
i«
d
0
to
CO
C4
^^
CO
OS
§S|
^^
'"*
^
"^
'-'
—'
"-^
-^
»--5
M
a b
^
m
(1
c3
0
00
00
0
n
10
t~
CO
to
(M
00
«n
0
to
03
t^
00
CO
10
00
1
1
0
M
<;
a
,p
(^
3
a
-•
to
n
©
0
K
d
m"
ID
i
m
1-5
•-5
i
©
1-5
0
-a
to
©
1-5
©
•a
C3
M
i
-a
i
1^
1^
0
■a
03
►^
0
>1
0
i
■2
t.
b
b.
f
>..
Ul
t-t
tS
t->
3
^
h
^
0
a
►^
0
1-5
1-5
1-5
^
a
c3
g
^
Q
0
1-5
►^
>>
0
a
'5
^
^
0
0
1^
>,
0
a
0
;^
"53
>J
0
0)
©
<B
a
©
-a
^
-0
■d
TS
-a
5?
■a
^
■a
-a
-a
•a
£
c3
0
03
(33
03
C3
03
0
-a
!°
03
03
03
03
©
t-<
^
0
ti
t4
IH
fr4
t!
t-<
0
0
kt
t-,
^
h
h
0
1-5
0
«
W
0
0
a
0
1-5
0
1-5
0
m
rt
•?
w
-^
0
0
0
0
0
"HI
No. 34.]
DIVISION OF FOOD AND DRUGS.
533
t:5
g
o
o
o
•*
to
oo
s
p
^
*^
oo
00
t^
t^
t^
<ij
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
K
a
s
■Bo
t~
■*
o
Ci
v>
CO
OJ
00
tr-
Sfe
o
o
«
M
^
„
_;
C5
CO
•*
Copper
Serum
Refrac-
tion
at 20° C.
1
-*
ui
oo'
CO
CO
00
CO
CO
CO
CO
oo
CO
CO
CO
o
CO
o
00
oo
o
.a
*"*
^*
00
t^
oo
CO
1 <
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
c
'K
■o
^ .
o
00
•o
o
lO
•*
tn
in
■^
■*
•<J<
■*
•o
•*
Tp
1 M
a
o>
TJ1
CO
oo
CI
00
CM
n
CO
O)
CO
CO
c^i
CSI
CO
(M
1
£
c^
«
cq
tn
OS
CO
(M
c^
c^^
t-
00
00
C3
a>
00
00
00
00
sn
00
oo
oo
cc o
a
o
o
o
tn
o
^
' '
CO
■*
CO
t-
o
'i'
CO
CO
^
CO
CO
CO
•w
CO
co
•^
"5
o
t-
o
lO
CO
^"X
1 ^
0
o
>j
o.
s
<;
CO
o
^
«
H
H
o
m
S
D
o
^;
1
.£3
1
p.
a
C3
"o
o
03
w
o
>
—
N
CO
^
lo
!0
r-
oo
t-l
<
<
534 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [P. D. No. 34.
There is no relation between the refraction of the sour serum and the sour
serum ash, since these figures depend upon different milk constituents. When
both of these figures fall below the lowest limits established for pure milk (38.3
and 0.730), it is absolute proof of the presence of added wa,ter, and all possibility
of the sample being abnormal milk from a sick cow is removed.
In the determination of ash of sour serum there is less than 2 grams of organic
matter to be burned, and the influence of combustion upon the 190 milhgrams
of ash is very slight.
The refractive index of the sour serum occurs half way between the copper
and acetic indices. Where a milk has partially soured the copper serum reading
will be higher, and the acetic serum lower than would be given by the same milk
before souring. In such cases the sour serum is the only reliable one to be made.
Six years' experience with the refractive index and four years' with the sour
serum ash have shown these methods to be invaluable. In all doubtful cases
the sour serum ash has served as a court of last resort.
Division of Communicable Diseases.
[535]
DIVISION or COMMUNICABLE DISEASES.
DiEECTOR, Eugene R. ICelley, M.D.
Dr. Allan J. McLaughlin, Commissioner of Health.
Sir: — I have the honor to submit the following report of the
Division of Communicable Diseases for the year ending Nov. 30,
1915.
Respectfully submitted,
* EUGENE R. KELLEY,
Director.
Eeport of Division of Communicable Diseases.
INTRODUCTION.
Comparatively few years ago the study of communicable disease
outbreaks, the application of those sanitary measures which are
grouped under the general term "sanitary engineering," and the tabu-
lation of vital statistics comprised the entire field of official health
administration.
Under the old-time conception of disease prevention nothing was
done until disaster occurred. When the epidemic was upon the com-
munity most painstaking investigations were the rule.
The causes of epidemics were sought in all manner of conditions
which we now know could not possibly have had any effect upon
their occurrence. As a natural result, epidemics ran their courses
until they died out for lack of further susceptible human material.
The occasional or sporadic occurrence of cases of communicable
diseases were practically ignored so far as health authorities were
concerned, except to place cumbersome and useless restrictions upon
those who happened to be in contact with the sick or to elaborate far-
fetched and fanciful explanations of the channels of infection. As has
been well said by one of the foremost exponents of modern scientific
epidemiology, "The old public health was concerned with the environ-
ment." It failed in its purpose of disease prevention. It failed be-
cause "it sought for the sources of infectious diseases in the air, the
water, the earth, in climate and topography, in the rise and fall of
ground waters, in fluctuations of soil temperature at 4 and 6 feet
deep." In short, the old public health sought painstakingly and ex-
h*austively to locate both the source and the routes of infection nearly
everywhere except where they actually were.
The new science of communicable disease study and suppression
seeks and finds these sources because it studies the individual rather
than his surroundings. It looks to man himself or his associates in
the animate world, especially animals and insects, as the source of
infection instead of to the phenomena of the inanimate world. In
a like manner the new science of communicable disease control finds
the channels of infection by following the route of the discharges of
excreta from the infected person to the new victim. In the vast
538 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
majority of instances modern epidemiology finds that infection is
spread by the discharges of the mouth, nose, intestines or bladder.
The only other great groups of infectious diseases, the insect-borne
and the venereal, are essentially identical in their manner of trans-
mission, since they are both direct wound infections. In the first
instance by minute puncture wounds, in the second by minute abrasion
wounds.
Hence, in spite of adding to the complexity of these problems by
such things as chronic "carriers," or by the variation of immunity,
modern preventive medicine believes implicitly in the practical truth
of Pasteur's great dictum, "It is within the power of man to abolish
infectious diseases from the world." Modern communicable disease
workers go farther than this. They hold that we already know how
to abolish the great majority of communicable diseases, and that fail-
ure to do so by the civilized world to-day is not only regrettable from
a humanitarian standpoint but is a most extravagant waste of human
machinery. Modern hygiene not only can demonstrate that the finan-
cial burden imposed by the continued prevalence of communicable
diseases is an enormous tax on every community, but it has demon-
strated that in the case of many communicable diseases the applica-
tion of already well-proven principles of prevention soon produces a
marked and speedy reduction in their prevalence.
To-day communicable diseases no longer play the all-important part
in health work. Personal hygiene, the prevention of noninfectious
diseases, infant, child, school, industrial, rural and social hygiene,
as well as food sanitation, proper nutrition, and the like, all appear
before the vision of hygienists as health-sustaining agencies of the
greatest practical benefit. They all demand and receive a rapidly
increasing share of the energy and funds of health departments.
They all yield wonderful returns in terms of increased human happi-
ness and efficiency. Yet for the present and for at least some decades
to come, in the vast field of human health the problems of com-
municable diseases must remain the crude, great, immediate task
alike of the health administrator, the educator, the healing professions
and the general public-.
To-day the science of communicable disease control is playing for
big stakes. For the better control and suppression of various diseases
it is boldly recommending programs that are both extensive and ex-
pensive. All the more essential, then, that it be right in the funda-
mentals. It is to be expected that errors of judgment in details will
occur. Already the fundamental lines of procedure for the suppression
of diphtheria or typhoid or malaria or tuberculosis have been clearly
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 539
established. All that remains is to persuade modern society that
this task of communicable disease suppression is no chimera of crack-
brained enthusiasts, but a sober, practical business proposition, and
the end of many of our most serious communicable diseases is in sight.
In the pursuit of this end the doctrine of efficiency is as inexorable
and unyielding in the sphere of health administration as in any other
line of human activity. Public health administration has but one
great ultimate standard of appraisal, — the death rate. If it lowers
the death rate it is efficient. If it fails to lower it, it may or may not
be inefficient, depending upon various circumstances, but the burden
of proof of efficiency is always upon it. This means that in the
field of communicable disease control there must be a more rigid
application of the policy of adjusting the time of the workers and
the expenses of administration in such a manner as will produce a
maximum of results with a flainimum of time, force and funds. This
in turn means that up-to-date health administration must use all its
methods and data simply as a means to an end. If proper progress
is to be maintained it must as unhesitatingly "scrap" obsolete or
ineflficient methods to install in their place more efficient ones as a
manufacturer must "scrap" his out-of-date machinery.
In arriving at a just estimate of the proportionate importance of
communicable disease work to the entire field of pubHc health,
it is important to remember that its efficiency must not be judged
by positive results alone. It has a certain negative duty that
is only one degree less important than its great positive duty of
reducing infections. This is to hold the gains already made. Too
easy is it to-day to take all the achievements of disease prevention
in' the past as a matter of course; too easy to forget the price of toil
and human suffering with which the present advances have been won.
There is every reason for believing that, but for the barriers modern
hygiene has erected in their path, pestilential diseases would svveep
over the world to-day as never before, on account of the much greater
faciUties of rapid intercommunication between all parts of the earth
than ever before existed.
Furthermore, the relative importance of communicable disease ad-
ministrative and investigative work can never be correctly apprehended
unless at least three factors are kept in mind, of which only the first
usually receives consideration. These three factors are —
(a) The obvious. This means the immediate result of communicable
disease prevalence in the mortality tables, or in the immediate burden
placed upon the individual and society by the occurrence of com-
municable diseases from which the sufferer apparently recovers.
540 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
(6) The remote. By this is meant the very important but fre-
quently overlooked connection between "recovered" cases of com-
municable diseases and other subsequent infections, or the develop-
ment in later life of organic diseases commonly considered to be
noninfectious in nature, but whose fundamental cause is an impair-
ment of some part of the human machine by a previous and long-
forgotten infectious disease. Recent studies indicate that as a result
of infections in early life impairment of heart, blood vessels, kidneys
or nervous system can be detected many years before these impair-
ments finally manifest themselves, under the strain of middle age, as
frank cases of heart disease or Bright's disease or some other consti-
tutional malady.
(c) The concealed. By this is meant the effects of infectious
diseases which are as yet not adequately recognized by the public or
which for reasons of shame are carefully concealed by the victim, as,
for example, the hidden effects of syphilis.
Another fact that must be given due consideration in arriving
at a proper conception of the relative importance of communicable
disease suppression is the manner in which communicable disease
problems enter into every other sphere of health work. Such im-
portant fields of health administration as school hygiene, industrial
hygiene or the sanitation of food supplies have already been enu-
merated. No small part of the problems of school hygiene and in-
dustrial hygiene is that of preventing tuberculous infections. The
sanitation of food supplies owes all of its health importance to the
possibihty of foods acting as mechanical carriers of infectious diseases.
This interrelation of communicable disease problems with all the
other great divisions of public health might be easily extended to cover
practically every specialized field in the entire realm of hygiene.
ESTABLISHMENT OF DIVISION.
The Division of Communicable Diseases of the Massachusetts State
Department of Health was established by resolution of the Public
Health Council on Dec. 29, 1914. Of necessity, some time elapsed
before the final organization of the Division was completed. The
present director was appointed by the Commissioner and Pubhc Health
Council on Jan. 19, 1915, and the appointment confirmed by the
Governor and Executive Council on Jan. 27, 1915. He assumed the
duties of the position on Feb. 20, 1915.
Eight District Health Officers were appointed, following a com-
petitive examination, by the Commissioner and Council on March 2,
No. U.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 541
1915, and their appointments confirmed by the Governor and Execu-
tive Council on March 18, 1915. Immediately following the exam-
ination eight health districts were outlined and the boundaries fixed.
The districts are designated as follows: —
No. 1, Southeastern District.
No. 2, Eastern District.
No. 3, Northeastern District.
No. 4, North Midland District.
No. 5, South Midland District.
No. 6, Wachusett District.
No. 7, Connecticut Vallej'' District.
No. 8, Berkshire District.
The District Health Officers were assigned their respective districts,
and took up the duties of their new positions on April 1, 1915. The
original appointees qualifying for the position as District Health Of-
ficer, and their districts, were as follows: —
Dr. Adam S. MacKnight, Fall River, Southeastern District.
Dr. Frank L. Morse, Somer\dlle, Eastern District.
Dr. WiUiam H. Coon, Haverhill, Northeastern District.
Dr. Charles E. Simpson, Lowell, North Midland District.
Dr. William W. Walcott, Natick, South Midland District.
Dr. Merrill E. Champion, Arlington, Wachusett District.
Dr. John S. Hitchcock, Northampton, Connecticut Valley District.
Dr. Lyman Asa Jones, North Adams, Berkshire District.
On April 15, 1915, Dr. Frank L. Morse resigned as a State District
Health Officer, following a ruling by the Commissioner and Public
Health Council to the effect that the State Department of Health
could not consistently permit him to retain his position as city bac-
teriologist for the city of Somerville and at the same time carry out
his duties as a State District Health Officer. The vacancy thus
created was filled by the appointment of Dr. Lewis Fish of Fitch-
burg, and Dr. Merrill E. Champion was transferred from the Wachu-
sett District to the Eastern District, Dr. Fish taking over the Wachu-
sett District.
On Oct. 23, 1915, taking effect Nov. 30, 1915, Dr. WilHam H. Coon
resigned as a State District Health Officer to accept a more remunera-
tive and otherwise attractive position as industrial sanitarian for the
Fiske Rubber Company of Chicopee Falls. The vacancy created by
his resignation has not yet been filled.
The personnel of the diagnostic laboratory at the time of the or-
542 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
ganization of the Division consisted of a bacteriologist and a stenog-
rapher and a media maker. This personnel remained unchanged,
Miss Edith A. Beckler continuing in charge of the diagnostic labora-
tory under the director of the Division.
The rapid increase in the routine work demanded of the laboratory
during the past year soon resulted in the number of specimens becom-
ing entirely too great for a single bacteriologist to diagnose, even by
working evenings, Sundays and holidays. Accordingly, on April 21
Miss Ruth Bryant, instructor in the department of biology at Simmons
College, was engaged on a part-time basis to assist the bacteriologist.
As the work steadily and continually increased, it soon became evi-
dent that a full-time assistant was an absolute necessity if the work
of the laboratory was to be maintained. Accordingly, a permanent
position of assistant bacteriologist was created which was filled by
Miss Katherine Marden on Sept. 1, 1915. The same increase of work
necessitated the addition of an assistant to the media maker on Oct.
19, 1915.
The general clerical force of the Division was organized by utilizing
the services of the stenographers and clerks who had previously been
doing the communicable disease work. It soon became evident that
a competent statistician was an absolute necessity to the work of the
Division, and a statistician was employed on Aug. 20, 1915.
On June 1, 1915, Dr. Walter H. Brown was appointed as epidemiolo-
gist to the Division. For administrative purposes the supervision of
the routine reports of communicable diseases, their compilation, analy-
sis and comparisons, has been placed under the epidemiologist, in
addition to his services in the. field.
SCOPE OF THE DIVISION'S WORK.
The Division of Communicable Diseases of the Massachusetts State
Department of Health has for its province the study, investigation
and supervision of all communicable diseases occurring in the State,
whether the same are at present required to be reported by law or
not. In addition, the Division of Communicable Diseases stands in
a somewhat peculiar position in the organization of the Department
because of the fact that the District Health Officers, who are the
general field representatives of the Department, are, for administrative
purposes, placed under the Division of Communicable Diseases. This
involves a very close co-operation between the work of this Division
and all of the other divisions of the Department. Therefore, a great
deal of the work of the Division is not confined to communicable
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 543
diseases, so far as the duties of the director and the District Health
Officers are concerned, but the activities of the subdivisions of epi-
demiology and the diagndstic laboratory are strictly confined to
communicable diseases.
In an administrative sense the Division of Communicable Diseases
recognizes no distinct subdivisions, but as a matter of fact the work
falls so naturally and inevitably into three clear-cut lines that for the
sake of convenience they will be referred to in the rest of the report
as the subdivisions of —
A. Epidemiology.
B. The diagnostic laborator3^
C. The District Health Officers.
A brief outline report of the work of each of these subdivisions is
submitted at this point, immediately following is a summary of the
present communicable disease problems of the Commonwealth. For
more detailed information on the work of each of the subdivisions
the reader is referred to their respective individual reports.
A. THE SUBDIVISION OF EPIDEMIOLOGY.
The Work of the Epidemiologist.
The duties of the epidemiologist may be classified under two broad
general heads, — office or statistical epidemiology and field or in-
vestigative epidemiology. Under his supervision careful study is
made of the daily reports of communicable diseases received at the
central office of the State Department of Health from local boards of
health. Any unusual incidence of cases at all suggestive of beginning
epidemics or outbreaks is immediately referred to the District Health
Officer in whose district it occurs for investigation. Statistical studies
upon the significance of the variations in communicable disease reports
in the various localities of the State, and for the State as a whole, are
carried out continuously. Detailed lists of the diseases required to be
reported as dangerous to the public health, together with the deductions
and studies made therefrom, will be found in the report of the Epi-
demiologist.
System of Disease Reporting.
A very brief statement as to the nature of these reports is sufficient
at this point. The method of reporting in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts is for the physician or householder to report individual
544 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
cases of diseases dangerous to the public health, upon a form specified
by the local boards of health, to each local board of health. The local
board of health reports the name, address, diagnosis of the disease,
and date upon which reported to it, by a double postal card sys-
tem, one of which is sent to the District Health Officer in whose juris-
diction the city or town is located, the other being sent direct to the
office of the State Department of Health.
This method of communicable disease reporting has several distinct
limitations and disadvantages. It is impossible to obtain any practical
epidemiological clues from these reports without subsequent investi-
gation. The reports as they come in may have case reports of several
diseases on the one card, which necessitates a tedious amount of
compilation and segregation in the central office in order to maintain
any comprehensive grasp on the varying prevalence of any particular
communicable disease in the State as a whole or in any given city or
town. This system also makes it practically impossible to correlate
the information obtained in the diagnostic laboratory with the routine
disease reports.
This system of reporting has two distinct advantages: (a) It makes
it quite easy for the local board of health to report both to the District
Health Officer and to the central office of the State Department of
Health, thereby rendering much less likely the possibility of a threatened
outbreak being overlooked, as it serves as a threefold check, — knowledge
of the local board of health, scrutiny of the State District Health Officer,
and the tabulated analysis in the central office of the Department, which
shows at a glance any suspicious grouping of any communicable dis-
ease in any locality on any day in the year. (6) Furthermore, the
present disease reporting system is relatively inexpensive.
Epidemiological Bookkeeping or Morbidity Balance Sheets.
One of the most difficult and puzzling problems in the routine
morbidity work of the Division has been to evolve some practical
graphic methods which would enable the executive officers to tell at
a glance the fluctuations of communicable disease prevalence. Nu-
merous devices have been conceived, but they have proved in actual
practice to require an unreasonable amount of time and labor.
Thoroughly satisfactory methods have not yet been evolved, but after
a tedious amount of experimentation it is believed that a simple,
easily kept up and easily understood scheme of graphic representa-
tion of contagious disease prevalence has finally been worked out
which will be put into effect during the coming year.
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 545
In the endeavor to get a continuous daily definite grasp upon the
communicable disease situation throughout the Commonwealth, it
was soon found that to do the work properly would involve a great
deal of careful statistical work. The statistician employed is an
expert mathematician, and has, under the supervision of the director
and the epidemiologist, worked out some practical methods by which
in the future it will be not only possible to keep up accurately with
any current prevalence of disease, but also to keep a constant com-
parison of the significance of such occurrences with the average mor-
bidity record of each community for several years past. This work
which is just begun will involve a great deal of detailed statistical
labor, but when completed should prove of the utmost practical im-
portance for the work of the entire Department.
Compilation of Reports.
Analogous to the development of the work of the statistician has
been the improving, under the direction of the chief clerk of the Divi-
sion, of the methods of routine compilation of the reports of communi-
cable diseases as they come in. The statutes of this Commonwealth
require compilations of communicable diseases to be made on a weekly
basis. In several particulars, for practical morbidity work, daily,
monthly and annual compilations give results that are superior to the
system of weekly compilation. After a great deal of time and effort
an ingenious system of compiling has been devised by which the com-
municable disease record of each city and town in the Commonwealth
for each individual disease can be kept in such a manner that the
weekly compilations can be taken off while at the same time the
monthly totals are automatically recorded.
FoLLOw-up System.
For efficient communicable disease control follow-up systems are a
necessity. Under the present laws of reporting and handling com-
municable diseases in this Commonwealth all detailed follow-up
work in individual cases of disease must be handled by the local boards
of health. Follow-up work for epidemics can be and is carried out by
the State District Health Officers; but with the wide variations in
the degrees of quarantine or isolation that are maintained for the
same diseases by different cities and towns in the Commonwealth as
to the length of time in which the same diseases are kept under re-
straint by the dift'erent cities and towns, and th€ manner in which
such restrictions are removed, it is a practical impossibility for the
546 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
State Department of Health to do any follow-up work for individual
cases of acute contagious diseases. Through the co-operation of the
State Department of Health, the Trustees of Hospitals for Consump-
tives, the State Bureau of Vital Statistics, and the local boards of
health throughout the Commonwealth a very comprehensive follow-up
system has been evolved for all cases of tuberculosis. The details of
this system will be found in the report of the epidemiologist. It is
sufficient to state here that it gives promise of being a most effective
weapon in the hands of the Department in the fight against tuber-
culosis.
Lack of Adequate Mortality Reports for checking up Results,
Another feature which adds materially to the difficulties of com-
municable disease work in Massachusetts is the double system of
mortality reports. Vital statistics are handled by the Bureau of Vital
Statistics, which is a subdivision in the office of the Secretary of
State. In addition to the reports to the Secretary of the Common-
wealth, all city and town boards of health are by another statute re-
quired to report weekly to the State Department of Health all deaths
from diseases that have been declared dangerous to the public health
by the State Department of Health. Still a third statute requires
that "the board of health in towns which have according to the latest
census more than five thousand inhabitants shall send an annual re-
port of the deaths in such town to the State board of health upon
forms to be prescribed by said state board."
Under present conditions this last statutory requirement is in-
efficient, incomplete, does not represent the entire State, and simply
tends to render an already confused situation more confused. The
system of mortality returns to the Secretary of State's office under
the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the State is in all probability as com-
plete a system of returns of births and deaths, if not the most com-
plete, of any State in the Union. In connection with morbidity work
it has a very serious drawback in one respect. This is due to the
fact that there is no provision in the present law which requires death
returns to be forwarded sufficiently promptly to the Bureau of Vital
Statistics to make them of any concurrent value in connection with
communicable disease work. The State Bureau of Vital Statistics fully
appreciates this fact, and has extended every possible courtesy and co-
operated heartily both with this Division and other divisions of the
State Department of Health in endeavoring to get authoritative data
upon which to base conclusions and to issue statements relative to
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 547
disease prevalence and fatality. It is probable that by still further
study in the matter, in the near future the present system of mor-
tality returns can be made much more serviceable for communicable
disease work.
Decentralized System of Communicable Disease Control.
Massachusetts epidemiological procedure labors under a rather se-
vere handicap due to lack of uniformity of communicable disease
control. The advantages of having matters of quarantine, isolation
and exclusion from school for contagious diseases uniform throughout
all parts of a State are so obvious as to require no comment. This
procedure has been followed throughout the United States and Canada
except in two of the New England States, — Massachusetts and
Rhode Island, — and two southern States, — Alabama and North Caro-
lina.
In Massachusetts the strong inherited sentiment for local control
of all matters in which it was at all possible to apply the principle of
local control has resulted in leaving all matters as to time, place and
means of communicable disease control in the hands of each local
board of health.
This has resulted in some anomalous and rather progress-retarding
developments in regard to practical progress in communicable disease
control. For example, in one section of the State, a conference of
local board of health officials revealed the fact that seven distinct
variations of procedure were in vogue within a radius of 25 miles
relative to conditions of readmission to school following scarlet fever.
Such discrepancies as these not only tend to lessen public respect
for health regulations generally, but inasmuch as among these diver-
gent conditions the minimum possible time in which a child could
return to school varied by fully three weeks, the inevitable result
follows that either some children are deprived of school advantages
for an unreasonable period of time, or else the susceptible children
in another town are exposed to an unjustifiable danger of infection.
This decentralized system of quarantine and isolation also has the
natural effect of rendering any routine-eEective "follow-up" work on
the part of the State epidemiological authorities next to impossible.
With 353 cities and towns each having a legal right to impose sani-
tary restrictions at variance with those of other cities and towns,
with many of them taking good care to exercise their legal powers, and
with the rules and regulations of each board subject to change at
their own discretion without the requirement of even reporting such
548 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HE/iLTH. [Pub. Doc.
changes to the State Department of Health, centralized "follow-up"
work becomes impossible.
Yet with all these obvious drawbacks no one can carefully and
impartially study and compare the practical results of communicable
disease control in Massachusetts with those of any other States having
State-wide, uniform systems of communicable disease control without
admitting that the average enforcement of regulations, and average
prevention of spread of epidemic diseases, is as high in Massachusetts
as anywhere in the United States. This highly creditable result is to
be accounted for as having been achieved in spite of the system rather
than because of it.
This Commonwealth has required the notification to health authori-
ties by physicians and householders of all cases of diseases, declared
dangerous to the public health, for a long time. In this it has had
the intelligent and cheerful co-operation of the medical profession.
The local health officials of the State, as a whole, are characterized
by their strong common sense and their long-established custom of
exchanging opinions and viewpoints through the medium of the
Massachusetts Association of the Boards of Health. This combina-
tion has resulted in an actual line of procedure which has avoided that
state of sanitary and epidemiological chaos that might easily result
from the entrusting of quarantine and health regulations in general
to 353 absolutely independent tribunals.
Extension of List of Reportable Diseases.
On Dec. 15, 1914, by resolution of the Commissioner and Public
Health Council, acting under the authority of chapter 75, sections
49, 50 and 52, and subsequent amendments, the State Department of
Health declared the following diseases to be added to the list of
diseases to be reported as dangerous to the public health: —
Dog bite (requiring antirabic treatment).
Dysentery : —
(o) Amoebic.
(6) Bacillary.
Hookworm disease.
Suppurative conjunctivitis.
Malaria.
Mumps.
Plague.
Septic sore throat.
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 549
This action was taken by way of ratification of an identical list
promulgated by the Acting Commissioner of Health, Dr. W. C.
Hanson, on Sept. 22, 1914, the legality of which was in doubt. The
complete list of diseases which are now reportable by physicians and
householders as dangerous to the public health is as follows: —
Actinomycosis.
Anterior poliomyelitis.
Anthrax.
Asiatic cholera.
Cerebrospinal meningitis.
Chicken pox.
Diphtheria.
Dog bite (requiring antirabic treat-
ment) .
Dysenterj^ : —
(a) Amoebic.
(6) Bacillary.
German measles.
Glanders.
Hookworm disease.
Infectious diseases of the eye : —
(a) Ophthalmia neonatoriun.
(6) Suppurative conjunctivitis.
(c) Trachoma.
Leprosy.
Malaria.
Measles.
Mumps.
Pellagra.
Plague.
Rabies.
Scarlet fever.
Septic sore throat.
Smallpox.
Tetanus.
Trichinosis.
Tuberculosis (all forms) .
Typhoid fever.
Typhus fever.
Whooping cough.
Yellow fever.
The natural result has been an increase in the total number of cases
of diseases dangerous to the public health reported in the Common-
wealth for the past year over previous years, but it does not indicate,
in any sense, a greater total prevalence of such disease. In all prob-
ability there has been a considerable less prevalence of communicable
diseases than ever before, as the corresponding death returns as a
rule show consistent decreases.
Effect of extending this Total List of Diseases defined as
Dangerous to the Public Health to come within the Mean-
ing OF Chapter 380, Acts of 1909 (Amendatory to Chapter
213, Acts of 1902).
Chapter 213 of the Acts of 1902 and subsequent amendments
simply provide that in case of inability on the part of any individual
or the head of a household to meet all the expenses incidental to those
communicable diseases that have been declared by the State Depart-
ment of Health to be dangerous to the public health, such expenses
shall be paid by the city or town in which the individual has a settle-
550 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
ment, or by the Commonwealth if no such settlement exists, without
such assistance in any sense pauperizing the recipient or the recipient's
family. On Dec. 15, 1914, by resolution of the Commissioner and
Public Health Council, the State Department of Health declared the
entire present list of reportable diseases to come within the meaning
of chapter 380, Acts of 1909.
Within a few months subsequent to this resolution of the Public
Health Council, which was communicated to local boards of health by
a circular of Dec. 22, 1914, numerous complaints began to be brought
to the attention of the Division of Communicable Diseases by execu-
tive officers of various local boards of health. In brief, the point they
raised was as follows: —
With the extension of the provisions of the law providing for non-
pauperizing care of persons sick with communicable diseases to such
an extent that the list of diseases for which this care had to be given
by the local health authorities was identical with the whole list of
diseases required to be reported, there was a distinct tendency on the
part of certain classes of the population to seek public aid for diseases
that either were trivial in character or were diseases of such a chronic
nature that the practical effect tended to the perpetual support at the
expense of the community, when no such action would be taken by
these individuals and their families if they had been obliged to accept
such relief from the overseers of the poor, as had hitherto been the
case.
When it became evident that this sentiment among local boards of
health was very widespread, and there was grave opportunity for
abuse of this provision of the law which was intended to give relief
to deserving citizens in serious cases of illness, a hearing on this
point was given by the Commissioner and Public Health Council on
Aug. 24, 1915, at which representatives of the following city boards
of health appeared : —
Cambridge.
Fall River.
New Bedford.
Lynn.
Worcester.
Lowell.
Brockton.
Following this hearing the matter of removing certain diseases from
the list of those diseases dangerous to the public health within the
meaning of chapter 213 of the Acts of 1902, and its subsequent amend-
ments, was taken under advisement by the Public Health Council.
On Dec. 14, 1915, the Commissioner and Public Health Council
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 551
declared the following list of diseases to come within the meaning of
this act: —
Amoebic dysenten\
Anterior poliomyelitis.
Asiatic cholera.
Cerebrospinal meningitis.
Diphtheria.
Dog bite (requiring antirabic treat-
ment.)
Infectious diseases of the eye : —
(a) Ophthalmia neonatorum.
(6) Suppurative conjunctivitis.
(c) Trachoma.
Leprosy.
Measles.
Plague.
Rabies.
Scarlet fever.
Smallpox.
Tuberculosis (pulmonary or laryngeal).
Typhoid fever.
Typhus fever.
Yellow fever.
Epidemiological Summary System.
It was early found that the system of epidemiological reports from
the State District Health Officers were somewhat incomplete and
unsatisfactory from an epidemiological standpoint. With eight
individuals continually investigating outbreaks of diseases and re-
porting thereon in detail, the individual variations in order and
manner in which different particulars in different reports are taken
up naturally become so great as to render comparison and analysis
of such investigations difficult unless some standardized form is
adopted.
For this purpose a standard form, known as an epidemiological
summary, has been adopted in the Division of Communicable Diseases.
The details of this system will be discussed under the report of the
epidemiologist, but the benefits of its introduction were apparent at
once.
Reports to the United States Public Health Service.
In common with most of the other States in the Union, the Divi-
sion of Communicable Diseases of the Massachusetts State Depart-
ment of Health reports monthly in summary form the prevalence of
all communicable diseases to the Federal health authorities. The
Federal Public Health Service has in the last few years devised a
more prompt and a somewhat more detailed form of reporting by
which the epidemiological authorities of the various States are ap-
pointed directly as agents of the United States Public Health Service
under the title of "collaborating epidemiologists."
There are certain definite advantages from this system, especially
552 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
as pertains to the possibility of infectious diseases being brought into
the State from other States, reports being made promptly under this
system by telegraph. Negotiations are now under way, but final
arrangements have not been completed, to place the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts among the list of States which act in this direct
relationship with the Federal health authorities.
New Form of Local Record Book for Contagious Diseases.
Section 51 of the Revised Laws, as amended by chapter 52 of the
General Acts of 1915, provides that "the local board of health of each
city and town shall keep a permanent record in such manner or upon
such forms as may be prescribed by the state department of health,
which shall contain the name and the location of all persons who are
sick (with a disease dangerous to the public health), the name of the
disease, the name of the person reporting, and the date of the report,
and such other data as may be required by the state department of
health."
Acting under the provisions of this statute the Division of Com-
municable Diseases this year drew up a uniform record book for the
keeping of records of contagious diseases by cities and towns. This
book is very much superior to the old type of book that has been
used for many years, as it provides an opportunity in a compact form
for keeping many of the details, both relative to epidemiological fea-
tures of each case and such legal features as "settlement" and "re-
porting to the school authorities," etc.
When the form for this report was finally adopted, each local board
of health was officially notified of the new form and directed to com-
ply therewith. The statute did not make it the duty of any State
department to furnish this record book. This failure to make any
provision or appropriation for the placing of such a form of record
book in the hands of the local authorities at first presented a serious
obstacle because of the prohibitive expense of having such a book pre-
pared for each individual local board of health. This obstacle was
summounted by a stationery house in Boston, which does a large
business with cities and towns throughout the Commonwealth, offer-
ing to get up this standard contagious disease record book at a very
reasonable cost if the Division would notify all local boards of health
that such books could be obtained from it. As this procedure was
much more economical than for each board of health to have an in-
dividual book printed, the local boards of health throughout the State
have gladly taken advantage of this arrangement.
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 553
The Need of more Uniform Terms in Communicable Disease
Work.
One of the difficult features of public health work in the United
States is the utter lack of any uniformity of terms used in dealing
with epidemics of communicable diseases in different States or even
between various health bodies in the same State. What will be classi-
fied as an epidemic by one investigator will be called only a small
outbreak by another. There is as yet no reliable record in any State
of the average sporadic incidence for each city and town in the State
of the various communicable diseases, yet such a record in addition
to a record of the total prevalence for the State is very essential for
intelligent communicable disease work. It is clear that before the
most efficient work can be done in preventing epidemics it is neces-
sary to know when an epidemic is beginning. In a rough manner,
this point could be determined by any department which receives
relatively complete daily reports by tabulating the total average of
each individual epidemic disease for the various localities in the State
over a term of years, and then promptly investigating every increase
over this average as being in itself suspiciously indicative of an
epidemic.
This Division is now working on such a scheme, the details of which
can be found in the report of the epidemiologist. While it is as yet
not completely worked out as to details, the great practical value of
such a procedure is already apparent.
The Need of determining the Relative Efficiency of the
Various Procedures in the Field of Communicable Dis-
eases.
An important need in the field of communicable disease work is
a more intelligent or accurate determination as to the practical value
of the various procedures that are employed in the field of epidemi-
ology. It is now universally conceded that many procedures have
been carried out in the past for the purpose of disease prevention
which were both irksome and expensive to an extreme degree, without
in the slightest affecting the prevalence of the disease. The enormous
amount of time, money and energy used in attempts to control yellow
fever by shotgun quarantine and broadcast disinfection and fumiga-
tion before the discovery that the mosquito alone transmitted the
disease is an excellent example of the case in point. To a lesser
degree public health administrators everywhere are to-day probably
554 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
repeating the same type of mistakes in the routine handling of some
of the common contagious diseases.
One of the greatest needs in epidemiological work is to more ac-
curately determine what procedures are efficient in the control of
communicable diseases in contrast with those that are merely meddle-
some. As fast as these points are determined communicable disease
control methods should be adjusted. It is the belief of practically all
sanitarians to-day that when this adjustment is complete our common
communicable diseases will be much more effectively controlled than
at present, with very much less interference with the normal life of the
individual citizen and his family.
B. DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY.
Increase in Work.
The striking feature of the work of the diagnostic laboratory for
1915 has been the phenomenal increase in the amount of work done,
and the fact that still greater demands were made upon the labora-
tory for service than its limited appropriation funds and, equipment
could supply. The increase in the work of the laboratory amounts
in all to 147 per cent, since 1910, and to over 60 per cent, since 1913.
The following table, showing the total number of specimens examined
per annum for the past five years, demonstrates this fact more clearly
than any description possibly could.
Yeak.
Number
of Specimens
examined.
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913,
1914,
1915,
6,458
7,814
7,854
10,701
11,924
17,229
Difficulties of Service.
This showing of amount of work done is all the more noteworthy
when the difficulties surrounding the service are considered. The
present quarters of the diagnostic laboratory are inadequate even
to the point of being an actual menace to the health of the laboratory
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 555
workers. There is insufficient light, ventilation, space and equipment.
It is impossible to do more work in the present quarters, although
the force now available could handle more, on account of lack of
room to make media, to incubate cultures, to examine specimens,
to store cultures waiting for examination, and even lack of bench
room to place microscopes. Any type of work would be of necessity
handicapped in such inadequate quarters as the diagnostic laboratory
now has, and it is a well-recognized fact that for laboratory work
several times as much floor space and wall space is necessary than for
general clerical work.
Cost of Examinations.
One of the most important points about diagnostic laboratory
work, from the standpoint of efficient public health administration, is
the relative cost of examination per specimen. The cost per specimen
for examination in the diagnostic laboratory has been for the past
few years as follows: —
In 1913, 35 cents per specimen.
In 1914, 37 cents per specimen.
In 1915, 31 cents per specimen.
It is not possible to give accurate figures as to cost prior to 1913
because before that year the expenses of the laboratory were taken
out of the general fund of the Board and no segregation was made.
The only possible way this point could now be determined would be
to analyze every individual voucher issued under the general ap-
propriation of the Board since the laboratory was started, and to
segregate the laboratory items. However, it is known that approxi-
mately the amount of money expended on the laboratory service since
1910 has been not far from $4,000. On this basis the cost of examina-
tion per specimen has steadily declined, inasmuch as the total amount
of output has increased 147 per cent., and the total amount of money
available has increased only 40 per cent, since 1913, and it is quite
certain that the expenditures for 1913 were little more than for the
three preceding years.
This decrease in cost per specimen has been maintained in spite of
three factors which might have operated to increase the cost per
specimen without such increase being in any sense indicative of less
economical administration. These three factors are, first, a very
pronounced increase in the cost of laboratory supplies, especially
glassware. This increase in cost is in large part due to the European
556 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
war. The second factor of increased cost really represents only de-
partmental bookkeeping, but is in the aggregate a considerable item.
It has come about because for this year (1915) for the first time the
cost of printing for the laboratory has been charged to the laboratory
fund, instead of leaving it unsegregated in the general printing account.
The third increase in cost has been the necessity of adding an assistant
bacteriologist and an assistant media maker.
Credit for having maintained the cost per specimen at a lower point
than ever before is due almost entirely to the executive efficiency of
the bacteriologist. While it is difficult to make absolutely accurate
comparison with diagnostic laboratories of different State boards and
departments of health, it is believed that at the present time this
State is putting out highest grade laboratory service for physicians
and local boards of health at a lower cost per specimen than the
diagnostic laboratory of any other State.
Rapidity of Service.
One of the greatest problems of the laboratory is that of increasing
the rapidity of service for routine work. This point becomes really
of importance in terms of human life only in the case of diphtheria.
In the two other diseases that furnish the bulk of routine laboratory
examinations, — tuberculosis and typhoid fever, — no such need for
very prompt laboratory returns exists. The bacteriologist has made
the question of promptitude of returns one of the primary objects in
the routine work of the laboratory. As a result of carefully systematiz-
ing methods of procedure the laboratory now sends out a report on
85 per cent, of the positive diphtheria specimens on the same day
that they are received. This is a rapidity of service that is scarcely
exceeded by any local diagnostic laboratory.
Nevertheless, strange as it may seem, there appears to be a strong
impression among many physicians of the State that reports from the
State diagnostic laboratory are very slow. If there is any real basis
for this contention it must lie in three directions: first, in the time
lost in transmitting specimens to the laboratory; second, in the time
consumed when the specimens are in the possession of the laboratory
before report is ready; and third, in the time lost in transmitting the
reply to the physician or board of health sending the specimen. As
above indicated, it is believed that the time actually consumed in the
laboratory processes has been cut to the irreducible minimum. The
one factor that tends to delay is the closing of the State House at
noon on Saturday. However, specimens coming by mail can be de-
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 557
Hvered to the watchman. The bacteriologist or assistant bacteriologist
always returns Saturday afternoon to cover late-coming specimens
for the day, and invariably spends several hours each Sunday and
holiday in getting out returns for those days. This extra overtime is
given gratuitously by the bacteriologists. No extra compensation is
allowed.
There apparently have been some well-grounded complaints of un-
reasonable slowness in delivery on the part of the mails. A careful
study will be made of this side of the question during the coming
year. The greatest cause of all for delay is failure to provide for
telegraphic or telephonic return reports in the case of diphtheria
specimens by the physicians or local board of health sending the same.
This should be done in all instances where the culture is sent for
diagnostic purposes. Train service is so complete and so rapid from
all parts of the Commonwealth to the city of Boston that apparently
few hours need be consumed in transmitting specimens from most
points in the State, provided the sender uses proper diligence to make
sure that the specimen leaves the local post ofRce promptly.
Laboeatory Work of a Research Nature.
In addition to the routine examination of specimens submitted for
diagnosis the laboratory is doing an increasing amount of most valu-
able epidemiological research work. This work is as yet only very
imperfectly developed, and is susceptible of great advances in the
future, which should have as a natural result a diminution of the
prevalence of certain communicable diseases, especially diphtheria and
typhoid fever.
This work may be grouped under three general headings: first, the
search for typhoid carriers; second, the search for diphtheria carriers,
which is principally carried out by means of routine school cultures
in instances where diphtheria continues persistently; and third, in
the carrying out of the virulence test in cases of unusual persistence
of diphtheria bacilli in the throat.
(a) Search for Typhoid Carriers.
The search for individual typhoid carriers becomes of paramount
importance in certain continuing outbreaks or epidemics of typhoid
fever. In fact, it is oftentimes the only possible way in which the true
source of the disease can be ascertained and the outbreak stopped.
The method, in brief, is to first determine by careful epidemiological
examination the total number of persons who have been handlers of
558 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
milk or other food products, and consider them all under suspicion
until proven otherwise; then to take blood specimens for the Widal
test from all of them, and then to follow up all positive Widal returns
by obtaining specimens of the urine and feces and examining repeat-
edly for the typhoid germ. In some instances where the Widal is
negative the epidemiological evidence will be so direct as to make it
advisable to go through the search for the organism in the excreta,
and not infrequently the carrier is located by this means.
But all of this work is extremely tedious and time-consuming. To
isolate a single organism such as the typhoid bacillus from a speci-
men of feces, which is always teeming with countless millions of
bacteria of almost infinite variety, is in itself no small piece of work.
In carrying out this type of work during the past year 382 cultures,
representing 260 individuals, were examined, and in all the typhoid
bacillus isolated in 23 instances.
(6) Diphtheria Carrier Work.
The details of examination for detecting the diphtheria carriers
will be found under the report of the epidemiologist. At this point it
is only necessary to indicate that the problem is quite different from
that of the search for typhoid carriers, because of the much larger
number of individuals that have to be considered. Fortunately, the
work on the individual case is very much less than that in the search
for typhoid carriers. This type of work has been carried out in many
instances during the past year, but has not yet begun to be utilized
as generally as it should. However, to obtain results at all commen-
surate with the amount of work involved, it is necessary that routine
diphtheria culture work be done under a well thought-out previous
plan.
Fundamentally, all such work as this is not of an emergency nature
and cannot be allowed to usurp the demands upon the laboratory for
immediate diagnosis. This fact, together with the fact that the total
output of the laboratory is distinctly limited, renders the extension of
routine search for diphtheria carriers a slower process than would other-
wise be the case. In many instances the local school and health authori-
ties seem unable to comprehend the limitations and difficulties of this
type of work; but as it is gradually expanded, a clear understanding
of both its usefulness and its limitations is being reached by both
the laboratory authorities and the local health authorities. It is be-
lieved that the ultimate result will be of very marked assistance in
diminishing the prevalence of diphtheria.
No. 34.1 DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 559
(c) Diphtheria Virulence Test.
The virulence test for diphtheria deserves a brief special notice. In
a certain proportion of the chronic diphtheria carriers the type of germ
is not in the least capable of producing disease. Therefore, in order
to avoid injustice in matters of quarantine, it becomes highly essential
that this point should be determined in all doubtful cases. This is done
as routine on all positive results in searching for diphtheria carriers, and
done upon request of the local authorities whenever a person who has
had the disease has been quarantined for an unusual length of time and
still shows a positive result on " release " culture. This test is not a
complicated or difficult one after the diphtheria bacilli from the throat
of the individual under suspicion have been obtained in culture entirely
free from the other contaminating germs that always occur with the
dipht"heria bacillus in the throat. However, this procedure in itself is
extremely tedious and time-consuming.
Laboratory Relations with Local Diagnostic Laboratories.
One of the most far-reaching problems before the Division of Com-
municable Diseases is the question of most efficient development of
laboratory service for many of our common infectious diseases whose
more and more complete suppression involves to an increasing degree
the early, prompt and repeated utilization of laboratory facilities. For
very large cities there can be no question that the most economical as
well as the most efficient method of solving this problem is that of main-
taining their own diagnostic laboratories under the control of the local
boards of health.
For the smaller cities and towns there are three possible solutions
of this problem : —
(a) To greatly increase the facilities and output of the State laboratoiy and
at the same time decrease in all possible manner the delay incident to trans-
mission of specimens and of return reports. In brief, to encourage greater utili-
zation of the State diagnostic laboratory rather than the further estabUshment
of the development of small local laboratories.
(6) The second solution of the laboratory problem is to encourage the estab-
lishment of a larger number of strictly local laboratories.
(c) The third system is one that has been adopted very successfully in certain
States, all of which have much larger areas than Massachusetts. This policy is
one by which the State continues to finance and supervise the diagnostic labora-
tory service to physicians and boards of health in precisely the same way as
through the central laboratory, but at the same time it endeavors to approxi-
mate the advantages of local laboratory service. This is brought about by the
establishment of so-called State branch diagnostic laboratories.
560 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
The director of the Division and the Bacteriologist have made some
studies upon this problem, but do not feel that the best policy can
yet be determined. One thing is certain, — there can be no advan-
tages in the shape of local promptitude of service sufficient to offset
some very distinct disadvantages in maintaining a separate laboratory
service for aggregations of population of less than 50,000. If a con-
siderable amount of water and milk routine laboratory work is car-
ried on in connection with the diagnostic laboratory work there is
ample room and need for a well-equipped laboratory in any com-
munity of over 50,000. If the only laboratory service that is furnished
is that of diagnosis of clinical specimens, and reasonably prompt serv-
ice can be obtained from a larger, more completely equipped labora-
tory, it is very questionable whether the advantages of local service
are sufficient to offset the disadvantages in cities between 50,000 and
100,000. In cities of 100,000 and over the advantages of maintaining
a local laboratory greatly outweigh any possible disadvantages. The
greatest disadvantage in maintaining a separate laboratory in a small
town is the excessively high cost per specimen. In the aggregate, this
becomes out of all proportion to the benefits derived.
To illustrate what is meant by this it is necessary only to cite one
comparatively small town which could, if it chose, have a prompt
service without cost from the diagnostic laboratory of the State
Health Department, and which is now paying approximately $2 per
specimen for examinations at a laboratory which is not as convenient
of access as the State laboratory. •
The distance alone is not the determining factor in the utilization
of the State laboratory. This fact is very easily demonstrated by
dividing the State on a basis of zones and determining the number of
specimens submitted in proportion to the population, exclusive of
those cities and towns maintaining their own bacteriological labora-
tories or contracting to receive full bacteriological laboratory service
from neighboring cities and towns. This has been done and the result
computed for a five-year period, — 1910-15, inclusive. The table
shows variations in the amount of laboratory service furnished by
the diagnostic laboratory of the State Health Department, according
to average distance from the State House.
No. 34.
DIVISION OF COIVUMUNICABLE DISEASES. 561
Zone (Miles).
Population,!
1910 Census.
Yearly Aver-
age Specimens
examined
for Five-year
Period.
Yearly Aver- •
age Specimens
examined i
per 1,000 Popu-
lation.
0- 15,
15- 30,
30- 45,
45- 60,
60- 75,
75- 90,
90-105,
105-120,
374,598
378,777
178,198
123,097
51,732
68,843
31,408
58,980
3,995.0
2,153.6
641.4
516.4
696.8
110.4
75.0
172.4
8.5
5.3
3.4
4.1
12.6
1.3
2.0
2.9
1 Exclusive of the population of cities and towns maintaining their own diagnostic laboratory service.
This table demonstrates some interesting facts. It shows, in the
first place, that both in the gross and the proportionate number of
specimens examined there is a sharp contrast between that portion
of the State which lies beyond the 90-mile zone, which is approxi-
mately the section west of the Connecticut River, and that portion of
the State that lies to the east of the Connecticut River. For if all the
State east of the Connecticut River is considered as one group, we find
that its average utilization of the service of the diagnostic laboratory
would be 7.2 specimens per year for every thousand population; whereas
that portion of the State that lies west of the Connecticut River util-
izes the laboratory services only to the extent of 2.2 specimens per year
for every thousand population. This, however, means either a very
marked discrepancy in the prevalence of the diseases in which labora-
tory examinations are of service for the extreme western portion of
the State compared to the rest of the State, or failure on the part of
the physicians and local boards of health from that portion of the
State to utilize modern laboratory assistance to a very great degree.
It is probable that both factors enter into the problem somewhat, but
it is hard to avoid the conclusion that the greatest reason why labora-
tory assistance is not more utilized is on account of the distance
and time consumed in specimens reaching the laboratory. This sug-
gests very strongly a possibility that the best ultimate solution of
the problem of furnishing laboratory service for the western portion
of the State may be the establishment of a branch diagnostic labora-
tory at a point that is most readily accessible to all localities of that
portion of the State. This center would logically be Springfield.
562 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
The Correlation of Laboratory Work with Epidemiological
Work.
Strictly speaking, a diagnostic laboratory is only a means to an
end. It is not to be regarded as a complete entity in itself, but sim-
ply as an extension of the work of the physician at the bedside, and
of the health authorities and of the epidemiologist in controlling
communicable diseases. It has its reason for existence as a public
health agency only in so far and to such an extent as the laboratory
serves as a means of interpreting puzzling results obtained in the
field, or in settling doubtful points in the physician's diagnosis. Re-
duced to the briefest possible terms, this means that the most efficient
routine diagnostic laboratory is the one whose routine methods of
work are fixed and determined by the epidemiological needs of the
community or communities which it seeks to serve; or, in other
words, that the work of the diagnostic laboratory should be subordinate
to the broader task of the suppression and control of communicable
diseases in general.
The diagnostic laboratory of the State Department of Health, as
at present organized, is endeavoring to carry out this policy exactly.
One of the ways in which the laboratory can give this service most
efiiciently is by serving as a close check upon the completeness,
promptness and accuracy of the reports of communicable diseases.
To carry this out involves a rather careful, detailed system of filing
and continual follow-up work. At the present time, for reasons out-
lined under the consideration of the work of the epidemiologist, this
cannot be done in this Commonwealth to any pronounced degree of
eflSciency. Nevertheless, by adopting the system of sending out to
the State District Health Officers and to the local boards of health
duplicate copies of the positive diagnoses of typhoid fever, diphtheria
and tuberculosis, the laboratory proves to be a most efficient means
of getting prompt and early account of communicable disease situations
which otherwise might prove much more extensive through the thought-
lessness or delinquency on the part of the physician in failing to report
the same promptly to the local authorities.
The Distribution of Silver Nitrate Prophylactic for the Pre-
vention OF Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
This feature of the work of the Division of Communicable Diseases
does not come under the laboratory, but for convenience of adminis-
tration the distributing service, by which antitoxin and vaccine are
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 563
sent out, and mailing cases for bacteriological specimens, is also used
for the distribution of this prophylactic. Under the report of the
State District Health Officers will be found a more detailed discussion,
accompanied by a chart, of the really quite remarkable showing in
decreased prevalence of serious cases of ophthalmia neonatorum in
the Commonwealth in the years since the policy of distributing pro-
phylactic was adopted plus the policy of careful individual investi-
gation of all reported cases by the District Health Officers. However,
shortly after the director of the Division assumed the duties of his
position, complaints began to be called to his notice relative to the
form of silver nitrate prophylactic that the State has been distributing
for the past few years. These complaints, which came mostly from the
individual physicians, some from the local boards of health, related
almost entirely to the occurrence of small particles floating in the
solution. Several of the District Health Officers also expressed an
opinion that the occurrence of these small particles at times caused a
transient irritation in the eyes of the infant which had been treated
with the prophylactic.
The matter was referred to the laboratory of the Division of Food
and Drugs for investigation and analysis. The director of that Divi-
sion reported that the particles were unquestionably small disinte-
grated bits of rubber from the dropper itself, which had been caused
by the action of the silver nitrate upon the rubber. He also reported
that analysis of the first specimens all indicated that the silver nitrate
strength was far below the 1 per cent, standard that was recommended
and stamped upon the dropper. As a result of this examination the
food and drug laboratory was asked to make examination of many
specimens, including some droppers that had been returned as un-
satisfactory by physicians and local boards, and some that had never
been distributed. The analytical results showed that the solution
was invariably far below the 1 per cent, strength required. Jeeling
that this state of affairs was of most serious import to the public
health, inasmuch as reliance upon a product because of its being guar-
anteed by the State might conceivably be a direct cause of the total
loss of vision, in spite of the remarkably favorable showing that had
taken place in the decrease of ophthalmia neonatorum since the insti-
tution of free distribution of the prophylactic, a careful investigation was
made as to the reliability of various outfits on the market containing
silver nitrate prophylactic. One was finally found, guaranteed by a most
reliable biological house to be under all conditions within the terms
guaranteed, very close to 1 per cent, strength. This product costs
considerably more than the old product, but as the latter had proved
564 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
to be so utterly unreliable, the change was made and the new type of
prophylactic is now in stock and will be distributed at once to the
medical profession and local boards of health.
Statistical details of the work of the diagnostic laboratory can be
found under the report of the bacteriologist.
C. THE WORK OF TJIE STATE DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS.
Introduction.
Most vital and most representative of all the activities of the Divi-
sion of Communicable Diseases is the organization of the State District
Health Officers. Without their constant watchfulness and prompt
conference with local health authorities much, perhaps the major
portion, of the epidemiologist's work in systematizing and studying
the returns of communicable diseases would be practically wasted, so
far as immediate disease-preventive work is concerned. And in mod-
ern public health work it is the aborting of epidemics that counts
rather than holding "post mortems" on them after they have had
their run untrammeled only to die out eventually for lack of fresh
material. •
Without the District Health Officers constantly available to point
out the possibilities and the limitations of the laboratory service, much
of the trained skill of the diagnostic laboratory personnel would go
unutilized.
Without their continual friendly supervision the work of the various
tuberculosis dispensaries would lack greatly in efficiency, and would
present no uniformity of plan or procedure.
Without their constant watchful advice many local boards of health
would waste valuable energy and enthusiasm on faddist health move-
ments which experience has shown to be of little or no lasting value.
Without ever-present moral pressure from the District Health Offi-
cers many of the local boards of health in smaller towns would tend
to lapse into a continuous state of catalepsy, greatly to the detriment
of the public welfare.
Organization.
The act creating the State Department of Health provides for the
establishment of eight health districts, each under the supervision of
a full-time District Health Officer who shall be the direct personal
representative of the Commissioner of Health, and, under the directors
of divisions, shall secure the enforcement within each district of the
public health laws and regulations. The law provides that a District
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 565
Health Officer must be a graduate of a recognized school of medicine
or have at least five years' experience in public health duties and
sanitary science. If further provides that each District Health Officer
shall have all the powers and perform the duties previously performed
by the State Inspectors of Health. The District Health Officers shall
be appointed and removed only with the approval of the Public
Health Council. No details are given as to the manner of either ap-
pointment or removal. It is further provided that the compensation,
not in any case exceeding $3,500, shall be approved for each appoint-
ment by the Governor and Executive Council.
By resolution of the Commissioner and Public Health Council it
was decided to fill the eight positions by a competitive examination
open to all eligible candidates; and a set of rules and regulations
governing the appointment and promotion, and stating that prefer-
ence would be given to citizens of Massachusetts and that public
health administrative experience would be duly allowed in the final
relative standing, was promulgated by the Commissioner, approved
by the Public Health Council, and sent to all persons who made ap-
plications or inquiries regarding the position of District Health Officer.
With this a form of voucher was sent out to be signed and returned
with a formal application by the person desiring to take the examina-
tion before any were considered eligible. The date of the examination
was announced both by the public press and by individual notices to
applicants.
The Commissioner of Health appointed a board of examiners, con-
sisting of the director of the Division of Communicable Diseases, as
recorder, and four members of the Public Health Council. Written
examinations were held in the following subjects: —
(a) Preventive medicine.
(b) Communicable diseases.
(c) Hj^giene and sanitation.
(d) Pathology, bacteriology and vital statistics.
In addition, an oial examination was held, and each candidate was
required to show evidence of physical fitness to perform the duties^ of
the office. Through the courtesy of the Civil Service Commission
their regular examination room was used, and one of the officials of
the Civil Service Commission, following their usual procedure, as-
signed a number to each candidate, and received, under seal, the name
corresponding to the examination number. These names were kept
by the Civil Service Commission until the examination papers had
been corrected and the final ratings made in accordance with the
566 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
examination number. In this manner the board of examiners had no
knowledge of the identity of the authors of the various sets of papers.
In all, approximately 50 candidates made inquiry. Of these, all but
27 were not eligible to take the examination, some because of the
age limit, and others because of unwillingness to accept the full-time
principle. In fact, a great deal of controversy and opposition was
aroused over the insistence by the Commissioner of the full-time
principle, — a rather remarkable occurrence in the face of the plain,
explicit language of the statute, which says, "They shall not engage in
any other occupation and shall give their entire time to the perform-
ance of their duties."
Twenty-seven candidates were admitted to the examination. One
of these was subsequently disqualified because of being over the age
limit, and three were disqualified for final rating because of failure
to complete the written examination, leaving a total of twenty-three
who received final markings. Ten of the eleven former State In-
spectors of Health qualified for the examination. As a group, their
previous experience and thorough familiarity with public health work
placed them far in advance of the inexperienced candidates. Seven
out of the eight successful candidates were previously State Inspectors
of Health. The eighth successful candidate was a physician who had
not only an extensive experience as a local health officer in the Com-
monwealth, but also held a certificate in public health, and had spent
considerable time in rural sanitary work in another part of the country
prior to taking the examination.
Following the appointment of District Health Officers, conferences
were held between the District Health Officers, directors of divisions and
the State Commissioner of Health to determine the limits of each district
and to outline the duties of a State District Health Officer. These pre-
liminary conferences proved of such great advantage in arriving at a
clearer reciprocal understanding as to the nature of their work, between
the District Health Officers in the field and the Commissioner and
directors of the divisions at the central office of the State Department
of Health, that they have been continued since on a regular monthly
basis.
It would be impossible to overestimate the importance of these
monthly conferences. By this means, the field work has been planned
out in advance and kept in correlation with all of the needs of the
Department. New lines of work, especially those that involve the
duties of the District Health Officers as representatives of other
divisions of the Department than that of Communicable Diseases,
have been determined, and the amount of time and expenditure to
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMIMUNICABLE DISEASES. 567
be allotted to them also settled by direct conference between the
various division heads and the District Health Officers. The work
of the various District Health Officers has been, to no small degree,
uniformly standardized by means of these conferences.
Dual Nature of Duties of District Health Officers.
A clear comprehension of the activities, duties and results of the
work of the District Health Officers of this Department cannot be
obtained unless the point is thoroughly kept in mind that in Massa-
chusetts the functions of the State District Health Officers divide
naturally into two quite distinct sets of duties. It is a rather in-
teresting fact that in actual practice during the past year there has
been approximately an even division of the time of the District
Health Officers in each of these fields of activity.
1. The first fundamental duty of the State District Health Officer
is to act as the representative of the Department in the field for the
suppression of communicable diseases. It is for this reason that,
although acting as general representatives of the Department in the
field, the District Health Officers in the administrative organization
are placed under the Division of Communicable Diseases. The par-
ticular manner in which the activities of the District Health Officers
are exercised in the field of communicable diseases can be found more
in detail in the report of the District Health Officers themselves. It is
perhaps sufficient to sa}^ here that during the past year their duties
in this respect have been more or less evenly divided into two major
divisions: (a) those pertaining to the extension of the antituberculosis
program of the State, and (6) in the investigation of epidemics,
outbreaks or individual cases of other diseases dangerous to the
public health.
2. The other fundamental function of the District Health Officers
is that of general representatives of the Department in their respective
districts. This involves a multiplicity of duties that bring them in
touch with the work of each one of the divisions of the State Depart-
ment of Health.
Perhaps the greatest amount of time and energy that is devoted
to this portion of their work consists in meeting in frequent and
informal conferences with the local health authorities at their request.
Another, though not so important a function, is that of looking up
data and taking samples for the Engineering Division. Another is
that of investigating, upon request of the director, matters that
pertain to the Division of Food and Drugs. The greatest call for
568 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
the services of the District Health Officers from within the Depart-
ment itself, however, aside from strictly communicable disease work,
is along the lines of activity that are being developed by the Division
of Hygiene. These include general public health educational work by
lectures and otherwise, investigations into infant mortality and
infant welfare, the extension of public health nursing, studies in rural
hygiene, school hygiene, etc. In addition, each District Health Officer
is from time to time detailed to special lines of work of an investi-
gative nature that may be taken up by the Department.
Very briefly, the outstanding features of the work of the District
Health Officers will be referred to at this point. Any who are in-
terested in learning details are referred to the report of the District
Health Officers.
(1) Investigation of Communicable Diseases.
The duties of the State District Health Officers in this respect are
as follows: —
(a) Routine Disease Reports. — They receive simultaneously with
the central office of the Department daily reports from local boards
of health of the communicable diseases reported by the physicians
and householders. Each District Health Officer keeps a rough work-
ing scheme by which he can detect at once unusual prevalence of
any of the epidemic diseases in any community. Whenever the
grouping of reported cases suggests the possibility of becoming epi-
demic he at once gets in touch with the local authorities of the city
or town under suspicion, and thereafter carries out such epidemio-
logical researches as may be indicated, limited only by the desire of
the local authorities for assistance and the amount of time that he
can devote to such work. When any individual epidemic, either
from the standpoint of number of cases or from obscurity of origin,
reaches a point where it requires the undivided attention of the in-
vestigator for some time, or if the District Health Officer is unable
to satisfactorily reach any explanation of the causation of the epi-
demic, he then calls upon the epidemiologist of the Department to
assist him.
(h) Tuberculosis Follow-up Work. — In addition to this close per-
sonal scrutiny of distinct disease outbreaks, it has been the general
policy of the Department to develop certain distinctive lines of work
for individual diseases which do not occur in epidemic form, but
which are of particular interest. The chief of these is tuberculosis.
The details of the follow-up system for tuberculosis can be found in
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 569
the report of the epidemiologist. In brief, it may be said that the
present system of tuberculosis control involves the co-operation of
several factors, the principal ones being the practicing physicians,
the local boards of health, the tuberculosis dispensaries in the larger
cities and towns, the public health nurses engaged exclusively or
partially in tuberculosis visiting and instructive work, the local
tuberculosis hospitals, the Trustees of Hospitals for Consumptives
and the State Department of Health.
The State District Health Officer plays a most important part in
this follow-up scheme; in fact, he may be justly designated as the
connecting link between all other factors. The establishment, per-
sonnel, methods of procedure and approval or disapproval as to re-
sults, in the case of the tuberculosis dispensaries, are under his direct
supervision. The follow-up system for the individual consumptive
is based upon reciprocal reporting between the officials in charge of
the tuberculosis sanatoria, the local boards of health and the tuber-
culosis dispensaries. In those cities and towns maintaining a tuberr
culosis dispensary the District Health Officer does not investigate anj^
individual case unless it be one of special interest as an incorrigible
case, for example; but he looks to the dispensary physician and nurse
and the local board of health to keep the State Department informed
as to the whereabouts and prognosis and death of the known con-
sumptives, and to continually use all means in their power to discover,
locate and get in personal touch with new cases.
In the towns not maintaining tuberculosis dispensaries, some two
or three years ago the State Inspectors of Health started a policy of
visiting and investigating end results in every reported case. This
has proved in actual practice to be too great a task to be carried out
completely, but as far as it can be possibly done the District Health
Officers do follow up these cases. The link that is still missing here
is a field tuberculosis or public health nurse, working under the direc-
tion of the District Health Officers, to do this service which is strictly
analogous to the service already performed by the tuberculosis dis-
pensary nurses in the larger cities and towns.
(c) Follow-up Work in Ophthalmia Neonatorum. — The District
Health Officers follow up and investigate, either in person or through
the agency of the local boards of health in the larger cities, every case
reported as ophthalmia neonatorum. The results of this policy have
been most gratifying. The reduction in the number of cases of blind-
ness from this disease has been steady and constant from year to year,
ever since the policy was inaugurated, until now it is very near the
vanishing point.
570 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
(d) Anterior Poliomyelitis Follow-up Work. — A special investiga-
tion is made, as a routine, of all anterior poliomyelitis cases. As is
the case with tuberculosis, the pressure of other work has prevented
this being carried out in detail this year.
(e) Diphtheria Investigation. — The unreasonably high mortality
from diphtheria that still prevails in the Commonwealth has led the
District Health Officers on their own initiative to suggest, and, with
the approval of the director and Commissioner, to carry out within
the past few months an intensive investigation of all deaths from
diphtheria reported in the Commonwealth during the past two years.
This work will need to be carried out for fully a year before complete
data will be available, but once this is done it is believed that the
source of failure to save diphtheria cases will have been closely scru-
tinized, and remedial measures will then be inaugurated which ought
very materially to reduce the death rate from this disease.
(2) General Administrative or Investigative Duties.
(a) Organization of Local Health Workers. — Experience has proved
that in no field of public health endeavor are there more immediate
and gratifying results than by better organizing already existing forces.
With this in view, one of the chief functions of the District Health
Officer is to actively foster and inaugurate organizations of boards of
health and of public health nurses in their respective districts, and to
point out to such bodies the lines of joint concerted action in the
public health field which are most likely to yield permanent and last-
ing results. In a similar manner the District Health Officers seek to
encourage the public health sentiment already existing in such bodies
as medical societies, district nursing associations, infant welfare or-
ganizations, parent teachers associations, and the like, and to direct
their good will in lines of public health into ever increasingly effective
channels.
(6) Advice to Local Boards of Health. — Another important function
of the District Health Officer is to act as a general adviser to local boards
of health. The wide range of occasion when local boards of health
desire the advice and assistance of the District Health Officer is too
obvious to need any further comment than to state that this work
alone absorbs a considerable percentage of the time of the District
Health Officer.
(c) Supervision of Tuberculosis Dispensaries. — Another most im-
portant function of the District Health Officer has been the establish-
ment and supervision of the tuberculosis dispensaries of the larger
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 571
cities and towns. The details of this achievement and the difficulties
involved are described in the report of the District Health Officers.
Information as to the systems of keeping records by the dispensaries
and of utilizing the results of their investigations for drawing general
deductions on the tuberculosis problem of the State as a whole is
described in the work of the epidemiologist.
(d) General Public Health Educational Work. — Another important
field of the work of the District Health Officers involves general pub-
lic health educational work throughout their districts. This work is
carried on in close conjunction with the Division of Hygiene, and is
under the general supervision of the director of that Division.
(e) hispection of Jails, Reformatories and Lockups. — A routine
duty of the District Health Officers is imposed upon them by the
statutes calling for an inspection of jails and lockups, followed by
their recommendations to local authorities as to the improvement of
insanitary conditions when found. This work is, on the whole, un-
satisfactory. It involves a considerable expenditure of both time and
money. In general, it may be stated that the jails and reformatories
are always found in excellent condition. As regards the local lockups,
some are regularly found to be in good sanitary condition and are
known to be so with practical certainty by the District Health Officer
before he starts on his inspection. In the considerable number of
instances in which conditions are found radically defective from a
sanitary standpoint, neither the District Health Officer nor the State
Commissioner of Health has any authority to bring about remedial
changes. In many instances perusal of the reports for several years
past will show that the District Health Officer has condemned the
same condition in no uncertain terms and suggested the remedy
therefor with unvarying regularity from year to year, and that the
local authorities -to whom his suggestions are addressed have con-
tinued to do nothing with equal regularity. In many instances,
also, lockups are now being maintained by towns throughout the
Commonwealth where there is no real occasion for the maintenance of
such an institution.
(/) Nuisances. — The subject of nuisances is another one whose
present status is thoroughly unsatisfactory. The State Department
of Health has no authority whatever relative to nuisances. In a
great preponderance of instances nuisance problems resolve themselves
into simple questions of aesthetics or of neighborhood or personal
controversies and wrangles.
Many years ago it was the universal belief that nuisances and
obnoxious trades through their pollution of the atmosphere, and
572 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
all sources of filth in general, could of themselves produce contagious
diseases. On the basis of this now thoroughly exploded theory boards
of health have very generally been made the official keepers of the
community's conscience, so far as nuisances are concerned, instead
of the general police authorities, in whose province the great majority
of them more properly belong. The residuum of nuisances in which
a real public health problem can perhaps be unearthed is so small
that there can be but little justification, from the standpoint of the
public health, for the amount of time, energy and money that both
the State and city and town boards of health are obliged to devote
to these questions perennially. As matters now stand it is a common
practice of local health authorities to endeavor to dodge the issue,
when a nuisance question arises, by referring the matter to the State
health authorities and giving the complainant to understand that the
final decision in the matter rests with the State authorities, when the
facts of the case are directly opposite.
(3) Miscellaneous Work of the District Health Officers.
(a) Local Disease Records. — During the past year the District
Health Officers as a group have carried out several lines of special
work that call for some comment. One of their minor tasks has
been the replacing of the old contagious disease record book with a
new form of record book drawn up by the Department under the
authority of chapter 52, General Acts' of 1915. This new form has
now been adopted by practically all of the cities and towns in the
Commonwealth. The local authorities have been most courteous in
their co-operation in this matter.
(6) Assistance to Wassermann Laboratory. — Another special piece of
work has been that of assisting the assistant director of the Wasser-
mann Laboratory in getting started, as a routine practice, Wasser-
mann examinations of the inmates of State institutions.
(c) Typhoid Prophylaxis in State Institutions. — Another special
work has been the recommendation, although as yet but little followed,
to the trustees of State institutions to have all of the food handlers
of these institutions examined by epidemiological and laboratory
methods by the State Department of Health in order to detect possible
typhoid carriers among them, and to supplement this precaution by
immunizing as a routine, with the antityphoid vaccine, all the inmates
of such institutions. This policy was adopted by the State Depart-
ment of Health following a serious outbreak of typhoid, due to a
carrier working in the kitchen of one of the larger State insane insti-
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 573
tutions. The advantages of this procedure are so obvious, and the
ease with which it can be carried out in institutional life is so mani-
fest, that it is not a little surprising to note that many of the trustees
of State institutions have taken official cognizance of this offer of
assistance from the State Department of Health only to decline.
Such being their attitude, the responsibility for any future outbreaks
of typhoid in any institution cannot be justly placed upon the State
Department of Health.
(d) District Tuberculosis Hospital Resolve. — During the present
year another special piece of work that has taken a great deal of the
time and thought of the District Health Officers has been the carrying
out of chapter 136, Resolves of the General Court of 1915, approved
May 28, 1915, for investigation and report by the State Department
of Health as to the advisability of establishing county or district
tuberculosis hospitals.
(e) School Hygiene Investigation. — The District Health Officers dur-
ing the past year have devoted a good deal of time to an intensive
investigation of the present status of school hygiene and medical in-
spection of schools throughout the Commonwealth.
(/) Pasteur Treatment. — Still another special line of work that has
been the cause of no little anxiety and trouble to the Department has
been that of administering the antirabic treatment to persons bitten
by rabid or suspectedly rabid dogs. So much misunderstanding seems
to have developed over the attitude of the State Department of
Health regarding this matter that a little more explanation may not
be amiss in this report. When this work was started cases requiring
treatment were relatively few, and it was feasible to have the State
District Health Officer handle the administration of the Pasteur treat-
ment, in many instances going from place to place for this purpose.
The work increased to such an extent, however, that the District
Health Officers were frequently obliged to devote six or seven hours
a day traveling about for the purpose of administering the treatment,
and it was found to be necessary to notify the local boards of health
that this was taking so much time from the other duties of the Dis-
trict Health Officers that patients desiring such treatment would either
have to make arrangements to go at a definite, stated time to the
residence of the District Health Officer for treatment, or it would be
necessary for the family physician or the local board of health to
purchase the treatment and administer it. Considering the relative
public health significance of dog-bite cases, and all other work of the
District Health Officers, and the fact that this method still provides
574 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
eight places in the State in which treatment can be had promptly
and regularly, free of charge, while in all other States in the Union,
to our best knowledge, patients are required to go to some one central
point, although it may be several hundred miles, the medical profes-
sion, local boards of health and the general public of this State cer-
tainly have no cause for complaint in this matter.
In closing this outline of the activities of the District Health Offi-
cers it may not be inappropriate for the director to express his per-
sonal appreciation of the enthusiastic spirit with which each individual
District Health Officer has taken up the duties of his position. The
State Commissioner of Health is a strong advocate of the policy of
getting into direct personal touch with local health authorities through-
out the State, holding that failure, to obtain that mutual co-operation
that is so essential for successful public health administrative work
between the State and local authorities is in most instances due to
lack of the element of personal acquaintanceship, and hence the failure
on the part of the State authorities to appreciate the difficulties and
limitations, financial and otherwise, under which the local authorities
are endeavoring to carry on their work.
In the pursuit of this policy, at the Commissioner's direction, the
director of the Division of Communicable Diseases, early in the sum-
mer of 1915, began a series of visits to the local boards of health in
each district, in company with the District Health Officer, and dis-
cussed their problems with him. The fact that the tuberculosis dis-
pensaries were just being established in many of the towns of over
10,000 inhabitants rendered this policy of administrative visitation,
for it would be obviously unfair to term such visits an inspection in
any sense, peculiarly appropriate. It is very much to be regretted
that pressure of work in the central office during the latter months of
the year has prevented the complete carrying out of this plan of ac-
tion; but as soon as possible this practice of local visitation will be
resumed, and an endeavor will be made to make it more or less of an
annual feature of the work of this Division.
MISCELLANEOUS AND SPECIAL WORK BY THE DIVISION'S
PERSONNEL.
During the course of the year various members of the personnel of
the Division of Communicable Diseases have been assigned by the
Commissioner or by the director of the Division to certain special
lines of investigations, or to act as representatives of the Department
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COIMINIUNICABLE DISEASES. 575
on various occasions. This work, which has been allied to but not
directly in line with the routine duties of the Division, has been rather
varied and extensive.
1. Special Work by the Director.
(a) Service on the Special Board of Inxestigation of the Milk Situation
in Massachusetts.
The director of the Division was assigned by order of the Com-
missioner to act on the special board of the Department charged with
investigation of the milk situation in the Commonwealth. The duties
of this milk board have been extremely exacting; in fact, it has ab-
sorbed a very considerable percentage of the time of all the members
on it. As the subject is adequately covered in other parts of the
Department's report, and the special report of the board will soon
be forthcoming, it is not necessary to refer to the details of this work
further at this point.
(6) Service on School Hygiene Board.
In a similar manner the director of the Division has served as a
member of the committee of a special board investigating the present
status of medical inspection of schools and school hygiene in general,
including in this the instruction in sanitation and hygiene in the pub-
lic schools throughout the Commonwealth.
(c) Addresses by the Director.
Since becoming associated with the Department the director of the
Division has delivered 28 addresses on various topics of a public
health nature before physicians, nurses, boards of health officials,
women's clubs and mixed popular audiences.
(d) Official Attendance at Public Health Meetings and Conferences.
At the direction of the Commissioner, the director of the Division
has attended several meetings and conferences of both formal and
informal nature. The most important of these meetings were: —
The Annual Conference of State and Provincial Boards of Health of North
America, held at Washington, D. C, May 14, 1915.
The Annual Meeting of the American Pubhc Health Association, held at
Rochester, N. Y., Sept. 6 to 10, 1915.
The Second Annual New England Conference on Tuberculosis, held at Spring-
field, Oct. 23, 1915.
576 • STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Beside these meetings, which the director attended as an official
representative of the Department, he has attended as a matter of
course district meetings of associations of boards of health, the annual
meeting of the Massachusetts Medical Society, and certain other
health meetings and conferences within the Commonwealth, including
the regular sessions of the Massachusetts Association of Boards of
Health.
(e) Work on Popular Health Lectures.
Another special line of work to which the director of the Division
has devoted a considerable amount of time during the past few
months has been in assisting the director of the Division of Hygiene
in arranging the details of the Department's popular health lecture
course.
2. Special Work by the Epidemiologist.
The epidemiologist has carried out numerous lines of special work
in the interests of the Department. These may be briefly epitomized
under the following heads: —
(a) Trips of Investigation.
The epidemiologist has made one important trip for the purpose of
investigating both epidemiological and routine office matters of the
New York City Health Department in reference to certain changes
under consideration in this Department.
(6) Adjustment of General Office Routine.
Following the reorganization of the Department into divisions, it
was found that there would need to be a considerable amount of read-
justment of details of office routine. Owing to his previous extensive
executive experience in office work, the epidemiologist was detailed
by the Commissioner to formulate and put into effect a complete
plan of readjustment of office work. This important duty has in-
volved a large amount of time and effort, and is not yet completely
finished.
(c) Addresses by the Epidemiologist.
The epidemiologist has made several addresses, principally before
popular audiences. This work is carried out in collaboration with
the Division of Hygiene, as a part of the general educational work.
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 577
(d) Educational Work by Epidemiologist.
The epidemiologist, to a much greater extent than the director,
has actively collaborated with the Division of Hygiene in arranging
details of the lecture work of that Division, especially in collecting
material for stereopticon lectures.
Worthy of passing reference under this same heading are the
regular contributions to the monthly bulletin by the epidemiologist.
Included in the routine work of the epidemiologist is the duty of
preparing the resume of communicable disease prevalence for the
monthly bulletin, besides contributing special articles from time to
time.
(e) Inauguration of a Public Health Library Reference System.
Another piece of special work by the epidemiologist that is of far-
reaching value to the Department as a whole is the matter of in-
augurating a well-balanced public health library reference system
and of reviewing and maintaining constantly an up-to-date index of
current public health literature. As far as possible important articles
are abstracted briefly and filed for convenient arid speedy future
reference.
The more important journals devoted exclusively to public health
topics are assigned among the medical members of the Division of
Communicable Diseases and reviewed by each one, and an abstract is
furnished at each monthly conference of the District Health Officers.
This procedure has proven a valuable means both of keeping the
personnel of the Division in touch with the latest developments in
public health procedure and also in adding to the efficiency of the
public health library reference service.
3. Special Work by the District Health Officers.
On their own initiative within their own districts, so many special
lines of investigation and of co-operation with local authorities are
constantly being inaugurated and carried out by the District Health
Officers that it would be tedious to take time to enumerate such
activities. However, certain special lines of work by various members
of the District Health Officer force deserve some brief reference.
(a) Attendance at Meetings and Conferences.
All but two of the District Health Officers attended the meeting of
the American Public Health Association at Rochester, N. Y. It is
worthy of passing comment to note that only one was sent as an
578 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
official representative of the Department. All the others who attended
the meeting, five in number, went entirely at their own expense.
Two of the District Health Officers, Dr. Hitchcock and Dr. Jones,
attended the New England Conference on Tuberculosis at Springfield
as representatives of the Department. In a similar manner as the
director, the District Health Officers have individually attended
numerous medical and public health meetings and conferences within
their own districts or in other parts of the Commonwealth, including
attendance at the meetings of the Massachusetts Association of
Boards of Health.
(6) Assistance to the Milk Board.
Two of the District Health Officers, Dr. Hitchcock and Dr. Fish,
have rendered extremely valuable assistance to the milk board of the
Department. In fact, they have been practically although non-
officially members of that board, actively carrying out investigations
and assisting in the final preparation and editing of the report. To a
more limited degree, several of the other District Health Officers
have assisted in the field investigations into dairy conditions.
(c) Editing Annual Reports.
Some months after assuming the duties of the office, the director
discovered that the report of the State Inspectors of Health for 1914
had never been edited for publication in the 1914 report. On in-
vestigating the matter he found that it had always been the policy
in the past to have the editorial work for this report done in the
central office. While this method of editing the report presents certain
obvious advantages, it was determined that the future policy of the
Department would be to have the District Health Officers, who are
responsible for the work done in their districts, also responsible for
the editing and preparation of the reports of this work. Therefore,
one of the District Health Officers, Dr. Jones, was detailed to edit
the 1914 report. Two other District Health Officers, Dr. MacKnight
and Dr. Simpson, have in a similar manner served as editors for the
1915 report.
(d) Addresses by the District Health Officers.
The District Health Officers have severally made numerous ad-
dresses, for the most part of a popular character, on public health
topics, both within their own districts and other parts of the Com-
monwealth, during the year. The most notable of these probably are
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 579
the addresses given at the joint conference held by the Massachusetts
Association of Boards of Health and the State Department of Health
in April, at which four of the District Health Officers spoke.
4. Special Work by the Bacteriologist.
The bacteriologist has been so swamped with details of routine work
that it has been impossible for her to carry out other laboratory re-
search work to any extent, or to do much other public health work
of a special character. She has, however, assisted the epidemiologist
on two or three occasions by collaborating in field work in searching
for suspected carrier cases, and has made some personal investigations
as to the methods and technique followed by other diagnostic labora-
tories maintained by local boards of health. It is planned to have
the bacteriologist study this phase of public health administration in
the Commonwealth very thoroughly during the coming year. At the
end of that time it is hoped that the Department may be able to
present a well-balanced and completely worked out diagnostic labor-
atory policy for the consideration of both the local boards of health
and, if occasion seems to indicate, for the General Court as well.
A BRIEF CONSIDERATION OF THE PRINCIPAL FEATURES OF
THE COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PROBLEM OF THE COM-
MONWEALTH ARRANGED ACCORDING TO DEFINITE
GROUPS OF DISEASES.
In working out definite lines of attack in the fight against prevent-
able diseases it can easily be determined that the individual signifi-
cance of the various communicable diseases varies to a very high
degree. Some diseases that were once both extremely common and
horribly fatal are, under present conditions in this Commonwealth,
practically a negligible factor, both as to the fatality resulting from
them and the total amount of sickness that they cause. Other dis-
eases are extremely prevalent, and result in a great deal of loss of
time, suffering to the individual and rather extensive dislocations of
certain activities of community life, but do not exert any marked
influence on the total mortality rate. Still other groups of communi-
cable diseases are both very common and produce a considerable effect
upon the fatality rate in the community.
The remainder of this report will be taken up with a skeleton
sketch of the problems that certain groups of communicable diseases
present in a practical health administrative sense.
580 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
In this general consideration of communicable disease problems the
figures employed for both cases and deaths are for the year of 1914.
In all other parts of this report statistics of disease relate to the
year 1915; but for purposes of this report it was impossible to obtain
segregated reports of causes of death for the year 1915.
Gkoup a.
This group comprises certain serious and formerly extremely com-
mon causes of both sickness and death within the Commonwealth,
but which are now well controlled, relatively speaking. The means
of transmission of this group of diseases are well known, and the
proper preventive measures have been for some time worked out and
are now quite generally applied. They do not represent a large per-
centage in the mortality rates. The diseases in this group are malaria,
smallpox and typhoid fever.
Lines of Attack.
The practical lines of attack that are available for this group may be epito-
mized as follows: prompt reporting by physicians; proper degree of isolation
carried out by the local health authorities; prophylactic vaccine (for smallpox
and typhoid fever) ; proper appMcation of the principles of sanitary engineering
(for malaria and typhoid) ; proper sanitation of foods, including milk (for typhoid
fever). For the entire group, further extension of education of the public in
the principles of pubUc health.
The total number of cases reported for this group for the year of
1914 is 2,377, distributed as follows: —
TyiDhoid fever, 2,333
Smallpox, 38
Malaria, 6
Total, 2,377
The total number of deaths reported for this group for the year
1914 is 276, distributed as follows: —
Tj'phoid fever, 268
Smallpox, -
Malaria, 8
Total, 276
This total represents only .5 of 1 per cent, of the total deaths of
the Commonwealth.
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 581
Group B.
This group includes certain diseases whose causes are well under-
stood and whose means of transmission are reasonably well known,
but which, for a variety of reasons, are as yet inadequately controlled
in the Commonwealth. They have a very large percentage in the
mortality rates, and the total economic and humanitarian loss due to
their prevalence is almost incalculable. The diseases in this group
are diphtheria and tuberculosis in all its forms.
Lines of Attack.
The lines of attack available for this group are many and varied. There is
every reason to believe that still greater concentration of effort along the same
Unes that have been followed in the past will result in continued decrease in
both the frequency and fataUty of these two justly dreaded diseases. The
principal lines of attack are: prompt reporting by the physicians; prompt
isolation by the local health authorities (for diphtheria); modified isolation
(for certain types of tuberculosis); wider utiUzation of laboratory facilities
for diagnostic purposes; wider utihzation of the public health tuberculosis
dispensaries; extension of the practical application of the principles of child
hygiene and school hygiene; wider extension of pubhc health "nursing" serv-
ice; strict sanitary control of the milk supply, including extension of pasteuriza-
tion, improvement of housing, individual hygiene, personal hygiene, industrial
hygiene, extension of the pubUc health education and extension of the practice
of hospitalization.
The total number of cases reported for this group for the year of
1914 is 15,794, distributed as follows: —
Diphtheria, 8,080
Tuberculosis, puhnonarj', 7,144
Tuberculosis (other forms), 570
Total, 15,794
The total number of deaths reported for this group for the year of
1914 is 5,713, distributed as follows: —
Diphtheria, 652
Tuberculosis, pulmonary, 4,171
Tuberculosis (other forms), 890
Total, 5,713
582 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
This total represents 9 per cent, of the total number of deaths; in
other words, one of the greatest problems of the communicable dis-
ease prevalence in the Commonwealth centers in this group of cases.
Group C.
This group comprises diseases whose etiology and means of trans-
mission are thoroughly well understood, whose means of prevention
are quite definitely known and, to a limited extent, practically avail-
able. The group represents beyond question a very large, but as
yet unrecognized and undeterminable, percentage in the total mortal-
ity rates. In the aggregate probably no other group of communicable
diseases produces as much human suffering and misery, as much
impairment of the efficiency of the human machine, as much individual
family and community impairment as do these diseases. Added to
these features, which might in a sense be attributed to any communi-
cable disease, are other features of the gravest importance to the State
and the nation. The first of these is the far-reaching adverse effects
of these diseases upon the general birth rate of the community, and
the tendency of those infected with these diseases to bear children
stillborn or those of a physically defective type that are born alive.
Other tragic effects of the prevalence of these diseases are of the most
far-reaching consequence, tending as they do to disrupt the very
foundation of society itself through their sinister influence on the
family unit. The ramifications of this last group of effects of these
diseases extend far beyond the realms of public health into those of
public morals and social or community economics. These effects are
due partly to the high degree of permanent invalidism the diseases
themselves produce, and partly to the tendency of one of the diseases
of the group to produce the most terrible and, for the community at
large, the most expensive of all maladies, — insanity. The diseases
in this group are syphilis and gonorrhoea.
Neither of these diseases is at the present time reportable in the
Commonwealth; hence it is impossible to give any statistical data
which will even remotely approximate their actual prevalence. But
as some slight indication of the widespread prevalence of both these
diseases there might be cited a well-known fact that fully 50 per
cent., if not more, of all pelvic operations are more or less remotely
due to an earlier infection of gonorrhoea by the patient.
Some suggestive, but as yet seriously incomplete, investigations of
the Wassermann reaction, taken from a group of persons who were
not seeking medical or surgical advice for the actual treatment of the
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COJNIMUNICABLE DISEASES. 583
disease itself, tend to indicate that syphilitic infection is prevalent
to at least 10 per cent, frequency in the general population of the
industrial centers of the Commonwealth.
The mortality statistics for these two diseases are well-nigh as
hopeless as the morbidity statistics. It is very safe to say that
probably not over 3 to 5 per cent, of the fatalities that are funda-
mentally the result of prior syphilitic infection ever appear on the
death returns as such. It is possible, and even probable, that neither
the immediate nor remote fatality effects from gonorrhoea begin to
equal those of syphilis. But it is well known to all medical men that
the fatalities which are actually due to the last analysis of infection
with gonococcus are much greater than is popularly conceived.
Lines of Attack.
The principal lines of attack that are practicable in the campaign against
these diseases are, roughly, as follows: Widespread utilization of laboratory
service for the diagnosis of these diseases, including the Wassermann reaction
for syphilis, and complement-fixation reaction for gonorrhoea, and immediate
microscopical examination for the gonococcus and the spirachseta for both.
For syphihs, systematic treatment of active syphilitics, with the object in view
of reducing the number of individuals who can act as foci of infection. This
measure is now entirely practicable through the utilization of salvarsan. For
gonorrhoea no process has yet been devised that will accorapUsh results similar
to those of salvarsan. Two other great lines of attack he open in the struggle
against these diseases; they are public health education and hospitalization.
Finally, in trying to arrive at a conclusion as to the relative practicability of
agents in the struggle against these justly termed social maladies, it is of the
utmost importance to remember that for the very reason that they are in no
small degree social problems, moral education must go hand in hand with
pubUc health education if ultimate satisfactory results in diminished prevalence
of these diseases are ever to be achieved.
Group D.
This group includes certain communicable diseases that attack
the respiratory passages. As a group there is the widest possible
range in the seriousness of the individual diseases, yet in many
instances it is possible to draw a sharply defined line between various
diseases of the group. As yet it can scarcely be said that the science
of preventive medicine has made any marked effect upon either the
prevalence or fatality of these diseases.
Although their cause is fairly well known from a bacteriological
standpoint, yet the germs that are considered universally to be the
exciting cause in all the diseases of this group are so widely distrib-
584 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
uted in the throats of normal, healthy individuals, and the conditions
which result in these germs changing from apparently entirely harmless
permanent residents of the respiratory passages to acutely disabling
or even frightfully virulent organisms are as yet so little understood,
that it is impossible to outline any proper lines of attack with any
such assurance that they are logical, as can be done in the cases of
many other communicable diseases.
The more serious diseases of this group, the pneumonias, have a
very great percentage importance in the general mortality rates.
The economic and social burden of the nonfatal cases of the pneu-
monias upon the community is in the aggregate large, although not
to be compared with the morbidity burden of tuberculosis, because
of the extremely acute nature of the great majority of cases of ill-
ness from the causes now under consideration.
Even the more trivial diseases of this group, the very name of which
is standing evidence of their universal prevalence, the so-called
"common colds," not only are directly responsible in the aggregate
for a very great amount of lessened efficiency of the human machine
in this Commonwealth every year but, from these so-called "common
colds" such serious disorders as tonsillitis, ear abscesses, meningitis,
purulent infections of the bony cavities of the face and skull can and
do arise. All of these maladies either destroy many human lives annu-
ally, or else lead, after most serious and prolonged illness, to serious
surgical operations. Furthermore, tonsillitis, often lighted up by the
preliminary cold, can be held responsible in a large number of cases
for many serious diseases which first manifest themselves at a con-
siderable distance from the originally offending tonsil. The diseases
in this group are acute coryzas (common cold), the various types of
acute bronchitis, bronchial pneumonia and lobar pneumonia.
Lines of Attack.
Although there has been some hopeful work done along lines of preparation
of specific vaccines for the pneumonias, as yet none of these results have become
of widespread practicability in the struggle against these diseases. There is a
great deal of cumulative evidence that goes to show that, from a practicable
pubUc health standpoint, the best lines of attack in coping with these maladies
that we know at present fie in the direction of proper personal hygiene, including
in this such things as proper clothing, proper hours of work, adequate amount
of sleep, avoidance of undue exposure to rapidly changing extremes of tempera-
ture, fresh air, moderation of eating and drinking, etc.
Inasmuch as none of the diseases of this group are at present
reportable, it is impossible to even approximately estimate the preva-
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 585
lence of even the serious pneumonias in the Commonwealth. But the
evidence of the death returns demonstrates conclusively that in this
is one of the major, and as yet entirely unsolved, problems of disease
prevention.
The total number of deaths reported for this group for the year of
1914 is 5,987, distributed as follows: —
Bronchial pneumonia, 2,594
Lobar pneumonia, 2,804
Indefinite diseases of respiratory passages, 589
Total, 5,987
This total represents 11.1 per cent, of the total number of deaths
recorded in the Commonwealth for that year.
Group E.
In this group are comprised certain diseases whose etiology is im-
perfectly known, but whose relative rate of infectiousness is, for the
most part, extremely high. Both their immediate and remote per-
centage in the mortality rates is relatively noteworthy, although not
to be compared with the groups just preceding. Unfortunately, how-
ever, both their serious significance as direct causes of death, and
the permanent bodily impairment in the shape of lessened resistance
to other diseases that they so often produce, are as yet very feebly
recognized by the general public.
Because of the extremely contagious nature of most of the diseases
in this group, and the fact that the definite cause of most of them is
yet uncertain, they represent a peculiarly difficult problem from the
standpoint of epidemiology. One of them, scarlet fever, has managed
to impress its serious nature upon the general public for some time
past. This has been due, undoubtedly, to the fact that, while not as
widespread as the other maladies in the group, its percentage fatality
is much higher and its obvious intermediate serious complications are
much more frequent. It is probably largely due to this greater popular
dread of this disease that, it may be fairly stated, it alone among the
entire group is at the present time reasonably well controlled, and
seems at present to be markedly on the decrease in the Common-
wealth. The diseases in this group are measles, the so-called strepto-
coccic infections of the throat (a comparatively poorly defined group
of infections), scarlet fever and whooping cough.
586 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Liines of Attack.
The lines of attack in this group of diseases may be epitomized as follows : first
of all, wider pubUc health education as to their significance, particularly wider
education of parents. Other elements in any successful effort against these dis-
eases must include such matters as prompt reporting; isolation; extension of
public health nursing and of the principles of school hygiene; guarding of the
food supplies (especially milk in connection with scarlet fever and the streptococ-
cic throat infections) ; and, to a limited extent as yet, specific vaccine therapy.
The total number of cases reported for this group for the year of
1914 is 26,573, distributed as follows: —
Measles, 12,264
Streptococcic infections of the throat, 36
Scarlet fever, 11,057
Whooping cough, 3,316
Total, 26,673
The total number of deaths reported for this group for the year of
1914 is 725, distributed as follows: —
Measles, ." 149
Streptococcic infections of the throat, . 105
Scarlet fever, 246
Whooping cough, 225
Total, 725
This total represents approximately 1.3 per cent, of the total deaths
of the Commonwealth for the year. While this showing does not
indicate that this whole group is a major factor in the fatality problem
of the Commonwealth, it is always necessary to bear in mind that in
practically all of the diseases of the group (but especially measles and
whooping cough) the diagnoses on the death returns do not by any
means indicate the true fatality of these diseases. It is probably safe
to assume that this whole group of diseases is immediately responsible
for between 3 to 5 per cent, of the total fatalities.
Group F.
In this group are classed certain communicable diseases whose
etiology is fairly well known, but whose means of transmission are
as yet but imperfectly known, and which exhibit a rather peculiar
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 587
phenomenon in that they do not remain regularly prevalent, but
exhibit most striking variations both in their prevalence and in their
percentage importance in the mortality rates from year to year.
One of them, influenza, is a difficult disease to either describe or to
grapple with in a practical public health sense, inasmuch as the very
term "influenza" itself is used in a loose and varied sense. There can
be no question that there exists a specific infectious disease which ex-
hibits, with the possible exception of bubonic plague, the greatest
tendency of any known disease to travel from time to time all over
the known world, and which, at the time of such invasions, presents
very serious features. But the term "influenza," or la grippe, is used
also to designate, in a loose and poorly defined sense, many of the
common milder infections of the respiratory passages which are more
properly grouped under the heading of " bronchitis."
Just at the present time serious and extremely fatal epidemics of
true influenza are prevalent in many of the middle western and central
Atlantic seaboard States. The disease has not as yet manifested itself
in epidemic form in this Commonwealth. Whether it may later in the
winter become serious is entirely problematical, as we have no reliable
means of averting its spread.
The total number of cases reported for this group for the year of
1914 is 332, distributed as follows: —
Anterior poUomyeUtis (infantile paralysis), 151
Epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, 181
Influenza, ""
Total,
332
The total number of deaths reported for this group for the year of
1914 is 201, distributed as follows: —
Anterior poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis), 45
Epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, 156
Influenza, ^^
Total, 2^^
This total represents .6 of 1 per cent, of the total deaths of the
Commonwealth for that year.
' Not reportable.
588 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Group G.
In this group may be lumped certain diseases that are practically of
zero importance in the mortality rates, and which present very low
morbidity impairment. In fact, the only point of real public health
importance concerned in the prevalence of these diseases is the fre-
quent error in diagnosis by which one of them, chicken pox, is con-
fused with mild cases of smallpox, — sometimes with disastrous subse-
quent results. In the year 1914 the diseases comprised in this group,
with the exception of chicken pox, were not reportable until May.
The diseases in this group are chicken pox, German measles and
mumps.
Lines of Attack.
The practically negligible importance of these diseases from both the morbidity
and mortahty standpoint does not justify extensive or intensive work directed
against them. The question of the desirability of including them with more
serious diseases among the reportable diseases at all is at least debatable.
The fact that chicken pox and smallpox at least are not infrequently confused
is the chief justification for their inclusion.
The total number of cases reported for this group for the year of
1914 is 5,483, distributed as follows: —
Chicken pox, 4,896
German measles, 21
Mumps, 566
Total, 5,483
There were no deaths reported from these diseases for the year of
1914 in this Commonwealth.
Group H.
In this group are included certain communicable diseases that are
practically of only zero importance in the mortality rate, but which
possess a peculiarly great economic, public health and humanitarian
significance because of their readily preventable nature and of the
crippling and tragic results which are so apt to follow their untreated
and unchecked course, — results which range from only moderate
impairment of vision up to total blindness. The diseases in this
group are ophthalmia neonatorum and trachoma.
No. 34.1 DWISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 589
Lines of Attack.
The lines of attack are: better control of birth returns, distribution and
utilization of silver nitrate prophylactic on new-born babies, prompt reports
of beginning cases, strict isolation and hospitalization for ophthalmia neona-
torum, medical school inspection, inspection of industrial employees, prompt
reporting and isolation for trachoma, and more widespread public health edu-
cation in regard to the significance of both these diseases is extemely important.
The total number of cases reported for this group for the year of
1914 is 2,666, distributed as follows: —
Ophthalmia neonatorum, 2,620
Trachoma, 68
Total, . . : 2,688
There were no deaths reported from these diseases for the year of
1914 in this Commonwealth.
Group I.
This group comprises diseases that have practically infinitesimal
percentage importance in the mortality rates, but which possess a
peculiar importance either from popular dread with which they are
regarded, in the case of some of them, or because of their utterly hope-
less character from the standpoint of fatality when once contracted in
the case of others, and because of their relative rarity in the case of
all of them. The diseases in this group are anthrax, actinomycosis,
glanders, leprosy, rabies and tetanus.
Lines of Attack.
The lines of attack are: the control of infectious diseases of animals for
anthrax, actinomycosis, glanders and rabies; prompt reporting, isolation,
pubUc health education for all; preventive antirabic treatment and quarantine
control of rabic animals for rabies; and permanent segregation for leprosy.
The total number of cases reported for this group for the year of
1914 is 50, distributed as follows: —
590 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Anthrax, 8
Actinomycosis, • 4
Glanders, 3
Leprosy, 1-
Rabies, 6
Tetanus, 31
Total, 53
The total number of deaths reported for this group for the year of
1914 is 38, distributed as follows: —
Actinomycosis, -
Anthrax, ' 1
Glanders, 3
Leprosy, 1
Rabies, 5
Tetanus, 28
Total, 38
This total represents such an infinitesimal percentage of the total
deaths of the Commonwealth for the year that, from the standpoint
of saving lives in the mass, this group of diseases may be considered
as entirely negligible. However, their individual seriousness is so
great as to justify most extreme measures of precaution in order to
prevent them from ever becoming more serious causes of death in a
quantitative sense.
NEW LINES OF WORK RECOMMENDED.
Along the lines of general future development of this Division, I
would most earnestly recommend to the Council the following broad
lines of policy to be worked out as occasion and future circumstances
may best determine: —
1. The extension of the principle of public health nursing service
in such a manner that, as soon as possible, one or more trained public
health nurses for each health district may be placed in the field as
permanent assistants to the District Health Officers.
2. That definite plans be made for radically changing the present
system of reporting communicable diseases. The present form of
postal notices does not furnish such fundamental data as the occu-
pation of the patient, milk supply, water supply, school attendance
No. 34.] DIVISION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 591
and the name of the reporting physician. The forwarding of the
original reports of cases to this Department is the ideal to be desired.
This information will serve as a rational basis for the more prompt
and thorough control of communicable diseases.
3. That the Division make careful plans for such future enlarge-
ment of laboratory service as we must be ready to furnish if our
laboratory facilities are going to keep in step with our increasing
thoroughness of epidemiological control in the field. The principal
problems involved in the question of further extension of laboratory
service are covered in more or less detail in the body of the report.
592 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Eepoet of Epidemiologist.
The position of epidemiologist was created on June 1, 1915. The
object of this addition to the Department was twofold, — to supple-
ment the investigations of the District Health Oflficers in the field in
especially difiicult or obscure outbreaks of disease, and to keep in close
touch with the whole problem of communicable disease from the
office.
The first step after the establishment of this position was a survey
of the present methods and conditions. Upon the results of this
study was based the plan of action which promised to be of the most
service to the Department. This survey revealed several important
things. It showed almost immediately the inadequacy of the office
records upon which to judge the presence and spread of communicable
diseases. It confirmed the opinion that there was need of some one
to co-operate with the District Health Officers in their investigations,
complete such investigations when they were called to other fields, and
to make special studies of difficult epidemiological problems. Finally,
it revealed the absolute necessity of a good follow-up system in our
epidemiological work if a proper estimate was to be placed upon the
relative values of the various investigations.
Fundamentals of Epidemiological Conteol.
The United States Public Health Service heads its morbidity reports
with this statement of fact: —
No health department, State or local, can effectively prevent or control disease
without a knowledge of when, where and under what conditions cases are
occurring.
We should like to add to this statement that this information should
be received promptly and the cases investigated thoroughly. No real,
permanent control of disease can be had with anything less than this.
The fundamentals of epidemiological control are —
1. Prompt reporting of all cases of communicable disease.
2. Prompt and thorough investigation of all outbreaks of communi-
cable disease.
3. An adequate follow-up system to check the value and correct-
ness of our epidemiological diagnoses.
No. 34.] REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST. 593
4. Complete records.
With this information, plus sufficient statutory powers, there can
be established an efficient, economical administrative control of com-
municable diseases. By these standards we have tried to judge the
efficiency of the epidemiological work in the Department.
Reporting of Diseases.
The statutory requirements for the reporting of diseases declared to
be dangerous to the public health to this Department are as follows:
The physicians and householders are required to report such diseases
to the local board of health in the,city or town where they are located.
This is done upon postal cards furnished by the local board of health.
In turn the local board of health, within twenty -four hours, is required
to report all such diseases to this Department. These reports are
made upon a double postal card furnished by this Department.
Through voluntary co-operation by local boards of health a duplicate
of this report is mailed directly to the District Health Officer. These
cards contain the following data: the date of the report, the name of
the disease, the name and address of the patient.
This system is not entirely satisfactory. Its advantages are that it
brings prompt reports and that its cost is comparatively small. The
disadvantages are that the reports lack important details upon which
to base administrative action. They compel the District Health Offi-
cer or epidemiologist to look up all of the missing details in the records
of the local board of health, or obtain them from the attending
physician, before he can begin an investigation. In many places these
records are poorly kept and inaccessible. The custodian frequently
keeps them at his home and not at the municipal building.
The new contagious disease record book adopted within the last
year is one step forward in the effort to overcome the above difficulty.
It is a means of recording very valuable data if it is well kept. It
gives a detailed account of all cases of diseases declared to be dan-
gerous to the public health from the time of their being reported to
the time of their termination. From these books the investigator can
get the details necessary for planning an intelligent investigation of
any particular disease. This book fails in two particulars: first, it is
not properly kept by many local agents; second, these records, being
in the hands of the individual local board of health, do not give this
office the information which it needs in its effort to control com-
municable diseases. Consequently, it cannot replace the forwarding
of original records to this office. An endeavor should be made to
bring this latter system into effect as a distinct saving in time and
aid to greater efficiency.
594 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Investigations of Diseases.
Promptness and thoroughness are prime essentials in this branch
of our work. In order to accomplish this several things are required,
— sufficient statutory powers, co-operation of local health officials and
interdivisional co-operation. We have sufficient statutory power for
our investigations. In the majority of cases we are getting the active
co-operation of the local authorities. While there has been constant
co-operation between the various divisions, there remain many ways
in which this co-operation can be made closer and more efficient.
Epidemiological investigations are initiated either by the District
Health Officer or by the director of the Division of Communicable
Diseases. The usual procedure is for the District Health Officer to
make the preliminary investigation, and, if necessary, to call upon
the diagnostic laboratory or the other divisions for assistance in their
particular line of work.
The investigations of outbreaks of disease are usually very promptly
made. This is true in spite of the system, not because of it. The
long experience of the District Health Officers, plus the excellent
memory of some of the office force, has kept a fairly close check upon
dangerous outbreaks of disease. This uncertainty has been largely due
to a failure to properly record in usable form returns of diseases.
The thoroughness of the Department's epidemiological studies still
leaves much to be desired. Many individual studies have been com-
plete and satisfactory. On the other hand, the reports from many
investigations lack important details that are essential for the satis-
factory judgment as to the efficiency of the investigation. This does
not mean, necessarily, that effective administrative action has not
been taken, but rather that complete reports have not been rendered
to the office. The multiple and varied duties of the District Health
Officers render it difficult for them to spare the time to make the more
thorough epidemiological investigations that are so necessary to gain a
maximum of benefit from past experience.
Reinvestigation of Diseases.
The final judgment of the value of epidemiological work can be de-
termined only by a carefully planned follow-up system. There is no
doubt that large sums of money have been spent in the past by de-
partments of health throughout the world for investigations now
known to have been useless. This has frequently been because of a
false conception of the causation of disease, and was excusable. With
our modern knowledge of the sources and modes of infection these
No. 34.] REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST. 595
errors can be the result only of a lack of a follow-up system and a
proper evaluation of the various lines of investigation.
In this respect the work of the Department has been seriously
defective. While the District Health Officers in their routine work
check up the aftermath of epidemics of disease, no systematic effort
has been made to record this work and use it as a basis for future
action. This is a vital defect and demands careful consideration.
Records.
The necessity of accurate, plainly kept records is fundamental to
the study of any disease, for upon the conclusions drawn from these
records should be based all rational administrative action. The
accumulated records of communicable diseases in this Commonwealth
are invaluable. While there were defects in the method of reporting
and recording these diseases, the system has produced one of the
greatest collections of reliable data upon which to construct an
efficient epidemiological control. Nevertheless, judged by modern
standards of epidemiological work, the old system of contagious
disease records in this office did not yield reliable information upon
which to base a correct judgment of values.
Record System.
The contagious disease record system required almost complete
reconstruction. It has been necessary to train a statistician, develop
a satisfactory comparative record form, and to find some simple
graphic methods.
The basis of administrative control of communicable diseases is a
satisfactory standard by which to judge their variation. This standard
can be constructed from the past experience of any community with
any particular disease. On this basis a card has been devised for
each city and town in the Commonwealth showing the following
information: —
1. Daily incidence of each reportable disease.
2. Monthly incidence of each reportable disease for the corresponding month
of the previous year.
3. A montlily endemic index for each disease. (Endemic index signifies the
average of five years of reported cases exclusive of epidemics.)
4. Weekly totals of deatlis from reportable diseases.
5. Monthly totals of cases and deaths from all reportable diseases.
The endemic index for a city or town for a given disease is a
standard constructed from the "normal" experience of that city
596 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
or town for the given disease. By checking this standard against
the daily incidence of cases for the current month and the previous
month we can detect promptly any unusual prevalence of the disease.
This record, then, will furnish the necessary information for adminis-
trative action.
To supplement these records the epidemiological reports of the
District Health Officers have been standardized. The expense ac-
counts and the reports of diseases and investigations have been
separated.
An epidemiological summary upon the accompanying form, in-
cluding all important data, is now being submitted for each investiga-
tion of communicable disease. This in turn is checked against the
morbidity card. This indicates whether the District Health Officer is
in touch with the local situation.
(Date)
(District)
Epidemiological Summary.
(Disease.) (Place.) (Date.)
Initiated by —
Reason —
History —
D. H. O.'S investigation —
Results —
Itinerary —
(Signature)
Graphic methods are a valuable aid to administration when they
are not too complex. After considerable study it was decided to use
a chart for each disease, showing the cumulative curve of cases and
deaths for the current and previous years. This will furnish another
check for the detection of any abnormal communicable disease in the
State.
The importance of accurate, usable vital statistics demands atten-
tion. In order that these might be furnished to the Department, it
has been necessary to especially train one of our clerks along this
line. Considering the fact that the vital statistics of the Common-
wealth are not under our control, the amount of useful service that
has been derived from this move is gratif^ang. The aim is to stand-
ardize all the statistics and furnish uniform reliable figures for the
use of the entire Department.
No. 34.
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
597
The development of a "follow-up" system has had to await the
institution of our more complete system of contagious disease records.
However, while this is being completed, definite efforts are being made
to begin systematic reinvestigations of outbreaks of diseases. These
efforts have already demonstrated the value of this procedure as a
basis upon which to evaluate the various lines of epidemiological
investigation.
DIAGRAM SHOWING
CUMULATIVE CURVES of CA5ES of VARIOUS DISEASES
REPORTED 1914.
REPORTED 1915.
DIPHTHERIA
tf tc h
< 0. <
£ < I
^ < « 0 z o
598
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
DIAGRAM SHOWING
CUMULATIVE CURVES of CASES of VARIOUS DISEASES
REPORTED )9/4.
REPORTED 1915.
TYPHOID FEVER
leoo
IM>0
10 lEOO
(0
< 1000
0
800
J
2 600
0
I- 400
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
7
/.
y
y.
y
^^
^
>"
^
J^
<
Z
a.
<
5
I
\
1
0
I
z
u
o
lA/HOOPING COUGH
/
sscx
,-
/
/
/
/
Ul
/
/
^
J
/
/
,..--
^
9 2oot
^
/
/
/
y
V
/
6
y
^
z
<
cC
?
a
a.
>
<
z
^
0
3
t
>
i
TUBERCULOSIS
aooo
/
iJ <>''*'°
^
^
< sooo
X
X
^
^
y
<>
X
^ 3000
•" 2000
/*
1^
J
V
-<
y
ooo
**^
! I f
MEASLES
/
'
■"16000
<
OI40OO
J 12000
<
/
•■
0
/
/
---■
/
/
i'
/^
/
/
y
^y
/
/>
Z
(£
a.
<
l
\
r
i
0
£
0
>
0
!i
Scope of Epidemiological Work.
The primary function of epidemiological investigation is the tracing
of sources and routes of infection of the communicable diseases. The
opinion of Hill has become well established. He says: —
The general statement holds true that the infectious diseases are spread
chiefly by the transfer of discharges from the orifices of the infected body to
orifices (chiefly the mouth and nose) of the prospective victim, and that were
No. 34.] REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST. 599
infected discharges prevented from entering mouths and noses of well persons,
the ordinary infectious diseases (except sypliilis and gonorrhoea) would become
great rarities and finally disappear.
With these principles as a basis, epidemiological work falls naturally
into two divisions: —
(a) Statistical epidemiology.
(6) Field epidemiology.
These two branches of investigation are interdependent and sup-
plementary. The statistical epidemiology has been discussed under
the head of "Records." An outline of field epidemiology is needed
to properly appreciate the relative importance of our epidemiological
problems.
For purposes of description the field work should be considered un-
der the heads of "Emergency" and "Routine Epidemiology."
Emergency epidemiology is done in the face of an already estab-
lished outbreak of disease. The work is done under pressure, against
time, and to cut short an already serious situation. This is the kind
of epidemiological investigation that this Department is called upon
to do in this State.
Local routine epidemiology applies the same methods for the same
ends, but applies them continuously, day by day, systematically, and
without haste. It consists, essentially, in prompt, thorough investiga-
tion, recording and study of each case of communicable disease as it
occurs. The general practice of this type of epidemiological investi-
gation would render the need for the more spectacular emergency type
of investigation very infrequent. In some of the cities and towns of
the Commonwealth this detailed work is being done. In these places
all that is needed for a satisfactory knowledge of communicable dis-
eases is a close co-operation between the District Health Officer and
the local health officials. If in addition to this there is careful co-
ordination between the District Health Officer, the diagnostic labora-
tory and the other special divisions of the Department, we have a
most efficient system of epidemiological diagnosis. The encourage-
ment of local authorities to adopt this system of routine epidemiolog-
ical investigation should be one of our main lines of endeavor in the
future.
Since the transmission of the major portion of diseases depends
upon the exchange of human discharges, the problem of the epidemi-
ologist resolves itself into a search for the sources and routes of in-
fection. This information is desirable for all of the communicable
diseases. Fortunately, the sources of infectionjall into a few im-
portant groups.
600 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Sources.
(a) Discharges from the nose and tliroat: —
Tuberculosis.
Diphtheria.
Scarlet fever.
Smallpox.
Chickenpox.
Measles.
Leprosy.
Epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis.
Human glanders.
(6) Contracted from infected discharges from the outlets of bladder or bowels : —
Typhoid fever.
Gonorrhoea.
Some cases of tuberculosis.
The routes by which these discharges enter the body of the pro-
spective victim are two main types : —
(a) Primary or direct : —
Food.
Drink.
Eating utensils.
Air (mouth spray).
Hands.
Body contact.
(b) Secondary or indirect : —
Hands.
FUes and other insects.
To trace out these sources and routes of infection for all of the
communicable diseases, to demonstrate where and how these can be
rendered harmless, to record this information in a permanent usable
form, and then, with the co-operation of other health authorities, the
medical, nursing and teaching professions and the general public, to
do it. This is the service that the public health demands of epidemi-
ology.
Epidemiological Problems in Massachusetts.
An analysis of the returns of cases and deaths due to diseases de-
clared by this Department to be dangerous to the public health indi-
cates some very definite problems for solution.
Considered from a quantitative standpoint, the individual diseases
stand out in the following order, according to the reports received by
No. 34.
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
601
this office during the period Nov. 1, 1914, to Get. 31, 1915. The
number of cases are reasonably accurate, but the deaths are undoubt-
edly incomplete because of the faulty method of reports.
Tuberculosis (all forms),
Diphtheria,
Scarlet fever
Typhoid fever
Measles,
Epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis,
Deaths.
3,694
645
189
196
142
95
To this list of cases and deaths should be added those from pneu-
monia, and also those due indirectly to syphilis and gonorrhoea.
From these diseases the annual vital and economic waste is appall-
ing. It demands the concentration of the forces of this Department
upon certain of the more important of these problems. For purposes
of discussion the individual diseases will be considered in the order
noted in the above table.
Tuberculosis.
This disease still remains among "the captains of the men of
death." Notwithstanding the cumulative knowledge of its nature,
cure and prevention, the progress in its control seems to be out of
proportion to the amount of time and money spent. This does not
mean that our efforts have been or are being wasted, but merely that
there remain some elements in the epidemiology of this disease to
which we have not given due weight. Consequently, the attention
of the Department has been concentrated upon a thorough study of
the tuberculosis situation in the Commonwealth.
The attempt is being made to apply to this disease the fundamentals
of epidemiological control as stated earlier in this report, viz., prompt
reporting, thorough investigation, adequate follow-up work and com-
plete records.
Accordingly, the following method of procedure with reference to
tuberculosis has been adopted for the recording and utilizing of in-
formation obtained by this office: —
I. Recording of information received at the central office (State Department
of Health).
A. Each case of tuberculosis reported to State Department of Health is
indexed (outside of Boston) and filed by cities and towns, and alpha-
betically by names.
602 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
B. Every case of tuberculosis brought to attention of State Department
of Health is noted and filed by cities and towns, and alphabetically
by names. Sources: 1. Applications for admission to State sana-
toria. 2. Admissions ^ to State sanatoria. 3. Discharges ^ from
State sanatoria. 4. Correspondence.
C. Each death noted, checked and filed by cities and towns, and alpha-
betically by names. (If case has not been reported, record made
on brown card will show that first notice of case was through death
report.)
D. Observations of positive sputum examinations in State laboratory.
E. Noting aliens afflicted with defects that would indicate a disposition
to tuberculosis, and filing by cities and towns, and alphabetically
by names.
II. Oversight and supervision by the State District Health Officers, who get
information in cities and towns of 10,000 inhabitants or over through
dispensaries, local authorities and hospitals, or, if deemed necessary,
special investigation.
A. Inspection of dispensaries and hospitals.
B. Submitting information for filing and scrutiny.
III. Attention to letters with references to ex-sanatorium patients as deemed
necessary, taking into consideration the dispensary supervision of these
patients.
IV. First-hand information obtained by the State District Health Officers in
towns of less than 10,000 inhabitants, or, through co-operation with
other agencies, on special cards prepared for the purpose.
A. Submitting of same to central office for filing and scrutiny.
V. Outgoing information to State District Health Officers from central office
of cases which may not otherwise come to the attention of these officers,
including monthly report of conditions in district observed through
checking system. (Extension of record system.)
VI. Distribution of literature.
To illustrate this method of procedure the following hypothetical
case is recorded: —
I. A. — Each case of tuberculosis reported to the State Depart-
ment of Health (outside of Boston) is indexed on a green card, viz.,
the name of city or town and date of report to local board of health,
form of tuberculosis, name of person, street address and any other
information given on postal card.
1 To be extended to local institutions after January, 1916.
No. 34.1 REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST. 603
Attleboro, January 1, 1915.
Pul. Tb. — Jones, John
200 Meredith Street.
Also reported to Fall River board of health January 8, 1915, from
City Hospital.
This card will be filed under the city of "Attleboro," in "J."
If a report is made of one person from more than one town a cross
reference is made, and if more than one report of a person is made
from one town, each date of report is placed on the one card bearing
the person's home address. A person is counted but once.
It is apparent that some local boards do not look up their records
to see if a case has already been reported. Consequently, duplicate
reports are constantly being received at the central office. This
makes a community appear responsible for more cases than it really
has. Through this checking system we will ascertain the true situa-
tion. For instance, if it should happen that John Jones was sent to
a hospital in Fall River, and the Fall River board of health should
report the case, a card like the following would be made out, but the
case would not be considered a Fall River case. Since it had been
counted once it would not be counted again. And if the case of John
Jones should be reported again later in the year from Attleboro the
date would be placed on the card bearing John Jones's name, but he
would not be counted again. This Fall River card, recording case of
John Jones, is considered as a part of the original Attleboro card.
Attleboro being the home of the patient, any subsequent information
will be filed under the city of Attleboro.
Fall River, January 8, 1915.
Pul. Tb. — Jones, John
200 Meredith Street
Attleboro. ,
"In City Hospital."
See report made to Attleboro board of health January 1, 1915.
604 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
B. — Through a co-operative arrangement between the State De-
partment of Health and the Massachusetts Trustees of Hospitals for
Consumptives there is received in the office of the State Department
of Health each week (usually Monday morning) a list of names and
addresses of persons applying for admission to the State sanatoria.
This list also contains addresses of the physicians making applications
and dates of applications. When this list is received it is first observed
whether the names on the list have been indexed. For instance, the
first name on the list may be John Jones from Attleboro, his physician
making application on January 9. The Attleboro file is consulted, and
we find that John Jones was reported to the local board of health on
January 1, and that between January 1 and January 8 was sent to
Fall River where he is apparently to pay $1.50 a day until he can get
into a State sanatorium. On this same Attleboro card of John Jones's
will be placed information, as follows : —
Attleboro, January 1, 1915.
Pul. Tb. — Jones, John
200 Meredith Street.
Also reported to Fall River board of health, January 8, 1915, from
City Hospital.
Apphcation made by Dr. James Smith, Attleboro Dispensary,
January 9, 1915.
If, upon looking in the index, we do not find the name of John Jones
of Attleboro, a pink card will be used to index this application, viz.,
name of person, city or town, address, application made by whom.
This would show that the first knowledge of the case came through
the application made to the Massachusetts Trustees of Hospitals for
Consumptives.
Jones, John Attleboro
200 Meredith Street.
Application made by Dr. James Sniith, Attleboro Dispensary,
January 9, 1915.
No. 34.] REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST. 605
Again, through an arrangement between the Massachusetts Trustees
of Hospitals for Consumptives, admission notices of people making
application to the State sanatoria are forwarded by the superintendents
of the various State sanatoria to the State ^Department of Health.
These come in the form of letters of weekly reports. When these are
received the files are consulted to see if the names appear in our index.
If they do, additional information is placed on the cards bearing
whatever information we already have. For instance, John Jones may
have been admitted to Lakeville, March 19, 1915. We consult the
files and find that John Jones was reported to the local board of
health on Jan. 1, 1915; application was made for admission to one of
the State sanatoria on Jan. 9, 1915, and we now add the information
that John Jones was admitted to the Lakeville Sanatorium on March
19 a moderately advanced case, viz.: —
Attleboeo, January 1, 1915.
Pul. Tb. — Jones, John
200 Meredith Street.
Also reported to Fall River board of health, January 8, 1915, from
City Hospital.
Apphcation made bj^ Dr. James Smith, Attleboro Dispensary,
January 9, 1915.
Lakeville S. S. Admitted March 19, 1915, moderately advanced.
If the information comes in the form of a letter, after the informa-
tion is recorded in the office of the State Department of Health, the
letter is forwarded to the State District Health Officer of the district,
including the town or city where the patient in question lives. If the
information came through the weekly report, it is assumed that a
letter went to the State District Health Officer direct from the sana-
torium, and the weekly report is placed on file. If a first knowledge
of a case comes through an admission notice, a white card is used.
For instance, if we had never heard of John Jones until the admission
notice came to the office the information would be recorded on a
white card, as follows: —
606 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Jones, John
Attleboko
200 Meredith Street
LakeviUe S. S.
Admitted March 19,
1915,
moderately advanced.
Likewise, as in the admission notice, when a discharge notice is
received the files are consulted. And if we find that John Jones has
been discharged from Lakeville on June 26, we add this information
to that already recorded, and also record the condition on discharge,
and any recommendation which may be made by the superintendent
of Lakeville; also if the information came in the form of a letter it is
forwarded to the State District Health Officer as the admission notice
was. This enables the State District Health Officer to have a knowl-
edge of sick consumptives leaving and returning to towns under their
jurisdiction. The following card shows information revealed at
discharge: —
Attleboro, January 1, 1915.
Pul. Tb. — Jones, John
200 Meredith Street.
Also reported to Fall River board of health, January 8, 1915.
AppHcation made by Dr. James Smith, Attleboro Dispensary,
January 9, 1915.
Lakeville S. S. Admitted March 19, 1915, moderately advanced.
Discharged Jime 26, 1915, "improved."
Recommended that he shall report to the dispeiisary or a physician
from time to time.
If a first knowledge of the case comes through discharge from a
sanatorium a white card is used.
No. 34.] REPORT OF EPIDEJMIOLOGIST. 607
Jones, John Attleboro
200 Meredith Street.
Lakeville S. S. Admitted March 19, 1915, moderately advanced.
Discharged June 26, 1915, "improved."
Recommended that he shall report to the dispensary or a phj^sician
from time to time.
When an inquiry is made through some social service department
of a hospital in the form of a letter, or if any one else writes about a
case, even the patient himself, the index is consulted, and if the per-
son's name is found in the index, additional information contained in
the letter will be added, and if not, a white card will be used to record
data in regard to the person in question, giving name, address and any
additional data in the letter. Or we may have information on record
which the writer of a letter would like to have, in which instance the
same can be forwarded.
C. — When it is learned that a case has died from tuberculosis the
date of death is recorded, and card is transferred to the death section
of the file. The following letter was sent to the various boards of
health in the State, which is self-explanatory: —
As a step forward in rendering a service in the scope of tuberculosis work in
this State, we solicit your co-operation to the extent of asking you to kindly
send to this office quarterly (in March, June, September and December) a list
of names and addresses of persons dying from tuberculosis, in order that we may
check off the same from our list of cases.
We would, therefore, appreciate receiving from you forthwith a list of the
deaths occurring from all forms of tuberculosis within your town for the period
Jan. 1, 1915, to March 31, inclusive, to be followed by others at the stated
intervals suggested.
It sometimes happens that on the report made to the local board
of health the following statement appears: "Not reported until after
death." In this case we do not make the report on a green card,
but use a brown card, which shows that first knowledge of the case
came through a death report.
As the quarterly lists are received, the deaths are checked off with
cases, and if there is no case on record, a brown card is used to record
608 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
the death, with particulars, as given on the list received from the local
authority. The following card illustrates: —
Howe, John Attleboro
169 Cedar Street.
Died from pulmonaiy tuberculosis, January 17, 1915.
D. — Each week the bacteriologist sends to the office a list of names
of positive sputum examinations for the week, and these positive ex-
aminations are checked with the cases, and if they are not found in
the index, the name is jotted down as a memorandum for reference
in case the case is subsequently reported. If the names are found in
the index, the information given on the weekly list is recorded.
E. — The names and addresses of aliens arriving at the ports of
entry, manifesting destinations within the State of Massachusetts, and
afflicted with defects that would indicate a disposition to tuberculosis,
are indexed on a yellow card, and filed according to city and town
and alphabetically, viz.: —
AvELBRODES, John New Bedford.
PhiUips Street.
S.S. "St. Paul" October 25, 1915.
to son
Poor physical development.
H. A supply of green cards like the following is furnished each
State District Health Officer: —
No. 34.] REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST. 609
State Department op Health.
(Town)
.: Ill with tuberculosis
Form of disease,
Reported, (to local board)
(Date)
Name of patient. Residence,
Birthplace, Nationality,
How long in U. S., In this town,
S. M. W. Sex Age
Where is the patient at this date,
Occupation: at present, ; when illness began,
If not working how does patient spend time,
Home sanitation.
Personal hygiene (including care of sputum),
Occupation sanitation,
[Reverse Side.]
How long ill,
Has patient ever been to a State sanatorium or tb. hospital,
If so, when and where,
Condition of other members of household,
Anything to suggest cause of disease or source of infection.
What immediate help, if any, should patient have.
Under what supervision is the patient.
Remarks (including briefly, family history and personal historj').
He distributes these to dispensaries in towns of 10,000 inhabitants
or over, and the dispensary clerks or nurses fill them out and forward
them to the State District Health Officer, who in turn sends them to
the State Department of Health. In special cases the State District
Health Ofiicer gets the information direct. When these detailed in-
vestigation cards are received at the office of the State Department
of Health they are checked with the index and placed on file as the
610 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
set card so called. In other words, the object is to centralize all data
received in regard to one person on one card. For instance, if a de-
tailed report of John Jones is received on the special printed card, we
refer to the information which we have on file, and check it with that
contained on the printed card and destroy the card on file, and put
in its place this detailed investigation card.
State Department of Health.
Attleboro
July 1, 1915.
: ill with tuberculosis
Form of Hi«eR«e, pulmonary
(Town)
Reported,
January 1, 1915 (^^ i^^^, ho^rd^
•
(Date)
Name of patient, Jones, John
Residence, 200 Meredith St.
Birthplace, Attleboro
Nationality, American
How long in U. S., 30 years
In this town, 30 years
S. M. W. Single
Sex Male Age 30
Where is the patient at this date. At home
Occupation: at present. None; when illness began, sawing pearl shell
If not working how does patient spend time. Working in the garden
Home sanitation, good
Personal hygiene (including care of
sputum), Good care of sputum; uses
sputum cup and burns same
Occupation sanitation, dusty process
[Reverse Side.]
How long ill, About two years
Has patient ever been to a State sanatorium or tb. hospital. Yes
If so, when and where, From January 8 to March 19 in hospital in Fall
River. Lakeville S.S. from March 19, 1915, (admitted as moderately ad-
vanced case) to June 26, 1915, discharged as "iinproved," but should be
watched
Condition of other members of household. Well
Anything to suggest cause of disease or source of infection, Occupation
What immediate help, if any, should patient have, None
Under what supervision is the patient. Dispensary
Remarks: (including briefly, family history and personal history), Negative
for tuberculosis
State Health District Officer
The inspection of dispensaries and hospitals is made in accordance
with chapters 408 and 647 of the Acts of 1914. The following informa-
tion is obtained during dispensary inspection: —
No. 34.] REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST. 611
1. Number of individuals examined (counting one person
but once) from July 1 to Dec. 31, 1915,
2. How many of the above individuals were not tubercular? .
3. Number of living cases (counting one person but once)
under active supervision of the dispensary from July 1
to Dec. 31, 1915,
(a) Pulmonary Tb. .......
(6) Other forms Tb.
4. Total living cases (counting one person but once) reported to
local board of health not under supervision of the dis-
pensary July 1 to Dec. 31, 1915, .....
5. Number of cases in State sanatoria (Dec. 31, 1915), .
6. Number of cases in local hospitals (Dec. 31, 1915), .
7. Number of deaths from tuberculosis of those under active
supervision of dispensary from July 1 to Dec. 31, 1915, .
8. Number of deaths from tuberculosis in town or city from
July 1 to Dec. 3, 1915
III. The State District Health Officers, on receiving the admission
or discharge notices, use their judgment as to the necessary action.
Following is a sample discharge letter (from Lakeville State Sana-
torium) : —
Tliis is to inform you that John Jones, admitted March 19, 1915, from 200
Meredith Street, Attleboro, as a "moderately advanced" case, was discharged
June 26, 1915, with consent, as an "improved case." Discharged to same
address.
His present condition is that of a moderately advanced case of pulmonary
tuberculosis, with bilateral involvement. Local and constitutional symptoms
are inactive at the present time. Patient improved markedly during residence
and gained 9j pounds in weight.
We beheve that this patient should be kept under observation, either at a
dispensary or by family physician, and continue treatment.
IV. In towns of less than 10,000 inhabitants first-hand information
is obtained through co-operative agencies. For instance, the Massa-
chusetts Trustees of Hospitals for Consumptives are having their field
worker investigate cases of tuberculosis for the State Department of
Health. When this field worker is about to go into a certain county
she notifies the office of the State Department of Health, and a list
of names and addresses of patients in the various towns contained
therein are forwarded to her. A detailed investigation is made on
the printed green card and returned to the office of the State Depart-
ment of Health. This worker also keeps a copy for her own files.
She also notifies the State District Health Officer of the town in ques-
612 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
tion in the form of an after-care report of description of patient. The
green cards are checked in the office of the State Department of
Health as described under H.
V. Each month a report is sent to each State District Health
Officer, showing what has been going on in his district during the
month so far as tuberculosis is concerned. First, the towns having
tuberculosis dispensaries are considered, and secondly, those which
have no dispensaries.
Realizing that many cases, which it would appear from our records
of this year have never been reported to a local authority, have actu-
ally been reported in previous years, and realizing that many cases
are not reported until death, the records of a given town are gone
over from August, 1907, when tuberculosis in all its forms was made
a reportable disease, and a list made of the deaths which have occurred
from tuberculosis during the same period of time. The names on the
cards are checked with the list of deaths, and the occupation is noted
of those who have died. The number of cases reported to the local
board of health, thence to State Department of Health, from August,
1907, to date, is given, and also the deaths, in a brief report, and for-
warded, accompanied by a letter, to the State District Health Officer
of the town in question.
The following letter to a State District Health Officer will give an
idea of this constructive work: —
With reference to the inclosed information in regard to the town of ,
it is quite apparent that the local physicians have not been reporting all cases
of tuberculosis. You will doubtless have an opportunity to confer with the
necessary official and stir him to action.
As you will see, out of 49 deaths from tuberculosis (all forms) occurring from
August, 1907, to Sept. 30, 1915, 36 were never reported to the State department.
And out of the 31 cases reported from August, 1907, to date, there are 18 (13
having died) sick with tuberculosis in at the present time, unless they have
moved away.
You will also find inclosed the names and addresses of the 18 persons sick
with tuber ciilosis, concerning whom we should like to hear sometime in the near
future when opportunity presents itself.
The town in question has a population of about 5,000 inhabitants,
and patients in question will have to be looked out for in their homes
or sent to State sanatoria, unless other hospitalization arrangements
can be made with the adjoining communities.
VI. A pamphlet on " Directions for Living and Sleeping in the
Open Air" is sent to each patient reported to the local board of health
in towns of less than 10,000 inhabitants. A supply of these pamphlets
No. 34.]
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
613
is available for distribution at the dispensaries in towns of 10,000 in-
habitants or over.
Other current literature is sent out from the State Department of
Health to dispensaries, local boards of health and State District
Health Officers for further distribution under their direction.
The application of this method of procedure will supply all of the
fundamentals for the control of tuberculosis. The complete records
will furnish an accurate knowledge of the real extent of the problem;
the dispensaries, District Health Officers and co-operating agencies
will make thorough investigations and attend to adequate follow-up
work; and by all of these means the more prompt and complete re-
porting of cases will be stimulated. Further, by co-operation with
the immigration officials any aliens with a suspicious history will be
carefully traced. By means of our record system the District Health
Officers will see that they do not become State charges. This will
often save considerable expense for the Commonwealth.
Pulmonary Tuberculosis . ^
Year.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases. 3
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths. <
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1906
3,089,030
3,101
100.4
148.45
4,608
149.1
1907,
3,162,187
4,542
143.6
105.15
4,771
150.6
1908,
3,235,344
5,939
183.6
74.9
4,445
137.4
1909,
3,308,501
7,482
244.7
54.4
4,393
132.7
1909,6
-
613
-7
_7
-
-
1910,
3,380,037
7,862
232.6
57.3
4,503
133.1
1911,
3,445,416
7,031
204.1
62.8
4,418
128.0
1912,
3,510,795
7,519
214.2
56.0
4,212
119.9
1913,
3,576,174
7,424
207.6
56.4
4,180
117.0
1914,
3,641,553
7,144
196.2
58.4
4,171
114.1
1915,
3,706,931
8,046
217,0
52.2
4,194
113.2
1 Made reportable August, 1907.
2 Populations estimated arithmetically as of July 1 from the 1910 Federal Census and the 1915 State
Census.
3 From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health. The cases through 1909
are for the year November 30 to November 30, after which they are for calendar years January 1 to Decem-
ber 31.
* From the annual registration reports of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
5 Apparent fatality rate.
5 December.
' In figuring the case rate and the fatality rate for 1909 the month of December has been added to
the year 1909.
614 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Diphtheria.
Seven hundred and twenty-one deaths from diphtheria in Massachu-
setts in one year is a disgrace. This number of deaths followed a total
prevalence of at least 9,282 cases reported to this Department last
year. This great fatality from a disease whose cause and modes of
transmission are well known indicates either gross ignorance or neglect
somewhere. This opinion is confirmed when the means of detection
and cure of this disease is furnished free by the Commonwealth.
Laboratory tests are available to all, and free antitoxin offers a certain
prophylactic and specific cure.
The results of this year's study of diphtheria are interesting. The
failure to save a large percentage of the 721 lives that were lost was
due to two fundamental things: neglect of sore throats and late
recourse to antitoxin. This has been amply demonstrated by the
investigation now being conducted by the District Health Officers of
all the deaths which occurred in this State during 1914.
The sources of diphtheritic infection have been made more clear.
" Carriers," " missed cases," and, more rarely, milk-borne cases, tell
the story. The routes by which this infection has traveled have led
most frequently through the public schools. Earnest efforts have
been made by many of the boards of health and school committees
to cut off these routes. The method most commonly used was either
the closing of the schools or the taking of large numbers of cultures.
The closing of the schools and the taking of cultures, where it was
not accompanied by adequate medical inspection of schools, has not
been successful in controlling the disease or in making a correct
epidemiological diagnosis.
The indications are for a comprehensive plan for fighting this
disease. This plan should include the education of the public to the
seriousness of all throat infections, particularly in children; the con-
version of all practicing physicians to the early use of antitoxin; and
the adoption of a complete system of administrative control. This
control must include prompt reporting, complete isolation, adequate
school inspection and thorough case investigation, all controlled by
careful laboratory examination. In order to accomplish this control
there must be ample facilities for prompt and frequent examinations
of cultures from suspects and cases. Finally, there should be a
differentiation of these results by means of virulence tests and the
Shick reaction.
No. 34.
REPORT OF EPIDEIVIIOLOGIST.
615
Diphtheria.
Year.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases.'
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths.*
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1906
3,089,030
8,305
268.9
8.9
743
24.0
1907,
3,162,187
8,962
283.4
8.4
752
23.8
1908,
3,235,344
9,108
281,5
8.2
747
23.1
1909,
3,308,501
7,702
232.8
9.0
694
21.0
1910,
3,380,037
7,390
218.6
9.2
679
20.1
1911,
3,445,416
6,998
203.1
8.1
563
16.3
1912,
3,510,795
5,433
154.8
8.7
473
13 5
1913,
3,576,174
6,741
188.5
9.3
628
17.6
1914,
3,641,553
8,080
221.9
8.0
652
17.9
1915,
3,706,931
9,282
250.4
7.8
721
19.4
I Made reportable August, 1907.
' Populations estimated arithmetically as of July 1 from the 1910 Federal Census and the 1915 State
Census.
' From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health.
* From the annual registration reports of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Scarlet Fever.
The control of scarlet fever is one of the most difficult problems.
The cause is unknown. The lack of a diagnostic test and the large
number of mild or atypical cases lead to imperfect or late reporting.
This results in multiple contacts and difficulty in tracing the source
of the infection.
The most important single route of infection is the public schools.
Experience has demonstrated that the only hope of preventing the
spread of this disease lies in adequate medical inspection of schools
plus prompt and thorough home supervision of cases, suspects and
contacts. If this medical inspection of schools includes careful records
and close co-operation with the local and State health authorities,
there is no doubt that this year's record of 8,613 cases and 182 deaths
from scarlet fever can be markedly decreased.
^7orL fonowl«. m.ea.e, tHe .ate. ™ade
reportable atioxald toe ;
1883
Stnallpo^c
1893
•♦•^ Scarlet Kever
Cerebro - Spirxal Meraxxagitx. Trichirao^le
Oipl'AtilTieria Typboid Fever
Leprosy TypHtas Fever
Tv/i«HcTTna«Lt F»xietule
616
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Scarlet Fever. ^
Year.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases. '
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths. <
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1906,
1907,
1908,
1909,
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913,
1914,
1915,
3,089,030
3,162,187
3,235,344
3,308,501
3,380,037
3,445,416
3,510,795
3,576,174
3,641,553
3,706,931
5,223
7,931
7,994
7,224
7,882
6,173
5,633
8,062
11,057
8,613
169.1
250,8
247.1
218.3
233.2
179.1
160.4
225.4
303.7
232.3
2.6
3.6
4.6
3.6
3.2
3.0
2.1
3.6
2.2
2.1
135
285
369
259
254
184
118
293
246
182
4 4
9.0
11.4
7.8
7.5
5.3
3.4
8.2
6.8
4.9
1 Made reportable August, 1907.
2 Populations estimated arithmetically as of July 1 from the 1910 Federal Census and the 1915 State
Census.
3 From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health.
* Fronoi the annual registration reports of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Typhoid Fever.
There were 2,204 cases and 247 deaths from typhoid fever reported
to this Department during 1915. This is a forcible reminder that
this disease is still a very live public health problem. Our progress
in the control of this infection has been gratifying, but does not
compare favorably with progress in European countries.
The cause of this disease is well known. Its sources and routes of
infection are well understood. While it is still transmitted by means
of water, milk, contact and "carriers," their relative importance has
changed. Improved water supplies have reduced the water-borne
typhoid, and careful studies have failed to prove the great relative
importance of "milk-borne" infection. The two important factors
are contact and "carriers." Contact infection can be gradually over-
come by the education of individuals; the "carrier" presents a serious
problem. The length of time during which these individuals harbor
and excrete typhoid bacilli makes safe control almost impossible.
One "carrier" discovered in Massachusetts during the year had his
original infection forty-five years ago. The studies of Sawyer and
others emphasize the futility of accepting one or even two negative
cultures as a sign the person is free from the infecting germ. Pre-
ventive medicine awaits the researches of clinical and laboratory
No. 34.
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
617
workers for a solution of this problem. In the meantime the careful
supervision of known carriers, the routine examination of food hand-
lers, and education in personal hygiene offer the most hopeful method
of satisfactory control. The general problem of the prevention of
typhoid fever is still a pressing one. It demands continuous efforts
and eternal vigilance upon the part of all health agencies. The water
supplies must be guarded; the milk supply safeguarded; the public
educated to the general use of the typhoid prophylactic; and correct
habits of personal hygiene made a part of everyday life.
Typhoid Fever.^
Year.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases.'
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths.*
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1906,
1907,
1908,
1909,
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913,
1914,
1915,
3,089,030
3,162,187
3,235,344
3,308,501
3,380,037
3,445,416
3,510,795
3,576,174
3,641,553
3,706,931
2,986
2,290
3,736
2,743
3,452
2,238
2,088
2,398
2,333
2,204
96.6
72.5
115.5
82.9
102.1
65.0
59.5
67.0
64.1
59.5
15.9
17.0
13.8
14.2
11.9
13.5
12.9
11.7
11.5
11.2
477
389
517
390
411
302
269
280
268
247
15.4
12.3
16.0
11.8
12.2
8.8
7.7
7.8
7.4
6.7
' Made reportable August, 1907.
' Populations estimated arithmetically as of July 1 from the 1910 Federal Census and the 1915 State
Census.
' From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health.
* From the annual registration reports of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Measles.
Measles is a dangerous disease. It caused at least 149 deaths in
Massachusetts last year. Of greater importance, it prepared the soil
for numerous cases of tuberculosis and certain other diseases, all of
which are more fatal. These facts cannot be repeated too frequently,
for until the public is convinced of the truth of these statements
there is no hope of controlling this disease.
The infection is extremely difficult to control under ideal conditions.
Rosenau says this is true for the reason that " the disease is one of the
most highly communicable of all infections, and is most contagious
during the pre-eruptive stage."
618
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
The source of the infection is, practically, always contact. The route
by which this infection travels is by means of the discharges from the
nose and throat of an acute case. Airial transmission and trans-
mission by fomites are unimportant. With these facts understood,
and the high-grade susceptibility of children considered, it becomes
clear why the public schools are the stamping grounds of this disease.
Previous failures to successfully control measles do not justify
inaction. A carefully planned and executed procedure will un-
doubtedly materially control this disease. This procedure necessitates
close co-operation between the public, the local health authorities, the
school committee and the practicing physician. It must include
sufficient medical inspectors and school nurses plus temporary ad-
ministrative control of the schools. Where these elements have been
furnished, and the machinery has been put into operation 'promptly
and vigorously, the results have amply repaid the time and money ex-
pended.
Many health officials believe that it is useless to attempt to control
measles. This is a mistaken point of view. Even controlling the
disease to the extent of preventing the infection of young children is
worth while, for the disease is most fatal when the victims are under
five years of age. The control of measles is an important problem
requiring unusual co-operation by all public health agencies.
Measles.^
Year.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases. '
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths.*
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1906,
1907,
1908,
1909,
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913,
1914,
1915,
3,089,030
3,162,187
3,235,344
3,308,501
3,380,037
3,445,416
3,510,795
3,576,174
3,641,553
3,706,931
15,553
6,487
21,470
15,060
18,794
16,094
22,423
29,192
12,264
22,881
503.5
205.1
663.6
455.2
556.0
467.1
638.7
816.3
336.8
617.2
1.3
2.5
1.5
1.0
1.3
1.0
13
1.1
1.2
.6
208
163
331
157
240
158
286
315
149
149
6.7
5 2
10 2
4,7
7.1
4.6
8.2
8.8
4.1
4.0
1 Made reportable August, 1907.
2 Populations estimated arithmetically as of July 1 from the 1910 Federal Census and the 1915 State
Census.
2 From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health.
* From the annual registration reports of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
No. 34.1
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
619
Epidemic Cerebrospinal Meningitis.
This disease attracts attention because of its high fatality rather
than its frequency. The records of this Department for 1915 show
145 cases reported, with 125 deaths. A close study of these returns
indicates that many of these cases are not true epidemic cerebro-spinal
meningitis. The District Health Officers find the diagnosis is infre-
quently confirmed by bacteriological examination, while the history
frequently reveals the fact that the meningitis occurs during the course
of pneumonia or tuberculosis. This renders the diagnosis of true
epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis very doubtful. This disease should
be carefully studied, for it may become epidemic at any time. In the
meantime there should be a more general use of the Flexner anti-
meningitis serum.
Cerebrospinal Meningitis }
Year.
1906,
1907,
1908,
1909,
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913,
1914,
1915,
Popula-
tion. 3
3,089,030
3,162,187
3,235,344
3,308,501
3,380,037
3,445,416
3,510,795
3,576,174
3,641,553
3,706,931
Cases.'
298
432
192
133
153
150
202
180
181
145
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
9.6
13.7
5.9
4.0
4.5
4.4
5.8
5.0
5.0
3.9
Fatality
Rate.
123.55
100.55
94.3
93.2
100.0
95.4
68.4
81.7
86.3
86.3
Deaths. *
368
434
181
124
153
143
138
147
156
125
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
11.9
13.7
5.7
3.7
4.5
4.1
3.9
4.1
4.3
3.4
1 Made reportable August, 1907.
2 Populations estimated arithmetically as of July 1 from the 1910 Federal Census and the 1915 State
Census.
3 From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health.
« From the annual registration reports of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
5 Apparent fatality rate.
Tables of Less Frequent Communicable Diseases.
The following tables are published, without particular comment, for
the diseases that are less frequently a factor in the communicable
diseases report: —
620
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Actinomycosis.''-
Year.
1906,
1907,
1908,
1909,
1909,
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913,
1914,
1915,
Popula-
tion. 2
3,089,030
3,162,187
3,235,344
3,308,501
3,380,037
3,445,416
3,510,795
3,576,174
3,641,553
3,706,931
Cases. '
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
.03
.06
.03
_7
.09
.14
.03
.08
.11
.22
Fatality
Rate.
200.05
50.0
100.0
-7
33.3
100.0
50.0
50.0
Deaths. *
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Anterior Poliomyelitis. '
Year.
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913,
1914,
1915,
Popula-
tion. 2
3,380,037
3,445,416
3.510,795
3,576,174
3,641,553
3,706,931
Cases. <
845
232
169
361
151
135
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
25.0
6.7
4.8
10.1
4.1
3.6
Fatality
Rate.
6.4
15.5
45.0
19.1
29.8
23.7
Deaths. '
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1.6
1.0
2.2
1.9
1.2
1 Made reportable August, 1907.
2 Populations estimated arithmetically as of July 1 from the 1910 Federal Census and the 1915 State
Census.
5 From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health. The cases through 1909 are
for the year November 30 to November 30, after which they are for calendar years January 1 to Decem-
ber 31.
* From the annual report of the Massachusetts State Board of Health.
> Apparent fatality rate.
' December.
' In figuring the case rate and the fatality rate the month of December, 1909, has been counted in
with the year 1909.
* From the annual registration reports of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
' Made reportable November, 1909.
No. 34.]
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
621
Anthrax.^
Year.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases. '
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths. *
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1906,
1907,
1908,
1909,
1909, «
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913,
1914,
1915.
3,089,030
3,162,187
3,235,344
3,308,501
3,380,037
3,445,416
3,510,795
3,576,174
3,641,553
3,706,931
400.06
40.0
14.3
-7
28.6
33.3
18.2
37.5
12.5
36.4
Chicken Pox.
Year.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases.'
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths. 8
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1906
3,089,030
31
1.0
-
-
-
1907,
3,162,187
101
3.2
-
-
-
1908,
3,235,344
905
28.0
-
-
-
1909,
3,308,501
2,201
75.2
-
-
-
1909,6
-
287
_7
-
-
-
1910,
3,380,037
2,351
69.6
-
-
-
1911,
3,445,416
2,542
73.8
-
-
-
1912.
3,510,795
3,574
101.8
-
-
-
1913,
3,576,174
3,822
106.9
.05
2
.06
1914,
3,641,553
4,896
134.4
.06
3
.08
1915,
3,706,931
5,512
149.0
.09
5
.13
1 Made reportable August, 1907.
2 Populations estimated arithmetically as of July 1 from the 1910 Federal Census and the 1915 State
Census.
3 From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health. The cases through 1909 are for
the year November 30 to November 30, after which they are for calendar years January 1 to December 31.
< From the annual registration reports of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
^ Apparent fatality rate.
6 December.
' In figuring the case rate and the fatality rate the month of December, 1909, has been counted in
with the year 1909.
' From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health.
622
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Dog
Bite ^ and Rabies ^
Ye.*.r.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases of
Dog Bite.''
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths
from
Rabies.'
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1915.
3,706,931
174
4.7
2.9
5
.14
Dysentery.^
Ye.\r.
Popula-
tion. 3
Cases. *
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths.
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1915,
3,706,931
239
6.5
-6
_B
_B
German Measles.^
Year.
Popula-
tion.'
Cases. <
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths. '
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1915,
3,706,931
500
13.49
.2
1
.03
Glanders.
Year.
1906,
1907,
1908,
1909,
1909,1
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913,
1914,
1915,
Popula-
tion.'
3,089,030
3,162,187
3,235,344
3,308,501
3,380,037
3,445,416
3,510,795
3,576,174
3,641,553
3,706,931
Cases. '
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
.03
Fatality
Rate.
66.7
100.0
66.7
100.0
.50
Deaths.'
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1 Made reportable September, 1914.
2 Made reportable May, 1914.
' Populations estimated arithmetically as of July 1 from the 1910 Federal Census and the 1915 State
Census.
* From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health.
6 From the annual registration reports of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
• Figures not available.
' Made reportable August, 1907.
8 From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health. The cases through 1909 are
for the year November 30 to November 30, after which they are for calendar years January 1 to Decem-
ber 31. 'December.
No. 34.1
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
623
Leprosy.^
Year.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases. 3
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths.*
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1906,
1907,
1908,
1909,
1909,'
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913,
1914,
1915,
3,089,030
3,162,187
3,235,344
3,308,501
3,380,037
3,445,416
3,510,795
3,576,174
3,641,553
3,706,931
.03
.13
.03
.15
-6
.03
.06
.11
.06
.03
.05
25.0
25.0
50.0
100.0
50.0
.03
Malaria.''
Year.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases. 8
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths. ■>
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1915
3,706,931
112
3.0
5.4
6
.16
Mumps.''
Yeab.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases, s
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths.*
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1915,
3,706,931
2,128
57.4
.5
1
.03
1 Made reportable August, 1907.
2 Populations estimated arithmetically as of July 1 from the 1910 Federal Census and the 1915 State
Census.
3 From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health. The cases through 1909 are
for the year November 30 to November 30, after which they are for calendar years January 1 to December
31.
* From the annual registration reports of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
5 December.
• In figuring the case rate and the fatality rate the month of December, 1909, has been counted in
with the year 1909.
' Made reportable September, 1914.
8 From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health.
624
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.^
Case Rate
Death Rate
Year.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases. 3
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths, s
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1910
3,380,037
361
10.7
_
_
_
1911
3,445,410
1,372
39.8
-
-
-
1912
3,510,795
1,750
49.9
-
-
-
1913
3,576,174
2,304
64.4
.22
5
.14
1914
3,641,553
2,620
72.0
-
-
1915
3,706,931
2,894
78.1
~
"
~
Pellagral
Year.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases. 3
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths. *
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1915
3,706,931
33
.89
78.8
26
.7
Septic Sore Throats
Ye.vr.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases. '
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths.*
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1915
3,706,931
865
23.4
-6
-«
-•
Smallpox.
Year.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases. 3
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths.*
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1906,
1907,
1908,
1909,
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913.
1914.
1915.
3,089,030
3,162,187
3,2.35,344
3,308,501
3,380,037
3,445,416
3,510,795
3,576,174
3,641,553
3,706,931
35
174
6
21
156
'11
220
157
38
24
1.1
5.5
.G
4.6
.3
6.3
4.4
1.0
.6
3.4
50.0
4.8
18.2
.5
37.5
6
3
1
2
1
9
.19
.09
.03
.06
.03
.24
1 Made reportable May, 1909.
2 Populations estimated arithmetically as of July 1 from the 1910 Federal Census and the 1915 State
Census.
' From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health.
4 From the annual registration reports of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
5 Made reportable September, 1914.
' Figures not available.
' Made reportable August, 1907.
? Made reportable May, 1914.
No. 34.
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
625
Tetanus.^
Year.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases. '
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality-
Rate.
Deaths. 4
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1906
3,089,030
-
-
-
29
.9
1907,
3,162,187
8
.3
387.55
31
1.0
1908,
3,235,344
12
.4
208.35
25
.8
1909,
3,308,501
16
.5
187.55
30
.9
1909, «
-
1
-7
-7
-
-
1910,
3,380,037
36
1.1
100.0
36
1.1
1911,
3,445.416
38
1.1
71.1
27
.8
1912,
3,510,795
24
.7
112.55
27
.8
1913,
3,576,174
23
.6
143.56
33
.9
1914,
3,641,553
31
.9
90.3
28
.8
1915,
3,706,931
32
.8
103.05
33
.9
Trachoma.^
Ye.\r.
Popula-
tion.-
Cases.'
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths. «
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913,
1914,
1915,
3,380,037
3,445,416
3,510,795
3,576,174
3,641,553
3,706,931
21
46
112
1.3
3.2
1.9
1.4
1 Made reportable August, 1907.
- Populations estimated arithmetically as of July 1 from the 1910 Federal Census and the 1915 State
Census.
5 From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health. The cases through 1909 are for
the year November 30 to November 30, after which they are for calendar years, January 1 to December 31.
■• From the annual registration reports of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
5 Apparent fatality rate.
s December.
' In figuring the case rate and the fatality rate the month of December, 1909, has been counted in
with the year 1909.
8 Made reportable May, 1909.
9 From the annual reports of the State Board of Health.
L
626
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Trichinosis.
Case Rate
Death Rate
Year.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases. 3
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths. *
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1906,
3,089,030
_
_
_
1
.03
1907,
3,162,187
7
.22
-
-
-
1908,
3,235,344
2
.06
-
-
-
1909,
3,308,501
5
.18
-
-
-
1909,6
-
1
-6
_6
-
-
1910,
3,380,037
-
-
-
-
-
1911,
3,445,416
-
-
-
-
-
1912,
3,510,795
10
.28
.30.0
3
.09
1913,
3,576,174
5
.14
80.0
4
.11
1914,
3,641,553
5
.14
60.0
3
.08
1915,
3,706,931
~
~
"'
~
Tuberculosis — Other Forms than Pulmonary.^
Ye.\r.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases. *
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths.'
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1912,
1913,
1914,
1915,
3,510,795
3,576,174
3,641,553
3,706,931
477
412
570
822
13.6
179.2'
11.4
210. 9«
15.7
156. 1>
22.2
103.9
890
853
24.4
24.1
24.7
23.0
Typhus Fever .^
Year.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases. *
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths. '
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1913,
1914,
1915,
3,576,174
3,641,553
3,706,931
.06
.14
50.0
20.0
1 Made reportable August, 1907.
2 Populations estimated arithmetically as of July 1 from the 1910 Federal Census and the 1915 State
Census.
3 From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health. The cases through 1909 are for
the year November 30 to November 30, after which they are for calendar years January 1 to December
31.
* From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health.
* December.
' In figuring the case rate and the fatality rate the month of December, 1909, has been counted in
with the year 1909.
' From the annual registration reports of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
' Made reportable August, 1907. Reports previous to 1912 very incomplete.
' Apparent fatality rate.
No. 34.1
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
627
Whooping Cough. '^
Year.
Popula-
tion. 2
Cases. '
Case Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
Fatality
Rate.
Deaths. *
978.85
509
105.65
243
25.4
288
11.6
250
12.7
183
7.5
292
7.2
225
7.2
239
6.8
225
3.9
283
Death Rate
per 100,000
Popula-
tion.
1906,
1907,
1908,
1909,
1909,6
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913,
1914,
1915,
3,089,030
3,162,187
3,235,344
3,308,501
3,380,037
3,445,416
3,510,795
3,576,174
3,641,553
3,706,931
52
230
1,134
2,161
81
1,436
3,911
3,112
3,325
3,316
7,182
1.7
7.3
35.0
67.8
_7
42.5
113.5
88.6
93.0
91.1
193 7
16.5
7.7
8.9
7.6
5.4
8.5
6.4
6.8
6.2
7.6
1 Made reportable August, 1907.
2 Populations estimated arithmetically as of July 1 from the 1910 Federal Census and the 1915 State
Census.
3 From the annual reports of the Massachusetts State Board of Health. The cases through 1909 are
for the year November 30 to November 30, after which they are for calendar years January 1 to De-
cember 31.
'' From the annual registration reports of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
5 Apparent fatality rate.
6 December.
' In figuring the case rate and the fatality rate for 1909 the month of December has been added to the
year 1909.
Epidemiological Summaries.
The following summaries are appended to show the character and
mode of the investigations, as well as the sources and modes of in-
fection. They are selected as examples to illustrate the various types
of outbreaks.
Typhoid Fever, East Deerfield Yards, Boston & Maine Railroad, Near
Greenfield, October, 1914, to February, 1915.
By John S. Hitchcock, State District Health Officer.
Mode of transmission: Water.
Initiated by District Health Officer.
Reason: Continued reporting of typhoid cases at frequent intervals.
History: From Oct. 6, 1914, to Feb. 11, 1915, 17 cases of typhoid fever were
reported, all of whom had frequented the East Deerfield Terminal of the
Boston & Maine Railroad, about 3 miles from Greenfield. The majority of
these cases occurred in railway employees who frequented a Y. M. C. A.
maintained at this point for the convenience and recreation of the men.
628 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
D. H. O.'s investigation: A study of the occupation, residence and history of
the reported cases revealed several important things. Most of them were
railroad employees whose homes were in various parts of the State, and who
only came to Greenfield at intervals. Further study showed that they had no
common milk or food supply. The only common factor in their lives was the
use of the water at the East Deerfield Terminal shops, roundhouse and
Y. M. C. A. The drinking water at the Y. M. C. A. was piped from hillside
spring and filtered. This water, used for washing dishes and bathing, was
taken from the tanks used to supply engines with water. Water ordinarily
used for all purposes in shop and roundhouse is gathered in a small reservoir
from an apparently safe watershed. In emergencies the tank water was used
for all purposes by means of pipe connection. This tank water is pumped
from a point three-quarters of a mile below the junction of the Green and
Deerfield rivers. This point is 1 mile below where the main sewer of the
town of Greenfield empties into the river.
In consequence of a particularly dry summer (1914) the water supply was
short and the Deerfield River very low, and consisted practically of unfiltered
sewage. Tank water was turned in and used at the Y. M. C. A. building.
Further investigation resulted in locating some cases in Greenfield from which
the stools had been thrown into the sewer without disinfection.
Tliis outbreak of typhoid fever (17 cases, 2 fatal) was due primarily to placing
undisinfected typhoid stools in the sewers with a consequent pollution of the
water supply of the East Deerfield Terminal.
Typhoid Fever, Chelmsford, January, 1915.
By Charles E. Simpson, State District Health Officer.
Mode of transmission : Water.
Initiated by District Health Officer.
Reason: Occurrence of 4 cases within two weeks.
History: four cases of typhoid fever were reported within a short time. Three
cases live in North Chelmsford and one in West Chelmsford. All of them
work in the North Chelmsford Mills but one in a separate factory. No close
contact. No two had the same milkman. The only common factor was the
water supply.
D. H. O.'s investigation: water supply. Mill No. 1 (3 cases), town water in pails
with common dipper; Mill No. 2 (1 case), town water or Adam's well (pol-
luted). For mechanical purposes these mills use water from a canal leading
from Crystal Lake. About two weeks previous to the first case about 200 ice
cutters worked on Crystal Lake near the head of the canal. There were no
adequate toilet facilities and every likelihood that the canal became polluted
by a carrier. The probable route of transfer was by means of the canal water
having been used for drinking purposes in the mills.
Results: Engineering Division reported town water of good quality and Adam's
well grossly polluted; also the canal water. Attention of local board of health
called to these facts and warning of employees advised.
No. 34.] REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST. 629
Typhoid Fever, Northbridge, Oct. 12 to 25, 1915.
By Wm. W. Walcott, State District Health Officer.
Mode of transmission: Milk.
Initiated by District Health Officer.
Reason: Sudden increase in reported cases.
History: During period October 12-30, 18 cases of typhoid fever were reported
from the village of Rochdale (2,000 inhabitants). The cases were limited to
this one part of Northbridge. The distribution and sharpness of onsets indi-
cated either milk or v/ater-borne infection. The town is supphed by five
dairymen. The water supply is municipal, and is taken from driven wells.
D. H. O.'s investigation: Investigation of all the dairies sending milk into
Rochdale resulted in locating at the milk farm a son of the proprietor with
a positive widal. He had been ill with a diagnosis of malaria. At the time
of the investigation he was attending to his duties. All of the milk produced
at tliis farm went to Rochdale. The other dairies were negative. Checking
of cases showed that every one of the cases, directly or indirectly, were sup-
plied with milk from this farm. Water supply is taken from five tubular wells
driven about 250 feet from the Blackstone River. Water is pumped to a
reservoir. There is a check valve that connects the village supply with the
Blackstone River for fire purposes. A fire occurred on September 27, in the
district where most of the typhoid cases were located. From 11 to 12 a.m.
the Blackstone River water was pmnped through the mains.
Results: Milk supply properly supervised and milk handler -with positive Widal
prohibited from handling milk. Attention of the town called to the danger
of using polluted water through service mains even for fire purposes.
Typhoid Fever, Quincy, November, 1915.
By Merrill E. Champion, State District Health Officer.
Mode of transmission: Apparently a milk-borne infection.
Initiated by District Health Officer.
Reason: Unusual number of cases.
History: Three cases of typhoid were reported November 11, — a mother and
two children. The mother had been sick eighteen daj'S, one cliild twelve daj^s,
and the other eight days before being reported as typhoid. The milk supply
was at first given as that of Mr. W. solely. The latter is a distributor only,
getting his supply from two Braintree producers. Later it was found that
milk was had from Mr. S. as well, a small producer of QuincJ^ The next case
got milk from Mr. W. and Mr. S.; the next from Mr. R. and Mr. S.; another
from Mr. S. alone; the next from Mr. W. and Mr. S. Of the next 3 cases,
1 was said to have had some milk from Mr. S. (denied by the latter) ; another
had a pasteurized supply; and a third — a foreigner — could or would give
no information as to his milk supplj^ Thus it wall be seen that of 10 cases,
5 got their milk from Mr. S. and Mr. W.; 1 of Mr. S. and Mr. R.; 1 of Mr.
S. alone; 1 who may have had milk from Mr. S. ; 1 in doubt; and 1 an entirely
different supply.
630 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
D. H. O.'s investigation: Investigation was started first with Mr. W. before it
was known the part Mr. S. played. So far as we got, notliing suspicious was
found. When it was learned that 7 cases had milk of Mr. S. who had only
a small route (25), attention was at once turned to him. We found that he
had a small insanitary stable, used his kitchen as a milk room, used no ice,
and lastly, was operating without a permit from the board of health. Only
two handled the milk, — mother and son. Widals were taken from both; the
mother's was reported positive.
Results: Mr. S. was forbidden by the local board to sell milk, pending arrange-
ments for raising the standard of his equipment and for eliminating the mother
as a food handler. No further cases have occurred since that time (Novem-
ber 13) which did not date back to an earlier period.
Typhoid FE^^R, Grafton State Insane Hospital, May, 1915.
By Wm. W. Walcott, State District Health Officer.
Mode of transmission: typhoid "carrier."
Initiated by District Health Officer.
Reason: Two positive Widals from hospital (population: 1,469 patients, 369
emploj^ees) .
History: Twenty-one cases were reported in the following order: —
May 8, 1
May 15, 1
May 17, 5
May 19, 7
May 24, 7
21
Milk supply from B. and N. of North Grafton, and some milk produced at
the institution. Investigations of these supplies proved negative. Water
was found to be all right. Widals of employees and patients who handled
foods resulted in finding three positives: No. 1, W. N., milker at 0 Farm; no
history of any suggestive illness. No. 2, M. W., patient, handles food; no
suggestion of any typhoid in past history. No. 3, B. M., food handler; ty-
phoid fever, 1905.
Typhoid bacilli were demonstrated in feces of B. M.
Results: All employees and patients given antityphoid vaccine. Milk utensils
carefully sterilized. M. W. and B. M. excluded from kitchen and kept under
observation, and no new patients detailed to food handling unless giving a
negative Widal. No further cases have developed.
No. 34.] REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST. 631
Diphtheria, Rockport, September, 1915.
By William H. Coon, State District Health Officer.
Mode of transmission: "Missed" cases.
Initiated by District Health Officer.
Reason: Unusual number of cases.
History: Five cases reported in tliree days. Five more cases followed.
No. 1, A. G., September 21.
No. 2, C. G., September 21.
No. 3, Mrs. J. W., September 23.
No. 4, M. W., September 23.
No. 5, H. R., September 23.
No. 6, D. M., September 28.
No. 7, A. B., September 28.
No. 8, F. N., September 29.
No. 9, B. F., September 29.
No. 10, R. H., September 30.
D. H. O.'s investigation: On September 21 the school physician, in the course
of general examination of pupils, excluded F. N. from Mt. Pleasant school
with a "patch" on her throat. She was not attended by a physician, and for
some days played with other children, among them A. G. and C. G., who in
turn became ill. During the early part of their sickness attended school, in
this way infecting.
Results: Culture of schools — investigation.
This outbreak shows the usual cycle of unrecognized cases, with a physician
called later, the extension of disease by contact infection to others in the
immediate neighborhood, and spread through schools. It shows the necessity
of follow-up work in children excluded from schools and active co-operation
between school physicians and boards of health.
Diphtheria, Framingham, Sept. 6 to 30, 1915.
By Wm. W. Walcott, State District Health Officer.
Mode of transmission: Contact infection.
Initiated by District Health Officer.
Reason: Unusual number of cases of diphtheria reported.
History: The reports came in the following order: September 6, 2; September
10, 1; September 11, 1; September IS, 11; September 20, 1; September 22,
1; September 25, 6.
D. H. O.'s investigation: The cases were all in one neighborhood and a short
distance from the Dennison factory. Some cases were employed in factory,
and home work was carried on in the homes. The children all attended one
school. No common milk supply. There was a clear history of contact in
all of the cases.
632 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub Doc.
Results: Mr. R. N. Koyt, agent of local board of health, in conjunction \A'ith
Dr. Healy, the school phj'-sician, handled the situation. All school children
in the district and every suspicious case cultured. Other suspicious contacts
were also cultured. As a result three carriers were found and isolated in one
house. By co-operation with Dennison Manvifacturing Company all tags
possibly infected were destroyed, and employees with diphtheria in the family
were required to present a certificate of negative nose and throat culture
before returning to work. Quarantine supervised, antitoxin freely adminis-
tered, and good follow-up cultures. Outbreak controlled.
Diphtheria, Marlborough, Nov. 5, 1915.
Bij Wm. W. Walcott, State District Health Officer.
Mode of transmission: Concealed case.
Initiated by District Health Officer.
Reason: Report from local board of health that a case of diphtheria had been
removed from a local boarding school to her home.
History: On November 1 child taken ill at the school with sore throat and
malaise. Confined to room part of the time and part of time mingled with
other children. Physician called and child removed to home without having
thi'oat examination made by house physician. Attending physician at home
sent child to Newton Hospital at once.
D. H. O.'s investigation: Found the school had about 100 boarding pupils and
40 day pupils, besides sisters who teach in the academy and the parochial
schools. The head of the school claimed that she had no knowledge that the
child had diphtheria, and that she did not understand about quarantine,
isolation, etc. Eight additional cases developed.
Results: Institution quarantined. Isolation estabhshed in a cottage on the
grounds. Cultm-es taken from all pupils and teachers. Regulation passed
by local board of health proliibiting the removal of any sick child from the
academy without examination and permit by board of health.
Diphtheria, Holbrook and Brockton, Sept. 1 to 13, 1915.
By Merrill E. Champion, State District Health Officer.
Mode of transmission: Milk.
Initiated by District Health Officer.
Reason: Report of Health Officer of Brockton of discovery of diphtheria carriers
on milk farm.
History: The reporting of three cases of diphtheria in one family in Brockton
led to an investigation by the Brockton board of health of the source of milk
supply. It resulted in finding four positive cultures on the milk farm of B,
in Holbrook. This included the man who did the milking. Brockton promptly
notified this office by telephone, and stopped the sale of milk in Brockton and
advised the Holbrook board of health.
No. 34.
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
633
D. H. O.'s investigation: The investigation of the farm of B. at Holbrook
revealed four persons with diphtheria bacilli in their throat. The infection
was probably introduced by a member of the family who returned from a
vacation in Nantucket with a sore throat to which no attention was given.
The customers of this dairy in Holbrook were visited by the District Health
Officer, wliile those in Brockton were handled by the Brockton Health Officer.
Of the 32 cases of sore throat in Holbrook. 30 were on B's milk route and
16 gave positive cultures for diphtheria. Brockton added 11 cases to this list.
All cases mild.
Results: Milk from B's farm excluded from market at once. Family quaran-
tined. Outbreak checked.
Communicable Disease Statistics.
A General Review of the Vital Statistics of the State, 1915.
Many of the comments and tables published in former reports
under the above title have been omitted in this report. This has
been done because of a change in the method of tabulating death
returns by the State registrar in order to make a clear and more ac-
curate presentation of the vital returns. Through the hearty co-
operation of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, through his deputy,
Herbert H. Boynton, the complete death returns of each city and
town are now being furnished to this Department monthly instead
of annually. This makes possible the publication of complete tables
of cases and deaths from various diseases in the monthly public health
bulletin. These tables are proving of great value to the public health
officials. However, this change in method will necessitate some delay
in the tabulating of death returns of 1915. Thereafter it will make
the death returns available earlier.
For clearness of presentation the discussion and tables bearing upon
individual diseases will be found in the report of the epidemiologist.
The geographic distribution and seasonal incidence of diseases has
been retained in this section.
Massachusetts.
Years.
Population.
Deaths.
Death
Rates.
Years.
Population.
Deaths.
Death
Rates.
1906,
1907,
1908,
1909,
1910,
3,044,998
3,086,885
3,129,348
3,172,395
3,366,416
50,624
54,234
51,788
51,236
54,407
16.63
17.57
16.55
16.16
16.16
1911,
1912,
1913,
1914,
1915,
3,444,059
3,523,493
3,604,759
3,594,266
3,693,310
53,062
52,400
53,402
52,978
53,127
15.42
14.87
14.81
14.74
14 38
634
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
3q
O
■ilSnoQ SaidooqAY
MOJ.^1 r 1 1 irjiMosi 1 lojoco
CO CO .-H ^^ rj^
•J8A9J: pioqd;«x
grtr-irHt^rt 1 IOC^<-HT»(1MCO | ,-lCOO
•jaq^O 'sisoinoiaqnj.
gJlll-NIIII-Hllllllrt
QO
-ouiin<j 'sisoinojeqnx
OO
•sisotiiqoux
1 1 1 1 1 1
•■BtuoqoBax
O 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
■enuB^jaX
£3 1 '^ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
CO
•xodjiBrag
^ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 II
•^Bojqx a-iog oijdag
glll-*lll-<lllllll-.
00
•joAa^ ciajj^Dg
COO(M'^CO(MC^O'.tl'--OI 1 iTjIt^cO
S '^ " "^ CO^Ut, -HCO
oc
■saiqB^
>0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
■■BJ^^lPd;
CO 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•Biuii'Bq^qdo
3;l l<N01l |rtrt<M-H| 1 IIM-HN
"1
■sdmnj^
OOCN-HOJ-HJ 1 1 |«ir^,-|| l^ICO
•saisBaj^
r^-^COOr-f-^ lO-H-JiOtM 1 ICOCOW?
•'BU'B\Vfi
C« 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•Xsojdai
c^ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•sjapu^IQ
<M 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•sajeBaj^ uBuijao
OIIIIIIII-Hllllll.,^
U5 rt
•Xja^nas^Q
O 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
CO
•a^ig SOQ
^lllllllll-*lllllco
•■Bjjaq^jqdiQ
<M I-* ICO-H |(NOOt~OCO I — |(MO
00 .-1 T-1 CO (M ,-( CO
•xo<i na^iotqo
Cq«|r-IN(M1CO<MO(MI 1 iMr-liO
q -, CO ^ -H CO
-uaj\[ jBnidsojqaaaQ
WIlllllllCO-Hllllll
•Xt3jq;av
•^ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
-a^Craoijoj jouaitiv
'«1IIIIIIC<1IIII|.-I|.-1
•sisoo/:raoai?ov
00 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
■SI6I JO SB a^B^g eq^
Aq ua:!!^:) noi;'BindO(j
3,693,310
5,646
2,151
2,387
13,218
4,555
271
8,543
5,558
7,978
14,889
2,059
922
994
2,005
9,783
18,480
o s-
^^
S n K
S •<
H a
-a o 1 - 3 . 3 i §f 1 2 - -a -a §
eg. go ;3C3 g^^ %'^^-^^^^M^':;^
No. 34.
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
635
1
-
1
CO
CO
1^
CO
1
--
1<
1
o
CO
1
OJ
CO
1
-
1
-
-
-^
CO
(M
■>!<
1
1
-
'^
1
i
-*
1
1
-
1
1
1
1
1
-
1
1
CO
1
1
i
1
1
■*
CO
o
1
•<^
QO
CO
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
—
1
1
1
—
CM
-
—
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
-*
1
1
^
1
1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 --I 1 1 1 1
1
1
1
o
1
1
1
1
1
i«
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
CO
OO
1
1
1
1
en
'
a>
t^
iO
1
CO
1
IM
CO
■«
1
1
1
CO
1
CO
1
1
1
1
1
co"
1
1
1
1
oa
1
1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 o: 1 1 I 1
1
1
1
IN
1
1
1
1
^
<N
1
1
1
■*
_
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
— •
"
lO
I
CO
CO
o
<M
1
1
1
00
1
'-
1
CO
1
1
1
1
CO
CO
CM
CO
1
-^
1
^
fO
1
00
Ol
^^
^^
1
OJ
,_,
1
1
1
CO
1
„
o
1
■^
CO
s
III 1 1 1 1 OO 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 CM 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 r 1 th 1 1 1 1
1
1
1
1
'
1
t-
1
CO
-
1
1
1
1
'
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
-
1
o
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
«
1
1
1
1
o
1
1
1
"
<N
tr>
-'
vn
1
IM
-
'^
OO
■*
ro
CO
>c
1
■*
M
-*
o
CO
1
CO
1
CO
tM
en
CO
'^
1
■^
-<*<
CM
-•
1
1
-
1
1
1
1
1
1
-
1
1
1
"^
1
1
1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 <M 1 1 1 1
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
■o
1
1
1
1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 m 1 I 1 1
,_
l^
CO
CO
to
(M
CO
^H
LO
CD
Ci
CO
^
Cl
*— '
t^
C5
^
C-.
CO
O
05
o
o
OO
t-
CD
w
CO
t-
t^
M
C)
(N
"*
CO
(M
cc
^
CO
lO
'to
CM
r!
D
C
X!
c
o
2
a
A1
til
C
o
^c"
o
c
>
c3
o
c
o
C3
0
o
a
2
a
0
to
1
«2
a
o
3
a
c3
o
(0
o
o
<
<
<
n
P3
«
CP
H
ec
«
CQ
m
m
m
m
m
m
m
n
m
pq
«
m
636
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
1
O
•qSnoQ SuidooqAV
.-. -tji CM S ^
•J8A8J pioqditx
Oltoii^iool iC'J-a'i 1 1 1— ii<
•jaq^O 'sisojnojoqnx
lllirollllltoilll'^l
co|ooi<M-3<«-Hia:?oi J 1 1 1 1
cj e^ 00 10 ^ rt
.— 1 CO
•Bisouiqoux
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 I 1
•■Braoqo'Bix
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 —■—. 1 1 1 1 1 1
•snuB^ax
1 1 1 1 rM 1 1 1 1 -H 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•xodn'Btag
J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•^BOjqx S'lOS oi^dag
rt 1 1 1 00 1 -< 1 1 0 M 1 1 1 1 1 1
•J9A8J :»3liB0g
00 Oi CO
•saiq'ey;
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•■BiSBiiaj:
J 1 1 1 ^ 1 1 1 J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•uraiiBq^tqcIo
(MINIMI— — 1^1 ICqC-ll |(MI |C>»
10 CD
•sdranj^
micoitoiiMi I05CI 1 1 1 1 1
r-1 0 iM m
•S3[SB8I^
O — Ost-COIMOOI |50C-)|rt| 1— 1-*
CO 00 00 t^ -*<
T-l CO — 00
■BlJBI'BJ^
1 1— llt^l — 1 1 — 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•iCsojdaT;
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
■sjapuBio
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•saiSBapf nsmjao
Tficolirsi 1 1 'JIJ"^' ' ' ' ' '
■itia^nasAQ
1 J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 C-) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•a|ig SoQ
1 1 1 1 -^ 1 1 1 1 CO 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
■'Bijaq:^qdiQ
ocM-'* rco*-ir^<Oi-H^Hio.-<c^ 1 cqiMco
,-, i^ CO CO <M
•xod; nsJloiqO
2='S'S'S3' 'SS?"' ' ' ' '
-uaj^ yBntdsojqajao
(Mill — llll'^llllil'^
•XBiq^uv
J 1 1 1 — 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
-aXnioqoj joua^tnv
IIIICOIIII— llllll—
•8ISO0X^^o^I:^0V
; 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 J I 1 1 1 1 1 1
■5I6I JO SB n-B%S B^%
Aq uasiB^ uoi^Bindoj
9,343
783
9,381
934
62,288
2,059
33.490
1,569
751
108,822
5,623
490
1,701
977
2,213
1,667
5,182
0 ^: "S 2 c 3 g ■« 0 ^' . . § G S £
No. 34.]
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
637
tOI 1 |50l lOOl ICJI 1 1 |rtM(M|(MCOI 1
col 1 l-H| It^l \ -f 1 1 1 1— .— i(M| 1 |_|
lO I^H ICO I ICV3 ICvlOi l^-HCCTlcf-^iO^^^H^HOO 1
1 1 < 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
n 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
(Mlll-^lllllillllllllll-<l
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
C-] 1 1 1 TJ< 1 1 ■* 1 1 1 1 -< 1 1 1 1 1
-H| 1 IO5|<N00CO^Ht^| |-^l(MCD^^C3l^H,-.|
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
.1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 t 1 1 1 1 1 .-< 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
-' ' ' = ' '"--' ' ,«,«« IC, 1
«0«l l-*l IC— c|— II |u5lTt<rtO0COI l-<l
(Ml 1— itOI IC-JlOrtOOl I'Mlt^iOCOIOOOOl 1
to ta -^ en CQ— .— cto
— lllOJII-Hlllllllll— .lllt^l
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
^III2''~''''''I'^IIIII'''
<M 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
CO 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Ol—t^— c| lOI ICOl — 1 loooo— .— .col 1
-H| 1 1001— icqo— cOI 1 ICOOOlOCOl ItOl
t^ C^l CO ^ t^
CO 1 1 1 -H 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 <M 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 'H 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
43,426
1,535
1,344
559
30,138
288
1,114
13,192
2,800
1,829
6,681
1,220
660
3,858
712
11,177
5,330
11,043
2,739
1,822
2,499
2,170
999
■ ■ ■ 4 ■ : ^ 1 ■ ■ .=■
i f 1 1 H 1 1" 1 1" 1 1 1 1 =■ i 1 1 1 1 1 1 f
J3^,c!.a^.a^--0^ O O 3 =3 =i =3 0! « SJ o.Sfo o
OOOOOOOOOOOOOQQQQQPPQQQ
638
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
o
;3
I
?i,
O
•qSnoQ 3uidooi{jV\
'-^-'"^'l ICJOI , . l<.5O00g
•aoAej ptoqdXx
1 1 1 |«|rt<MOT-l| 1 l-.t^iOg
•joqio 'sisoinoj9qnx
«-Hl l-H| 1^1 1 1 1 1 imlirt
rt-<l-HiMI 10t)<| I 1 |.-C-*OiO
CO ^ o cq
1— t CO
•sisonitjoTJX
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•■BraoqoBJX
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -H 1 1 1 1
•ennB^jaX
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 >-• 1 1
•xodn«tag
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•^BOjqx 8-ios ot-fdag
llllll<MI-H|||||MIM
•JOAS^ ^8|JB0g
■*— 1| |(M(M|_05tO— 1| |(MIO-*t>.
•BOiq^H
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
■BjSBjjatj
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•■BirniBq^tqdo
Ml i«-Hi'i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1=2"':;:^
C^ CO
•sdmnj^
1 1 icii 1 I-H05I 1 iml«lco
T-< CO
•saisBaj^
OJ«:~leO>0 1 l-H<M<MCO!NI 'S'^S
-* CO
•BUBJ'BJ^I
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -I 1 1
•Asoids'j
1 1 1 1 1 J 1 1 1 1 1
■sjapuBio
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•soisBaj^ UBinjaQ
11 rtllllldlCJ
•j:ia%uas/i(i
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
■a%iQ SoQ
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 <^>
•Biiaq^qdiQ
eo^HI(MC<l<Nt^COt^W3l 1 1 l^coo
•xoj na^iotqo
I«I05<MI iMMcol ieg|m>«»
lll^lll<MIIIIII<^«l«>
•x^iq'^uv
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -H
■siiq
-aXraoiioj jotj9}uv
lll^-llllllllll-<l<^
•STSOOXraOUT'^OV
I 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•ei6I JO SB a^tj^s 9^%
Aq na5['B^ nopisindoj;
4,022
4,373
362
1,921
3,689
1,939
545
9,845
5,064
1,276
599
806
1,168
1,677
37,718
6,277
124,791
^:
o t-
a ^ S
" o o
1^ t* !7
<< H '<
as
fcT ^' . .
■ ■ ■ ■ s ■%
_ 1 g g
1 i 1 1 S a 1 1 li II i . 1 1 g
No. 34.]
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
639
|t^(CO00l lOl 1 loot 1 1 1 i^*oi 1 It^
|toimO«|(MIC^I»OI 'J3' IIMOSI l-^-H
looiilll^lll-^llllll-^lll —
^HC-llC^t^iOr-iiOlC^.-'t^l I^Hl ICOt^l I I'M
00 .-1 CM CO 1 "
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 t4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 —< 1 1 1 1 1
r 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
llllllllll«lllllll«IIMI
•.-ioirtrj<o-*>raloio— ■! 1 1 1 i-HOitoiNiM
lO CO W *0 (M ^^ CM
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
iu:j1 I— i| lOlcqi-Hi i | i icmooi I 1 1
loi-H>oirol 1 1 1 1 1 1 i-H|cgcol 1 1 1
lOOlTjH^HCOOOiftJlCOI^l I IC0I*^*01 liOl
Tji tr» CM O <-( OO
1 1 1 1 -1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 J 1 J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
ICMIII^COIIIIIIIIIII^IIII
1 1 1 ^ 1 1 1 1 1 1 i -H 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
ICOIII-a<lllliCOIIIIIllll'^l
OCMI-«<«— .1001 1-^03CMI 1 1 1 IIOI^IOC-J
CO-HCMrlCO — 1 CO CO
ICOlJIII^IJllllllllCMIIIl
1 1 J 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
l«l|-:t<l|rt|||COlllllllllll
1 1 1 1 J 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 I 1
3,917
39,656
427
3,755
15,860
6,440
1,663
16,376
175
2,058
951
24,478
289
155
6,250
828
784
6,627
12,618
426
2,333
2,377
2,666
a
o
il^lli i ill : 1 .= giilii .1 i
640
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
o
I
?iH
O
•qSnoQ gnidooijw
Illllllll^Oll^llg
•jaA3 J pioqdXx
1 1 1 1— 1| 1 IIOCOCOI l-*|rt^
CO
•aaq^O 'eisoinoaaqnx
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0> 1 1 1 1 1 <M
-ora|n<j 'eisoinoaaqnx
-Hi 1 1-H|T}<I ICOI^I IM-HMt-
•BisouiqoiJX
1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•BraoqoBix
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
■snu'B'jax
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•xodiiBtng
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•:»T30jqx 9-iog oi^dag
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1
•jaAaj[ ■taiJ«3S
.1 1 1 irt-Hrtcot-'HOOl icqi-*— 1
0
•saiq'B'a:
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -H 1 1 1 1 1 -1
■Bi3Bnaj
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 "
■■Bira]'Bq:(qdo
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 00 1 1 1 1 1 1
•sdmni^
llllllllll-Hllll-HCO
•saisBaj^
—.1 1 loeoico-*!— '1 iioic^-i;
CO
■■e\iv\vyi
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -1 1 1 1 1 1 1
■Xsojda'7
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•sjapuTJio
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•saiSBaj^ HBTHjaQ
llllllll— ICOIIII'^I
•itja^nasXQ
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 —
■a^ja 3oa
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ;i; 1 1 1 1 1 <^
•■Buaq^qdiQ
1 [ 1 |c^i-h^hcci-h<mi i--,iaico
•xoa ua^iDiqO
1 1 11 1 lOOI-HlJgl I^IO'*
•si^iSni
-najAi {■Buidsojqajao
1 _ 1 1 1 1 -<
•XBjq'juy
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
■sun
-ajtniOTjOfj joua^uv
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 «5 1 1 1 1 -^ 1
•sisooAxnoui^ov
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 > 1 1
■5I6I JO St; a%v%Q B^%
Sq ua:>iB; uoi'jBindoj;
638
1,879
670
514
2,666
1,796
3,596
1,104
2,179
2,030
49,450
427
383
5,264
1,257
2,948
2,514
Cities and Towns
alphabetically ar-
RANGED.
-
Halifax,
Hamilton, 1
Hampden, 1
Hancock, 1
Hanover, .
Hanson, .
Hard wick,
Harvard, .
Harwich, .
Hatfield, .
Haverhill, .
Haw ley, ' .
Heath, i .
Hingham, .
Hinsdale, .
Holbrook, .
Holden, .
No. 34.
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
641
1 iiomi 1 ico; 1 1 IU5IOI 1 iiraioi i
|(MOOI 1 |t^|-i<NrtlCMI^-H|cq02lt^l 1
1 ITKI 1 1 |«| 1 1 ICOIj^l 1 ITKI-Hl (
1 ir~i 1 i<McolOrt«-*i"2rtilto2;ioi i
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 -H 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -H 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 « 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 c^ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 i 1 J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
ll-3<lill— i|lll^ie^ill"llll
CM -<
1 1 { 1 ( 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 J 'H 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 { 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
I.05.ll-H«,«,,l|r-lll-H,-,,
1 loi 1 |«^<| 1 1 |_|co^^l IOI-H.-.I
CO t^
1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 <-• 1 1 t 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 l-Hli-Hl 1 1 1 1 I IC^IIM— c| l_|^| 1
1 1 1 1 J 1 1 1 1 -H 1 1 1 1 CO 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
IICOIIIICOIIIIIIt~lllll— III
IC^OOIO*^ I05(M lOCO^H 1 IC^OO ICOCO |T-(io 1
{ |t~— i|-.Ttic<i(c^l |ioi«n-H| loioooil
ll-HiiiiCT^llllioiliiiiiii
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 CO 1 1 1 'H 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 <M 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
159
2,788
60,810
2,063
2,475
1,084
6,758
2,290
1,427
6,272
2,580
1,491
2,585
1,089
90,259
4,481
3,322
3,242
17,046
779
5,538
344
1,310
. . . . ^- 1 . . « . . . 1 ......... .
I2|^.2jg -.S-giaill .-2-.3|tg^
642
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
=3
.S
O
O
o
o
•ilSnoQ 3uidooi{A\
1
.• — 1 O t^ O 1
5 ' S '
CO
1
•*
■jaA9j[ pioqdj^X
"
^ cq
1 S '
CO ^H CO .*
CM -^
■o ^ 1
1 o
■jeq'lO 'STSoinojaqnx
C-) 1
' S '
t^ rt 1 1
1
1 1
1 1
-oininj 'sTSO|nojaqnx
' i '"
.O CO 1
OS
CO -^ '-' o to
0-- --1
00 — ■
(M CO
■sisouiqoiJX
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•Braoqo'BJX
1 1 m 1 1 -H 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 I
■snuBiax
1 1 CO 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•xodHBrag
J 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1' 1
•^Tjojqx s-ioS o'ldas
1 (M -H
1 e<i 1
IM 1 Cq .^ 1 1 CT
•J9A0^ MJ^OS
(N
r-l — . Tj<
" § '
CO — <M ifl<
CO C^
■"*
00
00
1
-■^
•BaTqt!H
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1
1
■■eXS^WO^
1 1 ra 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1
1
•tjiuiiBq^qdo
1
1 g -a"
' g '
CO 1 M CM
1
CO
1 CM
•sdumK
1
« O 1
-xi t^
1 1 1* •<»<
1
^
M
1
-> 1
•saisBaj^
1
cc o o
1 ^
O 1-^ OS t>.
O ■*
U5
■*
(M
g
-1 CO IM
•■BIIBIBJ^
1 1 (N 1 1 1
1 1 'H 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•Xeojdai
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•eiapuB^o
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
1
^
1
1
1 1
■saisnaj^ uBOTjao
1
1 -H «
1 2
CO ^ CO 1
1
1
(M
'
1 1
•Xia^uasAQ
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
a^ig SoQ
1
' « '
1 -H
1 1 1 1 1 -1
•Buaq^qdiQ
1
" o
1 — '
, g ^ « 00
1
CO
»o
'"'
1 CO
CM
•xoj ua^ioiqo
^
Cil ■* t^
•^ 1-1
-^ <M
1 ^ — 03 O
^ CO —I
1
CO
'"'
1
rt lO
si^iSui
-uaiv yunidsojqaiao
1
1 CO 1
1 IM
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ^ -^
■XBjmnv
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 > 1
•smi
-aXraoiioj joua^uv
1
1 c^ 1
1 —1
1 1 -H -H 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•sisooXuioupov
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•5X61 JO SB o^Big aq'j
Aq uaJiB:> uoi;T3indo<i
CO
1,782
107,978
6,251
2 S
co_ oo_
C5
1,112
48,907
2,945
5,772
7,606
"^.
§
t^_^
N
<M O
in r^
CO t^
•rt" CO*
Cities and Towns
alphabetically ar-
RANGED.
a
o
3
Longmeadow, .
Lowell,
Ludlow,
i
1 g
Lj-nnfield, '
Maiden,
Manchester,
Mansfield, .
Marblehead,
|3
O
1
l-t
o
2
03
ft
o
i 1
No. 34.
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
643
«n
m
CJ
to
CO
CO
o
to
J
^^
•*
lO
t>-
'^
2
-"
~
1
1
■^
C-J
'-'
-^
(M
■^
1
1
CO
1
•*
'^
1
-
1
CO
1
1
-
-
'
-
'
1
1
■*
1
1
1
CO
05
_^
1
t^
1
^
^
■*
1
o
1
1
^^
CM
■9<
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
,
1
1
1 1 1 1 1 J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 rt
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 J 1 J 1 1 J J 1 1 1 1 1 1 J
1
-
1
1
1
1
1
'
1
1
1
i
.
■^
1
1
1
1
1
1
r
1
-
'"'
00
<N
to
1
^
■*
CO
1
1
t^
(M
'-'
M
1
•^
'Tj'
1
1
1
^
CO
CM
1 ^ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 J 1 1 1 J 1 '1 1 1 1
■*
1
CO
i
-
IM
•<»<
1
1
-
1
1
M
1
1
CO
1
-
1
1
1
»o
1
'^
1
O
CM
1
1
CM
1
1
CO
1
1
to
1
C<1
1
]
1
1
1
"
"
_<
■>)<
1
<M
^
„
1
^
I-.1
1
_
to
•»J<
C>J
CO
^
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 O
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
00
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
*"■
5
PJ
n
>o
■^
C^
00
CO
CO
CO
CM
"
t^
'^
CO
CO
o
cs
1
CO
""'
1
<N
^
'^
o
-^
-^
1
^
1
1
■*
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
]
1
(M
C<1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
CO
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 M 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
oo
OS
to
o
CO
„
„
„
.r,
oo
-^
'n
^
^
'— '
CO
C<1
-^
CM
o
Oi
CO
,-H
*-ri
CO
o
CO
C-)
to
IM
■^
oo
'"'
CO
>o
"<
00
w
t~
~
CO
-
_
a
o
to
3
-
.3
'2
.
a
■ 0
".
(-,
"r^
+i
2
"a!
o
S'
&
ID
p
a
O
■T3
C5
a
C
0)
3
"3
aj
o
■a
1^
t^
3
a"
a
o
£
s
"S
^
^
^"
T)
-n
o
t-
c3
S
a>
S
'3.
s
s
s
1
o
a
o
a
O
a
O
a
O
3
o
a
03
12;
644
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
o
I
Oi
te3
Ph
Q
o
•q3noo 3uidooq,\\
^,^,t~l ,;*|l^^, OCOlgl
jeA9j pjoqdAx
■jaq^O 'Bisoinojaqnx
rJ<|OOI 1 1 |rtt^lN-Hl 1 ICOl
•Xi'en
-orain<j 'sisoinojaqnx
•stsoutqoux
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•■eraoqoBJX
1 |. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 'H 1
•snuB^ax
1 1 « 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -H 1
•xodiiBuig
1 1 CO 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•■jBOjqx oiog oi-jdag
rtliol 1 1 |<M-*I 1 leor 1— 1|
•jaAa^ 'jai-i'sog
»OI<MI 1 1eoOCOCDeOOSt^rJi»-HQO^H
•saiq^H
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•BjSBnaj
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ^ 1 1 1 1 1 1 -« 1
■■BtraiBq^qdo
1 loi 1 i«coor>ol-*i iioi
•sdinnj\[
MJt^l 1 1 |rt-*IO>-H-<Hl 1^1
•saisBej^
OOIOIOI |OCO-*>OCOOI |(M-*
OCO U5C».^^^»0 ^
(MO, CM
■■BU'Bl'BI^
(Ml-4|llll^llllll>>
•Asoada^j
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•siapuBjo
1 1 1 J 1 1 J 1 1 1
•sapBaj^ uutajaQ
-'"' 1 1 ...rjl-^-^' I--
•Xm%u9sAci
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 O 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
■a%iQ 3oa
1 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 t- 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•Bijaq'^qdiQ
O 10> 1-^ l-fCMOOMJt^— 'COTflC^«5.-C
•xoj ^a:^lOlqo
t^ll^l 1 1 lOOIQOCOOOi IOCS!
(M Ol -H 03 -H •*
-nan [■Buidsojqaaao
^ 1 Tt< 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I > 1 1 1 1
■xBjq^uV
1 1 1 1 1
■smi
-aXraotjo^ jouaiuv
Iie<illlll«5lll-^"ii'
•sisooXtnonnov
1 1 J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 < I >
•SI6T JO s'B a^TJlg aq^
Aq uQ^'ei uo;ii3indo<j
6,542
92
109,568
453
1,030
625
1,590
15,311
43,113
1,268
22,035
5,956
9,398
2,947
1,292
21,654
1.797
r<
O X
Needham,
New Ashford, ' .
New Bedford, .
New Braintree, i
New Marlborough, .
New Salem,
Newbury, .
Newburyport, .
Newton, .
Norfolk, .
North Adams, .
North Andover,
North Attleborough
North Brookfield,
North Reading,
Northampton, .
Northborough, .
No. 34.]
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
645
(M
o
1
1
-
'-
1
1
1
'
t-
o
CO
1
"'
1
1
1
1
1^
CO
1
>o
«
1
"
'
«
1
1
eq
1
1
"
■<*"
2
1
1
1
1
1
—'
oo
"^
1
-
1
1
1
-
1
'
1
1
1
1
-
lO
1
1
1
1
1
1
s
1
1
CO
'-'
"
1
S2
J
1
1
1
1
1
o
CO
1
"
1
1
CO
1
en
oo
1
1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 —
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1
-
1
1
1
1
1
1
CO
1
1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1
1
1
-
-
1
1
1
1
1
1
1 1 J 1 J 1 1 1 1 1
«
1
-
f-
•*
1
o
CO
1
1
J
lO
50
CO
1
o
1
1
1
1
o
TJ4
1
1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 J 1 1 1
1 -4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1
•
'
oo
1
1
1
J
'
1
CO
o
1
1
1
1
1
1
CO
CO
1
1
1
'
1
1
1
1
1
1
CO
CO
1
1
1
1
1
1
"
1
CO
1
CO
t^
'^
cc
CO
'^
tH
1
'^
(M
1
CO
o
T)<
1
-"
'
i
1
1
o
'
1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I J 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -" J 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 J 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 J 1 CO 1 I 1 1
>o
1
1
i
1
'
1
CO
1
'
1 1 J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 ] 1 1 r 1 1 1 -< 1 1
1 1 1 1 -- r 1 1 1 1 I 1
1 CO 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1
OS
M
1
1
e^
lO
1
t^
'-
1
•«<
CO
<^
1
1
^
1
CO
1
CO
i
CO
1
•CV<
'
1
■*
1
1
1
O
CO
1
o
lO
■^
1
CO
1
1
1
-^
2
1
CO
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 J 1
1 >n 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1
1 J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 J 1 1 1
-
'■
'
1
1
1
1
CO
1
1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 J 1 1 1 1 1 1 f 1 1
1
CO
so
o"
^
C5
o
CO
oo
CO
CO
oo"
05
CO
Ci
B
o
CO
CO_
CO
00
."2
t.
o
2*
"3
u
o
c
o
o
"3
t
o
-3*
8
t
o
•z
s
03
o
s
2
(3
O
©
2
o
(3
O
o
T3"
o
o
a
O
1
T3
o
B
C3
o
Si
a
ft
i
c3
a
a>
1
2
"3
s
a
a
646
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
3
c
o
O
'IS
O
•qSnoQ Suidooq^w
1 1 1 1 J- t^ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ^ t- 1 1
■it3AB^ ptoqdAx
O— c|«>raOrt|(NT)<tOI 1 IMI-^
•j9q?o 'sisojnojeqnx
lllll-H||||lOIII-H|l
»-H c^ cc
•sisoutqoux
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•■BraoqoBJx
to 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -^ 1 1
•snuBjax
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
■xodijBuig
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•'^Bojqx ajog oi^dag
1 1 1 1 1 CO 1 r 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 <M
•jaA8^ ^gjaBOg
(MM 1 — .t^O 1 (M— i<MOO 1 -hOS— . 1 -H
•Baiq^a
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•BjaBipj
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•BiuuBq'jqdo
Ml 1 1 |^.-<|-HlU5l |.^M-H|
•sduini^
■^'IIIICIIIIIIIl'^lll
■89[SBal^
lO ^ ■«• CO IM
•BIJBIBJ^
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -■ 1
•itsojdoT
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•ejapuBjo
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1
•saisBajv HBUijao
1 1 1 1 1 — 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 —
•Xja^uasXQ
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
■e^tg 3oa
1 1 1 " 1 1 1 l' 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 I
•■BuaqjqdiQ
ooi 1 iMcoco-Hio^Hco^^eoc^OJieo
^H CO 1— t u? C<3
•xoj: uajjoiqo
«| 1 |«— 1 l-Hl 1 1 l-Hl !■.»<
•8pi3ai
-naj^ IBUTdBOjqajaQ
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -wi 1 1 1 J 1 1
•xBjq^uy
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
-aXnionoj joua:>uv
1 1 1 1 1 C»5 1 1 1 1 '^ 1 1 1 1 1 1
•steooXmoupov
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 r
•ei6l JO SB a^B^g e^%
Aq ua3[B^ nopBindoj
12,926
599
299
800
4,295
40,674
4,734
1,810
6,805
2,228
25,178
564
1,160
7,074
4,351
424
1,481
to i
o >-
H :^ ft
as
^ ■ ■ • . . . . .
1 u 1 1 i & 1 1 .H 1 £ 1 1 1 .- i
1 1 i 1 •• 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
No. 34.
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
647
IIMIOSI l5Dt--IOJI(Mrj| 1 1 1 l(M«5-<-fl<C^
1 1 lOl 1 lOOImi lOI 1 1 1 |«^| |C^
IIIOIIIIIIIIJIIIII— ll-HIII
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 -- 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -H 1 1 1
J ( 1 'H 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 J 1 1 1 1 ,
1 1 1 1 1 1 J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 J 1 1 1 J 1 1
lll-H|ll||IM|<M]||||||^|j|
1 1 locoi l-.ficococoj.-HI-Hi I in '^ cT) r^ \
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 » 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
lll-;llcq|iiiiie<iiiii-,T,<ll^
CO T)<
1 1 iTfl !»' ' ' IMI l-HI 1 1 |OOCOI>0
—•1 I>0-<I-H-H|<01i0"5l 1 1 1 |OJ<M-*|Cq
00 - « S "
1 1 t 1 1 1 -^ 1 1 I 1 t r 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
I 1 1 I 1 1 I J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 'l 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
llll-ll-l-ll Jllll
1 1 1 1 1 r 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ^ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 " 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 lOCOl J — IMI-^TJll^l 1 IC^-^COI 1
IIIIM lllll«llliCOIII
1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
l-^l— lllllll-^IIIIIIIUOIIrt
I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 C^ 1 1 1
862
1,104
1,895
37,200
1,717
564
1,500
10,226
524
2,661
2,767
2,468
1,862
1,484
1,696
2,251
2,794
292
3,377
86,854
5,179
950
1,898
2 _r -f S « .1 ^- - i ^- - 2 S S - 1 i 1 rg tg e 1
'3l|||;§||^||isfi||||l||all
3^>5=5c8<3o5c3eSoiu.Cija,aj3j3j5.UoOOOO
648
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
■qSnoQ 3uKloot[jV\
1
1
'^
CO
cc
1
(M
10
"
CO
CO
1
1
CO
cq
1
ID
1
■J8A8^ pioqdXx
CO
1
^
o
'-'
J
1
1
1
1
1
1
CO
CO
1
CO
1
3
aaq^O 'sisopojaqnx
«
1
-
o
-
1
-
1
-
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
.a
a
o
'»<
1
<M
-^
1
<N
CO
1
1
1
'"
"
CO
CO
CO
10
•*
U
•sisoniqoTJX
1 1 1 1 1 1 r 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
^
•BraoqoBJX
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 J 1 1 1 1 1 1
•snuB^ax
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 r 1 1 1 1
•xodiiBTng
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 J 1
-1
•:>'Boiqx eJOg 0i:)d8g
1 1 1 n 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•JOAO^ ^aiJBog
^
1
TO
o
^
es
CO
0
"
>o
'^
s
e^
"
•^
CO
CO
■saiqBij
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•■BjSBnad:
111111(11111111-^1
•BTuq'Bq^qdo
■^
(M
1
CO
1
1
(M
1
-^
1
1
"-^
'^
00
1
»o
'"'
•sdpani\[
-^
1
1
CO
1
2;
CO
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
CO
1
•saisBajv
CO
CO
1
C-J
o
1
00
00
CO
00
l>-
•^
1
1
01
CO
CO
00
<3>
1
•■BUBIBH
1
1
c
1
1
1
1
1
1
i
1
--
^
1
-^
1
■Xsoido'j
1 J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
CO
45
•sjapnBio
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I
•saisBapj UBrnjar)
1
1
«
1
-
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
1
CO
1
•jtja:)uesXQ
1 1 1 1 1 J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
o
to
•e^Tg SoQ
CO 1 1 (M 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•■Buaq:jqd;a
en
CO
1
"
CO
1
1
01
CO
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
05
U3
•xod; najiojqo
t^
1
-^
oo
'^
CO
CO
1
'"
1
CO
1
1
-*
CO
t^
1
•st^i3ut
-najif I'BntdsojqajaQ
1
1
1
c.
1
1
1
1
1
1
i
1
1
1
1
e
iji
1
'
^
■XBjq'jny
1 1 1 rt 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•spq
-aXtnoqOjj jouajuy
1 ( 1 00 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
■sisoojtmoupov
1 J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
00
•5161 JO SB a^B^g eq:>
Aq ua^B^ uoii'B[ndO(j
i
o
0
1
0
00
co"
"-
00
CO
CO
0
00
°°.
co__
00
CO
0
O !-
<u
M
*t-.
o
s
a
2"
60
a
■c
a
CO
a
a
to
A)
1
H
0
a
3
a
2
.a
M
3
S
1
<0
ho
."2
t-i
3
02
-a
a
-i
(X>
T)
a
3
03
a
2
3
E
B
(S
CO
c3
0
d
oj
&
W
0
0
1
a
0
■**
a
No. 34.
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
649
i 1 1 1 1 1 1 IMI«0|T)<rt| l-^l ICO— ICON
IlllllllllllltOCO'-lllltOI'-t'-l
•<*<I 1 lCO»-t| 1CN|IC<MI^-C^0st*e0 1 it^cocoio
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
llllillll-^ll-HrKlllll-Hlll
<Me»l(M| 1 1 1 l-*Q0|M<iOI«iOI ICOIt^cO
C^ T-H CO — 1 (N CO
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 CO 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
I'^l'-'l 1 1 1 1 1 1 |(M>0(M<M-<| 1 1 lOlO
IT^I 1 1 1 l-*|T)H| |J^^|„|_C01 I-H-*
CO
-CO „^^ c.^-.
Illllllllcnji— i(Milllrt|iioo
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
tOllllllllllll-H||||J-.|MT)<
lllllllllic^llllllllll-icq
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Tt< 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 »
I-*! 1 I'-ll IC<IOliOC01^<MCO— IU5I |OOCO-*IIO
"-I'-ll l<>J|OOICOI 1 lOCOCO — rt| IOIU5CO
III— IIIIJIIIIIIIIII-<II<M
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 — 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
I— llll<Mlllllc^— llllllle<ii
1 1 1 1 1 1 Ill
5,265
1,324
199
1,173
1,812
663
967
327
2,036
4,921
12,781
337
5,490
30,154
9,346
5,176
4,268
477
275
16,515
2,033
12,565
6,439
fe-SS ap 3 fl s^ -t^ X: M ja ^ X t. t. t. u m S >)^S
«.2^00M>.>iO,!<=3o3cio3c3c3c3e3c3o3o3a;i;
650
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
a
o
s
-«
a
cS
•qSnoQ Suidooq\\
CO -^ M-
•JSAaj pioqdiCx
1 1 I^-<1 I IrHl I^CD(M|.-<l»0
■jaqio '8i80|nDJ9qnx
1 1 1 1 -H 1 1 1 1 1 1 -«• 1 1 1 1 1
-ouqnj 'eisojnojaqnx
1 1 IMI I-H!M| lOOOIi-lNCOPl
•eisoutqoux
III II
•■BraoqoBJX
II 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•snuBiax
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•xodni3rag
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•^Bojqx 3-iog oi'jdag
-H|IIIIIIIIIOIII'*<l
•J8A0J lal-IBOg
1 O 1 C^C^OOiot^ 1 .-««0«0(M 1 CONOO
•saiq^ij
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•■Bj3Bnad
1 1 1 1 1 1
•BnniBq'jqdo
1 1 I-<1 1 IMI 1 ItOI 1 1-H|
•sdmniv
IlllOlllillllll'^ — 00
•saisBaj^
,-, ^H CO .-«
■BiiBjej^
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 '^
•Xsojdaq
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•siapuBio
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
■saisBaj^ uBTHjaQ
1 1 liNI 1 l-Hl 1 ie<«l 1 irtrt
•itjajnasXQ
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 { 1 1
•ejig aoQ
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 <o 1 1 1 1 1
•Buaq^qdtQ
1 1 l-HCOl ICOCOICltO-*! i-*»o
•xoj uaJioiqo
1 1 It^l 1C005I 1 '2<'^''^c5'
■spiSai
-naj^ IBnidsojqajao
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 'H 1 ( 1 1
•XBjq'juv
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•spq
-aXraoqo^ jotja^uy
||||IIP-H|||-H«|||1
•sisooXtnoupov
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
•gi6I }o SB &%i3%s aq;
Xq na3{B^ uopBindoj
936
388
1,068
1,318
2,741
1,288
1,529
11,339
1,277
441
5,925
18,411
2,843
430
1,594
2,342
3,262
Cities and Towns
alphabetically ar-
RANGED.
Wellfleet, .
Wendell, .
Wen ham, »
West Boylston, .
West Bridgewater,
West Brookfield,
West Newbury,
West Springfield,
West Stockbridge,
WestTisbury, .
Westborough, .
Westfield,
Westford, .
Westhampton, .
Westminster,
Weston,
VVestport, .
No. 34.1
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
651
ic-j— ■r~i i-iir~<M!Oioo>M'i lo
l-Hi^l 1 1 1 INI irqcoi 1 1
IC^ I-^C^IC^COt-^OOC^ IOOCOO ICC 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 n 1 1 t
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -H 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1^1 1 1 1 IMI(M-H<35I 1 1
1 cor^Oi 1 co-^-^cooo 1 oit^o t cscc
-H —1 CO so
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 t 1 1 1 1 1 .^ 1 1 1 1 O 1 1 1
lcoico<Mi 1 1 |(r«i-a<.-ioOf i 1
-H«l l-^lo—cccr^lMiOJI 1 1
I-* |C<5 l<MiO-<t<«0— • 1— OOJ ICN) —
lOCO C^OOt^COtO'.J'
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 <M 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 ( 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ic^col-^oroi 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 CO 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 II 1 1 1 1 1 <M 1 CO 1 1 1
^HC^ IW I^H-H ICOCO lOSt^CO |,-tC«
1 1 it-i '"sssj'ss;::' '"
C^ CO CO c^ »— t r~.
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -^ 1 1 1 1 f~ 1 1 1
Illllllll-Hlleortlll
l»ie<ii 1 1 1 I'Hi 1 i>ol 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1,448
13,969
1,118
7,520
2,521
2,118
3,981
2,330
5,908
10,005
375
12,758
16,410
162,697
618
2,414
1,415
iiiliVlllliiiiiii
1 & i 3 =2 S s 1 § § .2 .s ■§ g g £ S
652
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Cases of Certain Communicable Diseases, arranged by Months.
January, .
February,
March,
April,
May,
June,
July,
August,
September,
October, .
November,
December,
Anterio
Polio-
myelitis.
135
Cerebro-
spinal
Meningitis.
Diphtheria.
145
832
681
737
648
710
609
513
564
697
1,091
1,181
1,019
Dog Bite.
9,282
19
23
15
28
23
18
9
14
5
6
174
January, .
February,
March,
April,
May,
June,
July,
August,
September,
October, .
November,
December,
Measles.
1,068
1,554
3,016
4,409
4,198
4,054
1,638
370
156
356
752
1,310
22,881
Pellagra.
Rabies.
Scarlet
Fever.
858
836
932
1,072
1,129
885
400
274
299
439
644
845
8,613
No. 34.]
REPORT OF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
653
Cases of Certain Communicable Diseases, arranged by Months — Concluded.
Smallpox.
Tetanus.
Tuber-
culosis, Pul-
monary.
Typhoid
Fever.
Whooping
Cough.
January, .
February,
March,
April,
May,
June,
July,
August, .
September,
October, .
November,
December,
24
633
573
750
727
884
709
723
618
610
666
581
572
8,046
105
106
111
72
130
103
174
265
322
412
255
149
2,204
514
608
613
536
622
608
587
489
465
600
780
760
7,182
654 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Eeport of the Bacteriologist.
During the year ended Nov. 30, 1915, the work of the Diagnostic
Laboratory has steadily increased along all lines. This would seem
to indicate that physicians are using this and other laboratories in
the State to a greater extent than ever before. Seventeen thousand
one hundred and eighty-nine specimens have been examined, an in-
crease of 44 per cent, over the number of the previous year. To
defray the expenses of the laboratory $5,300 was appropriated. The
cost per examination has been 30 cents. The increased work has
been accomplished with a decrease in the cost per specimen, a fact
which is largely due to the willingness of the laboratory staff to work
overtime with no extra compensation. The following table summa-
rizes the work of the laboratory for the last six years.
Total Examinations made by the Diagnostic Laboratory, 1910-15.
1910, 6,458
1911, 7,817
1912, 7,854
1913, 10,701
1914, 11,924
1915, 17,189
The policy of this laboratory is to examine specimens from individ-
uals suffering from diseases which affect the public health. At present
there are no facilities for undertaking pathological work, such as urine
analysis and examination of blood for anfemia, etc., which belongs
rightly to private laboratories.
Considerable work has been done of a preventive nature in the
examination of several thousand cultures from the throats of school
children in various towns throughout the State when diphtheria was
noticeably prevalent; also the blood of persons who handle food in
some of the State institutions has been tested for the Widal reaction
for typhoid fever; by this means the detection of chronic typhoid
carriers may be accomplished.
To be of value to the State the laboratory must give as quick serv-
ice to the physician as is consistent with accuracy. With this thought
in mind the whole staff has worked throughout the year.
No. 34.
REPORT OF THE BACTERIOLOGIST.
655
Character of the Work of the Laboratory.
The routine work of the laboratory consists of the examination of
primary and secondary cultures for diphtheria; specimens of sputum
and other materials for tubercle bacilli; examination of blood for
the Widal reaction for typhoid fever; examination of blood, bowel
discharges and urine for typhoid bacilli; examination of smears for
gonococci and meningococci; examination of blood for malarial para-
sites; various miscellaneous examinations, such as virulence tests of
diphtheria bacilli, examination of milk for pus, etc.
Diphtheria.
Cultures classified.
Positive.
Negative.
Total.
Primary,
Secondary (for release from quarantine)
1,100
906
6,386
2,206
7,486
3,112
Total,
2,006
8,592
10,598
All cultures for diagnosis are examined three times: (1) an exam-
ination is made of the material left on the swab after the culture has
been made from it; (2) the culture is examined after three to eight
hours' incubation; (3) the culture is examined after fourteen to twenty
hours' incubation.
Of the total number of cultures received for diagnosis, approxi-
mately 85 per cent, were diagnosed by swab examination or after a
short period of incubation. In this way the laboratory was able to
send a report to the attending physician on the day the culture was
received. Cultures proving negative on the day of their receipt are
incubated over night and reported the following morning. All cul-
tures for release from quarantine are reported on the morning follow-
ing their receipt, as it is advisable to allow those cultures to grow at
least fourteen hours before giving a negative report.
Approximately 3,000 cultures taken from children attending schools
where two or more cases of diphtheria had been reported have been
examined during the year. Several missed cases and carriers were
discovered by this means. Although the results were not always suc-
cessful in stopping diphtheria in a school, the stimulation given to
school inspection was most valuable.
As a result of the school culture work this year the following facts
656 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
regarding carriers have been ascertained. In schools having an occa-
sional case, from one-third to one-half of 1 per cent, of the pupils
were found to harbor virulent diphtheria bacilli in nose or throat.
In schools having a noticeable number of cases, one-half of 1 per
cent, were found to be carriers.
In institutions and boarding schools where diphtheria was prevalent,
a larger percentage of the pupils were found to be carriers, for example,
in one school 8 per cent. In this school after the first few cases oc-
curred an immunizing dose of antitoxin was given to the other pupils^
and no cultures were taken for a few weeks. An opportunity was
given meanwhile for one or more carriers to infect other pupils who
were immune temporarily and showed no symptoms. Thus the in-
fection became more widespread. It would appear as though this
situation could have been avoided had cultures been taken of all con-
tacts as soon as the first cases occurred and all carriers quarantined.
Tuberculosis.
A total of 2,794 specimens of sputum were examined, of which 684,
or 24.4 per cent., were found positive. There has been only a slight
increase in the number of specimens examined over the previous year.
It is to be regretted that physicians seldom send a second specimen
from a patient after the first has been reported negative.
Sipecimens of Sputum examined.
Positive, 684
Negative, ' . . 2,110
Total, 2,791
Typhoid Fever.
The following table shows the positive, negative and atypical speci-
mens of blood examined for the Widal reaction for typhoid fever.
The majority of the atypical reactions were obtained with specimens of
blood taken early in the disease. Physicians are constantly reminded
when, a negative report is sent that if it is but a week or ten days
since the date of the first symptoms, it may be too early for a posi-
tive reaction and second specimens are advised.
Examination of Blood for Widal Reaction.
Positive, 425
Negative, 1,693
Atypical, 130
Total, 2,248
No. 34.] REPORT OF THE BACTERIOLOGIST. 657
Examination of Blood, Feces and Urine for Typhoid Bacilli. — Dur-
ing the year, 375 cultures have been received of the blood, bowel
discharges and urine from 260 persons either suspected of having
typhoid fever or of being typhoid carriers and from persons con-
valescing from typhoid fever. From these cultures the typhoid bacil-
lus has been isolated 23 times, from the blood in 1 case, from the
feces in 20 cases and from the urine in 2 cases. There were 106 cul-
tures sent from sick persons, 183 from convalescents, 81 from sus-
pected carriers and 5 not stated.
Of the positive cultures, 8 were from sick persons, 8 from convales-
cents and 7 from suspected carriers. Only 3 carriers were represented,
the typhoid bacilli being isolated from the feces of one person five times.
Two of the carriers apprehended were engaged in the handling of
food: one a cook in an insane hospital where there were 24 cases of
typhoid fever, and the other a dairyman in a town that had a milk
outbreak of typhoid. These persons had a history of typhoid fever
many years before.
Paratyphoid Fever.
When requested the laboratory tests specimens of blood for the
Widal reaction for paratyphoid fever. In the few positives obtained
the reaction for typhoid fever was also shown. Doubtless some of
the so-called typhoid fever is paratyphoid fever, and on account of
group agglutinins a positive reaction is obtained with both typhoid
and paratyphoid bacilli. Time does not permit the differentiation
between the two diseases in the routine work, because as far as the
public health is concerned the problem is the same in both diseases.
An interesting line of research is suggested, especially as bacilli which
show the cultural characters of paratyphoid bacilli are occasionally
isolated from feces and urine of convalescents and others. We do
not as yet understand the full significance of these bacilli.
Malaria.
The usual small number of specimens of blood has been examined
for the presence of the malarial parasites. Physicians apparently rely
upon their own diagnosis of malaria almost entirely.
Spemnens of Blood examined.
Positive, 3
Negative, 55
Total, 58
658 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Miscellaneous Examinations.
During the year, 1,186 miscellaneous examinations have been made.
The majority of these were smears sent by the State Board of Charity
to be examined for gonococci. Very few specimens of this kind are
sent by other physicians, as it has not been the custom of the labora-
tory in previous years to examine such specimens. The other exam-
inations were of spinal fluid for meningococci, milk for pus, and viru-
lence tests of diphtheria bacilli isolated from healthy carriers or
convalescents.
In the near future the diagnostic laboratory will send out an outfit
which can be used for smears from suspected gonorrhoea. It is hoped
by this means to get more specimens from the eyes of the new born
and more data on ophthalmia neonatorum.
In the routine work the following procedure is employed: all diph-
theria cultures for diagnosis are examined twice the day of their
receipt. As many as are positive that day are reported at once.
The negatives, after a third examination, and all release cultures are
reported the following morning at 9 o'clock, by telephone, if requested,
and by mail.
All specimens of sputum and all specimens of blood to be tested
for the Widal reaction are examined and reported the day they are
received.
Reports on typhoid cultures are not promised inside of five days
from the date of receipt of specimens; the average time is three days.
Future Development.
The problem for the past year has been the improvement of the
service by avoiding all delays in examination of specimens and the
reporting of results obtained. The fact has been emphasized sharply
that speed in the laboratory will not compensate for geographical dis-
tance from it. However, undue emphasis has been placed upon dis-
tance from the laboratory in many instances. Physicians often expect
impossibly quick returns, and they do not wish to go to the expense
of having reports telephoned to them. Part of the health appropria-
tion of towns might be spent to considerable advantage in having
reports from the laboratory telephoned to the local board of health.
Since few physicians can be their own bacteriologists, the question
of the best solution of their problems is pertinent. There are already
some thirty or forty municipal laboratories in existence in Massachu-
setts besides hospital and private laboratories. It is doubtful if it is
No. 34.
REPORT OF THE BACTERIOLOGIST.
659
necessary to establish any more. It is even possible that it might
be economical for some of these to combine and maintain but one
laboratory. A full-time bacteriologist can always keep his "diagnostic
eye" in training better than a person who sees only an occasional
specimen.
It would seem desirable for the State to maintain two laboratories,
one in Boston and one in a railroad center, such as Springfield, whose
laboratories already do considerable work for surrounding towns.
It would be distinctly advantageous if there could be more co-
operation between local laboratories and the State laboratory. Time
might be saved in averting the spread of disease if local laboratories
reported positive examinations daily to the State, so that State Dis-
trict Health Officers could be informed of cases of diphtheria and
typhoid fever sooner than if the reports came through the physician
and local board of health to them. Unless the local laboratory passes
on its information regarding prevalence of disease to the proper
authorities as quickly as possible, whatever advantage it may have
in being able to examine specimens quickly is partially nullified.
Number and Kinds of Outfits distributed by the Diagnostic Laboratory during
the Year ended Nov. 30, 1915.
Culture
Tubes.
Sputum
Outfits.
Widals.
Typhoid
Cultures.
Malarias.
1914.
December,
1915.
January, .
February,
March,
April,
May,
June, . . ' .
July,
August, .
September,
October, .
November,
Totals,
678
1,026
714
636
1,059
570
744
497
819
946
2,912
2,907
237
351
259
385
399
324
513
327
313
300
409
405
107
131
129
360
90
240
166
207
473
266
533
348
12
29
74
22
6
23
63
84
111
81
59
13,508
4,222
3,050
Total number of outfits distributed, 22,314.
Gonorrhcea slides for State Board of Charity, 815.
660
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Eeport upon the Diphtheeia Cultures examined
during the year ending noy. 30, 1915.
From Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov. 30, 1915, 10,528 cultures were received
from 213 cities and towns in the State. Of these cultures, 7,342 were
for the purpose of diagnosis and 3,186 were for release from quaran-
tine. Of the cultures examined for diagnosis, 1,090 were positive for
diphtheria and 6,252 were negative. A considerable number of cul-
tures were unsatisfactory, due to the presence of contaminating organ-
isms or insufficient growth. All swabs received for diagnosis were
examined soon after their arrival at the laboratory, and it was pos-
sible to make a positive diagnosis on 586, or 54 per cent., of the total
number which proved positive on culture.
The following table gives the number of cultures received from the
different cities and towns and the results of the examinations: —
Whole
Number
of
Cultures
examined.
Ctjltubes examined fob
Diagnosis.
cctltures examined fob
Release from Quarantine.
City or Town.
Positive.
Negative.
Unsatis-
factory.
Positive.
Negative.
Unsatis-
factory.
Abington, .
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Acton,
16
4
2
-
2
7
1
Adams,
2
-
2
-
-
-
-
Agawam, .
38
2
29
3
1
3
-
Amesbury,
12
1
6
-
1
4
-
Amherst, .
108
8
68
1
8
19
4
Andover, .
52
9
21
1
8
12
1
Arlington, .
1
-
-
1
-
-
Ashburnham,
9
3
1
-
1
4
-
Ashfield, .
3
-
2
-
-
1
-
Ashland, .
1
-
-
-
-
1
-
Athol,
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Attleborough,
267
21
162
4
23
54
3
Auburn, .
9
2
2
1
2
2
-
Avon,
8
-
4
-
2
2
-
Ayer, .
14
3
6.
1
1
3
-
No. 34.
DIPHTHERIA CULTURES.
661
Whole
Number
of
Cultures
examined.
Cultures examined for
Diagnosis.
Cultures examined for
Release from Quarantine.
CiTT OR Town.
Positive.
Negative.
Unsatis-
factory.
Positive.
Negative.
Unsatis-
factory.
Barnstable,
25
1
14
-
1
9
-
Barre,
31
1
21
-
1
8
-
Bedford, .
2
-
1
1
-
-
-
Belchertown,
5
-
5
-
-'
-
-
Belmont, .
9
1
8
-
-
-
-
Beverly, .
309
42
76
5
56
120
10
Billerica, .
4
1
'
-
1
2
-
Blackstone,
5
4
1
-
-
-
-
Boston,
29
3
17
3
2
4
-
Bourne,
31
4
11
-
4
11
1
Braintree, .
28
4
19
1
1
3
-
Brewster, .
4
1
2
-
-
1
-
Bridgewater,
10
2
5
-
1
2
-
Brimfield, .
1
-
1
-
-
-
_
Brockton,
2
-
1
-
-
1
-
Brookfield,
2
1
-
-
-
1
-
Buckland, .
2
2
-
-
-
-
-
Burlington,
2
-
2
-
-
-
-
Cambridge,
1
-
1
-
-
-
_
Canton,
14
5
1
-
3
5
-
Carver,
3
2
1
-
-
-
_
Charlemont,
2
-
2
-
-
-
_
Chatham, .
10
2
2
1
1
3
1
Chelmsford,
5
1
2
-
-
2
-
Chelsea, .
26
3
10
-
1
12
-
Chesterfield,
5
-
1
-
2
2
_
Cohasset, .
27
-
22
3
-
2
-
Colrain,
2
-
2
-
-
-
_
Concord, .
9
2
3
-
-
3
1
Conway, .
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Dana,
2
-
2
-
-
-
-
Dan vers, .
500
29
384
11
19
39
18
Dartmouth,
8
2
1
-
4
1
-
Deerfield, .
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Dennis,
5
1
1
1
-
2
-
Dover,
4
-
2
-
-
2
_
Dudley,
2
1
-
-
-
1
-
662
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Whole
Number
of
Cultures
examined.
Cultures examined for
Diagnosis.
Cultures examined for
Release from Quarantine.
City or Town.
Positive.
Negative.
Unsatis-
factory.
Positive.
Negative.
Unsatis-
factory.
Duxbury, .
32
2
1
-
11
18
-
East Bridgewater,
10
-
5
-
1
4
-
Eastham, .
23
6
2
-
9
6
-
Easthampton,
2
-
-
~
-
-2
-
Easton,
18
3
6
-
1
7
1
Edgartown,
458
18
269
3
18
145
5
Erving,
3
-
3
-
-
-
-
Essex,
1
-
-
-
-
1
-
Everett, .
331
70
105
9
41
100
6
Fair haven.
3
_
3
-
-
-
-
Falmouth, .
59
10
11
2
12
21
3
FiTCHBUBG,
1
-
-
-
-
1
-
Foxborough,
27
3
21
1
-
2
-
Framingham,
4
-
2
2
-
-
-
Franklin, .
3
-
3
-
-
-
-
Georgetown,
12
-
12
-
-
-
-
Gloucester,
2
1
1
-
-
-
-
Grafton, .
7
2
4
1
-
-
-
Granby,
1
-
-
-
-
1
-
Granville, .
4
1
2
-
-
1
-
Greenfield,
40
3
24
1
4
7
1
Groton,
44
6
16
1
2
16
3
Hamilton, .
2
-
2
-
-
-
-
Hanover, .
19
2
11
-
1
5
-
Hanson,
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Hard wick, .
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Harvard, .
4
-
4
-
-
-
-
Harwich, .
6
-
5
-
-
1
-
Haverhill,
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Hingham, .
37
3
22
4
3
5
-
Holbrook, .
51
6
16
2
14
10
3
Holliston, .
9
-
6
1
-
1
1
Hopedale, .
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Hopkinton,
9
1
3
-
2
3
-
Hubbardston,
1
-
1
-
-
Hudson,
387
34
315
7
11
20
-
Hull, .
69
10
26
1
11
19
2
No. 34.]
DIPHTHERIA CULTURES.
663
Whole
Number
of
Cultures
examined.
Cultures examined for
Diagnosis.
Cultures examined for
Release from Quarantine.
City or Town.
Positive.
Negative.
Unsatis-
factory.
Positive.
Negative.
Unsatis-
factory.
Ipswich,
21
3
7
-
1
6
4
Kingston, .
2
-
2
-
-
-
-
Lee, .
3
-
2
1
-
-
-
Leverett, .
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Ley den,
25
3
18
1
-
3
-
Lincoln,
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Littleton, .
3
-
3
-
-
-
-
Lynnfield, .
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Maldbn, .
19
5
9
-
3
2
-
Manchester,
3
1
1
-
-
1
-
Mansfield, .
14
1
13
-
-
-
-
Marblehead,
829
42
619
6
61
95
6
Marion,
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Marlborough,
242
20
209
4
2
7
-
Marshfield,
31
4
10
-
6
9
2
Maynard, .
74
16
27
4
10
17
-
Medfield, .
15
3
7
1
2
2
-
Medfobd, .
167
29
62
2
23
48
3
Medway, .
3
1
1
-
-
1
-
Melrose, .
252
31
99
8
47
65
2
Mendon, .
1
1
-
-
-
-
-
Merrimac, .
6
-
-
-
6
-
-
Methuen, .
9
3
5
-
-
1
-
Middleborough,
39
4
20
3
2
10
-
Middleton,
3
-
3
-
-
-
-
Milford, .
5
1
4
-
-
-
-
Millbury, .
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Millis,
2
-
1
1
-
-
-
Milton,
87
8
55
2
4
18
-
Monson,
25
1
22
1
-
1
-
Montague, .
1
1
-
-
-
-
-
Nantucket,
1
1
-
-
-
-
-
Natick,
88
20
30
2
10
25
1
Newbury, .
3
-
3
-
-
-
-
Newton, .
1
-
1
-
-
-
Norfolk, .
9
3
2
-
2
2
-
North Andover,
7
5
2
-
-
-
-
664
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Whole
Number
of
Cultiu-es
examined.
Cultures examined for
Diagnosis.
Cultures examined for
Release from Quarantine.
City ob Town.
Positive.
Negative.
Unsatis-
factory.
Positive.
Negative.
Unsatis-
factory.
North Attleborough,
215
25
48
5
52
82
3
North Brookfield, .
12
3
7
-
1
1
-
North Reading,
68
6
31
2
14
13
2
Northampton,
13
3
2
-
4
4
-
Northbridge,
32
8
12
-
2
10
-
Northfield,
11
-
7
-
-
4
-
Norton,
12
1
1
-
5
5
-
Norwell,
3
-
3
-
-
-
-
Norwood, .
109
17
36
2
4
46
4
Oak Bluffs,
53
3
15
2
3
28
2
Oakham, .
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Orange,
24
8
6
-
2
7
1
Orleans,
5
1
3
-
-
1
-
Oxford,
4
-
2
-
1
1
-
Palmer,
11
1
7
1
-
1
1
Peabody, .
71
12
33
4
6
15
1
Pembroke,
25
5
2
-
6
n
1
Pepperell, .
16
3
3
-
2
6
2
Petersham,
33
5
19
-
1
8
-
Plainville, .
18
5
4
-
3
5
1
Plymouth,
3
1
2
-
-
-
-
Provincetown,
10
-
10
-
-
-
-
QUINCY,
242
34
93
6
43
60
6
Randolph,
13
1
10
-
1
1
-
Raynham,
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Reading, .
71
12
22
3
16
15
3
Revere, .
315
50
135
11
34
77
8
Rochester, .
4
1
-
-
1
1
1
Rockland, .
18
2
10
-
1
4
1
Rockport, .
305
19
219
4
29
33
1
Rowley,
4
2
-
-
-
2
-
Royalston,
72
2
65
2
2
1
-
Salem,
160
19
49
3
28
56
5
Saugus,
90
11
38
3
8
29
1
Scituate, .
36
5
8
1
4
18
-
Sharon,
12
1
9
-
1
1
-
Sheffield. .
1
1
-
~
"
■
No. 34.
DIPHTHERIA CULTURES.
665
Whole
Number
of
Cultures
examined.
Cultures examined for
Diagnosis.
Cultures examined for
Release from Quarantine.
City ob Town.
Positive.
Negative.
Unsatis-
factory.
Positive.
Negative.
Unsatis-
factory.
Sherborn, .
3
-
3
-
-
-
-
Shirley,
358
31
227
17
32
49
2
SOMEBVILLE,
4
-
3
-
1
-
-
South Hadley,
2
-
2
-
-
-
-
Southborough,
3
-
3
-
-
-
-
Southbridge,
129
32
39
4
10
42
2
Spencer,
5
1
2
-
1
1
-
Stoneham,
76
14
22
3
11
24
2
Stoughton,
27
6
6
-
9
6
-
Stow, .
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Sturbridge,
2
-
2
-
-
-
-
Sunderland,
2
-
2
-
-
-
-
Sutton,
2
-
2
-
-
-
-
Swampscott,
14
2
1
-
6
4
1
Swansea, .
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Taunton, .
30
3
23
2
-
2
_
Templeton,
5
4
-
-
-
-
Tisbury, .
63
55
1
-
6
-
Topsfield, .
6
5
1
-
-
-
Townsend,
6
3
-
-
1
-
Truro,
6
1
-
2
1
1
Uxbridge, .
61
22
11
-
7
20
1
Wakefield, .
98
11
46
3
19
19
-
Walpole, .
143
16
75
7
17
25
3
Waltham, .
654
21
587
12
8
26
.
Wareham, .
9
6
-
-
2
-
Warren,
3
2
-
-
-
-
Watertown,
112
15
74
5
3
14
1
Way land, .
189
5
166
1
7
7
3
Webster, .
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Wellfleet, .
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
Wenham, .
14
1
2
-
1
10
-
West Springfield
,
4
2
1
-
-
1
-
Westborough,
12
1
11
-
-
-
-
Westfield, .
11
-
9
2
-
-
-
Westford, .
1
-
1
-
_
_
_
Westport, .
11
2
8
-
-
1
-
666
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Whole
Number
of
Cultures
examined.
Cultures examined for
Diagnosis.
Cultures examined for
Release from Quarantine.
City or Town.
Positive.
Negative.
Unsatis-
factory.
Positive.
Negative.
Unsatis-
factory.
Weymouth,
Whitman, .
Williamisburg,
Williamstown,
Wilmington,
Winchendon,
Winchester,
Windsor, .
Winthrop, .
WoBURN, .
Wrentham,
Yarmouth,
58
2
1
1
9
33
348
1
72
466
14
14
7
5
20
14
28
2
32
2
1
1
8
13
219
1
30
291
13
5
3
1
2
3
5
8
3
4
6
5
30
1
13
7
98
17
103
1
6
2
2
1
6
Totals,
10,528
1,090
6,014
238
923
2,109
154
No. 34.]
BACILLI OF TUBERCULOSIS.
667
Eepoet upon the Examination of Sputum and Othek
MATEEIAL suspected of CONTAINING THE
Bacilli of Tubeeculosis.
From Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov. 30, 1915, microscopical examination
has been made of 2,794 lots of sputum and other material suspected
of containing the bacilli of tuberculosis. This material has been re-
ceived from 214 cities and towns in the State. The following table
gives the places from which the material has been received and the
results of the microscopical examinations : —
"o
'°
•^ 2
^ 2
City or Town.
1
i
If
City or Town.
1^
fi
M
1
6
bH
^
(£
Z
^
fS
'Z
Abington ,
11
1
10
Belmont
5
_
5
ActOD,
5
1
4
Beverly,
45
9
36
Adams, .
14
6
8
Billerica, .
1
-
1
Amesbury,
33
7
26
Blackstone,
8
4
4
Amherst, .
36
3
33
Boston, .
11
5
6
Andover, .
19
8
11
Bourne, .
6
1
5
Arlington,
6
2
4
Boxford, .
2
-
2
Ashburnham ,
1
-
1
Boylston,
1
-
1
Ashby,
1
-
1
Braintree,
16
6
10
Ashland, .
2
-
2
Bridgewater,
6
2
4
Athol,
19
7
12
Brockton,
3
1
2
Attleboro,
88
11
77
Brookfield,
4
2
2
Avon,
1
-
1
Brookline,
1
-
1
Ayer,
2
1
1
Buckland,
3
1
2
Barnstable,
10
5
5
Burlington,
1
1
-
Barre,
1
-
1
Cambridge,
7
4
3
Becket, .
1
1
-
Carver, .
1
-
1
Bedford, .
1
-
1
Charlemont,
2
-
2
Belchertown,
5
-
5
Charlton,
2
-
2
668
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
CiTT OR Town.
o .
^ 2
1
1
1
City or Town.
i
I
i
Chelmsford, ....
4
-
4
Hadley, .
4
-
4
Chelsea,
14
6
8
Halifax, .
1
-
1
Chesterfield, .
2
1
1
Hairilton,
3
1
2
Cohasset,
26
-
26
Hanover,
3
1
2
ColraiD, .
4
1
3
Harvard, .
3
-
3
Concord, .
9
3
6
Harwich, .
7
3
4
Cummington, .
1
1
-
Hatfield, .
6
-
6
Dal ton, .
4
-
4
Haverhill, .
3
1
2
Danvers, .
33
4
29
Hingham,
35
1
34
Dartmouth,
1
-
1
Holbrook,
5
1
4
Deerfield,
2
1
1
Holden, .
3
1
2
Dennis, .
3
-
3
HoUiston,
2
1
1
Dover,
1
-
1
Hopedale,
4
-
4
Dudley, ,
5
-
5
Hopkinton,
4
-
4
Duxbury,
4
1
3
Hudson, .
8
-
8
East Bridgewater,
12
3
9
Hull,
15
2
13
East Longmeadow,
1
-
Huntington,
1
-
1
Easthampton, .
10
3
Ipswich, .
10
2
8
Easton, .
1
-
Kingston,
1
1
-
Edgartown,
1
-
Lakeville,
1
-
1
Enfield, .
1
-
Lancaster,
2
-
2
Essex,
3
-
3
Lawrence,
7
3
4
Everett,
115
29
86
Leicester,
1
1
-
Fall River,
5
2
3
Lenox,
6
3
3
Falmouth,
6
2
4
Lexington,
9
6
3
Foxborough,
13
4
9
Lowell, .
2
1
1
Framingham,
6
-
6
Lynnfield,
2
1
1
Franklin,
22
10
12
Malden, .
5
-
5
Gill,
1
-
1
Manchester,
7
2
5
Gloucester,
67
24
43
Mansfield,
26
8
18
Grafton, .
7
2
5
Marblehead,
1
-
1
Granby, .
4
-
4
Marlborough
25
2
23
Granville,
1
-
1
Marshfield,
6
1
5
Great Barring
uon,
19
8
11
Maynard,
21
10
11
Greenfield,
16
6
10
Medfield, .
5
1
4
Groton, .
•
1
-
1
Medford,
51
4
47
No. 34.]
BACILLI OF TUBERCULOSIS.
669
'o .
"o
-°.2
City ob Town.
2§
>
1
Is
City or Town.
it
6
_>
1
Ph
6
>
O
Medway,
2
1
1
Plainville
3
-
3
Melbose,
59
13
46
Plymouth,
6
2
4
Merrimac,
1
-
1
Provincetown,
16
4
12
Methuen,
13
2
11
QUINCY, .
141
38
103
Middleborough,
8
3
5
Randolph,
8
2
6
Middleton,
1
-
1
Raynham,
4
4
-
Milford, .
49
17
32
Reading, .
42
7
35
MiUis. .
1
-
1
Revere, .
53
14
39
Milton, .
9
3
6
Rochester,
1
-
1
Montague,
2
-
2
Rockland,
9
3
6
Montgomery, .
1
-
1
Rockport,
16
3
13
Natick, .
19
2
17
Salem, .
186
56
130
Needham,
1
-
1
Sandwich,
1
-
1
New Salem,
1
-
1
Saugus, .
26
1
25
Newbury,
1
-
1
Scituate, .
6
1
5
Newburtpoet,
3
-
3
Shelburne,
1
-
1
Newton,
5
1
4
Shirley, .
4
-
i
Norfolk, .
2
1
1
SOMERVILLE,
6
-
6
Nobth Adams,
8
3
5
South Hadley,
15
4
11
North Andover,
1
1
-
Southampton,
1
1
-
North Attleborough
,
57
S
49
Southbridge, .
37
11
26
North Brookfield,
12
2
10
Spencer, .
9
2
7
North Reading,
4
3
1
Stockbridge,
1
1
-
Northbridge, .
18
8
10
Stoneham,
19
4
15
Northfield,
16
2
14
Stoughton,
11
2
9
Norton, .
8
-
8
Stow,
1
-
1
Norwood,
11
-
11
Sturbridge,
3
-
3
Oak Bluffs, ,
6
3
3
Sudbury,
1
1
-
Orange, .
1
-
1
Sunderland,
1
-
1
Orleans, .
2
-
2
Sutton, .
1
-
1
Oxford, .
2
1
1
Taunton,
89
18
71
Palmer, .
11
2
9
Templeton,
1
-
1
Peabody,
84
18
66
Tewksbury,
5
2
3
Pembroke,
2
1
1
Tisbury, .
2
-
2
Petersham,
1
-
1
Topsfield,
4
-
4
PiTTSriELD,
160
68
92
Townsend,
10
3
7
670
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
"o
"o
City ok Town.
11
IS
r
i
1
6
>
1
City or Town.
1
1
6
>
a
Upton,
1
-
1
Westford
4
-
4
Uxbridge,
7
2
5
Westhampton,
1
1
-
Wakefield,
59
8
51
Westport,
6
-
6
Walpole, .
18
4
14
Weymouth,
21
7
14
Waltham,
4
1
3
Whately, .
1
-
1
Ware,
27
11
16
Whitman,
6
1
5
Wareham,
5
-
5
Williamstown,
8
1
7
Warren, .
7
2
5
Wilmington,
16
1
15
Washington,
1
-
1
Winohendon,
11
3
8
Watertown,
14^
2
12
Winchester,
35
9
26
Way land.
8
1
7
Winthrop,
30
10
20
Webster, .
17
4
13
WOBtTKN,
31
8
23
Wellesley,
1
-
1
WOBCESTEB,
1
-
1
West Bridgewater,
1
-
1
Wrentham,
6
-
6
West Brookfield,
4
3
1
4
2
Yarmouth,
Totals,
2
-
2
Westborough, .
2,794
684
2,110
Westfield,
15
2
13
No. 34.1
MALARIA.
671
Eeport upon the Examinations for Malaria.
From Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov. 30, 1915, 58 blood specimens were
examined for the presence of malarial parasites. The percentage of
positive cases was 5.17.
The following table shows the city or town from which the speci-
mens, positive and negative, were received: —
City or Town.
o .
1
1
1
1
CiTT or Town.
Xi o
is
^ a
IS
1
1
6
Auburn, .
Braintree,
Dedham,
Everett,
Hopkinton,
Hull,
Melrose,
Milford, .
Natick, .
Newton,
1
4
1
1
1
1
9
1
8
5
3
3
-
9
1
8
5
3
3
Norwell, .
Norwood,
Orange, .
Pittsfield,
Stoneham,
Swampscott,
Walpole, .
Watertown,
Winchester,
WOBURN,
Totals,
1
4
1
3
1
1
2
1
4
2
1
1
1
1
4
1
2
1
1
1
4
2
North Attlebor
North Reading
ough
58
3
55
672
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Eeport upon the Examinations eor Typhoid Feyer.
During the year ended Nov. 30, 1915, the Widal test was carried
out with 2,248 specimens of blood. Of these specimens, 425, or 18.91
per cent., gave a positive reaction. Specimens were sent from 182
cities and towns. These facts are shown in detail in the following
table.
Cultural tests designed to demonstrate the presence of typhoid
bacilli in the blood, feces and urine of patients, particularly in the
excreta of convalescents, were performed with 375 specimens.
Widal Test
, Dec
. 1, 1914;
to Nov. 30,
1915, inclusive.
■^ 2
-^.2
City or Town.
II
O X
6
>
"5
'a.
City or Town.
II
.2 §
o ^
1
o
6
1
^
(S
^
<
^
(5
%
<
Abington,
1
-
-
1
Beverly,
1
22
3
19
-
Acton, .
1
-
1
-
Blackstone,
2
-
2
-
Adams, .
12
5
6
1
Bolton, .
2
-
2
-
Amesbury,
13
-
13
-
Boston,
25
4
19
2
Amherst,
9
1
8
-
Bourne, .
3
1
2
-
Arlington,
3
2
-
1
Braintree,
15
4
11
-
Ashburnham,
33
12
20
1
Bridgewater,
11
8
3
-
Ashland,
4
1
3
-
Brimfield,
1
1
-
-
Athol, .
2
-
2
-
Buckland,
2
-
1
1
Atti/Eboro, .
63
5
58
-
Cambridge,
37
-
37
-
Auburn,
6
-
6
-
Canton,
23
1
22
-
Ayer,
2
1
-
1
Charlton,
1
1
-
-
Barnstable, .
1
-
1
-
Chatham,
4
-
4
-
Barre, .
2
-
2
-
Chelsea,
28
7
19
2
Becket, .
2
2
-
-
Clarksburg,
1
-
1
-
Bedford,
1
-
1
-
Cohasset,
27
-
26
1
Belchertown,
1
-
1
-
Colrain,
2
-
1
1
Belmont,
1
-
1
-
Concord,
47
1
45
1
No. 34.]
TYPHOID FEVER.
673
Widal Test, Dec. 1, 1914, io Nov. SO, 1915, inclusive — Continued.
"o .
•
"o .
■^ 2
a> a
-0.2
City or Town.
H
6
1
i
1
"3
u
'S.
>>
<
City or Town.
II
6
>
1
'S
"3
'3.
<
Conway,
1
-
1
-
Holden,
4
1
3
-
Danvers,
12
-
11
1
Holliston, :
1
1
-
-
Dartmouth, .
3
1
2
-
Hopedale,
3
3
-
Dedham,
2
1
1
-
Hopkinton, .
4
-
4
-
Deerfield,
3
-
3
-
Hubbardston,
1
-
1
-
Dennis, .
6
3
2
1
Hudson,
4
3
1
-
Dighton,
1
-
1
-
Hull, .
15
-
15
-
Dover, .
1
-
1
-
Ipswich,
11
-
11
-
Dudley,
1
-
1
-
Kingston,
2
1
1
-
Duxbury,
1
-
1
-
Lancaster,
5
1
2
2
East Bridgewater,
2
1
1
-
Lee,
2
1
1
-
Easthampton,
6
2
4
-
Lenox, .
1
-
1
-
Easton, .
12
3
9
-
Lexington,
35
6
27
2
Edgartown, .
1
-
1
-
Lynn, .
240
47
178
15
Essex, .
1
-
1
-
Malden,
3
1
2
-
Everett,
39
7
27
5
Mansfield,
139
32
96
11
Fairhaven,
1
1
-
-
Marblehead, .
6
1
5
-
Fall Rfver,
2
-
2
-
Marlborough,
23
12
8
3
Falmouth,
1
-
1
-
Marshfield, .
2
-
1
1
Foxborough, .
20
3
12
5
Mashpee,
1
1
-
-
Franklin,
3
-
2
1
Maynard,
13
4
9
-
Georgetown, .
1
1
-
-
Medfield,
14
2
12
-
Gloucester,
20
2
18
-
Medford,
40
11
28
1
Goshen,
1
-
1
-
Med way.
3
-
2
1
Grafton,
7
1
6
-•
Melrose,
56
9
41
6
Greenfield, .
11
5
5
1
Methuen,
1
1
-
-
Hadley,
5
2
3
-
Middleborough,
1
-
1
-
Hamilton,
1
-
1
-
Middleton, .
1
1
-
-
Hanover,
5
1
4
-
Milford,
13
2
11
-
Harwich,
8
3
5
-
Milton, .
5
2
3
-
Hatfield,
2
2
-
. -
Monson,
1
-
1
-
Haverhill, .
1
-
1
-
Nantucket, .
7
5
2
-
Hingham,
9
-
8
1
Natick, .
17
3
14
-
Holbrook,
2
-
2
-
Needham,
1
-
1
-
674
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Widal Test, Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov. SO, 1915, inclusive — QonimMed..
City or Town.
II
1-1
6
>
1
6
>
1
Is
"3
'3-
<
City or Town.
fe a
1.1
1
6
>
o
"3
■ft
<
New Bedfoed, .
4
-
4
-
Saugus, ....
8
1
7
-
New Marlborough,
2
-
1
1
Scituate,
5
2
3
-
Newburypobt, .
27
4
19
4
Somerset,
1
-
1
-
Newton,
36
8
25
3
SOMERVILLE,
5
-
5
-
North Adams,
20
2
17
1
South Hadley,
2
-
2
-
North Andover, .
2
1
1
-
Southbridge, .
11
2
9
-
North Attleborough, .
19
2
17
-
Spencer,
7
2
4
1
North Brookfield,
1
-
1
-
Sterling,
1
-
1
-
North Reading, .
7
2
4
1
Stoneham,
8
-
8
-
Northampton,
28
5
17
6
Stoughton, .
6
1
5
-
Northbridge,
34
12
19
3
Stow, ....
1
-
1
-
Norton
1
1
-
-
Sudbury,
1
-
1
-
Norwell,
1
-
1
-
Sutton
1
1
-
-
Norwood,
9
1
8
-
Swampscott, .
9
2
7
-
Oak BhilTs, .
7
1
6
-
Taunton,
40
9
27
4
Orange, .
1
-
1
-
Templeton, .
3
1
2
-
Palmer, .
5
2
2
1
Tisbury,
5
1
4
-
Peabody,
21
7
11
3
Tyngsborough,
1
-
1
-
Pittsfield,
32
4
27
1
Wakefield, .
13
5
7
1
Plainville,
2
-
2
-
Walpole,
10
-
10
-
Plymouth,
1
-
-
1
Waltham,
114
11
101
2
Princeton,
1
-
1
-
Warren, ....
3
-
3
-
Provincetown
12
6
5
1
Watertown, .
32
3
27
2
Qdinct,
81
27
49
5
Wayland,
3
-
3
-
Randolph,
2
-
2
-
Webster,
6
1
5
-
Raynham,
2
-
?
-
Wellesley,
1
-
1
-
Reading,
7
1
6
-
Wellfleet,
2
1
1
-
Rehoboth,
2
1
1
-
Wendell,
2
-
2
-
Revere,
49
9
38
2
West Brookfield, .
2
-
2
-
Rockland,
2
-
2
-
Westfield,
51
1
48
2
Rockport,
7
2
4
1
Westminster,
2
-
2
-
Royalston,
1
-
1
-
Weston, . . . .
1
-
1
-
Russell, .
1
-
1
-
Westport,
3
1
1
1
Salem, .
23
8
14
1
Weymouth, .
17
4
13
'
No. 34.
TYPHOID FEVER.
675
Widal Test, Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov. 30, 1915, inclusive — Concluded.
City or Town.
II
II
6
1'
03
"a
City or Town.
o .
■li
i
■-3
1
i
i
'3,
>,
Whitman,
Williamsburg,
Wilmington, .
Winchendon,
2
3
1
4
24
23
1
4
2
1
2
2
21
22
1
1
WOBUEN,
Worcester, .
Wrentham, .
Yarmouth, .
Totals, .
42
39
3
3
7
8
31
25
3
3
4
6
Winchester, .
Winthrop,
2,248
425
1,693
130
Cultural Tests for Typhoid Fever, Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov. SO, 1915, inclusive.
o
"o .
City or Town.
>
i.
City or Town.
fe a
^ 0
^ a
-IS
i
o
1'
"S
so
©
Acton,
1
-
1
Dover,
1
-
1
Ashburnham,
6
-
6
Easton, .
1
1
-
Attleboro,
3
-
3
Everett,
14
1
13
Beverly,
13
-
13
Fall River,
3
-
3
Barnstable,
1
-
1
Foxborough,
4
1
3
Boston, .
69
4
65
Gardner, .
8
-
8
Bourne, .
2
-
2
Grafton, .
2
1
1
Braintree,
5
-
5
Hanover,
2
-
2
Brookline,
5
-
6
Harwich, .
3
-
3
Cambridge,
4
-
4
Hingham,
2
-
2
Chatham,
1
-
1
Hudson, .
1
-
1
Chelmsford,
2
-
2
Hull,
3
-
3
Chelsea,
1
-
1
Lancaster,
4
-
4
Clinton, .
9
1
8
Lenox,
1
1
-
Cohasset,
1
-
1
Lexington,
2
-
2
Colrain, .
1
-
1
Lowell, .
1
-
1
Concord, .
1
-
1
Lynn,
12
-
12
Danvers, .
2
-
2
Malden, .
3
-
3
Dighton, .
1
-
1
Mansfield,
52
9
43
676
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Cultural Tests for Typhoid Fever, Dec. 1, 1914, io Nov. SO, 1915, inclusive —
Concluded.
"o
o
•e.2
^ S
City or Town.
a
O X
>
1
1
03
City or Town.
1
1
Ph
i
Marshfield
2
-
2
Revere,
3
3
Maj'nard ,
2
-
2
Salem, .
7
-
7
Medfield, .
9
-
9
Somerville, .
8
-
8
Medford,
7
-
7
Spencer, .
1
-
1
Melrose,
9
-
9
Tyngsborough,
2
-
2
Middleton,
1
-
1
Wakefield,
4
-
4
Milton, .
5
-
5
Waltham,
8
-
8
Newburyport,
10
-
10
Watertown,
1
~
1
Newton,
14
-
14
Wellesley,
6
-
6
North Adams,
3
1
2
Westport,
4
-
4
Northampton,
3
-
3
Winchester,
1
-
1
Norton, .
1
-
1
Winthrop,
1
-
1
Pittsfield,
1
-
1
Woburn,
2
1
1
QUINCT, .
3
2
1
3
1
Worcester,
Totals,
6
1
5
Reading, .
375
23
352
Rehoboth,
2
-
2
No. 34.]
DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS.
677
Eepoet of the State District Health Officers,
Oct. 31, 1914, TO Oct. 31, 1915/
INTRODUCTION.
This is the first annual report of the State District Health Officers
of Massachusetts. Under the State Department of Health, there have
been created by the Commissioner of Health eight health districts,
with a State District Health Officer in charge.
The numbers and names of the health districts, cities and towns
within same, with the names and addresses of the District Health
Officers, follow.
Health Districts and State District Health Officers, April, 1915.
The Southeastern District — No. 1.
Acushnet. Freetown. Provincetown.
Attleboro. Gay Head. Raynham.
Barnstable. Gosnold. Rehoboth.
Berkley. Har-«-ich. Rochester.
Bourne. Kingston. Sandwich.
Brewster. Lake\alle. Seekonk.
Carver. Mansfield. Somerset.
Chatham. Marion. Swansea.
Chilmark. Mashpee. Taunton.
Dartmouth. Mattapoisett. Tisbury.
Dennis. Middleborough. Truro.
Dighton. Nantucket. Wareham.
Duxbury. New Bedford. Wellfleet.
Eastham. Norton. West Tisbury.
Edgartown. • Oak Bluffs. Westport.
Fairhaven. Orleans. Yarmouth.
Fall River. Plymouth.
Falmouth. Plympton.
Dr. Adam S. MacKnight, 355 North Main Street, Fall River, State District
Health Officer.
1 Edited by Dr. Adam S. MacKnight, District Health Officer, the Southeastern District, and Dr.
Charles E. Simpson, District Health Officer, the North Midland District.
678
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
The Eastern District — No. 2.
Abington.
Franklin.
Pembroke.
Avon.
Halifax.
Plainville.
Bellingham.
Hanover.
QumcT.
Boston.
Hanson.
Randolph.
Braintree.
Hingham.
Rockland.
Bridgewater.
Holbrook.
Scituate.
Brockton.
Hull.
Sharon.
Brookline.
Marshfield.
Stoughton.
Cambridge.
Medfield.
Walpole.
Canton.
Medway.
West Bridgewater
Cohasset.
Millis.
Westwood.
Dedham.
Milton.
Weymouth.
Dover.
Norfolk.
Whitman.
East Bridgewater.
North Attleborough.
Wrentham.
Easton.
Norwell.
Foxborough.
Norwood.
Dr. Merrill E. Champion, WoUaston, State District Health Officer.
The Northeastern District — No. 3.
Amesbury.
Lynnfield.
Rockport.
Beverly.
Malden.
Rowley.
Boxford.
Manchester.
Salem.
Chelsea.
Marblehead.
Salisbury.
Danvers.
Melrose.
Saugus.
Essex.
Merrimac.
Stoneham.
Everett.
Middleton.
Swampscott.
Georgetown.
Nahant.
Topsfield.
Gloucester.
Newbury.
Wakefield.
Groveland.
Newburyport.
Wenham.
Hamilton.
North. Reading.
West Newbury
Haverhill.
Peabody.
Winthrop.
Ipswich.
Reading.
Lynn.
Revere.
Dr. WILLL4.M Hall Coon, 92 Main Street, Haverhill, State District Health
Officer.
The North Midland District —
No. 4-
Acton.
Billerica.
Concord.
Andover.
Boxborough.
Dracut.
Arlington.
Burhngton.
Dunstable.
Bedford.
Carlisle.
Lawrence
Belmont.
Chelmsford.
Lexington.
No. 34.]
DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS.
679
Lincoln.
Littleton.
Lowell.
Maynard.
Medford.
Methuen.
North Andover.
The North Midland District —
SOMERVILLE.
Stow.
Sudbury.
Tewksbury.
Tyngsborough.
Waltham.
Watertown.
No. 4 — Concluded.
Wayland.
Westford.
Weston.
Wilmington.
Winchester.
WOBURN.
Dr. Charles E, Simpson, 100 HoljTood Avenue, Lowell, State District Health
OflScer.
The South Midland District — No. 5.
Ashland.
Marlborough.
Southborough.
Auburn.
Mendon.
Southbridge.
Blackstone.
Milford.
Spencer.
Brookfield.
Millbury.
Stur bridge.
Charlton.
Natick.
Sutton.
Douglas.
Needham.
Upton.
Dudley.
Newton.
Uxbridge.
Framingham.
Northborough.
Warren.
Grafton.
Northbridge.
Webster.
Holliston.
North Brookfield.
WeUesley.
Hopedale.
Oxford.
Westborough.
Hopkinton.
Sherborn.
West Brookfield
Leicester.
Shrewsbury.
Worcester.
Dr. William W. Wal(
:oTT, 32 West Central
Health Officer.
Street, Natick, State D
r
1
Vhe Wachusett District —
- No. 6.
Ashburnham.
Harvard.
Phillipston.
Ashby.
Holden.
Princeton.
Athol.
Hubbardston.
Royalston.
Ayer.
Hudson.
Rutland.
Barre.
Lancaster.
Shirley. .
Berlin.
Leominster.
Sterhng.
Bolton.
Lunenburg.
Templeton.
Boylston.
New Braintree.
Townsend.
Clinton.
New Salem.
Warwick.
Dana.
Oakham.
West Boylston.
FlTCHBUEG.
Orange.
Westminster.
Gardner.
Paxton.
Winchendon.
Groton.
Pepperell.
Hardwick.
Petersham.
Dr. Lewis Fish, 86
Day Street, Fitchburg,
Sta
te District Health Offi
680
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
The Connecticut Valley District — No. 7.
Agawam.
Amherst.
Belchertown.
Blandford.
Brimfield.
Chesterfield.
Chicopee.
Conway.
Deerfield.
Easthampton.
East Longmeadow.
Enfield.
Goshen.
Granby.
Granville.
Greenwich.
Hadley.
Hampden.
Hatfield.
Holland.
HOLYOKE.
Huntington.
Leverett.
Longmeadow.
Ludlow.
Monson.
Montgomery.
Northampton.
Palmer.
Pelham,
Prescott.
Russell.
Shutesbury.
Southampton.
South Hadley.
Southwick.
Springfield.
Sunderland.
Tolland.
Wales.
Ware.
Westfield.
Westhampton.
West Springfield.
Whately.
Wilbraham.
Williamsburg.
Dr. John S. Hitchcock, 160 Main Street, Northampton, State District Health
Officer.
The Berkshire District — No. 8.
Adams.
Greenfield.
Otis.
Alford.
Hancock.
Peru.
Ashfield.
Hawley.
PiTTSFIELD.
Becket.
Heath.
Plainfield.
Bernardston.
Hinsdale.
Richmond.
Buckland.
Lanesborough.
Rowe.
Charlemont.
Lee.
Sandisfield.
Cheshire.
Lenox.
Savoy.
Chester.
Ley den.
Sheffield.
Clarksburg.
Middlefield.
Shelburne.
Colrain.
Monroe.
Stockbridge.
Cummington.
Montague.
Tyringham.
Dalton.
Monterey.
Washington.
Egremont.
Moimt Washington.
Wendell.
Erving.
New Ashf ord.
West Stockbridge
Florida.
New Marlborough.
Williamstown.
GUI.
North Adams.
Windsor.
Great Barrington.
Northfield.
Worthington.
Dr. Lyman A. Jones, 163 Pleasant Street, North Adams, State District Health
Officer.
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 681
BOARDS OF HEALTH.
One of the most important functions of the work of the State Dis-
trict Health Officer is his relation to the different boards of health.
He cannot personally attend to the details throughout the district,
but must depend on the local boards. Some boards show special
efficiency in one line, some in another, occasionally one in practically
all directions. Many of them show marked inefficiency and do little
more than the necessary clerical work. This is not so much the fault
of the personnel as it is the fault of the system by which these offices
are ffiled. The methods of selection have much to do with the per-
petuation of inefficiency in office. Too often it is the local politician
who is elected, rather than the local health authority.
The laws of Pennsylvania require each borough to have a health
officer, while those of New York require each town to have one. If
we could have some such requirement in Massachusetts, so that each
town or small group of towns should be required to have a qualified
health officer, it would simplify the work very much and insure those
communities much better health service.
In Massachusetts, regardless of the size of a town, it is optional
with the people of that town whether it shall have a separate board of
health or whether it shall leave its health measures to the selectmen,
none of whom need have any qualifications for the office of health
officer, and usually is free to admit it. If the town does have a
separate board and has a population of more than 5,000, one of the
members must be a physician.
Number of towns, with population less than 5,000, having separate boards
of health, 61
Number of towns, with population more than 5,000, not having separate
boards of health, 5
Number of towns, with population more than 10,000, not having separate
boards of health, 2
DISEASES DANGEROUS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH.
From the comparative district tables of the communicable diseases
for several years past, it would be reasonable to assume that the
constant efforts to secure better health by the health officers in the
districts were beginning to bear fruit. The gain of added funds for
health work, the employment of agents and nurses, the extension of
water mains and sewers, the gradually increasing practice of investi-
682 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
gating cases of communicable disease, when first reported, and edu-
cational work done, have surely had a very real influence, though it
is not always easily estimated. The increasing activity of local boards
and their co-operation have been of the greatest importance.
Diphtheria, scarlet fever and typhoid fever are probably quite fully
reported. Other communicable diseases are gaining as to reporting,
though there are undoubtedly many cases which escape the knowledge
of the health authorities. This is particularly true of whooping cough,
measles, chicken pox and mumps, some of which have been more
recently added to the reportable list.
A continued well-planned campaign of publicity in local newspapers
would doubtless go far toward securing fuller reports of the so-called
minor infectious diseases.
Though it is admitted that the co-operation of the local boards of
health has been greatly improved, there is still much more to do
along these lines. Too often the activity is that of one member.
There is, in consequence, a lack of unity in local health work, and the
diseases that endanger the community, unfortunately, get a foothold
and collect their usual toll of death or disability. We need to have
our State District Health Officer endowed with more than mere
advisory authority under such circumstances. Here is where the
dangerous disease problem needs probing. Something must be done
to protect the well from the sick, and vice versa. Nothing short of a
trained local health officer will meet such issues, and special legislation,
so providing, should be set in motion.
The figures that are used in this report are for the fiscal year
October 31 to October 31, not January to January as is the time for
the official figures, consequently they will not coincide.
Anthrax.
Ten cases have been reported with one death. This is so ridicu-
lously small a death rate that it suggests cases reported without
laboratory findings. With the facilities furnished for laboratory
diagnosis by the State, as well as many of the larger cities, it would
seem that there was little excuse for this. In many cases, whatever,
the disease, it will be advisable to report the case and commence
treatment on a clinical diagnosis, but there are few instances where
this should not be confirmed in the increasingly large number of
diseases where the laboratories are prepared to do such work. It is
due the patient as well as the statistician. Neither the physician nor
the health officer can give a disease its true significance without
reasonably accurate statistics.
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 683
The tanneries claim that, owing to the war, it is hard for them to
obtain hides through the usual channels, and that many they are
receiving now from foreign ports are not in as good condition as the
ones they usually handle.
Cases have been reported from Boston, Fall River, Springfield,
Winchester and Woburn. So far as we know, the serum for this
disease has not been used in Massachusetts. If the diagnosis were
correct, possibly the type of the disease may have had something to
do with the low fatality.
Anterior Poliomyelitis.
The total number of cases reported for the year numbered 121
with 18 deaths. In one district 5 cases of the disease were reported
in one city. The cases did not develop at one time, but were dis-
tributed over the year, and in different localities. These cases showed
no evidence of contact, nor was the source of infection determined.
In another district 13 cases were reported from nine localities.
Four of theses cases were fatal. In no instance could an}^ connection
with a previous case be traced. In one case the only opportunity for
contact with people away from its own home was at a county fair,
where this particular child took the "blue ribbon" as the most healthy
baby exhibited. This was two weeks before the disease developed.
In one case a paralyzed hen was found on the premises. For six
months of the year not another case developed within this district.
In another district, although individual cases occurred in various
parts of the district, there were fewer cases than usual. Two interest-
ing cases were investigated in one town within this district, between
the last of one month and the first of the next month. These cases
showed the most probable contact infection thus far noted. These
cases were related as cousins, and they lived but a short distance
apart. There seemed to be no clue which would lead to a reason for
the occurrence of the first case, which was taken ill the beginning of
the last week of school attendance, felt a little better, did not go to
school the following Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, but returned
to school Thursday and Friday, was much worse Saturday, and the
paralysis was most pronounced on the Sunday following. During
this time, the days that this first case was out of school, he spent
in playing with his 3'oung cousin who had not yet started to attend
school. This young cousin had a similar train of prodomal symptoms
followed by paralysis about ten days later than his cousin of the first
case. The first case had considerable nasal discharge. There were,
684 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
however, other children in the families of both cousins, none of
whom showed any signs of departure from normal health.
In another district but 7 cases developed during the year. One city
with a population over 100,000 reported but 2 cases. Another city
with a population over 95,000 also reported 2 cases. Three cases
were reported from 3 towns, while the remaining 61 towns reported
none. As compared with the number of cases reported in this district
during the preceding year, the decrease was 16.
The number of cases throughout the State has been decidedly less
than in 1914. The two-year periodicity noted so strikingly in some
places has not shown up as in the past few years.
Varicella.
The number of cases reported for the year was 5,638. This disease
is ordinarily of interest to the health officer only in that light cases of
smallpox are so frequently taken for it. This was exemplified in
Spencer this year.
No State District Health Officer rests easy when he finds reports of
chicken pox coming in from any section, especially if there are deaths,
until he has seen a case or two and satisfied himself that it is the
lesser disease.
If physicians would only familiarize themselves with the appearance
of smallpox, whenever they have an opportunity, there would be
fewer epidemics of that disease well under way before it is recognized.
The District Health Officers should be consulted in doubtful cases,
and the diagnosis determined.
The report of the 20 deaths from varicella during the year seemed
to indicate a mistake in diagnosis, or a clerical error by some board
of health clerk in recording some other disease in the varicella column.
Investigation revealed the fact that 12 of these deaths were reported
as a result of clerical errors, — 2 should have been attributed to other
causes, — while the death certificates from the remainder read vari-
cella alone and could not be further verified.
Epidemic Cerebrospinal Meningitis.
There have been 156 cases of this disease during the year, with
100 deaths or about 64 per cent, fatality rate. There has been no
extensive epidemic reported, but a few cases being found in one
locality. Although the Flexner serum is being generally used, the
death rate is still very high.
The laboratory in this, as in most other diseases, is not used for
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 685
diagnostic purposes as frequently as it ought to be. It is probable
that many deaths recorded as epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis are
concurrent with other diseases, and due to the presence of other
bacteria. Notwithstanding this, a few cases that have been carefully
watched, diagnosis confirmed by laboratory examination, and anti-
serum given early, have still shown a large case death rate.
Diphtheria.
The total number of cases of this disease reported during the
year was 9,281. The total number of deaths during the same period
was 607. The fatality rate was 6.5 per cent, which is not unusually
high for this disease.
Special investigations, carried on^by the State District Health
Officers, show that the principal etiological factors in the spread of
this disease have been contacts, carriers and infected milk. The
several reports of the State District Health Officers give the essential
data in support of this statement. They are as follows: —
In the Wachusett Health District diphtheria began to increase in
prevalence in Fitchburg in September, 1915. From September 1 to
October 27, 147 cases were reported. The distribution has been
largely in the West and Water streets sections. During the outbreak
school physicians have been required to inspect immediately and keep
under observation schools wherein cases have occurred, culturing all
suspicious throats. All absentees from school from whatever cause
have been looked up. Two successive negative release cultures were
required before release from quarantine. The outbreak has again
demonstrated the serious need of an isolation hospital. Frequent
conferences were held with the local health authority relative to
methods of procedure against the spread of the disease, with the
desired results.
In December, 1914, an outbreak of 10 cases was investigated in
Gardner. Proper precautions were exercised by the local health
authority, and the disease was controlled.
In June 2 cases were investigated in Shirley, occurring among the
inmates of the industrial school located there. They were properly
isolated, and no further cases occurred until August 30, when two
more were taken ill in another building. The physician then gave
500 units of antitoxin to each of the other inmates of the building,
and cultured, hoping in this way to check its spread. Five more cases
occurred within twelve days after immunization, and 2 more within
another week. The Schick test was given, upon the District Health
686 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Officer's suggestion, and 17 out of 59 boys, who had been previously
immunized, gave a positive reaction. These were then given 1,000
units each. Several cases have since been reported in another building.
During October, 1915, an outbreak of 31 cases occurred in Hudson.
They occurred largely among school children giving a history of con-
tact. The schools had been closed, but, upon the suggestion of the
State District Health Officer, they were reopened, and close medical
supervision instituted. Two successive negative cultures were advised
before release from quarantine.
Two cases were investigated in Royalston in October. Recom-
mendations were given relative to the reopening of the public school,
which had been closed, because of one having attended the school.
Fifteen deaths from diphtheria in 1914 have been investigated,
reports of which are on file in the office.
In the North Midland Health District there have been no serious
epidemics of diphtheria, but there have been a number of cases in
various cities and towns.
In March there were an unusual number in Andover. They were
contact cases coming from two foci: one was in the academy, and
cases were quickly isolated in the infirmary; the other was at Fryes
village, and while the board of health was leaving the quarantine
and family isolation practically to the physicians, they seemed to be
taking unusually good care of that part of the work.
In May a school outbreak threatened the Pleasant Valley section of
Methuen. There was a conference of the school and health authorities
with the District Health Officer, and there were only a limited number
of cases.
Lawrence has been having more than its quota of cases for the past
two years. This was partly due to the lack of an isolation hospital
and to the method of terminating quarantine. The board is now
insisting on two release cultures, the last to be taken by the physician
of the board. This has met with some opposition, but the fact that
of the first 8 cultures so taken 5 were positive, has convinced the board
that such a step was advisable.
Much of the territory assigned for the survey of deaths from
diphtheria in 1914 has not been covered. If that made in Lowell is
any criterion, a very large proportion of the deaths may be attributed
directly to the family not realizing the seriousness of the disease until
too late. Of 23 deaths investigated, when case was reported 4 patients
were dead; 8 died the same day; 6 lived but one day after; 1 lived
one or two days; 1 lived seven days; 1 lived nine days; 1 lived ten
days; 1 lived twelve days. The records showed that the physicians
recognized and reported the cases quickly.
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 687
The Lowell annual report for 1914 gives 154 eases reported and 26
deaths, 2 of which were out-of-town cases and occurred in the hospital
where they had been taken for treatment, leaving 24 for the cases
that were contracted in Lowell. If we deduct the 18 that evidently
called the physician too late to expect any treatment to be of avail,
we will have 6. deaths in 136 cases, — a fatality of 4.41 per cent.
Not a bad showing for antitoxin when used early.
In the Connecticut Valley Health District a total of 467 cases was
reported for this year. Seven outbreaks were investigated, 5 of these
being school outbreaks. In these, the institution of proper diagnostic
work, and the exclusion of suspects until they were proven free from
the disease, terminated the outbreak.
This disease appears to be endemic in Chicopee and Springfield.
In each of these cities there must be a large number of diphtheria
carriers. No outbreak was found to be due to infected milk.
In the Southeastern Health District the diphtheria campaign work
was fruitful in establishing the shortage and small doses of antitoxin
used, as well as the tardy use of same, compared with the rapid
progress and late recognition of the disease.
In this district 499 cases of this disease were reported during the
year. This disease shows a decrease of 39 cases compared with the
number reported for 1914. The greatest number of cases, 163, were
reported from Fall River, and 145 from New Bedford, while 32 towns
out of 64 are responsible for the reporting of 148 cases.
There has been more frequent use of laboratory aids in the diagnosis
of this disease, consequently a more definite reporting of same. It is
to be regretted, however, that larger doses of antitoxin are not given
in the earlier stages of the disease. It is also to be regretted that
there is not a uniform system of determining the release of cases,
such as a requirement of two negative cultures within a definite period
of time.
In the Berkshire Health District there w^ere 95 cases in 2 cities and
15 towns. A comparison with former years in the old health district
is especially favorable as appears from the following table: —
1911-12, 302
1912-13, 173
1913-14, 163
1914-15, 63
Of the 95 cases during the year, 80 per cent, occurred in Pittsfield
(21), North Adams (18), Montague (15), Adams (13) and Green-
field (8).
688
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
The number of cases in Pittsfield (21) shows a marked decrease as
compared with the preceding year when there were 61. In 1914
Pittsfield had 49 per cent, of all cases in the district, while this year,
compared with the same territory, it had but 32 per cent, of the cases.
A case of diphtheria in the family of a milk peddler was investigated
in Pittsfield. Other arrangements were made for the distribution of
the milk, and there was no spread of the disease.
The local board of health was advised concerning a case of diph-
theria in Northfield, and assistance was given the Leyden board of
health concerning 5 cases of the disease in an isolated section of the
town.
In the South Midland Health District the following table shows
the outbreaks investigated and herein summarized: —
Disease.
Town. Date.
Diphtheria,
Diphtheria,
Diphtheria,
Diphtheria,
Brockton,
Framingham,
Needham,
Wellesley,
November, 1914
September, 1915
August, 1915
August, 1915
Four special outbreaks worthy of note are briefly summarized as
follows : —
Brockton.
In the month of November, 1914, 28 cases were reported, and during
this month 442 cultures were examined at the local laboratory.
Four cases were reported from the South School, and on Novem-
ber 27, 83 cultures were taken here, i.e., from the janitor, teachers
and every pupil. One positive culture was returned in a "carrier
case" who has no clinical symptoms but was quarantined several
weeks, during which time many positive cultures were obtained by
the board of health physician; the child was allowed to return to
school only after said official had secured two negative cultures,
forty-eight hours apart.
On the day the carrier was detected, the school was fumigated, and
desks, floors and hooks upon which clothing was hung were thoroughly
cleansed and scrubbed with creolin. The other cases reported during
this month were scattered and for the most part among school children.
The school physicians and nurses daily examined every school child,
and every one v/ith a suspicious throat or history was excluded and
not allowed to return until one negative culture had been obtained.
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 689
Positive diphtheria cases are allowed to return to school only after
two negative cultures have been obtained. In this follow-up work,
in the two weeks ending December 14, 14 positive cultures were re-
ceived from 227 specimens examined at the laboratory of the local
board of health. The local board, with its physicians, agent, school
physicians and school nurses, kept the cases, the suspicious cases as
well as those who had been exposed, under constant daily supervision,
and the local laboratory gave prompt attention to the cultures re-
ceived, with satisfactory results.
A later outbreak which could not be definitely localized occurred in
Holbrook and Brockton during the middle of September, 1915. Thirty
cases of sore throat were discovered in Holbrook on the milk route
of one Mr. B. At least 16 of these were cases of diphtheria. The
neighboring part of Brockton had 11 cases of diphtheria apparently
traceable to this milk supply. Investigation of the household un-
covered the fact that it contained 5 diphtheria carriers. The trouble
apparently started with one boy who ordinarily worked in a shoe
factory, but who remained at home a few days because of a mild sore
throat.
Needham.
During the month of August, 1915, 8 cases were reported in Need-
ham. The dates of onset in this particular outbreak give a better
idea of the situation because of the delay of foreigners in calling a
physician.
These cases were all in the Polish settlement. Highland Avenue.
Most of the adults of these families were employed in the Saco silk
mills, and the mill physician, as well as attending physician of most
of the cases, co-operated with the local authorities and saw to it in
every instance that exposed members of the family were cultured, re-
ceived antitoxin, and adequate quarantine maintained.
The local authorities, as in the Framingham outbreak, instituted a
school and house to house culture canvass, but no "carriers" or addi-
tional cases were detected.
Wellesley.
There were reported in the month of August, 1915, 6 cases which
may be divided into two groups as follows: —
Group A. — Three cases. This group of cases was near the Newton line at
Newton Upper Falls.
Growp B. — Three cases. This group of cases was near Wellesley Village and
was not associated with the other group either directly or indirectly.
690 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
The family head of group A was a milk producer; four cows gave
twenty-two quarts of milk, all of which was peddled in Wellesley in
his own neighborhood. The milk was produced and handled under
satisfactory conditions, and no other cases occurred on this supply.
Beginning August 21 this supply was daily pasteurized by the Welles-
ley local authorities. One of group A who was visiting the milk pro-
ducer's family gave a history of having had diphtheria three times
before, and was at one time confined with it for six months in the
Newton Hospital. At this time he was removed to the Newton Hos-
pital and kept under observation until the necessary negative cultures
had been obtained.
Framingham.
During the month of September, 1915, 23 cases were reported or
detected by the local physicians and agents and physicians of the
local board of health. These cases were of a mild, clinical type and
in only a few instances was the family physician called on this account.
The cases were distributed geographically on the north side of the
Boston & Albany tracks, near the factory of the Dennison Manu-
facturing Company, and those of school age attended a school in this
district, while 3 were employed by the Dennison Manufacturing
Company.
The school physician and nurse kept the school under daily super-
vision, and cultures were taken from all suspicious cases, as well as
from all cases in any schoolroom where a case was detected. Cultures
were also taken from the infected households, and a house to house
culture canvass was instituted by the agent of the local board. This
culture work resulted in the detection of 3 " carriers," — one a school
child, one a baker and one an employee of the Dennison Manufactur-
ing Company. These 3 "carriers" were isolated in one house, and
kept under supervision until two successive negative cultures, twenty-
four hours apart, had been obtained by the agent of the local board of
health.
In this neighborhood considerable home work, such as stringing
tags, is done for the Dennison Company, and arrangements were made
to have all of these materials destroyed by fire.
Through co-operation between this company, its nurse and the local
board of health, arrangements were made so that no employee having
the disease, or who had been exposed to it, could return to work
without a certificate from the board of health. Under these conditions
the outbreak was soon well in hand.
A glance at the diphtheria death rate in the State since 1882, when
i
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 691
it was 97 per 100,000, shows as follows: in 1889 it reached 102.
With the introduction of the antitoxin treatment it has dropped in
irregular curves till in 1915 it has reached to 16.6 per 100,000. In
1912 it was about 14, the lowest point. This is a good record. It
shows a great saving of life for 1914, yet it is not as good as we would
wish, for during the last ten years there has been a drop from 22 to
16. The reduction during last yesiT was not at the same ratio as in
former years. Increased efforts must be put forth to make a still
further reduction.
A campaign of education should be waged, and what few places
there are remaining that do not do good work in investigating cases,
making use of laboratory aids and careful quarantine, should be urged
to do so. Many cases are lost among the poor because they do not
feel able to call a physician for every sore throat, and are not able
themselves to detect the serious one in time. If we can have more
uniformly good medical inspection of schools, and better registration
of histories of contagious diseases and family statistics among the
scholars, we think it would be a great aid.
From the knowledge we have of its mode of transmission, methods
for control and treatment, we think the disease should be stamped out
faster. Too much lethargy exists among local officials and the public.
They consider a normal amount of diphtheria as a necessity. They
are not trying to reach the ideal of Pasteur and stamp out the disease
entirely. The State District Health Officers have been making an
intensive study of all cases of diphtheria that died in 1914, with the
idea of possibly determining the factors responsible for the cause of
the deadlock in our fight against this disease. While the investiga-
tion has not yet been completed for the whole State, there has already
been sufficient work to show that it is due to various causes. Parents
are not sufficiently alive to the fact that any sore throat may be
diphtheria, and too often do not call a physician until the case is far
advanced, perhaps moribund. When a physician is called, not all
realize that every sore throat should be cultured. Again, when clinical
symptoms of diphtheria are present, he should not be satisfied that
the case is not diphtheria because he has a negative culture.
A few have died from loss of time on this account, and quarantine
is not enforced. At other times the physicians have not given anti-
toxin early enough or in sufficiently large doses.
692 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Glanders.
Three cases of this disease were reported during the year. One of
these was on a milk farm that sends its whole supply to a well-
regulated dairy. Owing to the man having been attended until near
death by a Christian Scientist, the nature of the disease was nearly
missed. Quick work by the State District Health Officer and able
co-operation by the veterinarian of the dairy firm confirmed the
diagnosis, and lead to the discovery and ridding the farm of the
offending horse. This case was in Marlborough, and he undoubtedly
contracted it from his own horse. Two cases were reported from
Boston. Of these we were unable to learn the end results or histories.
Infectious Diseases of the Eye.
Under this classification are included the three notifiable diseases,
namely, ophthalmia neonatorum, suppurative conjunctivitis and
trachoma.
The total number of cases reported during the year is as follows: —
Disease.
Cases.
Deaths.
Ophthalmia neonatorum,
Suppurative conjunctivitis,
Trachoma
2,731
161
50
-
As compared with the number reported and investigated in 1914, it
will be found that there has been a decrease of 650 cases, or prac-
tically 46 per cent, (see chart).
The State District Health Officers have investigated, personally or
otherwise, all of these cases. While a certain relatively small per-
centage of these cases show some visual impairment, defect or de-
formity, comparatively few suffer the total loss of vision or blindness.
There are other cases where the end results would seem to indicate
permanent loss of vision, but where the final sentence confirming this
is still sub judice.
Some cases of this disease have left the jurisdiction of the State,
but have been followed up and treated in other states and countries,
e.g., New York, Rhode Island and Canada, but the case end results
of these have not been forthcoming.
DIAGRAM SHOWING
CASES OF BLINDNESS AND
VERY SERIOUSLY IMPAIRED VISION
1500 _^f\
1912 ISU
YEARS
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 693
The educational work of the State District Health Officers, through
the investigations made, has resulted in a better system of reporting;
the more general use of the prophylactic; the assignment and appoint-
ment of oculists; the employment of nurses to care for and follow up
the cases; and better co-operation between city or town clerks and
boards of health in birth reporting within the statutory period of
time. This had had more to do with the preservation of sight than
the remedial measures adopted.
Of 203 cases of suppurative conjunctivitis, 103, or more than 50
per cent., have been reported from one of the health districts. In one
city the cases of this disease assumed a numerical prominence of 79
for 1915 as compared with 1 for 1914. The reason is obvious, e.g.,
the number of ophthalmia neonatorum cases reported from that city
fell to 71, less than 50 per cent. It is evident that this city is trying
to dispose of the old stigma attached to the use of the name "oph-
thalmia neonatorum." The State some time ago tried to bring this
about by quoting the definition of ophthalmia neonatorum as given
in Rosenau's recent book on "Hygiene and Preventive Medicine," to
which reference may be made.
There is a marked improvement in the action of local health author-
ities regarding the supervision of these diseases. Those in the city and
larger towns are quite active in this respect. Some, however, find
excuses for not making investigations at first hand, depending entirely
upon statements from the attending physician. It is obvious that
when physicians do not follow up their cases closely that serious
damage to vision may result. District nurses, present in so many of
the smaller towns, as well as in the larger ones, may and do act as a
check upon the possible end results by their daily visits to mother
and child, and reporting conditions which appear to be unfavorable.
So long as bacteriological examinations are not made when these
cases are reported, being the exception rather than the rule, no index
of the factors responsible for this disease can be determined. That
the number chargeable to gonorrhoeal infection is small, must be
admitted.
Malaria.
A total of 106 cases of this disease were reported during the year,
with no deaths.
One District Health Officer reports 5 cases from his district this
year, and says that this represents but a small part of the number
of cases of this disease present, and this means that the physicians
are not accustomed to reporting cases of this disease.
694 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
On the other hand; another District Health Officer reports but 4
cases, 1 case occurring in a city of 100,000 population, 1 case in a
city of 35,000 population, .and 2 cases in two small towns, and is
rather skeptical as to the correct diagnosis in even this number. As
this disease is marked by a variety of symptoms, common to a number
of other diseases, it would seem easy in the absence of definite signs
for physicians to resort to the use of the blood tests for the Plas-
modiuvi malaria;, especially during the paroxysmal stage of the
disease, if in doubt.
In conclusion, although there were 106 cases of malaria reported,
and possibly many more occurred that were not reported, as it is one
of those diseases that has recently been put on the list, the fact remains
that there were no deaths reported. We have the consolation that,
while we admit there are still a few malarious districts in our State,
we do not have the disease in the intensive forms noted in the south
and middle west. It is fair to assume also that imported cases of this
disease are with us from other sections of the country where they
were recognized, and that such cases are not reported as this class
are not permanent residents of the State, or have learned how to
treat the disease themselves as well as recognize the symptoms.
Knowing the cause of malaria as well as we do, and that it has been
controlled in districts where the particular species of mosquito is more
prevalent than it is in Massachusetts, should be an incentive to us to
try to stamp it out. Places infected with the disease should try to
drain their swampy grounds and have the houses thoroughly screened
with screening that is sufficiently fine to keep the mosquito out. In
order to accomplish these things, the public should co-operate with
the local officials.
Measles.
The total number of cases reported for the year was 22,265, with
144 deaths or 0.6 per cent. Measles have been reported as epidemic in
some part of nearly all the districts.
Some cities and towns do very little to control this disease and
most of them consider the task hopeless. There are several factors
that lead to this. Public opinion very much underestimates the
seriousness of the disease, so that they frequently neither call a phy-
sician, report the case themselves, nor give the patient adequate care.
Physicians have been found, either through ignorance in distinguish-
ing between primary and secondary cause of death, or fear of loss of
prestige in losing a case of measles, who will sign the death return by
some of the common sequelae of measles rather than the true cause.
In one city 4 cases that had died in one week were investigated
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 695
by the District Health Officer. All had been properly reported, but
onl}' one death return gave measles as the primary cause of death.
Another cause of failure is the great contagiousness in the prodomal
stage, when even the parents may not know the child is sick. The
committee of the Massachusetts Association of Boards of Health are
considering the suggestion advanced by the District Health Officer of
the Berkshire District in his 1914 report. If it is adopted and carried
out in several places, the results will be worth watching, especially if
combined with an improved school inspection. The plan is to quar-
antine all children exposed who have not had the disease, commencing
quarantine ten days after the first exposure.
A large number of cases of measles were reported by the families
in Waltham after an article had been printed in the local papers ex-
plaining that the State law required such reports.
The opinion of most health authorities is well summed up in the
report of the District Health Officer of the Connecticut Valley District.
"Epidemiological work in this disease has not given any appreciable
results. In Springfield an inspector was sent to each case immediately
on receipt of the notice, the family were given directions for care, and
a later visit was made to see how well these directions were being
carried out. This apparently made no difference with the incidence
rate of the disease, and it finally disappeared after most of the non-
immunes had been infected."
The seriousness of the disease is such that instead of throwing up
one's hands because the old methods fail, we should all join in finding
a satisfactory method for controlling this disease.
The South Midland District is noticeable in reporting that there
has been but one outbreak in the district during the year. That was
in one town and consisted of 59 cases, all but three or four being
attendants at one school.
The exposure, however, of children to avoidable diseases is abso-
lutely criminal, whether done by parents or other agencies. Something
should be done to stop the crippling and slaughter of these "inno-
cents." It is a terrible arraignment of human intelligence when we
are told that "they (the children) ought to have these diseases while
young and so escape the same diseases in later life." Persons making
such statements to-day are fit subjects for psychopathic hospitals,
and their final sentence should consign them to certain asylums. Such
persons are a menace to childhood and dangerous to the public health.
Every child is entitled to health and happiness. He should not be
exposed at all to any disease, communicable or otherwise. Hence
more stringent health laws for the protection of children, home, school
or elsewhere, are demanded of the Legislature.
696 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Pellagra.
Fifteen cases of this disease were reported in the State during the
year. Eight of these were inmates of public institutions and one out
on parole from an asylum.
Some are inclined to consider it an institution disease, but so far
as Massachusetts cases go it would not seem to be due to the fault
of the diet in any institution, as the cases have usually been found in
institutions where the stay is comparatively short rather than in those
that keep them for a longer time.
That it is due in all probability to the lack of a well-balanced diet
is being demonstrated by the experiments of Goldberger and others in
the United States Public Health Service.
That some cases are probably overlooked is shown in those in-
vestigated, as some of them have gone through the hands of several
physicians before the true nature of the disease was determined. With
the comparatively few number of cases it is not to be wondered at.
More nitrogenous foods are indicated in the treatment. That meats
are so much more expensive may be the cause of the increasing
number of cases found.
This disease has been located in four of the eight districts: North-
eastern, North Midland, Connecticut Valley and Wachusett. Although
the disease is on the increase as reported in Massachusetts, the fact
that it is clearly shown by the United States government researches
that the disease is due to a poorly balanced diet, makes us believe
that we need not be alarmed concerning it. Education of the people
as to the relative amounts of nitrogenous and other foods required
should be sufficient to suppress it.
Rabies and Dog-bite.
It was fortunate for many people in Massachusetts that, just before
the epidemic of rabies among the dogs in the eastern and central
portion of the State developed, the State Department of Health had
made arrangements to furnish free antirabic treatment to those who
needed it and wished it. Aug. 25, 1914, a circular was sent to the
local boards of health offering the treatment as stated in the 1914
report.
With the rapid increase of the cases shown in the early part of this
year, several of the State District Health Officers found themselves
much in the position of one, who says: "An undue proportion of
time was spent upon ophthalmia work and the treatment of dog-bite
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 697
cases. Numerous cases requiring the Pasteur treatment were reported,
widely distributed geographically. It was not uncommon for weeks
at a time that entire days were spent traveling about to give this
treatment, and it was not until it became generally understood that
patients requiring treatment must go to the District Health Officer
that this waste of time was prevented."
Recognizing this condition, a notice was sent to all local boards of
health May 10, 1915, advising them that they could procure virus and
treat their own patients, or make arrangements to send them to the
State District Health Officer at any place most convenient for him.
A very few cases have been treated by their family physician, a
few cities and towns have treated cases at their own expense, but by
far the larger number have been treated by the State.
There were 96 cases given antirabic treatment by or under the
direction of the State District Health Officers, 28 were treated by local
physicians, and 11 cases that were bitten by dogs, that the laboratory
reported to be suffering from rabies, received no treatment. Five
cases developed rabies and died. One of these had taken antirabic
treatment. No constitutional disturbances followed the treatment.
In 2 cases there were abscesses that were opened. The incubation
period follows : —
One case in Peabody was bitten on the face February 20. No treatment
other than local. Symptoms developed March 11, making 19 days.
One case in Medford was bitten on the leg through the stocking on June 7.
Local treatment only. Symptoms developed August 5, making 59 days.
One case in Haverhill was bitten on the finger January 4. No treatment.
Symptoms developed February 17, making 44 days.
One case in Lawrence died of what seemed to be rabies, although no autopsy
or laboratory test was made. Bitten under suspicious circumstances four years
previously.
One case in Peabody was bitten on the face 258 days previously by dog of
first case. Treated locally and after a delay of 21 days was given antirabic
treatment. Developed some fonn of meningitis which was reported as rabies,
but in this diagnosis the State District Health Officer did not concur.
One case in Holden bitten Sept. 5, 1914, treated the wound himself, developed
symptoms of rabies Jan. 18, 1915, and died a few days later. Period of incu-
bation, 135 days.
The following table shows the number treated by the State District
Health Officers and their residence: —
698
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Acton, 1
Arlington, 3
Barre, 1
Beverly, 1
Billerica, 2
Boylston, 1
Chelmsford, 1
Danvers, 1
Enfield, 1
FaU River, 2
Fitchburg, 2
Gloucester, 4
Groveland, 3
HaverhiU, 11
Holden, 2
Lawrence, 4
Leominster, 3
Lexington, 1
Lowell, 1
Lynn, 1
Lynnfield, . . . 1
Marlborough, 2
Mattapoisett, 1
Maynard, 1
Medford, .
1
Newton, .
3
North Attleborough,
1
Northborough,
1
Norton, .
2
Norwood,
1
Peabody, .
2
Princeton,
2
Rutland, .
1
Salem,
6
Somerville,
4
Sterling, .
1
Tewksbury,
2
Tyngsborough,
1
Waltham,
7
Wayland,
1
Wellesley,
1
West Newbury,
4
Weston, .
2
Westport,
1
Woburn, .
1
Total,
96
The following table shows the number of cases treated by local
authorities or private physicians as follows: —
Attleboro, 3
Belmont, 1
Boston, 3
Cambridge, 3
Chelsea, 2
Chicopee, 1
Dorchester, 1
Gloucester, 2
Hatfield, 1
Lawrence, 1
Lynn, 1
Millbury, 1
Newton, 3
Quincy, 2
Revere, 1
Seekonk, 1
Southbridge, 1
Springfield, 2
Wakefield, 2
Waltham,! i
Westfield, 2
Weymouth, 2
Winthrop, 4
Worcester, 18
Total,
59
Considering the fact that the Federal Public Health Service has
been able to gather statistics showing that about 1 case in 6 bitten
by a rabid dog will have rabies if not treated, and that 1 in 200 die
1 Treated in New Hampsiiire.
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 699
who have been given the antirabic treatment, all that have rabies
die, and that in a series of 217,774 cases 100 of them had paralysis,
many of which were fatal, it is a choice of evils.
It is evident from these figures that prevention is better than the
cure. The work done in England shows that rabies was effectually
stamped out in two years where they were able to control and muzzle
all dogs. Five people are reported to have died of rabies in Massa-
chusetts within a year. True this is not many compared with other
diseases, but may it not be worth the effort of some investigator who
is not putting all his time in other problems?
We could not as a State do what they have done in England owing
to our surrounding States and countries. The problem probably could
not be solved in this way as a nation, but perhaps it can in another
way. It has been shown that dogs can be immunized against rabies,
but so far not in a way that would be practical on a large scale. If
it could be done with three injections as typhoid immunization is
now done, it would be practical, and then we see no reason why
dogs and dog owners should not bear the burden rather than victims
of bites of rabid animals. Allow no one to license a dog that is not
immunized.
Scarlet Fever.
The total number of cases of this disease reported was 8,499, with
207 deaths, or a case death rate of 2.3 per cent.
In the Connecticut Valley Health District there were 519 cases
reported from 23 localities, the hill towns being mostly free from it.
In Holyoke there were 205 cases. It appeared throughout the year,
no month being free from it. The outbreaks throughout the district
were investigated and none of them was found to be due to milk.
The Berkshire District Health Officer reports that there has been a
gratifying decrease in scarlet fever as compared with former years. A
total of 116 cases was reported from 2 cities and 14 towns. Seventy-
five per cent of the cases occurred as follows: Pittsfield (44), Adams
(17), Greenfield (17) and North Adams (10). A total of 17 cases
was investigated in detail.
In Alford investigation was made concerning 2 cases which were
brought into the town from outside of the State. Precautions were
taken and there was no spread of the disease.
Cases of scarlet fever on dairy farms in Pittsfield, Clarksburg,
Lanesborough and Williamstown were investigated. There was no
spread of the disease in these instances.
In Greenfield a threatened school outbreak of scarlet fever was
checked by prompt action of the local board of health. Daily inspec-
700 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
tion of school children was arranged for, with the exclusion of all
suspicious cases till the nature of the indisposition became evident.
In the Southeastern Health District the following cases of scarlet
fever were reported and compared as follows: —
Total number of cases reported for 1914, 1,402
Total number of cases reported for 1915, 642
Decrease, 760
Of the 642 cases reported, 4 cities made the following retm-n : —
Fall River, 194
New Bedford, 170
Taunton, 36
Attleboro, 18
418
Out of 64 towns, 39 towns reported, 224
Total, 642
The number of cases reported for the year shows a decrease of 760
cases as compared with last year. The population considered, by far
the greatest number of cases have been reported from 39 out of the
64 towns. The largest number of cases reported for any one of the
4 cities was 194 for Fall River, which is small compared with the pop-
ulation. Better local health regulations, a more strict quarantine,
and less dependence upon terminal fumigation appears to be responsi-
ble for the decrease this year. Nowl^ere did it assume the proportions
of an epidemic.
In the Wachusett Health District from November, 1914, 17 cases
of scarlet fever were reported to the board of health of Athol. In-
vestigation revealed 14 of these to be in two families residing in the
country, one living on a dairy farm. Three cases occurred in three
different families. The milk from the dairy farm had been voluntarily
shut off from sale. There appeared to be no history of contact of the
3 separate cases with the two family groups. In December 6 more
cases were reported, with no history of contact with any known case.
In Gardner 3 cases were investigated. They had been removed
immediately to the isolation hospital.
Six cases were investigated in Leominster, 3 of which were found
to be in the same family, 1 a relative of this family giving a history
of contact, and 2 in separate families with history of no known contact.
Quarantine was established at the different homes.
During May, 1915, 5 cases were reported in the town of Orange.
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 701
Two were found to be in one family while the other 3 were in separate
homes. They gave a history of no known contact. Quarantine was
established at the different homes. Also, 2 cases were investigated in
December, 1 in February, and 8 in March, 1915, in the same town.
In March, 1915, the diagnosis of 2 cases on a milk-producing farm
at Sterling was confirmed. Lax conditions prevailed on the place, and
it was deemed advisable to stop the sale of milk.
A case occurring on a dairy farm in Fitchburg was investigated in
September, 1915, on request of the board of health. They had pre-
vented the sale of milk or milk products from the place. Their action
was approved.
Two cases of scarlet fever were investigated at Warwick in Decem-
ber, 1914, and 1 at New Salem, November, 1914. Two suspicious
cases of scarlet fever were seen at Baldwinsville on Oct. 13, 1915, in
company with the attending physician, and his diagnosis confirmed.
Both attended school but in different districts, and there was no
history of contact.
Fourteen cases occurring in Leominster between October 4 and
October 30 were considered with the board of health. Quarantine
was established in each case, and an effort made to prevent further
spread. A case was investigated in Leominster on April 24 on a
place where milk was produced and sold to the neighbors. Satis-
factory arrangements were made so that the sale of milk continued.
Home conditions were excellent and afforded the best of isolation.
The North Midland District reports that the attention of the Dis-
trict Health Officer has been called to scarlet fever outbreaks in
several places. While the management in some places could be
improved, there have been no serious epidemics.
Two cases occurred in a private school with about 40 boys. Before
the District Health Officer was called the cases had been isolated, the
school closed and nearly all the boys sent home, although exposed,
giving a chance for numerous foci of infection. Isolation was strength-
ened, the school thoroughly cleaned, aired and reopened in a week,
no secondary cases of infection resulting.
An epidemic in Andover was investigated. The history was such
that it seemed to have started in one school. The investigation
showed that it was being carried on by a few who were disregarding
quarantine, as there were several cases in homes with no children of
school age. Milk and other sources of infection seemed improbable.
A number of cases occurred in Ayer. The board of health asked
assistance when a case occurred in the family of a milk dealer in the
outskirts of the village. The cases had been confined to six families
702 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
and in all contact infection had been traced through either school,
Sunday schools or intermingling of families. Isolation seemed lax at
the home of the milk dealer, so it was advised to insist on more
perfect isolation or stop the milk.
In connection with the Quincy House epidemic, besides those cases
reported by the Somerville health officer, others were found in Water-
town and Waltham who might readily be added to the list, as they
had eaten there at about the time of the others and three or four days
before being taken sick. Conference with Dr. Shea showed that every
precaution was being taken by the Boston board.
A case was reported on a farm in Chelmsford where they were pro-
ducing 15 cans of milk for the Lowell market. Those who had charge
of the cattle and milk moved to a near-by neighbor, and the milk was
allowed to be sold, without any infection.
Investigation in Methuen showed lack of proper control and quaran-
tine in a large town not well organized for public health work. It
did not assume epidemic proportions.
Septic Sore Throat.
During the year, 865 cases of this disease were reported, with 25
deaths.
In the Southeastern Health District there has been an increase of
35 cases of this disease this year as compared with last year. Three
cities reported 19 cases, and of 1 city and 64 towns, 1 city and 5 towns
reported 18 cases. The following table will serve to make this clear: —
Total number of cases reported for 1915, 37
Total nmnber of cases reported for 1914, 2
Increase, 35
Of the 37 cases reported: —
FaU River, 13
New Bedford, 5
Attleboro, 1
19
Out of 64 towns and 1 city, 5 towns and 1 city reported, .... 18
Total, 37
In the Berkshire Health District there was one isolated case in
North Adams, and a small group of cases among the employees of a
hotel in Williamstown, all investigated without discovering any
definite cause other than that a pantry girl, who served the employees'
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 703
table, had had some soreness of the throat. The general milk supply
of the hotel was not involved, and no cases occurred among the guests.
The District Health Officer of the Eastern Health District reports
an outbreak of epidemic proportions occurred in the Dorchester district
of Boston and in Milton. This outbreak was one of septic sore throat
and involved the milk route of a Milton distributor who himself
produced no milk. His entire milk supply was unpasteurized and
was derived from three sources, all of them in Milton, Cases of
septic sore throat began to be reported to the Boston board of health
April 22; the latter board at once began an investigation. Coinci-
dently an inquiry was instituted into conditions in Milton, with the
result that many cases were discovered in that town as well. About
227 actual cases of septic sore throat were discovered in Boston,
97 per cent of whom took milk of the milk distributor above referred
to. Two deaths occurred among these cases. In Milton 84 cases were
found, of whom 75 used the above mentioned distributor's milk.
Several confusing factors entering into the situation rendered final
judgment as to the party responsible for the trouble very difficult.
One of said distributor's sources of supply proved to be from a farm
on which was a boy desquamating freely about the hands and giving
a history of previous sore throat. Another source of supply showed
the presence of cows with garget; the third farm also had cows with
pus in their milk. In addition, very shortly after the beginning of the
outbreak, members of the Milton distributor's family had sore throats,
dating how far back we do not know. But whoever was to blame, the
fact remains that this extensive outbreak occurred on that small part
of Boston's milk supply which is unpasteurized.
The reports on septic sore throat are inaccurate and misleading.
It is usually reported without cultures of any kind, even without
differentiating from diphtheria. In the absence of laboratory findings,
it is difficult for the average physician to differentiate it from the
numerous cases of scarlet fever that have only a sore throat without
the rash.
Smallpox.
Twenty-three cases of this disease developed in New Bedford in the
Southeastern Health District, with ten deaths. This epidemic occurred
in what is known as the Cape Verde Colony, the first case discovered
being a woman in an advanced eruptive stage of the disease. She
claimed to have been vaccinated eight years prior to this event, but
there was no evidence of vaccination. It is presumed that she had
been vaccinated, but without success. She was found in a boarding
704 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
house in one of the thickly settled sections of New Bedford. The next
day a similar case was found a short distance from the above location.
The parties had visited at a friend's house in the neighborhood in
which was found a man recovering from a mild type of the disease.
It was impossible to trace the origin of the disease in this man, but
all cases which developed later were directly traceable to this one
mild case. The man, it is said, had been successfully vaccinated
thirteen years prior to his attack.
The subsequent spread was due to various causes: concealment of
cases, ignorance, carelessness and indifference, the last phase of the
situation being very noticeable from the fact that these people insisted
upon calling at each other's houses during the early stages of the
disease and prior to the time of quarantine. It was only after the
local authorities had prevailed ^pon the pastors in charge of these
people to impress upon them the necessity of keeping away from
houses of friends until the epidemic was under control that the
authorities were able to check the spread of the disease.
The vigorous action of the New Bedford health authorities in
locating, removing, quarantining, vaccinating and segregating the
cases finally arrested the progress of the disease. Notwithstanding
this prompt action the fatalities were in excess of 43 per cent.
The epidemic was of unusual violence as evidenced by the per-
centage of deaths noted. In most cases the type of the disease was
confluent, and of the 23 treated at the smallpox hospital 4 were of
the hemorrhagic type. The case first treated from which others con-
tracted the disease, as stated, was mild, and the tenth case found
was also of a mild form, this patient having been successfully, it is
said, vaccinated a few years prior to the attack. Complications in the
majority of cases were not infrequent.
A serious phase of the epidemic, one which was not generally known,
rests in the fact that pupils in the Donaghy, Thos. Green and Cedar
Street schools had been exposed to the disease, and they were closely
watched for the usual period, the school inspectors of these schools
giving almost their whole time in supervising scholars daily in the
rooms affected. Fortunately not a single case developed, and this
fact was undoubtedly due to recent vaccinations, as the children
under observation had but recently entered the public schools.
This is the first epidemic of a serious type that has occurred in the
State for a number of years. As most, if not all, of the cases occurred
among foreigners, the question of successful vaccination at ports of
entry has been raised. It is well known that a certain number of
foreigners, on shipboard and at immigration stations, resort to various
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 705
devices to defeat successful "takes." This attitude has also been
observed among factory employees.
In recent years the epidemics have been of a comparatively mild
type, but this outbreak in New Bedford shows us that the disease has
not lost any of its virulence and none of its fatality.
In considering this disease, it must be borne in mind that except for
the New Bedford outbreak between May and July, 1915, the rest of
the State has been entirely free from this disease.
Tetanus.
Thirty-seven cases were reported in the State during the year;
of these, 20 died, giving a death rate of 54 per cent. This disease is
of importance principally from its high mortality and the character
of its symptoms.
Curative measures so far have been of comparatively little avail
in those cases that come on within less than a week of the infection.
The greatest field is in prevention. Careful cleansing of wounds,
making all suspicious wounds open ones, together with preventive in-
jections of antitetanic serum are always to be in the minds of those
treating wounds. When the disease is once established the intravenous
and intraspinal injection of the serum is more effective than intra-
muscular.
These cases were scattered over the entire year. Several occurred
in June, July and August. We have been unable to determine that
any of them were due to the so-called 4th of July accidents. We are
glad to note that the annual sacrifice of lives from needless explosives
is fast being excluded. The State does not furnish antitetanic serum,
but recommends boards of health to keep it on hand. If its usefulness
as a curative agent by modern methods of administration are as
encouraging as a few cases would seem to indicate, it might be well
for the State to furnish the serum.
Tuberculosis.
In March, 1915, at a meeting of the Public Health Council of the
State Department of Health it was voted that an extension of time
to Sept. 1, 1915, be granted in which to permit cities to comply, in
such a way as would meet the approval of the State Department of
Health, with chapter 613 of the Acts of 1911, as amended by chapter
151 of the Acts of 1912, and as further amended by chapter 647 of
the Acts of 1914, relative to the establishment and maintenance of a
hospital or hospitals for the reception of persons having diseases
706 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
dangerous to the public health as defined by the State Department
of Health.
On May 28, 1915, the following resolve was signed by the Gov-
ernor: —
Resolved, That the state department of health be authorized and directed to
investigate with reference to the advisability of estabUshing county or district
hospitals for the care and treatment of cases of tuberculosis, from cities and
towns having less than fifty thousand inhabitants. Said department shall
report the result of its investigation to the next general court on or before the
second Wednesday in January, and shall accompany its report with such rec-
ommendations for legislation as it may consider to be advisable.
t
In view of the above resolve the enforcement of the foregoing
chapters of the acts of various j^ears is pending, in many instances.
Also at a meeting of the Public Health Council of the State Depart-
ment of Health in March it was voted that July 1, 1915, be set as
the time limit for the establishment and standardization of tubercu-
losis dispensaries as provided by chapter 576 of the Acts of 1911, as
amended by chapter 408 of the Acts of 1914.
The following minimum requirements for tuberculosis dispensaries
as defined by the State Department of Health were made March 9,
1915: —
Minimum Requirements for Tuberculosis Dispensaries as defined by the State
Department of Health.
1. Control and maintenance: —
The tuberculosis dispensary shall be under the direct control of and
financed through the following (in order of preference) : —
(o) The local board of health.
(6) The local tuberculosis hospital,
(c) The local general hospital's out-patient department.
{d) The local antituberculosis association.
2. Supervision: —
The State Department of Health shall have supervision over all tubercu-
losis dispensaries, through its District Health Ofiicers, as provided
by chapter 647 of the Acts of 1914, as follows: "the state in-
spectors of health (district health officers) shall annually make such
examination of . . . dispensaries, both public and private, caring
for diseases dangerous to the public health, as in the opinion of
the state board (department) of health may be necessary, and
report as to the conditions and needs of such . . . dispensaries,
to those responsible for the management of the said institutions."
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 707
3. Rooms: —
The dispensary shall have at least two outside rooms: —
(a) Anteroom or waiting room. (This may be used in common with
other dispensary departments.)
(6) Examining room. (This room must be reasonably quiet.)
The rooms of the dispensary shall be well lighted during the day without
the aid of artificial Hght, shall be heated comfortably in cold
weather, and shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition at
all times.
4. Equipment: —
Each dispensaiy shall be furnished with —
(a) A pair of accurate scales,
(6) A desk or filing cabinet for records,
(c) Record blanks,
(d) Examining stools and couch or table,
(e) Clinical thermometers,
(/) Running water and adequate toilet facilities,
{g) Facihties for receiving and transmitting to a laboratory sputum
specimens and a supply of sputum containers for distribution.
(h) Accessories such as: —
Paper napkins, sputum cups, etc.
Leaflets of direction and advice
Diet lists, etc.
All equipment shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition at all times.
5. Service: —
All tuberculosis dispensaries shall be open for at least one hour on one
day, and on one evening per week. Days and hours shall be de-
termined by the local authonties as seems best to fit local needs.
6. Staff: —
Each dispensary shall have appointed at least one physician and one
nurse, both of whom shall be in constant, regular attendance.
The quaUfications and training of the physician so appointed must
be approved by the State Department of Health.
7. Location: —
The dispensary shall be reasonably accessible for the citizens who most
need the services of a dispensary.
From the standpoint of supervision it seemed to the State Depart-
ment of Health that dispensary records should be kept in a uniform
manner throughout the State, but before recommending such a
uniform system, as would seem to meet the required needs,
the Director of the Division of Communicable Diseases asked
for an expression of opinion from those actively interested in tuber-
culosis dispensary work, and reasons were solicited based on experi-
ence either for or against such a plan of uniform record system. It
708 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
was generally thought by those who responded that such a system
would be an excellent idea.
Therefore the following minimum requirements for a uniform dis-
pensary record system were made, and this system is in use in most
of the dispensaries in the State: —
Minimum Requirements for Uniform Dispensary Record System.
I, Record blanks, folders and rubber stamps: —
A. Consecutively numbered general card index, arranged alpha-
betically by names (cards 3 by 5 inches).
B. Street index arranged alphabetically by streets (cards 3 by 5
inches).
C. Medical history card.
D. Rubber stamps (to be used in connection with medical history
card) : —
1. Incipient.
2. Moderately advanced.
3. Advanced.
4. Suspicious.
5. Not tubercular.
6. Arrested.
7. Lung diagram stamps (2).
E. Nurse's card.
F. Correspondence size folders,^ consecutively numbered and ar-
ranged, as per general card index, in which shall be kept
medical history card., nurse's card, and any letters or
notices or information concerning case.
G. Form of letter for tracing persons leaving one community for
another.
II. Filing equipment: —
A. Correspondence size unit.^
B. Card index tray (3 by 5 inches).
III. Method: —
A. Records shall be kept up to date.
Recommendation.
It is recommended that each dispensary shall be able to render the
following information to the State District Health Officers at any
time, in addition to that asked for on the required blanks: —
I. Cases under active supervision of the dispensary.
II. Cases not under the supervision of the dispensary.
III. Cases in State sanatoria or local hospitals.
IV. Cases not tubercular.
V. Deaths.
I Unless a State District Health OfiBcer deems it wise to approve the so-called invoice size (7H by 9M
inches), which may be in use in dispensaries already established.
No. 34.]
DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS.
709
>'^
0Q<:
H, a a £ § 2
/5<! om;2;PHpQ
2 f^
— i-i.«
es
;2i :5
S > M to
o a o
0)
is
Exp
Has
orT
If so
710
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Date op Exam.
BY Physician
1
Diagram and Clinical Notes
Physician's Name
NURSE'S CARD.
Name
Address
History No.
Date of:
(Notes of First Visit)
First Visit
Home Sanitation :
PcTsonal hygiene:
Occupation sanitation:
How does patient now spend his or her time?
Landlord's name and address:
Employer's name and address:
Subsequent Visits
Show clearly the Conditions under which the Person lives and
Works, and Care taken of Sputum
[Form of letter for tracing persons leaving one community for another.)
Board of Health.
Gentlemen: — This is to notify you that
suffering from tuberculosis and treated at this dispensary from
to
tention of going to your town.
Very truly yours,
has declared { > in-
It was thought from the beginning that it would be of very practi-
cal advantage to the tuberculosis dispensary work if the nurses en-
gaged could be regularly brought together at some common meeting
place and have certain aspects of their work emphasized to them and
be given opportunity for a free exchange of ideas with the other
No. 34.
DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS.
711
nurses from the various parts of the State, so that they might improve
their personal grasp on their local tuberculosis situation. In short,
it has been felt that inasmuch as it was impossible to fill these posi-
tions with nurses completely qualified as to training in tuberculosis
dispensary work, we must seek to do the next best thing and help
train them toward a uniformity of methods, results and purpose
after they were already in the work.
A co-operative arrangement has been entered into by the Instruc-
tive District Nursing Association of the city of Boston and the State
Department of Health by which monthly conferences are held.
Further, if the tuberculosis dispensary work is worth doing at all
it is worth doing in as efiicient a manner as possible, and by means of
these conferences the nurses will in effect receive a postgraduate
course of instruction in the details of their work, and will have an
opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with other nurses doing
similar work throughout the Commonwealth.
Relative Standing of Tuberculosis Dispensaries in Cities and Towns per 1,000 of
.Population based on 1915 State Census, July 1, 1915, to Dec. 31, 1915.
City or Town.
Average.
Based on
Number of
Examinations.
Based on
Number under
Supervision.
1. Gardner,
2. Salem,
3. Beverly, .
4. Boston,
5. Leominster,
6. Wakefield, .
7. Arlington, .
8. Webster, .
9. Fitchbukg,
10. Lynn,
11. Milford,
12. QUINCY,
13. Newburtport,
14. Cambridge,
15. Brockton,
16. New Bedford,
17. Malden, .
18. Chelsea, .
19. Brookline, .
5.6
5.2
5.0
4.2
2.8
2.4
2.3
2.1
2.0
1.9
1.9
1.9
1.8
1.8
1.8
1.7
1.7
1.5
1.4
5.2
2.1
4.0
1.6
2.3
1.6
2.6
2.4
2.4
1.5
3.0
2.4
1.3
1.6
1.3
2.2
2.6
0.5
1.9
6.1
8.3
6.0
6.8
3.3
3.3
2.1
1.9
1.6
2.3
0.8
1.3
2.4
2.1
2.4
1.2
0.8
2.6
1.0
712
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Relative Standing of Tuberculosis Dispensaries^ etc. — Concluded.
City or Town.
Average.
Based on
Number of
Examinations.
Based on
Number under
Supervision.
20. Peabody
1.4
2.4
0.4
21. Revere
1.4
0.9
1.8
22. Everett,
1.3
1.1
1.5
23. Gloucester,
1.3
2.1
0.5
24. WOBURN,
1.2
1.5
0.9
25. North Adams
1.1
1.5
0.7
26. Attleboro
1.1
1.2
1.1
27. Lawrence,
1.0
0.6
1.4
28. Taunton
1.0
1.3
0.7
29. Melrose
0.9
0.7
1.1
30. Haverhill
0.8
0.9
0.8
31. Northampton
0.8
0.09
1.5
32. Worcester,
0.8
0.8
0.7
33. Westfield
0.7
0.8
0.6
34. HOLYOKE
0.7
0.9
0.6
35. Fall River
0.7
1.0
0.5
36. Springfield
0.6
0.3
0.1
37. Plymouth,
0.6
0.6
0.6
38. Chicopee
0.6
0.6
0.6
39. Waltham
0.5
0.3
0.8
40. Marlborough,
0.5
0.7
0.4
41. Lowell
0.5
0,5
0.5
42. Newton,
0.4
0.02
0.9
43. Southbridge
0.4
0.5
0.4
44. Adams
0.3
0.2
0.4
45. Medford,
0.3
0.4
0.1
46. Clinton
0.3
0.6
0.0
47. Pittsfield
0.3
0.4
0.2
48. Weymouth
0.2
0.2
0.2
49. Watertown
0.2
0.1
0.2
50. SOMERVILLE,
0.1
0.1
0.1
51. Greenfield
0.1
0.3
0.0
52. Framingham
0.1
0.1
0.1
S3. Winthrop
0.0
0.0
0.0
No. 34.
DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS.
713
Detailed Investigation Reports.
There were 243 reports showing detailed investigation (not including those
who died and cases in hospitals). All these cases were at home or with friends
or relatives.
Nationalities.
American, 87
Not stated, 33
Irish, 24
Swedish, 12
French, 11
Canadian,
English, .
Italian, .
Portuguese,
Russian,
Lithuanian,
9
Polish, .
Scotch, .
African, .
German,
Jewish, .
Armenian,
Austrian,
Dane,
Dutch, .
Finnish, .
Syrian, .
Residence in United States.
Always, 74
45 years,
40 years,
37 years,
36 years,
34 years,
33 years,
32 years,
30 years,
27 years,
25 years,
24 years,
23 years,
22 years,
21 years,
20 years,
19 years, ....
18 years, ....
16 j^ears, ....
15 years, ....
14 years, ' . . . .
13 years, ....
12 years, ....
11 years, ....
10 years, ....
9 years,
8 years,
7 years,
6 years,
5 years, . . . .
Less than 5 years,
Not stated, 98
2
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
3
4
4
2
1
1
14
Home Sanitation.
Excellent, . . . . .16
Good, 90
Fair, 40
Poor, 129
Not stated, 68
Excellent,
Good,
Fair,
Personal Hygiene.
8 I Poor, 26
69 No sputum, 27
8 I Not stated, 105
I Poor personal hygiene, 14.
714 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Condition of Other Members of Household.
Good in, 133
Tuberculosis in, v • • • • 19
Delicate people or people with suspicion of tuberculosis, .... 25
Diseases other than tuberculosis, 3
Not stated, 63
Anything to suggest Cause of Disease or Source of Infection.
Contact infection, 39
Previous personal history, 31
Overwork, 22
Unsanitary home conditions, 9
Alcoholism, 7
Dusty occupation, 6
Carelessness, 1
Decayed tooth (adenitis), 1
Over physical training, 1
Not stated or not known, 126
Occupation of Patients {at Present) .
Housewives or housework, 36
School, 23
Shoeworkers, . . . ._ 6
Clerks, bookkeepers, stenographer, 5
Mill, 5
Teamsters, 5
Light work out-of-doors^ 3
Box shop, 2
Jewelry shop, 2
Waitress and chef, 2
Agent for Edison Light Company,
Butcher shop,
Carpenter,
Engineer,
Farming,
Fishing,
Fishing and orchestra,
Laborer,
Machine shop,
Manicure,
Marble cutter,
Painter,
Purse maker,
Telephone operator,
Not stated, 140
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 715
Supervision of Patients.
Physician, 116
Dispensary, 34
District or board of health nurse, 21
Physician and district or board of health nurse, 20
Out-patient departments of hospitals, 1 10
Local antituberculosis society, 2
Associated Charities, 1
Out-patient department and board of health nurse, 1
No supervision, / . 38
Of these patients 57 had been in hospitals, 143 never had been in hospitals,
and 43 were not stated.
Form of Disease.
Pulmonary, 167
Other forms, 24
Not stated, 52
Tuberculosis Dispensaries.
To secure the enforcement of the law relative to the establishment
of tuberculosis dispensaries, it was found necessary to make a con-
siderable number of visits to the communities affected by this statute.
Of the 54 communities within the State, having a population of
10,000 or over, but 13 had made suitable provision for dispensaries;
in the other 41 communities there were not only no dispensaries but
there appeared in the greater number of instances to be no public or
official sentiment favoring such innovations. To be sure there was
no apparent inclination among these communities to avoid compliance
with the law but rather an attitude of indifference, with perhaps a
feeling among them that a tuberculosis dispensary in the city or
town was an institution without which they could get along very
well.
It was necessary at first to overcome this prejudice or antagonism,
to point out to the authorities and others the actual incidence of
tuberculosis in each community, and to show the excellent results
that had followed the maintenance of dispensaries by other com-
munities and private organizations.
It is by no means certain, however, in fact it is to be doubted,
that these measures of persuasion would have met with other than
failure, had it not been that the law was mandatory and that com-
pliance with it was a necessity.
' Massachusetts General Hospital, 8.
716 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Whatever the motives responsible for the decisions reached by the
authorities, tuberculosis dispensaries have been established and are
now being maintained in each of these communities. We have good
reason to believe that in few dispensaries is there a mere perfunctory
compliance with the law, but that in nearly every instance an actual
interest in the work is being taken. The establishment of the dispen-
sary has brought with it an increased responsibility, and, we think, a
desire to make the best of the work. As they grow and broaden, these
dispensaries will be responsible not only for a diminution in the death
rate from tuberculosis but for a general betterment of the conditions
of health within the community which they serve.
Of the 13 dispensaries which were already in existence when the
enforcement of the law was undertaken by the State Department of
Health, 6 were maintained by private organizations, while 7 were
maintained by municipalities. In many of these communities full-
time dispensary nurses were maintained, and an endeavor was made
to secure the services of a full-time nurse in as many as possible of the
several other cities and towns in which a tuberculosis dispensary would
be necessary. This endeavor met with a considerable degree of success,
for as at present organized most of these communities have nurses who
give all their time to dispensary work. In the smaller communities ar-
rangements were made by the local health authorities by which the
necessary amount of nursing services could be given to the work.
Endeavor was also made to make the work and purposes of the
dispensary more attractive to the general public through the use of a
designation which would not include the use of the word tuberculosis.
As a result several of these dispensaries are known and designated as
"public health dispensaries," a name which, as the work broadens,
will more accurately describe their purposes.
It is worth while to record here the way in which each community
responded when it had finally decided to establish a dispensary.
Everett. — In this city a private dwelling owned by the city, advantageously
located and well adapted for dispensary purposes, was taken over and equipped
for board of health and dispensary work, with a full-time public health nurse.
Beverly. — The dispensary was first organized by a group of individuals and
when well established was taken over by the city and placed in charge of a
special committee on which the local board of health was represented. This
dispensary is centrally located, finely equipped and well organized, with a full-
time pubfic health nurse.
Winthrop. — To meet the requirements of the dispensary law the town of
Winthrop erected a small building centrally located. This building was thor-
oughly equipped, and is admirably adapted for the purposes of a dispensary and
the local board of health.
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 717
Wakefield. — This is one of the smaller communities affected by the
dispensary'- law. Two adequately equipped and well-located rooms comprise
the dispensary. A part-time nurse has given faithful service and set a standard
for further work.
Gloucester. — Has excellently equipped rooms in an ideal location, and through
the services of a full-time nurse has gone into the work wdth an energy which
should make for a large degree of success.
Haverhill. — Has adequate and well-equipped accommodations in the munic-
ipal building. A full-time nurse gives her time to the work.
Melrose. — The dispensary in Melrose is maintained at the Melrose Hospital
through an arrangement which allows the local board of health to have full
authority over the work and over the services of the dispensary nurse, although
the funds for the work are given by the hospital authorities.
Peabody. — Peabody had a building erected for the purposes of a dispensary
and well equipped for this purpose. It lacked however an adequate organiza-
tion, a deficiency which has since been supphed. This dispensary is now doing
good work and has the ser\dces of a full-time nurse.
Revere. — Revere has compHed with the letter of the law by equipping the
necessary nvunber of rooms wdth no more than the necessary furnishings. This
city was fortunate in securing the services of a full-tune nurse, whose painstaking
work has almost made up for the lack of support of the city authorities.
Lawrence. ■ — Has a tuberculosis dispensary run by the antituberculosis league,
which has been in operation for some years. They have a staff of physicians.
The secretary does some visiting follow-up work, and they have the services of
a district nurse from the Lawrence Tuberculosis Hospital. The superintendent
of the hospital has charge of the nurse. The physicians are in charge of a
supervising physician.
Methuen. — Owing to its geographical situation Methuen has been allowed
to contract with Lawrence in caring for its dispensary cases.
Medford. — Has a tuberculosis dispensary under the antituberculosis league
which had been running one for some years, but disbanded for lack of patients.
It has been reopened, the board of health standing the necessaiy expense for
nurse and appliances. Nursing is done by the district nurses. |gfj
Walthayn. — Has its dispensary in the office of the city physician, and has a
full-time nurse.
Somerville. — Is running its dispensary in connection with the tuberculosis
hospital, — unsatisfactory.
Watertown. — Has a general dispensary in the board of health rooms, a staff
of physicians, and uses the district nurses.
Woburn. — Has rooms in connection with the board of health. The work is
in charge of the city physician, who is a woman, and necessaiy nm-sing is re-
ceived from the Choate Hospital.
Arlington. — Has rooms in Town HaU, and uses the district nurse,
Chicopee. — A very completely equipped set of rooms was secured for a
718 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
general dispensary. This had been carried on for a number of years by the
Dwight Company as a private enterprise. Their physician was appointed to
have charge of the tuberculosis end. A nurse has at last been appointed to
combine the tuberculosis dispensary work with board of health work, and
is to take charge November 22.
Holyoke. — Secured rooms connecting with the board of health in the City
Hall annex. A nurse was appointed under the title of "dispensary worker."
Her work has been excellent.
Northampton. — The dispensary is in the office of the physician appomted
for the dispensary work, as no centrally located rooms were obtainable. Dis-
trict nurse is used for dispensary nurse, — not fully satisfactory.
Westfield. — Board of health has moved to new quarters where they could
have dispensary accommodations included. The district nurse was appointed
dispensary nurse, with satisfactory results.
Worcester. — Had already a dispensary connected with its tuberculosis hos-
pital, — satisfactory.
Southbridge. — Satisfactory quarters were equipped in the Town Hall, and
the work is progressing.
Webster. — Quarters were furnished in one of the business blocks, and re-
markably good work is being done.
Milford. — The dispensary is in the office of a local physician, and had
been there previous to the enforcement of the law. With the enforcement of
the law he has been able to increase its efficiency.
Marlborough. — The local board of health rooms in the City Hall have been
equipped, and to date Marlborough has made a fairly satisfactory showing.
Newton. — The dispensary is known as Newton Tuberculosis Dispensary
and is located at the Newton Hospital and employs a nurse.
Framingham. — The dispensary is known as the Framingham Tuberculosis
Dispensary. The niu-se from the Framingham Hospital is on duty.
Lowell. — This has a tuberculosis dispensary, in connection with the board
of health, with a special physician and full-time nurse located in City Hall.
Maiden. — This community through its board of health has gone into the
work with enthusiasm and intelhgence. It possesses a centrally located and
very well equipped dispensaiy with a nurse who gives her full time to the
work. The authorities of other dispensaries might well study the organiza-
tion, purposes and work of this institution.
Fitchburg. — The dispensary is well organized and doing good work.
Gardner. — The dispensary is well organized and doing good work.
Leominster. — The dispensary is well organized and doing good work.
Clinton. — The tuberculosis hospital dispensarj^ is unsatisfactory, on account
of the distance from the center of population. The subject is under considera-
tion, and it is hoped that some satisfactory solution will be obtained.
Boston. — The dispensary of the city of Boston is the out-patient depart-
ment of the Consumptives' Hospital; it has a large corps of physicians and
nurses, and is satisfactorj\
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 719
Brookline. — The dispensarj' is maintained by the board of health in the
Town Hall, and utihzes the services of a full-time nurse.
Cmnhridge. — The only tuberculosis dispensary of the city is maintained by
an antituberculosis society. It employs one of the local district nurses for
half her time. The question of the board of health taking over the dispensary
is now under consideration.
Brockton. — This dispensary is under the auspices of the local board of health.
The outside nursing work is being done by the district nursing staff. The clerk
of the board of health assists the physicians in the clinic.
Quincy. — A dispensary was established in July. First location was excel-
lent, but they were obhged to vacate on account of complaints. The clinic is
now being held in the office of the dispensary physician pending the acquire-
ment of better accommodations. The services of an excellent full-time nurse
are employed.
Weymouth. — A site was early acquired for a dispensary, but the town was
slow in getting it started. The clinic is now in operation. At present the local
district nurse is employed on part time to do the supervision work, but changes
are contemplated which will result in the acquisition of a trained social worker.
Springfield. — Already had a dispensary in actual existence, under control
^ of the antituberculosis society. This is beheved to be satisfactory.
Attleboro. — The dispensary consists of three rooms in the Baonson Building
in the center of the city. There is a health officer in charge and a trained nurse.
Fall River. — The dispensary is under the direct control of and financed
through the trustees of municipal hospitals. The local board of health pays the
trustees of municipal hospitals a fixed amount for the care of such tuberculosis
cases as the local board of health may see fit to refer to the tubercidosis dis-
pensary. Nurses are on duty from Bay View Hospital. This dispensary is
located in the Globe Building.
New Bedford. — The dispensary is under the direct control and financed
through the local antituberculosis association. The board of health nurse is
present at the dispensary on Saturday and a nurse from the Sassaquin Tuber-
culosis Hospital is on duty Wednesday. It is also partly under the control of
the local (Sassaquin) tuberculosis hospital, non-municipal.
Plymouth. — The dispensary is under control of the local board of health
and the school nurse is utilized.
Taunton. — The dispensarj^ is under control of the local board of health and
has a nurse who is known as "health instructor."
Adams. — The dispensary is located in the office of a physician, and the
Metropolitan nurse is utihzed in connection with the insurance work.
North Adams. — The dispensary is known as the board of health dispensary
and is located west of City Hall. The nurse is known as board of health
nurse.
Greenfield. — The dispensary is known as the tuberculosis clinic and is lo-
cated in a physician's office. The district nurse is in attendance.
Pittsfield. — The dispensary is known as House of Mercy Dispensary, and
the board of health nurse is utilized.
I
720 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
It is pertinent to state at this time what we believe must be done
before we are able to show in our campaign against tuberculosis
results commensurate with the great sum annually spent in this
Commonwealth in the attempt to control the disease. At the present
time the amount charged against the control of tuberculosis in this
State is well over $1,000,000. This amount takes no account of the
expenditures at Tewksbury, Titicut and State institutions other than
the State sanatoria, the expenditures of private organizations and
charities and the expenditures of the smaller towns. It is highly proba-
ble that the total amount expended in the direct control of the disease
will exceed $1,500,000. The direct financial loss to the State through
invalidity, dependency, and death can only be conjectured.
May we for the purposes of this report mention the agencies which
are concerned in the control of this disease, a disease which annually
causes the death in this State of between 4,000 and 5,000 persons.
These agencies are: —
(a) The State Department of Health and the State District Health Officers.
(6) The Trustees of Hospitals for Consumptives and the sanatoria under
their control. •
(c) Local boards of health.
(d) Local tuberculosis dispensaries.
(e) District and local hospitals for tuberculosis.
(/) Local tuberculosis associations.
We have put these agencies down as they occurred to us without
reference to their relative importance or to their relation one to
another. If these agencies are working in harmony; if there is no
overlapping of authority; if there is no wasted effort; if all expendi-
tures are economically directed; if these agencies so work together as
to reduce most effectively the death rate from tuberculosis, the period
of invalidity from the disease, and the danger of the conveyance of
infection from those already ill with the disease, — then there is no
reason whatsoever why the present functions of any of these agencies
should be disturbed. If, on the other hand, the conditions above
enumerated are not being met, then there is need for more efficient
plan of procedure.
To those who have given the subject careful thought, it must appear
that there is overlapping of authority, that there is wasted effort,
and that expenditures are not so directed as to return the greatest
possible results of a successful campaign against tuberculosis.
The law gives the State Department of Health the right to inquire
into the conditions affecting the health of the people of the State,
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 721
and it gives to the State District Health Officers the right "to take
such steps as after consultation with the State Department of Health
and the local health authorities may be deemed necessary." The
State Department of Health is required to approve of plans for the
construction of hospitals for tuberculosis, and to define the minimum
requirements for tuberculosis dispensaries; the State District Health
Officers may inspect hospitals where consumptives are cared for^ and
may inspect the tuberculosis dispensaries in order that a proper
standard of administration may be upheld. These duties are impor-
tant, but neither they nor any other power of the State Department
of Health permits of any approach to an adequate control of the
disease through a central agency.
The Trustees of Hospitals for Consumptives exercise control over
the State sanatoria and regulate the admission of patients to these
institutions. Under the present law any physician in the State may
make application for the admission of a patient to one of the State
^sanatoria. As a result, these institutions are largely ffiled, not with
patients for whom there is some hope of recovery, or a prolonged
period of usefulness, but with patients bedridden or in the advanced
stage of the disease.
It is perfectly true that we must not expect to measure the efficiency
of a sanatorium by those persons who are discharged therefrom, and
who are again able to take up at least a part of the work of the
community. On the other hand is it not true that if we do not re-
serve the sanatoria for hopeful cases exclusively, we are denying
proper treatment to those who, failing to receive it, will become in a
short time advanced cases, and who will in turn become units in the
vicious circle of infection?
The abuse or misuse of the State sanatoria has as its corollary the
misuse of local hospitals, where, instead of advanced cases, we are
apt to find those of the ambulatory type, and thus neither they nor
the State sanatoria meet fully or even to a fair degree the purposes
to which these institutions should logically be put. Neither is there
any assurance that any material change will appear in these condi-
tions unless there is also a material change in the manner in which
patients are admitted to these institutions. It seems to us that
before we shall undertake to make any change in these conditions,
we should recognize certain classes among the consumptives in the
State. Roughly, these classes or divisions might well be —
1. Those in any stage who may be properly cared for in their
homes in such a manner that they may receive proper care for them-
selves and may not exist as a source of infection to others.
722 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
2. Those who in their homes may be properly supervised by the
authorities in charge of the dispensaries.
3. Those advanced cases who may not be properly cared for at
home but who should be cared for at local or district or county
hospitals.
4. Those cases in their incipiency, or in that stage of the disease
where improvement may be looked for, and who would be benefited
by treatment in a sanatorium.
The recognition of any such classification as this is of little value
unless there is some authority who may, after proper investigation,
state to which class any given consumptive belongs, and who has the
power to admit to local hospitals and sanatoria only those persons
who properly belong in these institutions.
Any such plan is quite practicable and may be carried out with
but little additional expenditure. The plan we have particularly in
mind is this: —
1. That each State District Health Ofiicer should have on a card
catalogue, classified in some such manner as above, the names of
each person within his district reported as ill with tuberculosis.
2. That before a patient might be admitted to a State sanatorium,
it would be necessary for him to receive from the State Department
of Health a certificate, stating that he was a proper person to receive
sanatorium treatment.
3. This certificate might then be given to the Trustees of Hospitals
for Consumptives, who would admit this person to the sanatorium
best suited for his reception.
In this manner there would be admitted to the sanatoria only those
patients who would be benefited materially by treatment therein.
The question naturally comes, how with their many other duties
could the District Health Officers be expected to acquire the informa-
tion concerning each patient which would be necessary to carry out
such a plan successfully. This information could be secured through
the employment in each district of a public health nurse who would
act, in a way, as a sort of an assistant to the District Health Officer,
or at least it would work out that way. The nurse would be materially
aided by the information which she could secure from the dispensaries
in the larger communities. Where there appeared to be any question
as to the classification of any individual patient, the District Health
Officer himself would, of course, make such inquiry or investigation
as would be necessary, including a physical examination.
We are of the belief that such a nurse would be able not only to
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 723
assist in the classification of those ill with tuberculosis but that she
would be able to visit the cases of ophthalmia reported in the district,
or at least those not convenient for the District Health Officer to see
conveniently and economically. It is probable, also, that the nurse
would at least have some time to give to infant welfare work and to
the educational features coincident to this work within the districts.
The sum necessary for the maintenance of these nurses (eight in
number) would not be great, and we are of the firm belief that it
would be an economical expenditure which would manifest itself not
only in future but in immediate results. If through the use of these
nurses we accomplished the filling of our sanatoria only with incipient
or favorable cases, their employment would be amply justified.
This classification of casesj and the control of the admission of
cases to State sanatoria, would place a powerful factor in the control
of tuberculosis where it belongs, — in the hands of the State health
authority. It is a very easy thing for a community, figuratively, to
shrug its shoulders and say: "Oh, yes, so and so has tuberculosis.
Well, we'll send him to the State sanatorium. It won't cost us much.
The State pays most of the bills." It will be quite another thing
when a community realizes that it cannot send such cases to the
sanatoria but that it must find at home some accommodation for
these persons. Some of our communities, we believe, have never
quite realized just what constitutes their tuberculosis problem. With
an object lesson or two at hand, they may sometime be made to
realize that perhaps after all it would be well to spend money to pre-
vent the disease rather than to keep on caring for those ill with it.
Tuberculosis in the Svialler Communities.
The tuberculosis cases in the smaller towns and in the towns of
the Cape region of the Commonwealth in particular, present certain
peculiar features that deserve special mention.
(a) Smaller Towns in General. — Cases of tuberculosis developing in
the small towns, if hospitalized at all, are usually sent to the State
sanatoria. They invariably suffer from nostalgia, and forsake the
sanatoria for home, friends and the old haunts. Here they are indiffer-
ently cared for, as a rule, by the local authorities, with occasional aid
from friends or relatives.
This applies to natives only. Foreigners are not so well treated.
They are, if tubercular, not very desirable persons to have about,
and are not wanted if unable to work. If not anchored by family
ties, they are apt to take the hint and move to another town. Finally,
724 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
they return to that part of the old country from which they originally
came, — there to die.
Special studies in small towns will reveal quite a number of tuber-
culosis cases. This only adds to the town problems as the authorities
claim they have no money for the care of such cases. The fixation of
settlement usually results in the advice to move on, or stay and fight
it out, at home or sanatorium. Foreigners will not stay at the sana-
toria. They usually come home and expose the rest of the family to
house infection.
(6) Cape Towns. — In some of these towns a certain part of the
population is a mixture of white, Indian and Portuguese, and among
such people the susceptibility to tuberculosis is marked.
For various reasons the disease does not pursue an active type.
They have a cough, dyspnoea, with scant expectoration. They are
thin, but wiry, with a propensity to procreate, and are usually success-
ful in adding to the population, contrary to the usually accepted
idea of what they should do. Physical examination discloses but
little moisture, few rales, mostly dry, with leathery creaks, and evi-
dent fibrosis of lung.
They are a long time dying, and may even live long enough to be
numbered among the oldest inhabitants, as evidenced by cases in the
towns lying between Buzzards Bay, Barnstable, Hyannis and Fal-
mouth.
A study of the office records of mortality of tuberculosis in the
State of Massachusetts shows that deaths from consumption have been
reduced in Massachusetts in thirty years from 300 per 100,000 popula-
tion to 100 or two-thirds of the total number.
The population has more than doubled in the meantime, so there
is still quite a problem; but in the face of the additional number of
people to draw from, the actual number of deaths have steadily
decreased. Whether the death returns are given any more honestly
or not we have no figures to show, but it is safe to say they are no
worse.
Typhoid Fever.
In one of the districts 144 cases were reported from 17 towns and
cities. All were scattered cases with no demonstrable point of infec-
tion except in two small outbreaks, which were investigated and found
due to contact with a primary case.
Rochdale. — During the month of October, 1915, 18 cases of typhoid
were reported from the village of Rochdale, — a community of about
2,000 inhabitants, largely foreign, only 10 per cent, of which are
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 7^5
American or Irish-Americans. About 60 per cent, are French-Cana-
dian, while the remainder are Polanders, Dutch, Italian and various
mixed European races.
At the A dairy, 175 quarts of milk are produced daily under satis-
factory conditions. The only history of illness on the premises was
that of one, who milked and peddled the same. He was up and about,
doing his work, but because of a history of malaria, a Widal was taken,
which was returned positive, and the local board of health was instructed
forthwith as to the necessary precautions. The entire supply goes to
Rochdale. Occasionally a can is sold to the other local dealers when
their supply is inadequate. This has been done within the last two or
three weeks, although no record of the same was made.
At the B dairy, 160 quarts were produced under satisfactory condi-
tions. This entire supply goes to Rochdale. No history of illness on
the premises was obtained, and aside from borrowing a can or two
from the other local dealers, no milk is purchased.
At the C dairy, 125 quarts were produced and handled under satis-
factory conditions. No history of illness was obtained here and the
entire supply went to Rochdale. The owner stated that aside from
borrowing a can of milk from the other local men, no milk was
purchased.
At the D dairy, 35 quarts were produced and handled daily under
satisfactory conditions. The entire supply went to Rochdale, and
no history of illness was obtained on the premises. Thirty quarts
were purchased daily from another farm.
At the E dairy, 30 quarts were produced and handled daily under
satisfactory conditions. The entire supply went to Rochdale.
From the milk history we find that every case was supplied directly
or indirectly by milk from dairy A.
The water supply of this village is from a system of five tubular
wells, driven about 250 feet from the Blackstone River and 225 feet
from the house of the first case. The water is pumped up to a side
hill reservoir, about one-half mile to the west of the village. This
reservoir also receives a comparatively small amount of ground
water in a filter gallery. The water in this filter gallery was slightly
turbid, but not polluted.
These wells, according to the 1905 report of the State Board of
Health (page 67), showed evidence of pollution from some near-by
source, and it referred to the possibility of drawing ground water
which would not be good, as well as the possibility of the Blackstone
River water filtering through into this supply, and further stated that
a well on the other side of the gravel ridge would probably give better
726 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
results. The supply was approved with the understanding that fre-
quent analyses be made. This was done at Worcester regularly
until the death of Mr. , since which time the analyses have been
irregular. On the first visit to Rochdale, Mr. of the
Company, whose mill is in the village, showed a report of the analysis
of a sample of water taken three days before. It was examined at the
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and the report stated that the water
showed evidences of sewage pollution and was not a safe supply for
drinking purposes. Samples were taken by our engineers and their
results showed evidence of sewage pollution.
For fire purposes the Blackstone River water is pumped through
all the village mains. A check valve is provided, which shuts off the
well supply before the river water is turned into the main. After
the fire, the mains are flushed and the check valve opened. On
September 27 a fire occurred in the village near School Street, i.e.,
in the district where most of the typhoid cases occurred. On this
day, from 11 to 12 a.m., Blackstone River water was pumped through
the mains, and, in this way, delivered direct to every home faucet as
long as the pumps were in operation. The people in the village were
supposed to be aware of this fact and not to drink water during a
fire. The situation was gone over carefully with the engineers of our
department who co-operated in this matter and who are now consider-
ing plans for improving these conditions.
Grafton. — During the month of May, 1915, 22 cases of typhoid
were reported from the Grafton Insane Hospital. This hospital con-
sists of the Grafton colonies and the Worcester colonies, which were
formerly known as the Worcester Insane Hospital. Twenty of these
cases were in the Grafton colonies, the remaining 2 in Worcester. In
Worcester one positive Widal was obtained May 8 and one May 15.
Both of these cases were on the female side in different wards, and
no cases, or suspicious cases, were found among male patients or any
nurses, attendants or employees. These 2 cases, while from different
wards, were served from a common kitchen, where the food, dishes,
etc., were handled by patients and employees.
The first 3 cases in North Grafton were from three different wards,
fed in three different dining rooms, served from a common kitchen,
where the food is handled as at Worcester. These three dining rooms
and kitchen are in the Pine Service Building. In this building 330
patients and 40 nurses take their meals. Very little of the nurses'
food was handled by the patients as most of this was done by the
cook and her assistants, while practically all of the patients' food was'
handled and served by the patients. In all departments at Grafton
milk was freely served and used three times a day by the employees.
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 727
The milk from the hospital was obtained from two sources, — one
in Grafton, the other in North Grafton, — as well as about 200
quarts produced at the colony at North Grafton. All the milk,
however, was not mixed. None of the B milk was used in Grafton.
None of the milk from the farm at colony was used in Worcester.
The milk from the A farm in Grafton was used at both Grafton
and Worcester, while the B milk was used only at Worcester. As
far as the milk supply was concerned, the only common source for
both departments of the institution was that of the A farm. The
milk was not bottled, but deliviered from A in his own cans, which
were handled, collected and washed by his men. The milk from B
was collected in cans furnished by the institution. These cans, as
well as those used for milk at the two farms in Grafton, were fur-
nished by the institution, and washed with steam and hot water at
Grafton, but were not actually sterilized. At the onset of the out-
break, satisfactory extra precautions were taken forthwith.
No history of recent illness, malaise or indisposition of any kind
was obtained from any one handling milk or food. At the first visit
to the institution, it was suggested that Widals be taken from every-
one coming in direct or indirect contact with milk or other food at
both Grafton and Worcester. No positive Widals were obtained in
Worcester. Three positive Widals were obtained at Grafton as
follows: —
1. W. H., a milker at the A farm (the one milk supply common for both
Grafton and Worcester). This man was examined and cross-examined for a
history of typhoid or anything suggesting it. He declared, however, that he
had never been sick a day in his life with the exception of a slight cold about a
month prior to this date. He had been employed here a little over a month
previous to which time he had been employed by the Draper Manufacturing
Company at Hopedale for seven years.
2. M. W., a patient who had been at the institution for several years
but with nothing suggestive of typhoid in her past record or history. This
patient handled the food in the kitchen at the Pine Service Building, North
Grafton, where the first 3 typhoid cases had their meals.
3. B. M., who, with M. W., handles food in the same kitchen. The hospital
records showed that B. M. had typhoid here ten years ago, September 1905.
These 3 cases were removed from the food department and kept
under observation. Several specimens of urine and feces were exam-
ined from these cases, but with negative results, with the exception of
B. M. Here positive results were obtained independently by the
728 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
bacteriologist of the Worcester board of health and the bacteriologist
of the State Laboratory.
The kitchens, dining rooms, barns, dairies, etc., were thoroughly
inspected, and found to be in satisfactory condition.
The water supply at Grafton was from driven wells and at Worces-
ter, the city supply. The sewage was taken care of by the city sewer,
while that at Grafton was disposed of by means of a series of well
laid out filter beds.
At the onset of the outbreak it was suggested that everyone in both
institutions be immunized, and arrangements were made with the
laboratory to supply the anti-typhoid serum, so that 100 people
daily were inoculated until everyone, — physicians, nurses, attend-
ants, patients and all employees, — in both institutions were made
immune.
Newton. — During the third week of August, 5 cases were reported.
With the exception of 1 case who came to the city with the disease,
they were supplied with milk by A, West Newton, near the Waltham
line. There were also two other suspicious cases on this milk route,
which supply was discontinued by the local board. This milk supply
(13 cows) is peddled in Weston, Newton and Waltham near the
Newton line. There were three positive cases in Waltham using this
milk. When the premises were visited, conditions were found satis-
factory, and no history of illness on the premises could be obtained.
It was learned, however, that a man by the name of J, who used no
last name, was employed there from July 14 to July 17, and left
suddenly and could not be located. A man named H, also using no
last name, replaced J July 18, but ran away for parts unknown on
August 16, as soon as Dr. Curtis took his Widal. The Widal was
negative, but a history of a severe illness of four weeks' duration
three years ago strongly suggested typhoid.
Some milk was purchased by the A dairy, and the tributary sup-
plies were investigated with negative findings. No further cases
developed.
The Eastern Health District may be mentioned as having had
typhoid in Easton, Foxborough, Braintree, Bridgewater and Abington.
In the Berkshire Health District 106 cases of typhoid fever were
reported.
North Adams and Pittsfield are the natural hospital centers for a
considerable territory. In consequence, typhoid patients are brought
to these places from without the State for hospital care, cases for
which these communities are in no way responsible. There were two
such cases in Pittsfield and four such cases in North Adams.
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 729
Of 25 cases reported in Pittsfield, 8 (over 30 per cent.) were
brought into the city for hospital care; while in North Adams, of 30
cases reported no less than 11 (over 36 per cent.) were brought to
the hospital from other towns and from outside the State. In both
cities a number of these cases are fatal, and herein undoubtedly lies a
very considerable factor in the habitually high typhoid mortality rate
for the county as well as these two cities.
There were no special outbreaks, save that of 17 cases in Adams,
15 cases were reported during June (1), July (9) and August (5).
These cases were investigated in detail in conjunction with the local
health authorities. No common factors were definitely established,
and while contact may account for a second case in one family, and
while another case was ill on its arrival from Canada, contact does
not offer an adequate explanation, since the patients were of both
sexes and of all ages from childhood to adult life and represented at
least five nationalities. Some were variously employed in different
industries, while others did no work. They attended different churches
and did marketing in different parts of the town. Milk did not appear
to be the vehicle of infection.
The Dry Brook watershed, from which a small portion of the Adams
water supply is obtained, was carefully gone over with a representative
from the Engineering Division, and a census of its inhabitants was
taken, without disclosing anything to account for the cases.
One case was investigated in the family of a milk producer, who
himself first informed the health authorities of the presence of the
disease. The patient was transferred to a hospital, and no other cases
developed. The physician in attendance, who reported the case later
was reproached by the producer for not telling him of the nature of
the case earlier, so that he might protect his milk supply.
Another case investigated on a milk farm was removed to a hospi-
tal. There it was found that it was a case of specific infection rather
than typhoid fever. The case was fatal and will undoubtedly add to
the typhoid death rate of the community where the patient died.
One carrier case was located during the year. Fortunately the
woman's occupation was such that she did not handle milk or food,
and but one case, which led to her discovery, could be traced to her.
A total of 36 cases were investigated in detail.
The Wachusett Health District Officer reports that in Ashby there
had been no typhoid fever for a considerable number of years until
this year. Three cases occurred, 2 of which were in one family, —
1 case a contact. Each had drunk water from a number of question-
able sources, including cisterns by the roadside.
730 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Two cases occurring in South Ashburnham were investigated. They
were taken ill during the fly season, and lived in a neighborhood
where cases occurred the year previous, and in which several unsani-
tary privies existed.
The town of Ayer had been free from typhoid fever for a period of
ten years or more until this year. One case occurred, with probable
infection out-of-town while visiting.
A case was investigated in Winchendon in December, 1915, on a
milk-producing farm, being ill at the time of arrival from Connecticut.
Excellent sanitary provisions prevailed on the place, and every pre-
caution was observed against infection of the milk supply.
A case was investigated in Fitchburg, giving a history of contact
with a group of cases at East Deerfield among railroad men. This
man was stationed for periods of several days at East Deerfield, and
obtained drinking water from the same source as the group of rail-
road men taken ill with typhoid.
A case was investigated occurring on a milk-producing farm in
Bolton. The source of infection was obscure. He was kept in quar-
antine until a negative bile and blood test was obtained. The cows
were transferred to another farm for care and handling, after which
the sale of milk was again permitted. On release from quarantine
they were returned to the farm and the production of milk and its
sale allowed to go on as usual.
A case was investigated at Sterling who had up to the time of
being taken ill worked for the water board and on the watershed of
the reservoir of Clinton. Recommendations were made for improved
sanitation on his premises, which were located on the watershed.
They were enforced by the water board.
Two cases occurring in Clinton were investigated in January, 1915.
Both appear to have received their infection while out-of-town. Both
were cared for at the Clinton Hospital.
Another case, occurring in May, had returned to her home from
Connecticut a few days before coming down ill. She was cared for
at the hospital.
On September 1 a case was brought into the Clinton Hospital from
Lancaster. He gave a history of having drunk water from a number
of different sources in the country while going about berrying and
fishing.
The only physician resident at Berlin became ill with typhoid
October 8. He had visited in Maine late in August and thinks that
he was infected there. He was cared for at the Clinton Hospital.
A neighborhood group of 4 cases occurred in Gardner during the
month of July. Although all the families took milk of the same
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 731
milkman, whose supply was limited to these families, no positive
evidence could be found to attribute the cause of the outbreak to
any one handling the milk. All cases except one were cared for at
the hospital.
A case was investigated in Templeton in October. The young man
had visited Worcester and Boston about two weeks before coming
down ill, and was probably infected in one or the other place. Sani-
tary conditions about his home were very good. He was cared for at
home, and every precaution taken to prevent the spread of the disease.
At West Boylston an Italian living under conditions conducive to
the spread of the disease was taken ill in September. He was im-
mediately removed to a Worcester hospital, and the premises cleaned
and disinfected.
A case occurring on a milk-producing farm in Princeton was investi-
gated in August. She had attended college in Boston and presented
symptoms of typhoid before her arrival home. Home conditions were
excellent, and satisfactory precautions were carried out.
At the time of writing, an outbreak of typhoid fever exists at
Ashburnham Center. No reported cases had occurred in this village
for more than twelve years until November 5, when several persons
showed suspicious symptoms. Up to date, November 13, 16 cases
have been reported. The first of the group presented first symptoms
October 26, and by November 5, 10 had come under the observation
of the physicians, and from November 5 to 13, 6 more were found to
present positive symptoms. At the time of writing, no definite con-
clusion has been reached as to the source of infection. Suspicion
points strongly to the water supply.
A State District Health Officer investigated a case in Orange Jan-
uary, 1915. On May 17 he investigated a case in New Salem. Water
was obtained from two sources, an open spring and from a well, the
latter said to be used only for washing purposes. It was located under
the kitchen and dangerously near the privy.
In the Southeastern Health District the total number of typhoid
fever cases reported for the year was 429, while the number of cases
reported for the same period in 1914 was 336.
Of the 429 cases reported, 4 cities reported as follows : —
New Bedford, 153
Fall River, 134
Taunton, 11
Attleboro, 8
306
Out of 64 towns, 27 towns reported, 123
Total, 429
732 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
This disease shows an increase of 93 cases as compared with last
year. The greatest number of cases have been reported from New
Bedford. The recognition of laboratory aids in the diagnosis of this
disease is a matter of great satisfaction to health authorities. It is to
be regretted, however, that the neglect to use the antityphoid prophy-
lactic continues to expose the people of the Commonwealth to the
ravages of this disease. It is also a source of regret that the con-
valescence of patients is not followed up as it should be by the use of
laboratory aids in determining the extent of possible "carriers" among
cases of this disease.
Outbreaks of this disease have occurred in various parts of the dis-
trict outside of the cities, notably Mansfield, where the outbreaks
have been three in number. The first two were covered in reports
submitted to the Division, and published in a recent issue of the
monthly "Public Health Bulletin" of the State Department of Health.
The third outbreak is now being written up. Each one of the out-
breaks has been thoroughly and repeatedly investigated, and the
epidemiological work carried on persistently and in the right direction.
The original source of the disease, diligently traced, was finally located
bacteriologically in a certain member of a milk farm family, and
promptly recognized as a "carrier." This "carrier," a male, admits
having had typhoid fever himself about forty years ago, which
admission is supported by the statements of other members of the
same milk farm family.
This "carrier" finding has been repeatedly confirmed by consecu-
tive positive bacteriological findings per the bile culture tests, the
first fecal specimen being obtained by a lay member of the local board
of health, and subsequent specimens being obtained by the chairman
of the local board, the laboratory aiding magnificently in determining
positives. Since this "carrier" has been kept away from the milk
farm, and the milk output therefrom pasteurized, no additional cases
have developed.
In these outbreaks the local authorities, the District Health Officer,
epidemiologist, the director and bacteriologist of the Department have
jointly co-operated in the work of determining the causal factors in
this triple series of outbreaks. The difficulties were also greatly in-
creased by the outbreaks recurring in a railroad junction town in
connection with a railroad restaurant, and the fact that the male
contingent of population was mostly, if not entirely, employed in
railroad work of one kind or another. This, of course, necessitated
trips out-of-town daily, with food and water consumption elsewhere
than in Mansfield. These factors were one by one studied epidemio-
logically and eliminated.
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. - 733
Conferences between the local authorities, the local physicians and
the Division of Communicable Diseases were held, but the full sup-
port of the local medical men of the town was not as satisfactory as
it should have been.
The townspeople have been somewhat reluctant in the matter of
submitting to culture taking and other bacteriological tests, and luke-
warm in adopting the antityphoid inoculation treatment. It is still
possible that by this time secondary foci of the disease may be opera-
tive, and tend to an occasional case in the near or remote future.
Small outbreaks of typhoid fever have also been investigated in
quite a number of towns, e.g., Provincetown, Harwich, Barnstable,
Plymouth, Dighton, Rehoboth, Swansea and Westport, as follows: —
Provincetown. — An investigation by the State District Health
Officer showed that the cause was not definitely determined, although
the first apparently recognized case was that of a washerwoman, past
middle age, who had been employed to do washing and ironing at a
local hotel during June and July, 1915. This woman lived near one
of the public schools, the water supply of which was taken from a
pump. The woman and school children used the same pump. The
consecutive cases developed among the children attending this school,
beginning in August and continuing up to November, 1915, — in all
about 10 cases. Since then occasional cases have developed as a
result of contact. The abolishment of pumps and wells has been
urged upon the board of health, and the town water supply extension
to schools recommended.
Harwich. — Like investigation, though not conclusive, was pushed
to the point of locating a suspected "carrier," but the application of
bacteriological tests to confirm this suspicion was not well received and
met with failure, as reports on file show.
Barnstable. — Like investigation showed that the disease was due
to importation from without the district.
Marthas Vineyard. — Two cases were located, one in Oak Bluffs and
one in Edgartown. Both cases were imported, one from Connecticut
and one from Vermont.' The cases w^ere isolated and transferred to
Boston hospitals.
Plymouth. — Investigation failed to determine the original cause
of the disease.
Westport. — The cases were traced to contacts.
Dighton, Rehoboth and Swansea (the 2-mile purchase area). — Con-
tacts and "carriers" have been responsible for continuing outbreaks
for several years. The refusal of the residents within this section,
bordering on the three towns named, to submit to bacteriological
tests, with the neglect of personal hygiene, means expected future
734 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
outbreaks and criminal loss of life among the foreign people who in-
habit this area.
In the Northeastern Health District a typhoid fever outbreak in
Lynn, numbering 23 cases, deserves mention. These cases developed
January 1, and ceased March 17, 1915. The cases were located
in east, west and Lynn proper, covering fairly well the greater
part of the thickly settled section of the city. On the other hand,
half of the cases (11) extend in a somewhat irregular line, following
in a manner the course of Western Avenue, one of the main streets of
the city. With one exception all cases are among persons in com-
paratively needy circumstances, among whom an indifferent standard
of living prevailed.
The conclusion arrived at was as follows: —
1. The only common factor in these cases is that of the milk sup-
ply, as it appears that the supply from one milk dealer was used in
whole or in part in 18 cases.
2. That milk from another dealer was used in 3 cases.
3. That no milk at all was used in 2 cases.
4. That in 1 case the diagnosis need not be considered.
These facts were brought to the attention of the local authorities.
The District Health Officer for the North Midland District reports
that while there has been no large number of cases in any section of
the district, there have been rather more typhoid cases than the aver-
age in several places. Four cases among the workers in the North
Chelmsford Mills came in rapid succession. On investigation it was
found that about two weeks before they commenced, there was a
gang of imported ice cutters on the pond above the mills and that a
toilet used by them was overflowing into the pond near the mouth of
the canal. The water was found to be polluted with sewage. Other
drinking water is furnished in the mills, but this is used for washing.
No further cases occurred.
Two cases occurred in Tyngsborough. The first was imported, and
his wife was a secondary case.
Four cases in Woburn were investigated. The first was found to
have come home sick, and the others were probably contacts, as they
were intimate and lived in adjoining houses.
Rather more than usual has occurred in Lowell. Early in the
season there was a small group that seemed to be possibly connected
with a boy selling pop corn from one of the families. Later there was
a larger number that lived in one locality. There seemed to be little
in common except proximity, and, from the fact that it was in a dis-
trict of few screens and poorly kept houses, flies might be considered.
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 735
In Wilmington there were 4 cases in one family, the first being the
mother and 3 secondary cases following. From the large number of
secondary cases it would seem that if vaccine were used more as a
routine practice when a diagnosis was made of the first case, that the
number of cases would be cut down materially.
In the State Reformatory at Concord and the Infirmary at Tewks-
bury a beginning has been made, especially in immunizing those who
liandle the food supply, after first taking Widals.
Another thing that seems to need serious attention in this connec-
tion is the summer camp. A surprisingly large number of people are
flocking to certain localities, building their houses frequently in as
close proximity as city lots, and with no sanitary supervision. Among
those who will patronize these places will naturally be a goodly num-
ber of invalids and convalescents with infective excretions.
Most gratifying results following a campaign of sanitary engineering
and application of the known principles of preventive medicine, are
shown by the fact that in 1887 there were 45 deaths per 100,000 popu-
lation, and in twenty-eight years that number has been reduced to 5.5
per 100,000, — a saving for 1915 of approximately 14,220 people, the
largest number of whom would be lost at the most useful period of
their lives.
The accompanying letter is an example of a method that has been
utilized with good results in calling the attention of local health
authorities and practising physicians to the seasonal prevalence of
typhoid in the late summer.
Dear Sirs: — With the advent of the season of the year when typhoid cases
frequently prevail, may I ask your active co-operation in an effort to better the
showing of the district in this regard? It will be helpful if each physician will
promptly report every case brought to his attention, and especially if he will
report early all suspicious cases to the local health authorities, in order that
precautionary measures may be taken. This is particularly important in case
the patient or his family are in any way associated with the handling or dis-
tribution of milk and its products, or in the preparation or serving of food.
The State Health Department stands ready to assist at any time through its
District Health Officers, and through the furnishing of Widal outfits and bile
culture tubes, and the free examination of the same. Typhoid vaccine for
immunizing purposes is also furnished and its use encouraged.
Your active interest in this matter will be greatly appreciated, especially the
prompt and early report of cases. Such co-operation must eventually bring
gratifying results in the reduction of the death rate from typhoid in this part of
the State.
Very truly yours.
State District Health Officer.
736 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Trichinosis.
But one case of this disease was reported, and that was in Pitts-
field. Other people who ate the same pork had suspicious illness, but
were not reported. This case was confirmed microscopically. This
disease is not common in Massachusetts, due probably to the fact
that our people eat very little uncooked meat food.
Whooping Cough.
The total number of cases of this disease reported during the year
was 6,062. The total number of deaths for the same period was 237.
This is a death rate of nearly 4 per cent. This is undoubtedly far
below the actual. This death rate is sufficiently important to con-
vince even the community skeptic of the dangers incident thereto.
The tendency among the laity to regard this disease as deserving of
little parental notice or professional concern is most deplorable. The
death rate above shown, however, does not, by any means tell the
whole story.
The State District Health Officers have found too often that the
medical men who sign the death certificate erroneously attribute the
cause as due to the complications rather than the disease itself. The
reasons for so doing are obvious, i.e., as a class, medical men are not
unmindful of the lay notions and opinions prevalent in certain com-
munities (as to the comparative mildness of this disease), and, to a
limited extent, they practically heed them. When they are finally
called to a case of this disease, and find complications well advanced
and likely to terminate fatally, especially cases that have not had any
medical attention whatever, though recognized by the laity, they are
not quite willing to be held responsible for losing a case of this disease.
Consequently, they diplomatically elect to have the cause of death
publicly considered as due to complications commonly regarded or
classed as fatal.
The determination of a definite period of isolation or quarantine for
this disease is still sub judice. Advocates are not wanting on all sides
of the question. Some are in favor of one method and some of an-
other. In some towns the houses harboring cases of this disease are
placarded by warning notices, as in Provincetown for example, :!r:d
the individuals kept on the placarded premises. In other towns the
cases have been tagged, or have been obliged to wear colored cloth
arm bands or badges, designed to warn the public and thus avoid
contact.
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 737
There are undoubtedly many cases of this disease which are never
reported, for physicians are sometimes careless, and in many instances,
in which no physician is called, the parents are not yet aware that the
disease should be reported.
The State District Health Officers have also found that this disease
is one of the least well reported diseases. Neither the public, the
parents, the local authorities or physicians appreciate its importance
or seriousness.
One State District Health Officer investigated two outbreaks, one
numbered 40 cases, the other 17 cases. Neither of these outbreaks
was appreciated until the examination of the school children by the
school physician proved its existence.
Various outbreaks of this disease have been investigated in all of
the health districts. Recommendations have been made to the local
health authorities. Various quarantine proposals have been offered
to local health authorities. Some have been accepted and applied
successfully. Rules have been prepared and advised. Some local
authorities have taken the initiative themselves and drawn up various
measures for the approval of the State District Health Officers.
INFANT MORTALITY.
This great subject has been receiving more than the usual amount
of thought and concern, national, state, public and private. The past
year has forced the nations at war to consider seriously all phases of
the problem as never before. The non-warring nations have been
mathematically estimating the relative importance of the problem as
a basis for future calculation of army mobilization as well as economic
usefulness. That the tremendous sacrifices of men in war times, with
the corresponding family hardships incident thereto, have contributed
to the study of the subject, no one can deny. With commendable
foresight certain European governments directed their attention to
this matter a score or more years ago, with results not to be left out
of consideration at the present time.
To such an extent, then, has infant mortality forced the study of
its causes upon us, that we are now virtually agreed that any factor
which tends to hamper or interfere with living conditions generally
must necessarily contribute to a materially increased mortality rate
in infants throughout the world.
But it is not alone the warring countries; we must consider coun-
tries at peace, — nations, States, cities and towns. Each has its own
peculiarly interesting infant death rate, with seldom two exactly the
738 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
same. From time to time statisticians have been computing rates
and defining causes. There is still room for argument and a large
space for facts, e.g., why one section of a country, State, city or town
should show variations in mortality rates for infants, under what ap-
pears to be a similarity of conditions, has not been answered satis-
factorily, and still begs the question. These things are very difficult
of explanation. Bringing the matter nearer home, why should we
note variant rates even among families where the factors should be
the same or nearly so? Reason, observe, study as we will, the solu-
tion of the problem is no nearer than before; it is still ahead of us;
and like the will-o'-the-wisp the pursuit is both entrancing and
interesting.
The public and the health officer look at this subject from two
viewpoints: the public, because anything that can be done for the
helpless infants arouses tender sympathies; the health officer, because
in studying his statistics he usually finds that from one-tenth to
one-third of all deaths are under one year of age. Right here it seems
that the greatest results in reducing the death rate can be accom-
plished.
While it is generally known that industrial centers have a high in-
fant mortality, statistics show it to be unusually high in Lowell and
Fall River. Especially so when estimated by the number of births
reported. Special investigations have been made in Lowell. Theo-
retically one would say that the high mortality in such a center would
be due to a large proportion of bottle-fed babies or at least mixed
feeding, owing to ready employment for mothers. With this in view
a conference was had with several of the managers of the large mills
and a plan was laid before them to set apart a room for a nursery
where mothers could bring their babies and have them looked after,
and that the mothers be allowed twenty minutes from work in the
middle of the forenoon and the middle of the afternoon to nurse them.
Some of the mills agreed to do this if we could show that their mothers
lost more babies than others. A survey is now being made to try to
show this.
The investigation of deaths of infants under one year of age in
Lowell for the first ten months of 1915 has been completed since the
district report went in; 284 deaths were registered; 74 could not be
found or would not give the information asked; leaving 210 for sta-
tistical calculations. Of these, 80 were breast fed, 16 could not be
determined, and 114 were either bottle fed or had mixed feeding.
Of the 210, the mothers remained at home in 110 cases, while 100
mothers worked, leaving the infant to be cared for by others; and
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 739
they were of necessity either bottle fed or had mixed feeding under
adverse circumstances. During this time about 2,500 births were
reported, — actual count, 2,386.
The birth returns are such that it is impossible to estimate the
number of operatives; but front a census made of two of the large
mills two years ago it is safe to estimate that from these ten corpora-
tions there were not more than 200 mothers. These same corpora-
tions in this ten months gave a death toll of 69, — nearly a third of
the deaths, — while they produced less than one-twelfth of the off-
spring.
Many statistics have been compiled to show that the cities are fast
becoming safer places to bring up children than the country. While
we do not wish to detract from the wonderful advancement made in
reducing the infant mortality in most cities, it must be remembered
that the town with a relatively small population may not represent
a truly New England rural condition. It may contain one or more
industrial villages, where habitations are crowded and the population
made up of a considerable percentage of the poorer class of foreigners,
— city conditions of crowding without the corresponding sanitary
regulations and conveniences.
Causes.
Children dying within the first month after birth are lost largely
through prenatal causes. We hope that the free Wassermann test for
syphilis, which has been extended by the State Department of Health
through the physicians to every citizen of the State, will materially
reduce this. We also hope that it will become as common a practice
for physicians to take a Wassermann of every woman who comes to
him for an obstetrical engagement, as it is to ask her for a specimen
of urine. The one insures the child, the other insures the mother.
Many an innocent woman is suffering from this disease without any
fault of her own or that of her husband. With it she will probably
bring forth a weakly child for an early grave. When, if the trouble
is discovered in the early months of pregnancy, the treatment is
begun at once, there is ample time to cure the mother and at the
same time the unborn child.
Chapter 229 of the Acts of 1911, which provides that pregnant
women shall not be given employment within two weeks of delivery
nor within two weeks after delivery, is practically non-operative for
various reasons: (1) because the date is always uncertain; (2) because
there may be various reasons for evasion and other reasons for con-
cealment which obviously need not be mentioned.
740
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Births and Deaths in Massachusetts under One Year for 1909-14, inclusive.
Year.
Births.
Deaths.
1909,
1910,
1911,
1912,
1913,
1914,
83,471
10,739
85,940
11,656
88,004
10,686
89,839
10,613
90,050
10,238
93,884
9,814
The table shows that material progress has been made in saving the
lives of the infants, and that since 1910 it has been progressive. In
the six years 1909 to 1914, inclusive, there has been an increase in
the registered birth rate of 10,413, and during the same period there
has been a decrease in the total number of deaths under one year of
age of 925.
EDUCATIONAL WORK.
In this we include the talks given to individuals and groups of people
as well as time put in with local officials in explaining all phases of
public health work. It may be to mothers in explaining why such
and such measures are necessary to be carried out with their children
either in child welfare work or in the control of communicable dis-
eases. It may be in management of conditions at their homes or it
may be in regard to the schools. It may be to the officers of an
antituberculosis league, explaining the local field for their services, or
it may be to public officials calling their attention to the fact that the
statutes require them to do so and so, why it will be a benefit to their
community, and in assisting them to arrange the details.
It is a very necessary part of our work, requiring much time; we
know that it accomplishes much good, but it is impossible to give
exact details of the results. The State District Health Officer must
at all times be able to show that he knows the subject thoroughly or
his arguments will fall on sterile soil.
HYGIENE.
During the year a Division has been established under this head.
The State District Health Officer has been working with it in investi-
gating conditions, more especially of medical inspection of schools.
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 741
A lecture course has been prepared and the State District Health
Officers in all the districts have taken part in it to some extent and
are expected to do more. Most of the men have taken a very active
part in public speaking in the past beyond that required in routine
work. We feel that addresses on public health topics are a part of
the work of a public health officer, and we are always ready to do our
part.
NUISANCES.
Many complaints are received concerning nuisances and all are
investigated. Many are real while more are the outcome of neighbor-
hood quarrels. In the past year the various complaints have been on
account of —
Filthj'^ or improperly constructed privies.
Overflowing cesspools.
Decaj^ed vegetables.
Piggeries.
Improper storage of fertilizer.
Sinlc drainage into brooks.
Manure collections and other filth in thickly settled districts.
Keeping horse and hens imder living rooms.
Filthy, neglected and poorly managed dumps.
Dog jumping on passing people, soiling clothes and frightening them.
Cows in thickly settled places.
Untidy and noisy stable.
Noisy and dusty coal conve3^ors.
Polluted pond waters.
Unsanitary well locations.
Fish carcasses on shores.
Foul accumulations of waste waters.
Clam shells and fish offal within low water mark.
Dead pigs on private land.
Sanatoria tuberculosis patients lounging and spitting on private premises.
The State Health Department has no jurisdiction in this matter.
The statutes distinctly designate other departments for appeal from
the decision of the local board of health. While the law remains as
it is there seems to be considerable question whether it is wise for us
to shoulder the responsibility of being accused by the local board of
health of interfering in something over which we have no jurisdiction
as well as the enmity of one of the disputants, although we are usually
able to correct the evil if one exists.
While the State Department and its representatives have no power
742
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
in the matter of nuisances, the local boards of health have full power.
It is with these boards that we are dealing daily, and it is to us that
they are accustomed to come for advice, sympathy and help in these
as well as other problems. In nuisances we are officially impotent.
As, we have no official power, should we give even an opinion as officials?
POLICE STATIONS, LOCKUPS, HOUSES OF DETENTION.
The State District Health Officers report poor conditions in many
of the police stations and lockups, more especially in the smaller
towns. Considerable difficulty is found in securing standards by
which the police stations or lockups in any community may be judged.
For this reason we would suggest that during the coming year a
careful survey be made of all police stations and lockups in the Com-
monwealth. This study to take into consideration the population
served, the average number of arrests each year for five years, the
average and longest period of detention of prisoners, the existing
accommodations at each police station or lockup, including fire pro-
tection, and the care or neglect of prisoners while locked up. From
the results of such a study it would be possible to designate a mini-
mum standard for all police stations and lockups. With the enact-
ment of such a standard into law, it would be possible to improve
materially existing conditions among many police stations and lock-
ups in the State.
The following is a tabulated list of the number and condition of
police stations and lockups in the State: —
Number in the State, .
Number examined,
Number found satisfactory,
Number found unsatisfactory,
Number condemned,
Number abandoned,
Number authorities notified,
257
239
203
50
5
11
34
JAILS, PRISONS, HOUSES OF CORRECTION, REFORMATORIES, ETC.
These institutions are under the control of State or county authori-
ties, and are all clean, well-kept places. They are always ready to
consider any suggestions to improve conditions. In some of the
county jails there is little work for the prisoners. In looking at these
able-bodied men it seems as though there was much energy that
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 743
should be put to use, and at the same time it would be better for the
men.
The following table shows the number and condition of such places.
Number in the State, 24
Number examined, 22
Number satisfactoiy, 24
Number unsatisfactory, '. _ _ _
A list of such institutions within the State is as follows: —
List of Jails, Houses of Corrections, Prisons and Reformatories.
Barnstable County Jail and House of Correction,
Berkshire County Jail and House of Correction,
Bristol County Jail,
Bristol County Jail and House of Correction,
Dukes County Jail,
Essex County Jail and House of Correction,
Essex County Jail and House of Correction,
Essex County Jail,
Essex County Jail and House of Correction,
Franklin County Jail and House of Correction,
Hampden County Jail,
Hampshire County Jail and House of Correction
Middlesex County Jail and House of Correction
Middlesex County Jail and House of Correction
Nantucket County Jail and House of Correction
Norfolk County Jail and House of Correction,
Plymouth County Jail and House of Correction,
Worcester County Jail, .
Massachusetts Reformatory, .
Reformatory Prison for Women,
Prison Camp, ....
State Fann Prison, .
Barnstable.
Pittsfield.
Taunton.
New Bedford.
Edgartown.
Salem.
Lawrence.
Newburyport.
Ipswich.
Greenfield.
Springfield.
Northampton.
E. Cambridge.
Lowell.
Nantucket.
Dedham.
Plymouth.
Worcester.
Concord.
Sherborn.
Rutland.
Bridgewater.
WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE.
Work in this line is done almost entirely in conjunction with the
Engineering Division. The State District Health Officer furnishes
the medical statistics about a given source of danger and either takes
the sample or goes with some representative of the Engineering Divi-
sion while he does it.
Many polluted wells are found in the country districts, owing to
lack of sanitary consideration in locating them. If arrangements can
744 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
be made so that a sufficient force can be used to analyze these private
sources, we are sure much good can be accomplished. The people
are not unmindful of the desirability of having their wells tested if
they have the opportunity of so doing without seeking out a private
chemist. They have occasionally been frightened by exorbitant
charges.
In December," 1914, a circular letter was received from the Com-
missioner of Health setting forth the danger from the use of water
from depleted private water supplies, caused by the deficient rainfall
of the preceding few months. Copies of the circular were sent to the
local health authorities of each city and town within the districts,
advising them to bring the matter to the attention of the people in
their respective communities. The number of replies received from
the communities showed that the advice contained in the circular had
been reasonably well published. As a result of this advice a large
number of private and semipublic water supplies have been examined
and analyzed upon the recommendation of the District Health Officers
or upon the initiative of the local health authorities.
Water supplies have been investigated at schools in Wilmington,
Dracut and Tewksbury, and in most cases found to be polluted.
Three cases of lead poisoning were found in one house in Tyngs-
borough. Their supply came through several hundred feet of lead
pipe, and the water was found to contain a dangerous amount of
lead.
The new filter plant for the boulevard wells in Lowell is about
ready to be put in operation for removing the excess of iron and man-
ganese from the water. When this is done, it is to be hoped that
Lowell will no longer think it necessary to run the Cook wells, an
often demonstrated source of lead poisoning when drawn through a
lead service.
That this circular with its advice was timely is shown by the fol-
lowing instances: —
Two springs at Westminster, a considerable distance from No. 4
school building, the water of which is used for drinking by the school
children, were examined. The water from each spring was found on
analysis to be safe for drinking. It was suggested, however, that
after proper protection from surface drainage and visitors had been
taken that the water of one of the springs could be piped to the school
building without difficulty.
Two wells located in Sterling were examined and the water from
each analyzed. Well No. 1 was located on the premises of a milk-
producing farm furnishing milk to the family on the premises of
No. 34.] DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 745
Well No. 2, upon which a case of typhoid fever occurred. Well No. 1
was found to be grossly polluted, while No. 2 proved to be a safe
supply.
The well at the Elm Street School, Baldwunsville, was examined,
and the water analyzed. The results showed it to be badly polluted
and unsafe for drinking.
Two wells located at Winchendon were examined and analyzed,
one showing considerable pollution, while the other was found to be of
good quality for drinking.
A well located at South Bolton, the water of which had been sus-
pected of causing intestinal disturbance in members of the family
using it, was analyzed. With better protection against surface drain-
age and removal to a greater distance from other possible sources of
pollution, it was thought the water would be safe for drinking.
A well located at Gardner was examined and the water analyzed.
The results showed it to be grossly polluted and unsafe for domestic
use.
A well located in the village of Hubbardston was examined. The
water was found to be unfit for domestic use. With certain changes
for the protection of surface drainage and removal to a greater dis-
tance from other possible sources of pollution, it was thought that the
quality of the water would improve and become suitable for drinking.
At Ashburnham it was found that bathing in the public water
supply — Naumkeag Lake — had not been prohibited. The law rela-
tive to bathing in public water supplies was called to the attention of
the local water commissioners. Immediately afterward the banks of
the lake were posted, prohibiting bathing and quoting the law relative
thereto.
Samples of water from the Hoosick River at Williamstown and
from the Williamstown water supply have been taken regularly for the
Division of Engineering.
Several visits of inspection were made to the new Beaman basin of
the North Adams water supply during its construction. This reservoir
is now complete and in use.
The inspection of the watershed of Dry Brook, a part of the Adams
water supply, is mentioned elsewhere.
Samples of water for analysis were taken in North Adams, Adams
and West Stockbridge.
746 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
CLERICAL WORK.
In the districts with a large population there is necessarily a large
amount of correspondence. As his services are usually required in the
field all day, much of this is either neglected or done at a time when
the State District Health Officer is too tired to do it as it should be
done. This is well summed up by one of the State District Health
Officers in a large district, who says: *'Each District Health Officer
should be relieved of the tiresome details of clerical work. For a man
to spend all day in the field each day of the week is enough without
requiring him to sit at his desk all the evening. It cannot be said in
answer to this, take a day off once in a while and clean up your writ-
ten work. When the day is ready, the details of work done some days
before are stale. The time to make a record of work done is within a
few hours after it is performed. The assistance necessary may be given
by a competent stenographer or a nurse in the employ of the State
Department of Health. It is not always practical to secure the serv-
ices of a stenographer at the time when she is needed. It would be
practical to secure the services of a nurse in such a manner that part
of her time would be given to clerical work."
TRAVEL.
The automobile has been found a great saver of time, and now all
the District Health Officers are furnishing machines, being reimbursed
at the rate of 8 cents a mile. Some of the District Health Officers are
of the opinion that this rate does not adequately reimburse them, but
are forced to continue it from a personal satisfaction in the knowledge
of more work performed in a given period of time than otherwise.
Many of the places to which they go require but a small portion of
the day, and then frequently more than one place in a city or town
must be visited. With an automobile, and planning one's work well,
it is safe to say that nearly double the work can be done in a day's
time. Much time would be wasted in waiting for steam and electric
car schedules, routes are often circuitous, and one District Health
Officer reports 21 towns in his district that have communications over
the highway only.
No. 34.1 DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICERS. 747
SUGGESTIONS.
The cities and towns are fast learning the value of investigating
and stamping out communicable diseases, especially diphtheria, among
school children and of keeping the schools open. All children in in-
fected rooms are cultured, and, where possible, absentees are looked
up. It has been found that this work, if done thoroughly, is a great
aid in quickly controlling the disease by picking up the carriers.
This has brought much additional work to the State laboratory.
While we realize fully that the laboratory force is working with a
high percentage of efficiency, it is not always able to handle the work
with the dispatch the local authorities would wish. We believe it is
work that should be done, and it would be well worth the expendi-
ture of an additional appropriation, to provide ample room and
laboratory force to handle this work with dispatch. While it may be
said that it is not emergency work, it is work that must be done
quickly, to inspire the confidence of the public in allowing their chil-
dren to continue at school.
Division of Biologic Laboratoeies.
[7491
DIVISION OF BIOLOGIC LABOEATOEIES.
Director and Pathologist, M. J. Rosenau, M.D.
Dr. Allan J. McLaughlin, Commissioner of Health.
Sir: — I have the honor to submit the following report of the Divi-
sion of Biologic Laboratories for the year ending Nov. 30, 1915.
Respectfully submitted,
M. J. ROSENAU,
Director and Pathologist.
Eeport of the Division of Biologic Laboratories.
The duties of the Division of Biologic Laboratories consist in manu-
facturing certain biological products and in making certain specific
tests useful in the prevention, cure and recognition of serious infec-
tions, such as diphtheria, epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis, syphilis
and smallpox. The serums and vaccines produced and the diagnostic
tests made in the laboratories of this Division all involve highly special-
ized and exacting technical manipulations. The principal products
made and distributed are diphtheria antitoxin, antimeningitic serum,
vaccine virus and typhoid prophylactic; the principal tests made are
the Wassermann reaction and the Schick reaction. The services
rendered are free to residents of the Commonwealth.
Organization.
There are two distinct laboratories in this Division: (1) the Anti-
toxin and Vaccine Laboratory at Forest Hills; (2) the Wassermann
Laboratory at 240 Longwood Avenue. The director of the Division
has general supervisory charge of the policies, personnel and the work.
Each laboratory is placed in immediate charge of an assistant director,
— Dr. Herbert R. Brown of the Antitoxin and Vaccine Laboratory,
and Dr. W. A. Hinton of the Wassermann Laboratory.
Diphtheria Antitoxin.
Diphtheria antitoxin is both a preventive and curative agent of
great potency. Of diphtheria antitoxin 203,954 doses ^ were made
and distributed during the year at a cost of about 8| cents per dose,
and distributed in 72,835 bottles, or separate packages. In plain
figures, 175 gallons of diphtheria antitoxic serum were made and
distributed. The production of this large amount of serum taxed the
capacity of the laboratory.
If every case of diphtheria were given an injection of diphtheria
antitoxin within the first twenty-four hours of the disease, there
would be practically no deaths from this infection. Emphasis is laid
' A dose represents 1,000 units.
752 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
upon this point, for there are still an unnecessary number of deaths
from diphtheria. Thus there were 652 deaths from this disease in
1914 and 579 in 1915 in Massachusetts. Many of these precious lives
could have been saved by the timely use of this sovereign remedy.
Time is the great factor in saving lives in diphtheria. The antitoxin
should be given early. After the damage is done it may be too late,
for the antitoxin cannot be expected to quicken nerve cells that have
been killed by the toxin. Both the medical profession and the public
should be made to realize the importance of the early administration
of diphtheria antitoxin in all cases, or suspected cases of the disease.
The yield of diphtheria antitoxic serum has been practically doubled
by bleeding the horses more frequently. By this simple procedure, and
without any increase in cost, we have been able to meet the growing
demand for diphtheria antitoxin during the past year.
The Schick Reaction.
The Schick reaction is a skin test used to determine whether the
individual examined is immune or susceptible to diphtheria. It is
made by injecting a small amount of diphtheria toxin into the skin.
The amount injected is one-fiftieth of a minimum lethal dose for a
250-gram guinea pig. The toxin is a very potent poison and must be
standardized with precision for this purpose.
The Schick reaction serves as a reliable clinical aid in selecting the
indi\'iduals who need protective injections of diphtheria antitoxin
after they have been exposed to diphtheria. The use of this test re-
sults in a great saving of antitoxin and avoids the inconvenience of
injecting it into persons in whom it is not necessary, particularly in
the homes among the relatives of one suffering from diphtheria;
also in schools and orphan asylums during an outbreak of the disease;
and as a routine procedure on patients, nurses, doctors, ward tenders
and others in contagious hospitals. Health officers will find it an ad-
vantage to use the test as an aid in stamping out outbreaks of diph-
theria. The laboratory is prepared to demonstrate to physicians,
health oflScers and others how to use and interpret the Schick reaction.
Antimeningitis Serum.
Antimeningitis serum gives good results as a curative agent, but is
not used as a preventive. The laboratory was requested to furnish
some of the surplus supply of this serum for the use of the armies in
the European war. This offer was declined for the reason among
others that we produce just about enough for the needs of the State.
No. 34.] DIVISION OF BIOLOGIC LABORATORIES. 753
There has been comparatively little epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis
in Massachusetts during the past year, and therefore the demand for
this serum has not been great. A total of 16,500 cubic centimeters
was made and distributed in 1,100 separate packages containing 15
cubic centimeters each.
In the interest of preparedness, we look with concern to the possi-
bility of an increase in the amount of cerebro-spinal meningitis in this
country following the war, and we therefore have at present four
horses in active process of immunization which will permit us to
obtain a surplus supply, in order to meet an emergency. Should this
disease break out in Massachusetts, we could also prepare at com-
paratively short notice a vaccine which has been used with success as
a protective inoculation.
Typhoid Prophylactic.
Typhoid "vaccine" used as a preventive inoculation against typhoid
fever is no longer an experiment. Its protective value has been
demonstrated on a large scale in the United States Army and also in
civil life. Its use is voluntary, but its benefits are appreciated by an
increasing number of persons. Thus we produced and distributed
during the year 31,355 ampoules, each containing 1 cubic centimeter.
This is more than 6,000 doses in excess of the amount distributed the
previous year.
The injection of this vaccine under the skin always produces a local
reaction and sometimes a general reaction, which, however, is never
serious. No harmful results are known to follow the use of this pro-
tective substance. It has been used especially to immunize nurses,
ward tenders, doctors, travelers, campers and others who are particu-
larly exposed. All persons in the household of a bacillus carrier, as
well as all persons within the infective reach of such a carrier, should
be protected with the typhoid prophylactic. It is also useful to check
outbreaks in institutions. The protection lasts for about two years,
and may be renewed. Persons who are protected should not be reck-
less, for a small percentage of those exposed to the infection contract
the fever despite the prophylactic vaccination. In such cases, the
disease is apt to run a mild course.
Vaccine Virus.
The production of vaccine virus was attended with unusual diffi-
culties this year, on account of the outbreak of the foot-and-mouth
disease, which rendered it difficult and at times impossible to obtain
754 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
calves to use for propagating this material. Furthermore, a large
amount of vaccine virus which had been prepared was destroyed in
order to make assurance doubly sure. A total of 139,140 doses of
vaccine virus were made during the year, of which 104,922 were sent
out.
Vaccination for smallpox remains the first and greatest single pro-
tective measure of a specific nature given to man. The experience of
over one hundred years — since Jenner — has fully confirmed his
claim that it protects against smallpox as much as that disease itself
will. The greatest care is necessary to insure the potency and purity
of the product. Every known safeguard and every known laboratory
test is applied to each lot of vaccine virus before it is issued. After
these tests are completed, a sample lot of ten tubes is given to one of
the District Health Officers to determine the potency and quality of
the take in ten primary vaccinations. At present, this work is being
done by Dr. Champion. Similar tests are also made under the super-
vision of the chief of the Division at the Children's Hospital and
elsewhere.
The package in which the vaccine virus is distributed has been im-
proved and cheapened, and the circular of instructions has 'been re-
written. Attention has been called particularly to the importance of
using a proper method of vaccination, that by incision or scratch
being recommended. The old method of scarification is considered
unsafe and unsatisfactory in that it invites infection.
Wasseemann Test.
The Wassermann test is a highly complex technical procedure
designed to recognize the presence or absence of specific bodies in the
blood or cerebro-spinal fluid. If these bodies are present, it indicates
that the person has syphilis; if absent, it suggests the absence of the
disease or its cure. The test is, therefore, a diagnostic method useful
in the prevention as well as in the treatment of this infection. The
Wassermann Laboratory was opened on the first of June, 1915, during
which month 631 tests were made. The number rapidly increased,
until now an average of over 2,000 a month is made. The number is
gradually increasing and will soon tax the capacity of the laboratory
force. *
The uses and limitations of the Wassermann test are now clearly
determined, and it should become a routine procedure in the control
of syphilis. The services of the Wassermann Laboratory have been
useful to the following groups: —
No. 34.1 DIVISION OF BIOLOGIC LABORATORIES. 755
Insane.
The Wassermann reaction assists in the diagnosis of general paresis,
which is one of the consequences of syphilis and one of the most
serious forms of insanity. A number of cases not recognized from
clinical symptoms were disclosed by a positive reaction. Directly as
a result of this work among the insane, the State Board of Insanity
has engaged an expert to institute specific treatment in all cases of
syphilis under its jurisdiction. Furthermore, Dr. Fernald of the
Massachusetts School for Feeble-minded at Waverley has started an
investigation of all cases in his institute which are reported as positive
to the Wassermann reaction.
Tuberculosis.
Persons admitted to tuberculosis sanatoria will not, as a rule, ac-
knowledge having had syphilis, but frequently admit the fact after a
positive Wassermann reaction. Such information is very helpful in the
treatment of the case. The test should be applied as a routine pro-
cedure in all State and local tuberculosis sanatoria.
Penal Institutions.
The examination of a large number of persons in such institutions
has disclosed 25 per cent, giving positive Wassermann reactions in the
males and 30 per cent, in the females. This large percentage of
syphilitics among the criminal type has a deep significance. Very
few of these people admit having had the infection when queried by
the examining physician, and the facts would not be known without
the Wassermann reaction.
Cancer.
Occasionally syphilis is mistaken for cancer. The diagnostic help
afforded by the Wassermann test in such cases is of enormous impor-
tance to the individual. The laboratory makes these tests as a routine
for the patients in the Huntington Memorial Hospital, etc.
Pregnancy.
The Wassermann test is made as a routine test upon all women
under the charge of the Boston Lying-in Hospital and the New Eng-
land Hospital for Women and Children. In case the reaction is posi-
tive, treatment is given, thus preventing the tragic consequences of
756 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
hereditary syphilis in the offspring. This is an example of wise pre-
natal work, which should be widely extended and applied as a routine
measure in private as well as institutional practice.
Children's Hospitals.
Children's hospitals, such as the Boston Floating Hospital, the
Children's Hospital and the Infants' Hospital, send many specimens
to the laboratory for a Wassermann test. This source of specimens
has been encouraged on account of its public health importance, and
the assistant director of the laboratory has visited a number of such
hospitals, as well as a number of State institutions, in order to demon-
strate the method of obtaining specimens of blood upon which the
test is made. This is part of the educational activities of the Division.
Local Boards of Health.
Local boards of health apparently are not alive to the importance of
the service rendered by the Wassermann Laboratory, and should make
more use of the advantages offered. It is also recommended that the
State Department of Health employ a skilled agent to follow up cases
which give a positive reaction, in order to be sure that effective treat-
ment is promptly administered. In the interests of public health, the
Commonwealth would be justified in furnishing such services free of
charge.
State Institutions, etc.
Every State institution and every private hospital has been offered
the facilities of the laboratory, but not all have accepted the service.
Any private physician can have the test made through the District
Health Officer or the local board of health, or by sending the patient
to the laboratory. The number of cases thus examined is showing an
encouraging increase as the work becomes better known.
Recommendations.
1. Economy and efficiency in the distribution of the products pro-
duced by the Antitoxin and Vaccine Laboratory. This is important
in order to prevent waste and also to insure the proper use of the
materials. Furthermore, the State is entitled to receive in return for
the free distribution of its biological products a complete report upon
each case. Such a collection of material would be exceedingly valu-
able. I would recommend that a station for the distribution of toxins.
No. 34.] DIVISION OF BIOLOGIC LABORATORIES. 757
vaccines, etc., be established in each sanitary district under the im-
mediate charge of the District Health Officer.
2. A centralization of the laboratories would increase efficiency and
also be in the interest of economy. This, however, would require a
large original expenditure.
3. The employment of a physician skilled in the administration of
salvarsan and a knowledge of syphilis, to follow up cases showing a
positive Wassermann and to administer the substance free of charge.
Such a person could furthermore be the center for a propaganda for
the control of syphilis.
4. Other tests, such as the complement fixation test for glanders
and gonorrhoea, and also other diagnostic procedures such as rabies,
could readily be added to the duties of this Division with a very
slight increase in expenditure.
5. With the strictest economy it will be necessary to have an in-
crease in the appropriation of S2,500 in order to carry on the work of
the Antitoxin and Vaccine Laboratory. This is due to the increase in
the cost of feed and other materials, the increased production and
demands upon the laboratory, and the increase in the wages account.
A summary with details of the work of the separate laboratories
follows.
M. J. ROSENAU,
Director and Pathologist.
i
758
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Wasseemann Laboeatory.
The State Wassermann Laboratory was established June 1, 1915,
by the State Department of Health, with the following organization:
a director, an assistant director, a technician, a stenographer and a
laboratory attendant. On this date a circular letter was sent to each
of the District Health Officers and each of the institutions under the
control of the State Board of Charity, the State Board of Insanity
and the Board of Prison Commissioners, together with the secretaries
of these Boards, announcing the fact that the State was offering free
Wassermann service. Since this time specimens have been examined
as follows: June, 631; July, 986; August, 1,036; September, 1,126;
October, 1,511; and November, 1,201, making a total of 6,491.
The following gives the classification of the results obtained: —
Results.
Positive.
Negative.
Doubtful.
Unsatisfactory.
Blood,
Spinal fluid,
653
127
4,800
348
360
47
126
8
Total
780
5,148
407
134
Insufficient serum or spinal fluid for test, 22.
During its first month the laboratory examined specimens for 10
State institutions, 2 private hospitals and 1 local board of health.
It has now tested specimens from 15 State institutions, 25 private
hospitals, 8 local boards of health and 2 city institutions.
A paper was prepared for the July issue of the "Public Health
Bulletin" which announced free service to private physicians and gave
directions for obtaining such service. At the same time a clinic was
established in the laboratory, where specimens of blood could be ob-
tained from patients upon the recommendation of their physician.
As a result of this announcement, during the period from July to
November 1, 32 specimens were received through four State District
Health Officers, District 4 leading with a total of 27 specimens, and
No. 34.] WASSERMANN LABORATORY. 759
42 patients were referred to the laboratory for the test, thus making-
a total of 74 specimens which were tested on the recommendation of
39 physicians.
From November 1 to December 1 a total of 55 specimens were ob-
tained from private physicians, submitted by the direction of six
State District Health Officers, District 4 again leading with 36. Dur-
ing this same period 142 patients were referred to the laboratory by
private physicians, and 71 physicians, who had never applied before,
sought the services of the laboratory. Hence it will be noted that
there has been growth not only with regard to the number of cases
tested but also with respect to the number of private physicians and
private institutions availing themselves of this service.
Since the establishment of the laboratory, we have collected 1,179
specimens of blood from 11 institutions. At the same time the tech-
nique of obtaining blood was demonstrated to the District Health
Officers and to physicians in a number of institutions.
During the first five months 5,290 tests were made, and the follow-
ing table shows the analysis of these tests on 4,223 patients. The
largest number is from the Psychopathic Hospital, where 1,824 tests.
were made on 1,144 patients.
760
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
cti
&2
>
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
^
1
o
1
1
Oi
CO
X
-"
w
1
»-H
^
^
^
1
1
1
t^
C<1
eq
1
„
^
HH
f<l
KH
1
(M
1
1
1
1
1
1
(M
1
1
1
1
1
P!
o
^
cs
,
cn
1
1
1
1
1
kl
M
CO
r^
o
5
00
lO
CO
o
CO
CO
oo
CM
lO
o:
CO
U-,
o
<N
„
CO
CO
^
'S>
1
1
lO
o
^
><
1— 1
-^
CO
*"*
CM
!_;
,
c:
'^J*
,
1
1
(M
^
o
1
1
lO
1
,,
02
>5
J"*
*^
1^
0
o
1
t
1
J
CM
1
1
O
>^
«M
o
•^
CO
f
"7~
^
,^
1
1
^^
1
^
>
CO
o
CM
^,
,
C^l
^
1
1
1
1
1
>
CM
1
«
1
1
■*
<M
^
1
1
1
1
1
>
^
^-*
CO
I
CO
C^
1
CO
CO
1
1
1
1
1
■^
!>.
*"*
CQ
CO
^
o
oo
00
CO
CT
„
1
1
CO
-*
O
"'
■^
o
CO
<M
o
o
CO
r^
1
-
1
C-1
CO
1
1
^
1
T)<
^.
a
s>
&
•«
>2
o3
n
fS*
-d
a>
s
c
P
^
■d
^
a
"S
s
a
.—
3
i
3
"S
•S
3
t>2
0.
s
^
$
.g
3
c.
"^
• Q
_m
fe
-<:
c.
o
^-
03
°".
„-
_-
J
-w
t-t
^H
55.
"3
3
"3
"cS
P*
"3
03
03
s
o
"Z
■p.
S
M
s
'a
S
'a
i
S
w
a)
'a
o
K
<D
!3
O
'a
1
■2
'a
O
W
-2
'a
1
a
2
"2
S
o
o
.2
"8
a
o
'S
a
o
0)
3
M
a
o
3
o
o
'S
a
03
W5
otal, .
Feeble-
is
i
"3
o
O
(2
>
a
cS
Q
o
"3
C3
■xs
H
s
H
3
H
No. 34.]
WASSERMANN LABORATORY
761
1
,
1
.n
,
_^
^
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
"
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
CO
•*
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1
1 1
1 1 •«< 1 1 1 1 1
-i<
tn
_
(M
^
c;
^
j_.
CZ
o
o;
t--
^
1
OS
1
1
C3
1
■*
-
1
»o
1
1
cc
o
-
t^
-
^
'
2
m
m
1
CO
,
,
,
1
.n
■* 1 -< 1 1
1
1 1 1 1 IM 1 1 1
^
-
"
"
1
-* 1 fq 1 1
N 1
1
-
1
1
1
1
■^
1
lO
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1 1 1 1
1 1 -^ 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1
cc
O
■*
1
S
s
oc
1
1
1
P
tM
-
C-l
CT
1
-#
-'
?3
„
1
^■
„
CO
c^
^_,
O
1
CO
1
OS
IM
.£
o
^
o
»
J3
e
>i
S .
CO >.
3
CO
3
a
.2
"S
3
O
5
1
a
II
1 ■
"3
:3
s
a
0
!> O
P
e"
a>
a
o
o
i
a
o
s
(if
o
c
o
Ph
o
c
s
s
o
M
c
C3
o
s
E
3
e
o
O
cl
o
CO
03
O
c
o
2
"5
8 a
c «
e cj
o
s
a
%
a
o
M
a
O
e
» C3
•*o -*->
§ 'a
^ o
M
G
S
W
c
"S
a
a
>
15
'E
o
W
o
o
a
a
o
c.
Q
«
13
'a
o
tn
s
'a
S
M
n
a
'a
o
la
.S
"5)
c
W
§
n
O
oi
a
n
03
02
>>
a
g
rt
CC
m
M
m
^;
^
K
a
hJ
s
n
h^l
'Z.
762
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
O
6
>
1
1
^
1
.0
1
^
IK
^
Pi
1 -
-H 1 J 1
1 1 \ \ N
^
-
^
1
1
J
^
1
rr,
1
,
,
-1
(K
^
1 1
1 1 <o 1
to 1 1 1 1
' s
„
00
^
_
^
^
C^]
za
iK
CO-
X
0
^
,
>
■0
^
'
O
>
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
CT
1
1
1
1
1
r
1
1
1
i
1
1
C-.
>
1
^
^
1
1
1
1
^
00
OS
>o
>
■*
1
1
1
^
>
CO
1
1
1
1
1
1
""*
1
^
1
^
^
1
1
0
'"'
hH
1
1
I
d
e»
-
IM
1
1
--
0
CI
<M
^
si
S
s
3
^
-^
c^
C3
s
e
8
s
en
"3
■3,
13
■ft
C
e
1
"3
■g,
0
"3
2
03
S
oi
•T3
0
"3
■ft
S
"3
■ft
a
8
.S
a
M
■a
!3
-2
"3
.s
0
s
ft
0
W
■ft
g
w
"3
0
0
0
©
0
a
0
w
to
a
a
03
.5?
'C
cq
0
W
a
03
"3
03
•S
"3
fi
w
0
s
s
0
a
■jj
0
0
&
H
S
03
H
P
a
0
M
H
H
j3
3
0
,£J
0
M
k;
CQ
u
w
U
«
hJ
No. 34.] WASSERMANN LABORATORY.
763
H 5
?3 &:
ll> t-< cS o
> o _ j:^
c3 J3 S ^
M O O -^
c3 — rS
° e-c
&: 5 .=
cS
.£1
^
-*^
03
_o
■■^
Ei
cl>
a
;~i
ol
T3
01
<D
is
„
ffl
•r: "^ *t 5 S, ^ -S " :S 2 -S
^
^
j3
c
^
n
J3
a
e:
3
c
^
^ .i5
?3'^o3c1 ff-^^-^n—^ .w**-*^
j^^mm *-:;; — — '^CS wStod
.2»SSc.ggS"^£.2 ^c«§.
„gaft3-SS'o»o^S.^ ^S-^^
a^2Sino30o3o3'S2^ ^^-S^
-c -a
^ <.-, V- O
& 6
O t3 Q O OOOOO^O O OH
9599 cacicflcifl fl sa
6HSE HSSaSSS S gfi
r9l9S'° 'o'o'o'o'o'o'o "o 'o'o
OOOO OOOOOOO O OO
764 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Psychopathic Subjects.
An inspection of column H. shows 101 cases of unsuspected syphilis
in this group which were discovered after the Wassermann report was
made. Columns IH. and IV. are interesting because 76 cases were
diagnosed as general paresis or cerebrospinal syphilis either on the
history or the symptoms, wherefore 31 additional cases were diagnosed
as paresis (always of syphilitic origin) or cerebrospinal syphilis, after
the Wassermann report was rendered. Column XU. is noteworthy in
that 22 cases which gave clinical symptoms of general paresis were
determined to be nonsyphilitic by repeated negative Wassermann
examinations. Further the diagnosis in most of the institutions can
be made with the aid of the Wassermann reaction within five days of
the arrival of the patient in the hospital, thus making possible a
proper and rapid disposition of the patients.
The State Board of Insanity has recently appointed an expert to
investigate and treat those afflicted with syphilis in our State insane
institutions. This work could not be done adequately unless Wasser-
mann examinations were made.
Delinquent and Feeble-minded Subjects.
Here again we see the value of the Wassermann test in the diag-
nosis of cases not suspected of syphilis. A comparison of columns
I. and II. illustrates this point. Data are accessible in this laboratory
which show that there is little or no connection between syphilis and
organic involvement of the central nervous system such as is found in
individuals who are hydrocephalic or who belong to the various types
of spastic paralysis accompanied by feeble-mindedness.
Criminal Subjects.
Inspection of column II. shows that 23 cases of syphilis out of a
total of 74 syphilitics were only diagnosed after a positive Wassermann
reaction. Further it will be noted that this is a highly infected group,
yielding 40 per cent, of syphilitics and 4.8 per cent, of doubtful cases
in a total of 185 inmates.
Tuberculous Subjects.
Out of a total of 432 cases of tuberculosis 39 (9 per cent.) also had
syphilis, and 34 of these cases gave no history or clinical evidence of
the disease until a positive Wassermann reaction was found. i
No. 34.] WASSERMANN LABORATORY. 765
Patients suffering with Malignant Disease.
This group is largely interesting because the Wassermann test ex-
cludes syphilis as a cause of symptoms which might otherwise be those
of some malignant growth. The laboratory has urged all physicians
and institutions to make a routine Wassermann examination on every
patient who clinically appears to be suffering from a malignant growth.
Acute General Hospital Patients.
As this title indicates, persons suffering from all manner of acute
disease are admitted to these hospitals for observation and treatment.
A glance at columns I. and II. will again show how strikingly valuable
the test has been in the identification of unsuspected syphilitics. Fur-
ther, it is important to notice that roughly one-sixth of all patients
admitted to this type of hospital had syphilis as a direct cause of their
symptoms or as a complication.
Group of Pregnant Women including New-born Infants.
During the past two months the laboratory has made arrangements
with the Boston Lying-in Hospital and the New England Hospital
whereby in the former instance a Wassermann test is made as a
routine on all patients admitted to the pregnancy clinic, and in the
latter case whereby blood is obtained from the afterbirth of each
mother (foetal blood). In neither of these groups had a history of
syphilis been obtained, and yet an inspection of column II. shows that
it sometimes exists. Whenever a positive Wassermann reaction is
obtained in any of the patients, these hospitals recommend anti-
syphilitic treatment.
Syphilis in Patients under Twelve.
Although the number of specimens submitted is small, inspection of
columns I. and II. shows that the Wassermann test has its value in
this group, while column XII. shows its value in the exclusion of
syphilis as a cause for the symptoms observed. This group, taken in
connection with a study of the specimens from infants, gives a con-
tinuous story of the applicability of the Wassermann test in all stages
of congenital syphilis.
766
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Patients suffering from Chronic Disease.
The Long Island Hospital group is suggestive of the incidence of
syphilis in our chronic almshouse class. Roughly, 26 per cent, of the
patients in this group are infected, and column H. again shows a high
percentage of unsuspected syphilitics.
The following gives a resume of 4,218 patients examined by the
Wassermann test from June 1, 1915, to Nov. 1, 1915: —
Classification of Patients
examined.
Patients
examined.
Syphilitic
Patients.
Patients
GIVING A
Doubtful
Wassermann
Test and a
Negative or
Doubtful
Clinical
History.
Presumably
nonsyphilitic
Patients.
Num-
ber.
Per
Cent.
Num-
ber.
Per
Cent.
Num-
ber.
Per
Cent.
Psychopathic patients, ....
1,997
298
14.8
36
1.8
1,665
83 4
Feeble-minded and deUnquent subjects,
679
61
9.0
24
3.5
593
87.5
Criminal subjects
185
74
40.0
9
4.8
98
55.2
Tuberculous subjects
432
39
9.0
5
1.2
386
89.2
Cancer group,
21
1
4.81
-
-
19
97.2
Pregnant women,
172
8
4.7
4
2.3
159
93.0
Infants and children, ....
136
24
18.5
2
1.5
107
80.0
Acute general hospital group.
419
68
16.2
19
4.5
284
79.3
Patients suffering from chronic disease, .
177
48
26.1
2
1.2
125
72.9
Total
4,218
621
15.0
101
2.4
3,427
82.6
1 Patient he
d syphilis
of liver a
nd not c
ancer.
POLI
CIES.
The laboratory has established the following policies for the
present: —
1. Diagnosis of Syphilis by the Wassermann Test. — It is the policy
of the laboratory to aid physicians and institutions in every possible
way, in the diagnoses of syphilis by this test. Further, it desires to
encourage co-operation with local boards of health whereby they may
become centers for the collection of specimens. This would render the
service more accessible to physicians in all parts of the State. Such
co-operation could be effected by appointing certain days on which
specimens of blood could be obtained from patients by the local
health officers on the recommendation of private physicians; these
No. 34.] WASSERMANN LABORATORY. 767
specimens could then be sent to the laboratory, where they would be
promptly tested and a report sent to the physician and a duplicate to
the local board of health. Of course it would be necessary for the
local board to grant tests only under conditions similar to those em-
ployed by the laboratory or District Health Officers.
2. Standardization of the Wassermann Test in Massachusetts. —
The laboratory wishes to co-operate with any private or public labora-
tory in effecting a uniform standard for Wassermann examinations.
At present a friendly co-operation exists between the State Wasser-
mann Laboratory and the laboratories of the Massachusetts General
Hospital and the Boston city board of health, whereby the standards
and materials are practically identical.
3. Investigation. — By the method of filing employed, the history of
each case may be followed during the residence of the patient in the
institution; also in the majority of instances the case histories of
patients from private physicians may be studied. It is possible from
these records to contribute toward a broader study of the diagnosis,
epidemiology and treatment of all types of syphilis.
At this time investigation is being carried on with regard to the
employment of certain technical methods, with the idea of increasing
the accuracy of our technique. This investigation was stimulated by
a recent trip of the assistant director to New York, where a study was
made of the methods employed in the city board of health, the Rocke-
feller Institute, the Presbyterian Hospital, the Mt. Sinai Hospital,
and the Vanderbilt clinic at Columbia University.
Special work is also being carried on in connection with the State
Board of Insanity, which includes a titration of positive spinal fluids,
with the hope that some light may be thrown upon the differential
diagnosis of the various types of syphilis of the central nervous system.
Meaning to Public Health.
The prompt recognition and treatment of syphilis is a public health
problem of the first importance. It means a decrease in the incidence
of those obstinate late manifestations of the disease which affect the
heart, the blood vessels, the brain and spinal cord, the results of
which are usually serious and often incurable, or may only be relieved
after great suffering and expense to the patient, his family or the
Commonwealth, if he becomes a public charge. It means a decrease
in the number of miscarriages and stillbirths, and in the congenital
syphilitics who either die early or are often greatly handicapped con-
stitutionally. It prevents in many cases needless major surgical opera-
tions by correctly diagnosing a syphilitic condition. In all of these
768 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
instances a correct Wassermann test gives larger value than the sum
total of all other methods used in the diagnosis of the disease.
A few examples are added to illustrate the foregoing: general pare-
sis is by far the most important psychosis affecting both sexes during
middle and later life, and its early diagnosis is of the greatest social
significance. Consider as a victim of this disease a manufacturer or a
locomotive engineer or conductor, who has within his control the lives
of many persons, and the diagnosis becomes tremendously important.
If not promptly recognized as being afflicted with this form of syphilis,
the former might ruin a successful business, with the loss of work to
many employees, or the latter might fail to carry out properly those
precautions necessary to safeguard the public in railway transporta-
tion. A case similar to the last was recently tested in this laboratory.
In the tuberculous group was a patient with a negative sputum,
who was interesting and instructive inasmuch as after two years of
residence in one of the State sanatoria for tuberculosis, there was no
improvement. Syphilis was discovered and admitted after a positive
Wassermann report was rendered. The cost of this one case to the
Commonwealth, including the services which he may have rendered
to the community, would easily pay for the expense of the laboratory
for fully three months. Although the work in the tuberculous group
has just begun, there is every reason to believe that there are other
instances of unsuspected syphilis equally as striking.
FuTUKE Development.
At the present rate of increase there is no reason why the labora-
tory should not more than treble its tests during the next year. Further-
more, inasmuch as the same materials may be largely used in perform-
ing the gonococcus fixation test, it is suggested that this work be
undertaken.
Appropriation.
The laboratory was opened with an inadequate appropriation, and,
while It has operated within the amount provided, this has been
possible only on the basis of a temporarily reduced salary list.
The present rate of testing is about 1,500 specimens per month.
There is a rapidly increasing number from private physicians, which
greatly augments the clerical and technical work. To carry on this
work adequately, $6,000 per year is needed for the present.
WILLIAM A. HINTON,
Assistant Director, in Charge of the Wassermann Laboratory.
No. 34.] ANTITOXIN AND VACCINE LABORATORY. 769
Summary of the Antitoxin Work at Antitoxin and
Vaccine Laboratory.
The horses used in the production of diphtheria antitoxin were
treated from December, 1914, to June, 1915, with subcutaneous in-
jections of diphtheria toxin at daily, five-day and ten-day intervals,
depending on the system producing the most potent serum; the im-
munized animals were bled once in twenty-four days. In June, 1915,
the interval of bleeding was changed to twice a month or every four-
teen days, and the system of toxin injections was changed to three
injections in seven days, followed by a rest of a like period before
tapping.
Thus, by increasing the number of bleedings, the serum production
has been raised 60 per cent., and this has helped materially in ob-
taining the antitoxin necessary to supply the increased demand
during the past year. With the exception of moderate losses in
weight, which in time assume a more or less constant level, and an
occasional slight reduction in the percentage volume of the red blood
corpuscles and sometimes traces of achromia in a few cells, the
horses have stood the treatment well. Horses producing serum of
high potency are treated conservatively in regard to the toxin in-
jections, but the bleeding intervals have remained the same in all
cases.
Of the horses used in the production of antimeningitis serum, 3 are
being immunized as formerly with subcutaneous injections, but the
method will be changed as soon as practicable to intravenous injections,
and at the time of this writing 1 horse that has proven to be unsuited
to diphtheria antitoxin work is being treated with intravenous injec-
tions of the meningococcus preparations.
Twenty horses were disposed of during the year as shown in Table
No. 2. Of these, 4 horses died, and the autopsy findings were as
follows: horse No. 201 died from hemorrhage of the liver, and autopsy
showed extensive amyloid degeneration of the liver and kidneys;
horse No. 213 died from strangulation of the gut, associated with
hemorrhage of the liver and amyloid degeneration of the organs;
horse No. 218 died in twenty-four hours after a fall against a sharp
corner of a watering trough, and autopsy showed a softened area in
770 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
the brain just beneath the fracture, and in the abdominal cavity was
found amyloid degeneration of the organs; horse No. 226 died as a
result of a rupture of the diaphragm, following a kick from another
horse and a fall to the ground. Of the remainder, 10 were disposed
of by bleeding and 6 by exchange for other horses or by return to the
original owners without cost to the laboratory.
The call for diphtheria antitoxin during the past year was greatly
increased over that of last year and all previous years, but with the
aid of 2 horses giving serum of high potency and by producing more
globulin antitoxin by concentration than formerly and in this way
raising the strength of much of the serum of low potency, we have
been able to supply the demand. The strength of the antitoxin sent
out for general distribution averaged 312.5 units per cubic centimeter
in the 3,000-unit packages, 300 units per cubic centimeter in 1,500-
unit packages and 250 units in 750-unit packages. The average
strength of the antitoxin sent to the Boston City Hospital was 216
units per cubic centimeter, and, for convenience in the work of the
hospital, the serum was put up in bottles of 12,000 units each.
With the changes in the treatment of the horses, larger quantities
of diphtheria toxin were needed this year than formerly, and from
Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov. 30, 1915, a total of 334 liters was made. The
average strength of the toxin, estimated as a minimal lethal dose, was
.0044 cubic centimeter for a 250-gram guinea pig.
The stock of diphtheria antitoxin on hand on Nov. 30, 1915, was
723.3 liters, of which the greater part tested from 200 to 275 units per
cubic centimeter, and the remainder 300 units per cubic centimeter
or over. The stock of antimeningitis serum at the end of the year
was 26.7 liters, or more than a year's supply.
Of the 19 horses for diphtheria work, 15 are in actual use and 4
are being immunized. Of the 15 horses in use, 2 are giving about 300
units and one 400 units of antitoxin per cubic centimeter in the serum
produced; the remaining 12 horses are producing serum valued at
200 to 250 units of antitoxin per cubic centimeter.
The following tables give the details of the antitoxin work and are
self-explanatory: —
Table No. 1. —Synopsis of Antitoxin Work.
Nimiber of horses on hand Dec. 1, 1914 (3 antimeningitis, 22 diphtheria), 26
Number of horses acquired Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov. 30, 1915, ... 17
Total, 43
Number of horses disposed of from Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov. 30, 1915, . 20
Number of horses in stables Dec. 1, 1915 (4 antimeningitis, 19 antitoxin), 23
No. 34.] ANTITOXIN AND VACCINE LABORATORY. 771
Diphtheria Antitoxin.
General distribution: —
Number of 1,000-unit doses distributed in 3,000-unit packages, 129,270
Number of 1,000-unit doses distributed in 1,500-unit packages, 16,201
Nimiber of 1,000-imit doses distributed in 750-unit packages, 6,274
151,745
To Boston City Hospital: —
Number of 1,000-unit doses distributed in 2,000-unit packages, 460
Number of 1 ,000-unit doses distributed in 4,000-unit packages, 35,864
Number of 1,000-unit doses distributed in 6,000-unit packages, 864
Number of 1,000-unit doses distributed in 12,000-unit pack-
ages, 14,076
Nmnber of 1,000-unit doses distributed in 15,000-unit pack-
ages, 945
52,209
Grand total, 203,954
Niunber of liters of serum sent to State for general distribution, . * . 452
Number of liters of serum sent to Boston City Hospital, . . . 248
Total, 700
Strength: —
Average nimaber of units per cubic centimeter in 3,000-unit packages, 312.47
Average number of units per cubic centimeter in 1,500-unit packages, 300.00
Average number of units per cubic centimeter in 750-unit packages, 250.00
Average number of units per cubic centimeter in packages to Boston
City Hospital, 216.03
Globulin antitoxin: —
Number of liters of normal serimi plus citrate plasma precipitated, . 598 . 7
Number of liters of globulin senun produced, 138.9
Average number of units per cubic centimeter of globulin serum, . 435 . 4
Diphtheria Toxin.
Culture Park No. 8: —
Number of liters of diphtheria toxin in stock Dec. 1, 1914, ... 89
Number of liters of diphtheria toxin made Dec. 1, 1914 to Nov, 30,
1915, 334
Total, 423
Number of liters of diphtheria toxin used Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov. 30, 1915, 343
Number of liters of diphtheria toxin in stock Dec. 1, 1915, ... 80
Average strength of diphtheria toxin in minimal lethal doses, 0.0044 cubic
centimeter.
772
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Table No. 2. — Receipt, Cost and Disposition of Horses in Use from Dec. 1,
1914, to Nov. SO, 1915.
On Hand Dec. 1, 1914.
Horse
Number.
Received.
Cost.
When dis-
posed of.
How disposed of.
143, .
Jan. 26, 1909
165, .
Apr. 29, 1910
185. .
May 29, 1911
196, .
Nov. 3, 1911
201, .
Dec. 29, 1911
204, .
Feb. 23, 1912
213, .
Jan. 3, 1913
216, .
Feb. 19, 1913
218, .
Oct. 27, 1913
219, .
Nov. 1, 1913
224, .
May 21, 1914
225, .
May 21, 1914
226, .
May 28, 1914
227, .
June 3, 1914
228, .
June 3, 1914
229, .
June 10, 1914
231, .
July 8, 1914
232, .
July 15, 1914
233, .
Aug. 11, 1914
234, .
Oct. 2, 1914
235, .
Oct. 23, 1914
236, .
Nov. 5, 1914
237, .
Nov. 9, 1914
238, .
Nov. 9, 1914
239, .
Nov. 9, 1914
241, .
Nov. 11, 1914
Gift of M.'M- Herbert,
$59
$65
$46
S40, ....
From Metropolitan Water Works,
$35
$75
$60
U15
$98.50,
$62.50,
$75
$116, ....
$112.50,
$57
$75
From Metropolitan Park Com
mission.
$50
Gift of Dr. E. P. Joslin,
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. R. W
Lovett.
$65,
$115,
Mar. 19, 1915
Apr. 20, 1915
May 7, 1915
Aug. 1, 1915
Dec. 4, 1914
Oct. 18, 1915
Oct. 13, 1915
Aug. 13, 19f5
Jan. 13, 1915
Mar. 14, 1915
Jan. 26, 1915
Feb. 5, 1915
Aug. 20, 1915
Sept. 24, 1915
Chloroformed and bled.
Chloroformed and bled.
Chloroformed and bled.
Died.
Chloroformed and bled.
Died.
Died.
Chloroformed and bled.
E5{changed.
Died.
Exchanged.
Chloroformed and bled.
Chloroformed and bled.
Chloroformed and bled.
No. 34.] ANTITOXIN AND VACCINE LABORATORY. 773
Table No. 2 — Concluded.
Acquired after Dec. 1, 1914.
Horse
NUMBEK.
Received.
Cost.
When dis-
posed of.
How disposed of.
243, .
244, .
245, .
246, .
247, .
248, .
249, .
250, .
251, .
252, .
253, .
254, .
255, .
256, .
257, .
258, .
259, .
Dec. 9,
Dec. 9,
Dec. 24,
Jan. 13,
Feb. 2,
Mar. 6,
Apr. 5,
Apr. 5,
Apr. 20,
Apr. 20,
June 9,
Aug. 14,
Oct. 19,
Oct. 23,
Nov. 11,
Nov. 11,
Nov. 15,
1914
1914
1914
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
From Metropolitan Park Com-
mission.
From Metropolitan Park Com-
mission.
$60
$59
From Boston Police Department,
From Boston Police Department,
From Metropolitan Park Com-
mission.
From Metropolitan Park Com-
mission.
$50
From Boston Police Department,
$50
Gift of C. H. Hastings, Lynn,
Sept. 13, 1915
July 22, 1915
May 28, 1915
Mar. 12, 1915
Nov. 30, 1915
Nov. 30, 1915
Exchanged.
Chloroformed and bled.
Chloroformed and bled.
Returned to owner.
Returned to owner.
Shot by order of owner.
Table No. 3. — Operations on Horses from Dec. 1, 1914, to Yov. SO, 1916.
Anti-
toxin
Value
in
Units
per
Cubic
Centi-
meter
at Last
Test.
Blood drawn in Cubic Centimeters.
Number
of Cubic
Centi-
meters
Serum
Yield.
Per
Cent.
Serum
Yield.
Number
of Cubic
Centi-
meters
Citrate
Plasma
Yield.
Horse
Number.
Numbers
of Tap-
pings.
Number
of Cubic
Centi-
meters
into Jars.
Number
of Cubic
Centi-
meters
into 10
Per Cent.
Sodium
Citrate.
Total
Cubic
Centi-
meters.
Per
Cent.
Citrate
Plasma
Yield.
143, .
165, .
196, .
201, .
204, .
213, .
216, .
218, .
225
200
200
225
225
325
200
225
86-91
66-72
42-48
42-51
39
27-44
24-43
15-30
42,000
30,000
57,600
107,400
120,500
84,000
34,000
27,000
90,800
14,400
36,800
12,600
76,000
57,000
90,800
72,000
36,800
107,400
120,500
96,600
17,650
11,625
24,425
46,300
53,676
35,375
42.0
38.7
42.4
43.0
44.5
42.1
22,100
19,500
52,100
11,500
28,400
9,700
65.0
71.4
57.3
79.8
77.1
76.9
774
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Table No. 3 — Concluded.
Anti-
toxin
Value
in
Units
per
Cubic
Centi-
meter
at Last
Test.
Blood drawn in C
UBic Centimeters.
Number
of Cubic
Centi-
meters
Serum
Yield.
Per
Cent.
Serum
Yield.
Number
of Cubic
Centi-
meters
Citrate
Plasma
Yield.
Horse
Number.
Numbers
of Tap-
pings.
Number
of Cubic
Centi-
meters
into Jars.
Number
of Cubic
Centi-
meters
into 10
Per Cent.
Sodium
Citrate.
Total
Cubic
Centi-
meters.
Per
Cent.
Citrate
Plasma
Yield.
219,
200
13-26
90,000
48,400
138.400
43,225
48,2
40,300
83.2
226,
150
4-7
24,800
-
24.800
11.700
47.1
-
-
228.
150
4-7
-
67,950
67.950
-
-
44,500
62.2
229,
200
4-23
77.900
72,600
150,500
30,425
39.0
51,650
71.1
231,
200
4-23
63,100
72.000
135,100
24,325
38.5
51,900
71.9
233,
400
3-21
120,500
-
120,500
46,800
38.8
-
-
234,
225
1-14
72,000
39.500
111,500
23,500
32.6
23,800
62.5
235,
225
1-15
94,600
-
94,600
40,900
43.2
-
-
236.
250
1-13
73.400
30,000
103,400
25.550
34.8
21,350
71.1
238,
225
1-15
100,000
-
100,000
35.050
35.0
-
-
239,
250
1-15
115,300
-
115,300
44,775
38.8
-
-
241,
200
1-15
117,500
-
117.500
52,025
44.2
-
-
243,
225
1-14
95,200
-
95,200
34,000
35.7
-
-
244,
325
1-16
104,000
-
104,000
40,850
39.2
-
-
246,
150
1
-
48,400
48,400
-
-
32,600
67.3
250,
225
1-11
-
61,200
61,200
-
-
38,400
62.7
249,
325
1-10
58,400
-
58,400
22,625
39.0
-
-
251,
200
1-4
-
25.200
25.200
-
-
16,500
65.4
252,
200
1-7
-
32.400
32.400
-
-
21,600
66.6
253,
200
1-2
-
12,600
12,600
-
-
8,700
69.0
Totals,
-
-
1.648.200
725.850
2.374,050
664,800
40.3'
494.600
60.7'
' Average.
Operations on Antimeningitis Horses from Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov. SO, 1915.
Horse Number.
Number of
Tappings.
Number of
Cubic Centi-
meters of
Blood drawn.
Number of
Cubic
Centimeters
Serum Yield.
185
224
232
9-13
1-3
1-3
30,100
24,900
18,000
11,925
9,150
5,675
Totals
-
73,000
26,750
No. 34.] ANTITOXIN AND VACCINE LABORATORY. 775
Table No. 4. — General Summary of Production and Distribution, 1914-15.
Diphtheria Antitoxin.
Number of liters of diphtheria antitoxin on hand Dec. 1, 1914, . . 627.6
Number of liters of diphtheria antitoxin produced Dec. 1, 1914, to
Nov. 30, 1915: —
Normal serum, 664 8
Globulin serum, 138 . 9
Total, S03.7
Nimiber of liters of diphtheria antitoxin available for use during year, 1,431 .3
Number of liters of diphtheria antitoxin filled in and distributed
Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov. 30, 1915, 708.0
Number of liters of diphtheria antitoxin on hand Dec. 1, 1915, . . 723. a
Antimeningitis Serum. ^^ ^^''''
Stock on hand Dec. 1, 1914, 16 345
Produced from Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov. 30, 1915, 26^750
Returned serum, reserve, etc., 1 685
Total, 44780
Amoimt distributed from Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov. 30, 1915, . . . 17,105
Amount in stock Dec. 1, 1915, 26 675
Test Animals Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov. SO, 1015.
Number of guinea pigs rais ed at laboratory, 493
Number of guinea pigs purchased, 227
Number of guinea pigs used during year, 725
776
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Ob
(SO
S
-^
o
n
<; "g
a.
s
Q. Ci
t*-i
"S-^
2-a^
id
;?;
00
M>
to
t^
00
CO
CO
00
Tji
So-2ci§
"^
0
CC
c^
CO
05
■*
•^
C5
CO
aH§§(^
'^
'^
'""'
'"'
"""
'"'
'"'
CI
0
12;-
• Si
1
'
1
1
1
1
'
1
1
'
1
^
1
1
,
1
1
1
to
to
0
<
f!<
-P
o
!«
1
1
1
1
1
1
c^
00
to
1
00
^
>o
00
O
§-a
'~*
C-l
00
=o>;3
o
s
IM
00
7S.
"=.■3
o
0
ta
■<*r
to"
w
".
-^p
1
^
1
1
1
1
to
-K
1
'~<
•^
°3
Nt)
^
0
0
0
■*
0
0
0
S.S
0
0
0
■^
■^
00
C^
;5
o
"=.0
0
t^
t^
0
CO
Oi
"t3
' '
' *
*"*
' '
'^
"^
«
K
0
0
0
0
.H
0
0
0
,_,
0
IB
Q
J
"Id
ti
!ii
H
^l^-
«-
(m"
Cv|
--^3
'"'
K
eq
•z.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
-^
■<-M
H
0
0
O
J2"3
t3
n
CO
t^
■<»*
t-^
CO
^
CI
0
0
.
J2
i
e3
13
a
3
"3
<
a
3
•-5
■-5
3
3
<
0
ft
CO
Si
5
0
c
0
»
<
k
'A
X
1
■^
10
ira
in
>o
•0
>t5
10
>o
»ra
in
«3
01
01
OS
CT>
2
2
2
05
o>
a>
Oi
2
No. 34.] ANTITOXIN AND VACCINE LABORATORY. 777
w
s
Oh
ts
•co
.N
S
CQ
^
S
e
?>
<u
*fc^
►«
Q
►iv
.w.
<u
^
C)
Eh
T3.
_ a! oj
o £ o
05
IM
CO
IM
^
c!
t-^
CO
tc
t-T
co"
>o
co"
o
o^
OO
■^^2
1
1
1
1
,
CO
2;^.
1
,
1
1
1
r
00
oo
•ra
,«
<
31
^
S
o
(-
1
1
1
1
1
1
C<I
oo
o
1
'^
o.-S
"=0
top
o
o
m
00
OJ
CO
M
C<1
C^l
1
I
1
§.5
o
'^
'^
'^
CO
00
1
1
1
1
1
1
00
C-1
1
1
o"
^ '
R-'H
«^p
o
^
o
o
00
„
o
o
o
o
s.§
o
<= a
■*
•^
*!*<
CO
CO
c»
CO
CO
>o
■"^
H
D
«
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
00
S-2
s-a
^
■»
CO
00
■*
•^
oo
Q
'^
'^
""*
"
"
o
>:i
->!
K
S
Z
o
o
o
o
o
El
a
CO
§;a
•<**
■>J<
■*
o
CO
o_
co_
00
p
•
d
o
S
11)
a
<u
Q
1
X!
03
o
CI
3
•-5
m
to
3
o
i
0.
o
3
o
o
o
a
1
oi
■<
H
i»
.
•1
1
tH
lO
lO
us
to
lO
lO
>o
lo"
lO
Ui
U5
o>
OS
o>
o>
o
a>
o
s
C»
OS
s
OS
778
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Table No. 7. — Distribution of Antimeningitis Serum from Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov.
SO, 1915.
Year.
Month.
Doses (15 Cubic
Centimeters each)
sent out.
1914
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915
1915,
1915
December,
January,
February,
March
April,
May
June,
July
August
September,
October,
November,
100
50
150
100
150
50
100
200
50
50
100
Total
1,100
Summary of the Work of Propagating Vaccine Virus and
Typhoid Prophylactic.
Special Tests for Safeguarding the Purity of Vaccine Virus.
As a safeguard for the purity and potency of the vaccine, the fol-
lowing tests are made for each lot before its distribution: —
1. To determine the number of bacteria, one-fourth cubic centimeter
of vaccine is shaken with a measured amount of normal salt solution;
1 cubic centimeter of this is added to melted agar and "plated."
After two days in the incubator, the colonies which have developed
on the plate are counted, and the number of bacteria per cubic centi-
meter calculated. A microscopic examination is also made of repre-
sentative colonies, to determine their morphologic characters.
2. The effect of vaccine virus on a guinea pig is determined by inject-
ing one-fourth cubic centimeter of the finished product subcutane-
ously in the region of the abdomen. The animal is then observed at
frequent intervals for a month, or until the subcutaneous swelling,
produced by the bacteria in the vaccine, has disappeared. This test
is supplementary to the three other tests against tetanus and other
pathogenic micro-organisms.
3. The presence or absence of Bacillus Welchii in vaccine is shown by
No. 34.] ANTITOXIN AND VACCINE LABORATORY. 779
adding one-fourth cubic centimeter to a tube of sterile milk and incu-
bating. This is observed during forty-eight hours for the character-
istic "stormy fermentation" and odor of butyric acid.
4. Three different tests are made for the tetanus bacillus as fol-
lows: (a) one-fourth cubic centimeter of vaccine is added to a fermen-
tation tube containing unfermented bouillon and sterile (guinea pig)
tissue; (b) one-fourth cubic centimeter of vaccine is added to a fer-
mentation tube containing unfermented bouillon to which has been
added 1 per cent, dextrose; (c) one-fourth cubic centimeter of vaccine
is added to a second 1 per cent, dextrose-bouillon tube, which is then
steamed for an hour (Arnold sterilizer) at 65° to 70° C.
These three fermentation tubes are then placed at a temperature of
37° C. for nine days, and observed during this period in regard to gas
production, surface growth and degree of cloudiness of the fluid.
Stained preparations are made from the sediment and examined under
the microscope for anaerobic spores.
On the ninth day of incubation, a mouse is inoculated from each
tube, being given a subcutaneous injection of one-fourth cubic centi-
meter of the culture. During the first forty-eight hours after inocu-
lation, the mouse is watched carefully for signs of tetanus. Further
observation of the animal is made for a month.
5. If the above tests show the vaccine to be suitable for use, potency
tests are made on children supplemented by similar tests on calves.
Careful records are kept concerning the special characters of the
"take" in each case. No vaccine is sent out which does not comply
with the requirements of all of the tests.
The following tables show the details of the vaccine and typhoid
work: —
Vaccine, 1915.
Table No. 1. — Calves inoculated and Vaccine produced, Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov.
30, 1916.
When received.
1914.
December 2,
1915.
January 6, . . .
January 12, .
January 26, .
February 19,
Number
of Calves.
'Laboratory
Number.
462
463
/464
1 465
/466
\467
468
Yield of Vaccine.
Cubic
Centimeters.
80
70
70
73
92 «
55 «
95
One-sixtieth
Cubic Centi-
meter Doses.
4,800
4,200
4,200
4,380
5,520
3,300
5,700
i Vaccine not used.
780
STATE DEPARTMENT OP HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Table No. 1 — Concluded.
When received.
1915.
March 6, . . .
March 30, . . .
April 23,
May 14, ...
May 28,
June 14, ...
July 30,
August 14, .
September 9,
October 1, .
Totals, .
Number
of Calves.
Laboratory
Number.
470
/471
'[472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
,481
482
483
484
485
486
,487
f488
^489
[490
;491
\492
Yield of Vaccine.
Cubic
Centimeters.
100
110
115
80
60
85
64
78
75
97
100
85
95
95
90
70
100
103
117
2,319
One-sixtieth
Cubic Centi-
meter Doses.
3,900
6,000
6,600
6,900
4,800
3,600
5,100
3,840
4,680
4,500
5,820
6,000
5,100
5,700
5,700
5,400
4,200
6,000
6,180
7,020
139,140
1 Vaccine not used.
Table No. 2. — Summary of Work by Months.
Month.
Number
of Calves
inoculated.
Doses of
Vaccine
produced.
Doses of
Vaccine
sent out.
Doses
returned
unused.
Doses
used.
19U.
December,
1915.
January, .
February,
March,
April,
May,
June,
July,
August, .
September,
October, .
November,
Totals,
4,800
3,995
12,780
3,275
8,820
2,540
5,700
4,008
-
4,565
23,400
10,440
22,020
5,080
-
7,075
16,320
27,066
32,100
23,806
13,200
8,672
-
4,400
139,140
104,922
339
3,118
3,656
199
3,076
27
2,513
96
3,912
391
4,174
225
10,215
34
5,046
39
7,036
277
26,789
181
23,625
647
8,025
663
3,737
101,804
No. 34.] ANTITOXIN AND VACCINE LABORATORY. 781
Table No, 3. — Autopsies on Vaccine Calves, 1916.
Date op
Autopsy.
1914.
December 9,
1915.
January 14,
January 27,
Janiiary 27,
February 10,
February 10,
March 3,
March 23,
April 14,
May 4, .
May 11, .
May 26, .
May 26, .
May 26, .
June 9, .
June 9, .
June 9, .
June 26, .
June 28, .
June 28, .
August 11,
August 11,
August 18,
September 8,
September 8,
September 8,
September 22,
September 22,
September 22,
October 13,
October 13,
Number
of Calf.
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
Autopsy Notes.
Remarks.
Normal,
Normal,
Normal,
Normal, . . . ■
Normal
Several small pneumonic areas; otherwise normal.
Normal
Erosions on lips and tongue,
Erosions on lips and in stomach; tuberculous med-
iastinal glands.
Small papules on lips,
Two small areas of pneumonia; subcutaneous
swelling on abdomen.
Normal,
Normal,
Normal
Normal
Normal,
Normal,
Calf died of gastroenteritis,
Normal,
Normal,
Normal
Normal
Normal
Normal,
Normal
Normal
Normal
Normal
Normal
Normal
Normal,
Vaccine not used.
Vaccine not used.
Vaccine not used.
Vaccine not used.
Vaccine not used.
Vaccine not used.
No vaccine.
782 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Table No. 4. — General Summary.
Number of calves inoculated, 31
Vaccine virus produced (cubic centimeters), 2,319
Vaccine virus produced (one-sixtieth cubic centimeter doses), . . 139,140
Number of capillary tubes sent out, 100,922
Vaccine virus sent out in bulk (one-sixtieth cubic centimeter doses), . 4,000
Total doses sent out, 104,922
Doses returned, 3,118
Approximate amount (doses) used, 101,804
Amount of vaccine (cubic centimeters) on hand Dec. 1, 1914, . . 483
Amount produced during the year, ,2,319
Allowance for dilution of vaccine,^ 235
Total, 3,037
Amount reserved, including seed, 261
Amount for distribution, 2,776
Amount sent out, 1,749
Amount (cubic centimeters) on hand Nov. 30, 1915, .... 1,027
Amount (one-sixtieth cubic centimeter doses) on hand Nov. 30, 1915, 61,620
* Owing to the "thickness" of the vaccine as originally prepared, it is diluted about 15 per cent, before
filling into capillary tubes.
No. 34.] ANTITOXIN AND VACCINE LABORATORY. 783
Table No. 5. — Amount of Typhoid Prophylactic prepared and distributed
December, 1914, to November, 1915, inclusive.
Month.
Amount pre-
pared (Cubic
Centimeters).
Ampoules
and Doses in
Bulk (1 Cubic
Centimeter)
sent out.
Ampoules
returned.
1914.
December
1915.
January, ....
February, ....
March,
April,
May
June
July
August, ....
September
October, . .
November
Totals
2,000
38,400
900
31,355
56
-
400
59
1,800
500
-
1,800
1,649
171
6,000
3,676
126
4,000
6,005
27
8,000
7,675
18
4,000
1,650
15
-
1,500
35
3,600
2,100
23
3,600
3,100
101
3.600
2,200
27
658
Summary.
Amount (cubic centimeters) on hand Dec. 1, 1914, 2,066
Amount produced Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov. 30, 1915, 38,400
Amount for use during the year, 40,466
Amomit sent out during the year, 31,365
Balance, 9,111
Amount not used, 6,011
Amount on hand Nov. 30, 1915, 3,100
HERBERT R. BROWN,
Assistant Director, in Charge of Antitoxin and Vaccine Laboratory.
Division of Hygiene.
[785]
DIVISION or HYGIENE.
Director, Selskar M. Gunn,
Dr. Allan J. McLaughlin, Commissioner of Health.
Sir : — I have the honor to submit the following report of the
Division of Hygiene for the year ending Nov. 30, 1915.
Respectfully submitted,
SELSKAR M. GUNN,
Director.
First Eepoet of the Division of Hygiene.
The Division of Hygiene of the State Department of Health was
created on May 1, 1915, by vote of the Public Health Council, and
the director of the Division was appointed on May 15, 1915, under an
arrangement which provided that he should give half his time to the
duties of the position.
Miss May B. Dickinson, who had been working for the Division of
Communicable Diseases, was immediately transferred to the new
division and later on was given the title of field supervisor of the
Division of Hygiene. On Aug. 10, 1915, Mr, L. W. Feezer was ap-
pointed assistant director on half-time. In the late summer Miss
M. H. P. Bridges was appointed temporary health instructor.
As the Department had never undertaken any regular work in
health education the Division had no precedent to follow and had to
create its activities.
Infant Mortality.
One of the chief health problems that first received the attention
of the Division was infant mortality. While there has been an un-
doubted decrease in the infant mortality rate for the State, as shown
by the following figures for the six years ending 1914, it is obvious
that many infants now succumb whose lives could be saved under the
best of conditions.
Infant Mortality Statistics of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts.^
Year.
Total Births.
Deaths
under One
Year.
Infant
Mortality
Rate.
1909,
84,039
10,693
127.2
1910,
86,539
11,499
132.9
1911,
• .
88,327
10,543
119.4
1912,
89,882
10,472
116.5
1913,
91,644
10,086
110.1
1914,
93,399
9,894
105.9
1 Figures in this table taken from records of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
788 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
As no information was available of the infant mortality rate for
each community in the State, it was considered essential that a special
statistical study be made of infant mortality in each of the 353 cities
and towns of the State. This information was deemed necessary so
that the Division might know where educational work was most
needed. The information could only be obtained by going over all the
death certificates and tabulating those under one year of age. This
was done for each community for the six years ending 1914. The in-
formation gathered is of the greatest value, and a special report on
the subject is now being prepared. This work was done while the
Division was getting material ready for its lecture service and infant
welfare exhibit.
A special house-to-house investigation was made in Lowell in 284
homes in which an infant had died during the previous year.
Lecture Service.
One of the recognized channels of health education is by means of
health lectures. With the co-operation of the Division of Communi-
cable Diseases thirteen health lectures were prepared, and in each in-
stance a collection of lantern slides obtained.
A list of these lectures follows: —
Cancer and the Wear and Tear Diseases of Adult Life.
Child Welfare.
Health on the Farm.
How to Keep Well.
Insects and Disease.
Man and the Microbe.
Milk.
Oral Hygiene.
Public Health Nurse.
Pure and Clean Food.
Quackery and the Patent Medicine Evil.
School Hygiene.
Tuberculosis.
A circular describing the lecture service was prepared and dis-
tributed to boards of health, women's clubs and other organizations.
The Division also purchased electric and gas stereopticons.
A few lectures were given in May, June, July and August, but the
regular winter season lecture service did not commence until October.
The following table shows the lectures given by months: —
J
No. 34.
DIVISION OF HYGIENE.
789
May, 6
June, 7
July, 10
August, 14
September, 0
October,' 25
November, 44
Total, 106
There is a growing demand for these lectures, and the Division has
booked over 100 lectures for a single month during the coming winter.
xiiese lectures ^
ere
give
11 111
ine i(
Jiiowing communi
ties:
—
Amherst, 6
Lowell, .
1
Arlington,
4
Marion, .
1
Bellingham, .
1
Medfield,
1
Beverly, .
1
Milton, .
1
Billerica,
2
Northampton,
1
Boston, .
25
North Adams,
2
Bourne, .
1
Norwood,
1
Braintree,
1
Pittsfield,
1
Bridgewater, .
1
Quincy, .
9
Brimfield,
1
Rockland,
1
Brockton,
1
Salem, .
1
Cambridge, .
5
Southwick,
1
Chicopee,
1
Springfield, .
3
Concord, N. H.,
1
Uxbridge,
2
Dighton,
1
Wakefield, .
1
Fairhaven,
3
Watertown, .
1
Gloucester,
1
Wayland,
9
Hanover,
1
Wellesley,
2
Hanson, .
1
Westborough,
1
Holyoke,
3
Wilmington, .
1
Hubbardston,
1
Hull, . .
2
Total, 106
Lee,
1
Moving Pictures.
The Division also purchased eight moving picture films dealing with
health topics. These films cover the following subjects: —
"Bringing It Home," Child Welfare.
"The Long vs. the Short Haul," Child Welfare.
"The Temple of Moloch," Tuberculosis.
"The Price of Human Lives," Tuberculosis.
"In His Father's Footsteps," Typhoid Fever.
"Toothache," Oral Hygiene.
"The Price of Thoughtlessness," Accidents.
"Fly Danger."
790 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
There is no question of the value of films as a bait to produce
audiences. The health films that are now available, with a few excep-
tions, do not seem to be especially good, as the health lesson con-
tained in them is subordinated to the "story." There is, undoubtedly,
a great opportunity for the development of good health films.
With the co-operation of the Brockton board of health the Division
showed films on a Sunday afternoon and evening at one-hour per-
formances to six audiences aggregating approximately 4,500 people.
In Arlington, in conjunction with the board of health, the superin-
tendent of schools and the medical inspector of schools, special pro-
grams of lectures illustrated with moving pictures and lantern slides
were given to the school children. These lectures were given during
school hours, the children being marched in grades from their school
rooms by their teachers. In this manner it was possible for the De-
partment to reach all the public school children in one morning, and,
as they were assembled according to ages, to grade the talks to the
mental development of the children. Every one was pleased with this
experiment. The impossibility of measuring the benefits derived from
such health education is regrettable. That it must have some effect
is obvious, but it needs to be followed up by the school authorities in
a vigorous and interesting manner.
Exhibits.
Realizing the magnitude of the infant morbidity and mortality
problems, it was decided to construct an infant welfare exhibit. The
exhibit consists of twenty panels, 3 by 6 feet. The panels were care-
fully designed and made as attractive as possible with enlarged photo-
graphs and sketches. They cover practically all of the important
points in connection with the subject.
In addition to the panels the exhibit also includes a complete infant
outfit of clothes, feeding bottles, pasteurizer and refrigerator.
The exhibit was first shown at Quincy during the week of Novem-
ber 8. During the week of November 15 the exhibit was shown in
the new wing of the State House in connection with the city and town
planning exhibit.
That such an exhibit is desired by tlie communities of the State is
evidenced by the demand for it. It seems probable that it will be
continually on the road until the advent of hot weather. Additional
exhibits are needed. The Department should have a small general
exhibit for rural sections, and an exhibit on cancer and the wear and
tear diseases of adult life would undoubtedly prove popular.
No. 34.] DIVISION OF HYGIENE. 791
Health Weeks.
Health weeks are becoming popular and are, undoubtedly, of great
value. It is impossible to state to what extent the advent of health
activities on the part of the State Department of Health has stimu-
lated communities to hold health weeks, but it is fair to assume that
our work has been a factor of importance in this connection.
School Hygiene,
This Division, with the co-operation of the Division of Communi-
cable Diseases, prepared a questionnaire with regard to medical in-
spection of schools, the sanitation of school buildings and the teaching
of hygiene in the schools. The District Health Officers by personal
visits collected the information called for from each community in the
State. The tabulation of the results is now in progress, and it should
prove of great value by giving us exact information on these vital
topics.
Publications.
The Division has had charge of the publication of the Monthly
Bulletin of the Department. Efforts have been made to improve it
by making it of more interest. The saving of space by printing tables
in a more economical manner has been effected. The circulation has
also been increased. The Bulletin now goes to approximately 10,000
persons every month. This includes all the physicians in the State.
A special pamphlet on "Mosquitoes and Malaria" was issued during
the summer.
Much time has been spent by members of this Division in the
preparation of a "baby book." The book, which will not be ready
for distribution until next month, is entitled "The Baby and You."
It contains thirty-four pages, and, besides having a two-colored cover,
is illustrated with twenty-eight pen-and-ink sketches prepared by
Miss E. M. Ford, clerk of this Division. It is planned to distribute
this book, already enclosed in an envelope, to all local boards of
health who will mail it to all mothers in their communities as soon as
possible after the report of births.
There is a great need for much popular health literature. At the
present time the Department is unable to distribute such educational
pamphlets on account of lack of funds for this purpose. It is hoped
that in the future it may be possible to prepare and distribute simply
written, attractive pamphlets dealing with many matters of health
significance.
r92 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [P. D. No. 34.
Conclusion.
The Commissioner in his report has very succinctly stated the needs
for health education. No one who has followed the development of
preventive medicine during the last decade can deny the need for
such work. We are rapidly reaching a point in many parts of our
country where public health work can be considered as excellent.
We have an ever-increasing number of competent health officials,
increased budgets for health departments and excellent public health
administration. Nevertheless, in communities so happily situated, we
still find great quantities of communicable disease, and, of course, no
diminution in the so-called wear and tear diseases of adult life. Fur-
ther progress is not so much a question of health administration as it is
of health education. The difficulties are great and only time will
allow us to measure the results.
Repoet of the Boaed of the State
Examinees of Plumbees.
[7931
Eeport of the State Examiners of Plumbers.
Dr. Allan J. McLaughlin, Commissioner of Health.
Sir: — The State Examiners of Plumbers have the honor to submit
the following report of their affairs for the year ending Nov. 30,
1915: —
Examinations.
Boston, Dec. 5, 1914, .
Lowell, Dec. 19, 1914, .
Boston, Jan. 2, 1915, .
Pittsfield, Jan. 16, 1915,
Boston, Feb. 6, 1915, .
Springfield, Feb. 20, 1915, .
Boston, March 6, 1915,
Fall River, March 20, 1915, .
Boston, April 3, 1915, .
Worcester, April 17, 1915,
Boston, May 1, 1915, .
Lowell, May 15, 1915, . .
Boston, June 5, 1915, .
Pittsfield, June 19, 1915,
Boston, July 3, 1915, .
Boston, .Sept. 4, 1915, .
Springfield, Sept. 18, 1915, .
Boston, Oct. 2, 1915, .
Fall River, Oct. 16, 1915, .
Boston, Nov. 6, 1915, .
Worcester, Nov. 20, 1915,
Totals,
Examined.
Passed.
48
22
65
24
100
53
102
39
93
42
72
22
83
26
85
94
65
96
49
100
28
1,310
307
Refused.
40
15
45
18
73
40
77
30
69
32
47
16
60
21
72
79
55
83
34
73
24
1,003
Masters.
JournejTnen.
Total.
Licenses granted on account of examinations Decem-
ber, 1914, to December, 1915.
Probationary licenses issued during the year,
239
307
9
796
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. [Pub. Doc.
Registrations.
December, 1914,
January, 1915,
February, 1915,
March, 1915, .
April, 1915, .
May, 1915, .
June, 1915, .
July, 1915, .
August, 1915, .
September, 1915,
October, 1915,
November, 1915,
Totals, .
Masters.
Journeymen.
9
20
1
21
9
16
14
40
10
26
20
28
12
20
7
24
5
4
9
12
4
35
6
27
106
273
Meetings,
75
Examinations 21
Fees received.
Paid to
the Treasurer
of the
Commonwealth.
1,310 examination fees, at S0.50,
3 examination fees paid in but eyaminations not taken,
106 master plumber licenses issued, at $2, . . .
273 journeyman plumber licenses issued, at $0.50,
1,707 master plumber renewals, at $0.50
3,906 journeyman plumber renewals, at $0.50, .
60 back fees for 1911-14, at $0.50, . . . .
$655 00
1 50
212 00
136 50
853 50
1,953 00
30 00
$3,841 50
No. 34.
EXAMINERS OF PLUMBERS.
797
For carrying out the Provisions of the Act relative to the Examination of
Plumbers.
Appropriations for the year ending Nov. 30, 1915,
$5,200 00
Salary, clerk, $2,000 00
Wages, second and third examiners, 640 00
Travehng expenses,
Express charges,
Printing,
Postage,
Books and stationery,
Plumbers' materials,
Extra services,
Cleaning,
Typewriter and office supplies,
Miscellaneous,
525 37
39 59
347 78
280 30
129 12
54 99
1,017 00
14 50
100.63
11 52
$5,160 80
Sun
imary of Registrations.
Masters.
Journejinen.
Certificate holders, ....--
504
1,769
480
Licenses, year ending May 1, 1916,
2,805
Totak
2,273
3,285
Masters,
Deceased Plumbers {reported to Examiners).
. 14 I Journeymen, .
11
JAMES C. COFFEY, Chairman.
CHARLES R. FELTON.
DAVID CRAIG, Clerk.
INDEX
[799]
INDEX.
PAGE
Aberjona River (Winchester), advice concerning ...... 249
Abington, water supply .......... 254
Absorption of oxygen by trickling filter effluents ...... 403
Accord Pond, analysis of water ......... 256
Act creating a State Department of Health ....... 3
Actinomycosis, case and death rates per 100,000 population .... 620
Cases and deaths from, 1906-15 ........ 620
Cases and deaths reported for 1914 ....... 590
Lines of attack ........... 589
Reported cases of, by cities and towns ....... 634
Acton, water supply ........... 259
Adams, water supply ........... 254, 259
Administration, Division of ........ . 7
Aeration with the aid of biological growths, piirification of sewage by . . 387
Alcohol, examination of ......... . 448
Almond, examination of ......... . 483
American Fireworks Company (Canton), advice concerning water supplj- of . 149
American Woolen Company (Dracut), advice concerning disposal of wastes . 175
Amesbury, water supply .......... 259
Amethyst Brook reservoirs, analysis of water ...... 254
Amherst, advice concerning sewage disposal ....... 158
Water supply ........... 254
Andover, advice concerning sewerage ........ 160, 161
Water supply ........... 255
Anise, deficient in strength, prosecutions for sale of .... . 462
Anterior poliomyelitis .......... 683
Case and death rates per 100,000 population ...... 620
Cases and deaths from, 1906-15 620
Cases and deaths reported for 1914 ....... 587
Reported cases of, by cities and towns ....... 634
Seasonal prevalence of ......... 652
Anthrax 682
Case and death rate per 100,000 population ...... 621
Cases and deaths from, 1906-15 ........ 621
Cases and deaths reported for 1914 ....... 590
Fatality rate ........... 621
Lines of attack ........... 589
Reported cases of, by cities and towns ....... 634
Antimeningitis serum .......... 752
Distribution of, by months, from Dec. 1, 1914, to Nov. 30, 1915 778
Antitoxin, diphtheria ........... 751
Antitoxin and vaccine, expenditures for the production and distribution of . 30
Antitoxin and Vaccine Laboratory, recommendations of .... 756
Summary of antitoxin work at ....... . 769
Appropriations for the Department ........ 28
Arlington, advice concerning ArUngton Reservoir ...... 67
Advice concerning well ......... 149
802
INDEX.
PAGE
Arlington Reservoir, advice concerning ....... 67
Ashburnham, water supply ......... 255
Ashfield, water supply .......... 255
Ashland, water supply .......... 259
Ashland Reservoir, analysis of water ........ 254
Ashley Brook, analysis of water ......... 258
Ashley Lake, analysis of water ......... 258
Aspirin tablets, examination of ........ . 448
Assabet River, examination of ........ . 273, 276
Pollution of 55, 57
Assawompsett Pond, analysis of water ....... 258
Athol, water supply ........... 255
Attleboro, advice concerning condition of swimming pool at Y. M. C. A. . 230, 231
Advice concerning well in Hebronville ....... 149
Advice concerning well of J. E. Blake Company ..... 149
Water supply ........... 259
Austin Brook, analysis of water ......... 255
Avon, water supply ........... 259
Ayer, water supply ........... 259
Bacon, examination of ......... . 483
Bacteria, the effect on, of certain cloth-washing liquors when mixed with sewage 415
Bacterial examinations of water supplies, results of, in cities .... 374
In towns ............ 375
Bacteriological Laboratory, report upon the work of .... . 654
Bacteriologist, special work by the . . . . . . . . 579
Bakers' supplies, examination of . . . . . . . . . 483
Baking powder, examination of ........ . 483
Baldwinsville (Templeton), advice concerning well ..... 149
Barker School (Methuen), advice concerning sewage disposal .... 208
Barnstable, water supply .......... 259
Barre, water supply ........... 255
Basin Pond Brook, analysis of water ........ 256
Bassett Brook, analysis of water ......... 254
Beaman Reservoir, analysis of water . . . . • . . . . 257
Bear Hole Brook, analysis of filtered water ....... 259
Bear Swamp Brook, analysis of water ........ 255
Bedford, water supply .......... 260
Belchertown, advice concerning locations for school for feeble-minded, . . 231
Advice concerning water supply ........ 69
Berkshire Street Railway Company (Pittsfield), advice concerning water and
ice supply . . . . . . . . . . 156
Bernardston, advice concerning water supply of ..... . 70
Beverly, advice concerning conditions at Dane Street bathing beach . . 235
Advice concerning sewerage ......... 162
Big Sandy Pond, analysis of water ........ 254
Billerica, advice concerning water supply of Boston & Maine Railroad car shops 72, 73
Water supply 260
Biologic Laboratories, Division of ....... . 21
Report of Division of ......... . 751
Birch Reservoir, analysis of water ........ 257
Black Brook, analysis of water ......... 258
Blackstone River, examination of ........ 264, 268
Pollution of 56
Blake, J. E., Company (Attleboro), advice concerning well of . . . 149
Blake estate (Weston), advice concerning water supply ..... 146
IxNDEX.
803
Blandford, water supply .........
Bondsville (Palmer), water supply .......
Boston, main drainage outlet at Moon Island .....
Boston & Maine Railroad (Billerica), advice concerning water supply of car
shops, ..........
Boston & Maine Railroad (East Deerfield), advice concerning water supply of
Bottomly Reservoir, analysis of water .......
Braintree, advice concerning odors from cinder pile of New York, New Haven
& Hartford Railroad ........
Water supply ..........
Bread, examination of ........ .
Bridgewater, advice concerning sewage di.sposal .....
Advice concerning well ........
Water supply ..........
Broad Brook, analysis of water ........
Brockton, advice concerning disposal of wastes of Brockton Gas Light Company
Water supply ..........
Brockton Gas Light Company (Brockton), advice concerning disposal of wastes
Brookfield (East), water supply ........
Brookline, water supply .........
Brown's Pond, analysis of water ........
Buckman Brook Reservoir, analysis of water .....
Buckmaster Pond, analysis of water .......
Butter, examination of ........ .
Held in cold storage .........
Buttery Brook Reservoir, analysis of water ......
P.\GE
255
261
340
72,73
77,78
259
236
260
483
163
149
260
257
165
255
165
260
260
258
255
257
444, 483
496
258
Cady Brook, analysis of water ......
Cambridge, water supply .......
Camphor, spirits of, deficient in strength, prosecutions for sale of
Camphor Hniment, examination of .... .
Canned goods, examination of ..... .
Canton, advice concerning wastes from Springdale Finishing Company
Advice concerning water supply of American Fireworks Company
Advice concerning water supply of Massachusetts Hospital School
Water supply .........
Cape Pond, analysis of water .......
Carbon monoxide in gases from fermenting sewage sludges
Cerebro-spinal meningitis, case and death rates per 100,000 population
Cases and deaths from, 1906-15 .
Fatality rate ....
Reported cases of, by cities and towns in 1915
Seasonal prevalence of
Charles River, analysis of filtered water
Examination of . . .
Pollution of ... .
Cheese, examination of . . .
Chelmsford, advice concerning wells
Chelmsford (Center) , water supply
Chelmsford (North) , water supply
Chelsea, advice concerning well of Rossi Bros. Company
Cherry Valley and Rochdale Water Supply District (Leicester), water su
Cheshire, water supply
Chester, water supply
Chestnut Hill Reservoir, analysis of water
pply
255
255
462
448
483
167
149
73
260
258
385
619
619
619
634
652
257
269, 270
56
483
149
260
260
149
261
255
255
254
804
INDEX.
Chicken pox, case and death rates per 100,000 population
Cases and deaths from, 1906-15 .
Cases reported for 1914
FataUty rate ....
Lines of attack ....
Reported cases of, by cities and towns
Chicopee, advice concerning water supply of Willimansett
Water supply ....
Chicopee (Fairview), water supply
Chicopee Brook, pollution of
Chicopee River, examination of .
Pollution of ....
Cider, adulterated, prosecutions for sale of
Examination of .
Citrate of magnesia, examination of
Clam juice, examination of
Cloth-washing liquors, the effect on bacteria of certain, when mixed with sewage
Cocoa, examination of . . .
Codding Brook reservoirs, analysis of water
Coffee, examination of . . .
Cohasset, water supply
Cold Brook Reservoir, analysis of water
Cold storage, articles condemned upon examination as unfit for food
Articles placed in and quantities of butter and eggs held during Oct. 1
1914, to Oct. 1, 1915
Food held in ...... .
Prosecutions for violation of laws
Quarterly reports of articles in ... .
Requests (granted) for extension of time of articles in
For removal of articles in .
Requests (not granted) for extension of time on goods in
Statistical summary of articles held .....
Cold storage warehouses Ucensed from Dec. 1, 1914, to Dec. 1, 1915
Collinsville (Dracut) , advice concerning disposal of wastes of American Woolen
Company ....
Water supply ....
Colrain, advice concerning ice supply .
Water supply ....
Commissioner of Health, report of the
Communicable disease, follow-up system
Problem of the Commonwealth, brief consideration of the principal features
of
Communicable disease control, decentraHzed system of .
Communicable disease work, need of more uniform terms in .
Communicable diseases, case and death rates, per 100,000 population
Cases and deaths from, 1906-15 ......
Compilation of reports
Duties of State District Health Officers in reinvestigations of
Fatality rates ....
Investigations of outbreaks of
Lack of adequate mortality reports for checking up results
Reported cases of, by cities and towns
Seasonal prevalence of certain
Statistics of ... .
Communicable Diseases, Division of
Diagnostic Laboratory
PAGE
621
621
588
621
588
634
74
255
260
57
271, 272
57
459
483
449
483
415
445, 483
256
445, 483
260
256
467
496
447
451, 463
452
487
494
493
484
497
175
260
150
255
2
545
579
547
553
613-627
613-627
545
568
613-627
627
546
634
652
633
15
554
INDEX.
805
Communicable Diseases, Division of, establishment of .
Miscellaneous and special work by the division's personnel
Special work by the bacteriologist ....
Special work by the director .....
Special work by the District Health Officers
Special work by the epidemiologist ....
New lines of work recommended by ... .
Report of ........ .
Reports to United States Public Health Service
Scope of work ........
Subdivision of epidemiology ......
Work of State District Health Officers ....
Concord River, examination of .
Pollution of ........
Water supply ........
Condimental sauces, examination of .
Confectionery, examination of ..... .
Connecticut River, examination of .... .
Pollution of . . .
Contact filters, operation of ......
Contact filtration of sewage clarified by aeration .
Contagious diseases, new form of local record book for .
Conway, advice concerning locations for school for feeble-minded
Cook Allen Reservoir, analysis of water ....
Cooley Brook (Chicopee), analysis of water ....
Cooley Brook (Longmeadow) , analysis of water
Coolidge Memorial Hospital (Pittsfield), advice concerning location
of water supply and sewage disposal
Coweeset River, pollution of ..... .
Cream, chemical examinations made in Food and Drug Laboratory
Examination of .
Cream of tartar, examination of .
Crj'stal Lake (Gardner), analysis of water
Crystal Lake (Haverhill), analysis of water
Crystal Lake (Wakefield), analysis of water
Crystal Spring (Peabody), advice concerning
Culture tubes, distributed by Diagnostic Laboratory
and
plans
P.A.GE
540
574
579
575
577
576
590
537
551
542
543
564
273, 276
57
255
446, 483
483
277
58
404
406
552
231
257
255
257
242
61
443
483
483
256
256
258
149
659
Dairy inspection .......••••
Dairy products, report on, to the Thirty-second Convention of Associatipn of
Official Agricultiu-al Chemists at Washington, D. C, Nov. 15, 1915,
by Lewis I. Nurenberg, assistant analyst, Massachusetts State
Department of Health ....
Dalton, advice concerning water supply of .
Water supply .......
Dana, advice concerning spr'ngs at Dana Center School
Dana Center School (Dana), advice concerning springs at
Danvers, advice concerning sewerage ....
Advice concerning taking clams from flats in Danvers River
Advice concerning wastes from Danvers Leather Company
Water supply ....••••
Danvers Leather Company (Danvers), advice concerning wastes
Danvers River, advice concerning taking of clams from flats in . . 236,
Darby Brook Reservoir, analysis of water
Death rates from certain diseases dangerous to the public health 613, 615, 616
438
517
75
255
149
149
169
236. 237
172, 173
255
172, 173
237, 242
259
618, 619
806
INDEX.
Death rates from less frequent communicable diseases
Death rates of Massachusetts, 1906-10
Deaths from certain diseases dangerous to the public health . . 601, 613
Deaths from less frequent communicable disease
Dedham, water supply ....
Deerfield, advice concerning sewage disposal at South Deerfield
Deerfield (East) , advice concerning water supply of Boston & Maine Railroad
Deerfield (Fire District), water supply
Deerfield (South) , water supply .
Deerfield River, examination of .
Pollution of . . .
Depth of filtering material and trickling filter efiiciency
Diagnostic Laboratory, character of the work of
Correlation of work with epidemiological work
Cost of examinations ....
Difficulties of service ....
Distribution of silver nitrate prophylactic
Expenditures for the maintenance of
Future development of work of
Increase in work of ... .
Outfits distributed by .
Rapidity of service ....
Relations with local diagnostic laboratories
Report upon the examination of miscellaneous specimens
Total examinations made by, 1910-15 .
Work of ..... .
Work of a research nature
Dike's Brook Reservoir, analysis of water
Diphtheria ......
Carrier work .....
Case and death rates per 100,000 population
Cases and deaths from, 1906-15 .
Cases and deaths reported for 1914
Cases and deaths reported to State Department of Health, Nov. 1, 1914
to Oct. 31, 1915
Diagram of cases reported 1914 and 1915
Fatality rates per 100,000 population
Investigation of outbreak, at Brockton .
At Framingham ....
At Holbrook and Brockton
At Marlborough
At Needham .
At Rockport .
At Wellesley .
Lines of attack .
Reported cases of, by cities and towns
Seasonal prevalence of
Virulence test ....
Diphtheria antitoxin ....
Distribution of, by months .
Production and distribution of
Diphtheria cultures, report upon the examination of
Diseases, charts of
Investigations of
Record system
PAGE
620-627
633
, 615-619
620-627
260
174
77,78
260
255
278
61
393
655
562
555
554
562
32
658
554
659
556
559
658
654
554
557
256
685
558
615
615
581
601
597
615
688
631, 690
632
632
689
631
689
581
634
652
559
751
776
775
655, 660
597
594
595
INDEX.
807
District Health Officer;
Diseases, records of .
Records (local) .
Reinvestigation of
Reporting of . . .
Routine reports received by State
System of reporting
Diseases, communicable, compilation of reports
Establishment of Division of
Follow-up system
Lack of adequate mortality reports for checking up result;
Report of Division of .
Scope of work of Division of
Subdivision of epidemiology .
Diseases, contagious, new form of local record book for
Diseases dangerous to the public health, effect of extending total list to come
within meaning of chapter 380, Acts of 1909 (amendatory to chapter
213, Acts of 1902)
Extension of list of
List of reportable
Disinfection of water by liquid chlorine and bleach
District Health Officers,
Dual nature of duties of
Investigation of communicable diseases
Investigative duties of
Miscellaneous work of .
Organization of .
Oversight supervision of tuberculosis by ..... 608
Special work by the ....
Work of ..... .
Doane Pond, analysis of water
Dog bite, reported cases of, by cities and towns
Seasonal prevalence of ...
Dog bite and rabies, case and death rates
Cases and deaths from, 1915
FataHty rate .....
Douglas, water supply ....
Dow's Brook Reservoir, analysis of water
Dracut, advice concerning disposal of wastes of American Woolen Company
Advice concerning well at Kenwood School
Dracut (Collinsville) , water supply
Dracut (Water Supply District), water supply
Draper Company (Hopedale), ad^'ice concerning sewerage
Drinks, nonalcoholic, examination of .
Drugs, complaints entered in court, 1883-1915
Examinations of .
Examinations of proprietary
Prosecutions
Statistical summary
Drj' Brook, analysis of water
Dudley, water supply
Duxbury, advice concerning ice supply
Advice concerning water supply of
Water supply ....
Dysentery, case and death rates .
Cases and deaths from, 1915
PAGE
595
572
594
593
568
543
545
541
545
546
537
542
543
552
549
548
549
427
541
567
568
570
572
564
611, 612
577
564
257
634
652
622
622
622
260
256
175
149
260
260
195
445, 483
455
447
449
450
484
254
260
151
78
260
622
622
808
INDEX.
Dysentery, fatality rate ........
Reported cases of, by cities and towns .....
East Brookfield (Brookfield), water supply .....
East Deerfield (Deerfield), advice concerning water supply of Boston & Ma
Railroad .........
Eastham, ad^^ce concerning well ......
Easthampton, water supply .......
East Longmeadow, advice concerning well .....
East Mountain Reservoir, analysis of water .....
Easton, advice concerning water supply of North Easton Village District
Advice concerning water supply of South Easton and Eastondale Fire and
Water District .......
Advice concerning water supply of Unionville
Water supply ........
Edgartown, advice concerning sewage disposal at North School
Water supply ........
Educational work of State District Health Officers
Eggs, examinations of .......
Held in cold storage .......
Violations of laws relative to sale of .
Egremont (South), water supply ......
Egypt Brook Reservoir, analysis of water ....
Elder's Pond, analysis of water ......
Enfield, advice concerning spring .....
Epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis .....
Cases and deaths reported for 1914
Cases and deaths reported to State Department of Health, Nov. 1, 1914
to Oct. 31, 1915
Epidemiological bookkeeping or morbidity balance sheets
Epidemiological control, fundamentals of . . .
Epidemiological problems in Massachusetts .
Epidemiological summaries
System of .
Epidemiological work, scope of
Epidemiologist, report of .
Special work by the
Work of .
Epidemiology, a subdivision of Communicable Disease Division
System of disease reporting ......
Essex, advice concerning water supply of town farm
Ether, deficient in strength, prosecutions for sale of
Everett Mills (Lawrence) , advice concerning well .
Exhibits ..........
Expenditures of the Department under the various appropriations
Expenditures, antitoxin and vaccine production and distribution
Diagnostic Laboratory . . . . .
Food and drugs ........
Ophthalmia neonatorum ......
Slaughtering inspection and cold storage
State Inspectors of Health ......
Water supply and sewage disposal ....
Experiment Station and laboratories, report of . . .
Experiments upon the purification of sewage and water at the Lawrence Experi
ment Station
Extracts, flavoring, examination of
377
445, 483
INDEX.
809
pumping station
84
Fairhaven, advice concerning location of public bathing pavilion at New Bed-
ford Harbor
Advice concerning well at Fort Phoenix
Water supply ....
Fairview (Chicopee), water supply
Fall Brook Reservoir, analysis of water
Fall River, advice concerning sewage disposal at water works
Advice concerning water supply of
Water supply ....
Falmouth, advice concerning ice supply
Advice concerning water supply of
Water supply ....
Falulah Brook, analysis of water
Farnham Reservoir, analysis of water .
Fat (cooking), examination of
Filters: —
Contact, Nos. 175 and 421 to 428, inclusive, and secondary contact, Nos
443 and 456, operation of .
Studies of the effect of methods of operation of .
Contact filtration of sewage clarified by aeration
Double contact filtration .....
Filtering material and trickling filter efficiency, the depth of
Intermittent sand, operated with untreated sewage, Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5C, 6 and
9A .
Trickling, Nos. 135, 136, 248, 452, 453, 454, 455, 472, 473, 474 and 475
operation of ... .
Fish, examination of .
Fitchburg, advice concerning water supply of
Water supply .....
Flour, examination of ....
Fomer Reservoir, analysis of water
Food : —
Articles confiscated ....
Complaints entered in court, 1883-1915
Confiscations of articles
Exclusive of milk and milk products, chemical
Held in cold storage
Requests for extension of time of
Prosecutions for sale of
Statistical summary
Food and drugs, chemical examinations made in laboratory
Complaints entered in court, 1883-1915
Division of .
Expenditures
Prosecutions
Report of the Division of
Statistical summary
Fort Phoenix (Fairhaven), advice concerning well
Fort River, pollution of ... •
Fosgate Brook, analysis of water
Foster, H. C. (Rowley), advice concerning well
Foxborough, advice concerning sewerage
Water supply .....
Fox Brook, analysis of water
Framingham, advice concerning sewage disposal
Advice concerning water supply of
examination of
PAGE
237
149
260
260
257
178
86. 90, 91
255
151
9-2
255
255
, .258
483
404
405
406
405
393
408
393
446, 483
93,94
255
483
256
473
455
451
444
447
451
459
483
442
455
13
29
450
433
486
149
38
256
149
180
260
258
183, 185
95
810
INDEX.
Framingham, advice concerning well in Saxonville
Water supply ....
Framingham reservoirs, analysis of water
Franklin, advice concerning ice supply
Advice concerning wells in .
Water supply
Freeland Brook, analysis of water
French River, examination of
Pollution of . . .
Fresh Pond, analysis of water
Frosting, examination of
Fruit juices, examination of
Fruits, preserved, examination of
Fulton Spring (Medford), advice concerning
Gardner, ad^^ce concerning location of contagious disease hospital
Advice concerning sewage disposal of proposed isolation hospital
Advice concerning sewerage of Gardner State Colony
Advice concerning well .....
Water supply .......
Gardner State Colony (Gardner), advice concerning sewerage
Gases from fermenting sewage sludges, carbon monoxide in
Gates Pond, analysis of water
Georgetown, advice concerning water supply
Advice concerning wells
Glanders ......
Cases and deaths reported for 1914
Lines of attack ....
Reported cases of, by cities and towns
Glen Brook reservoirs, analysis of water
Gloucester, water supply
Gonorrhoea, lines of attack .
Prevalence of . . .
Goodale Brook, analysis of water
Grafton, water supply
Granville, water supply
Gravel Pond, analysis of water .
Great Barrington, water supply .
Great Barrington (Housatonic) , water supply
Great Pond (North Andover), analysis of water
Great Pond (Randolph) , analysis of water .
Great Pond (Weymouth), analysis of water .
Great Quittacas Pond, analysis of water
Great South Pond, analysis of water .
Greenfield, advice concerning ice supply
Advice concerning water supply
Water supply .....
Greenfield Ice and Trucking Company (Greenfield)
Green River, analysis of water
Examination of .
Groton, water supply ....
Groton (West Groton Water Supply District) , water supply
Hadley, water supply ......
Hadley Mills (South Hadley), advice concerning water supply
Haggett's Pond, analysis of water
advice concerning ice supply
PAGE
149
260
254
152
95
260
255
279
58
255
483
445, 483
445
149
238
187
188
149
256
188
385
256
96
149
692
590
589
634
256
256
583
582
255
260
260
257
256
256
257
258
259
257
258
152, 153
98
256
153
256
278
260
260
256
149
255
INDEX.
811
Hamburg steak, examination of .
Hanover, advice concerning water supply
Advice concerning wells
Hart's Brook Reservoir, analysis of water
Harvard, advice concerning ice supply
Harwich, advice concerning wells in Harwich Center
Harwich Center (Harwich), advice concerning wells
Haskell Brook Reservoir, analysis of water
Hatchet Brook reservoirs, analysis of water
Hatfield, water supply
Hathaway Brook, analysis of water
Haverhill, advice concerning sewerage
Water supply
Hawkes Reservoir, analysis of water
Haynes Reservoir, analysis of water
Health districts
Health District Officers
Dual nature of duties of
General administrative or investigative duties
Investigation of communicable diseases by
Miscellaneous work of .
Organization of .
Work of .
Health weeks
Hebronville (Attleboro), advice concerning well
Hicks Spring, analysis of water
Hingham, water supply
Hinsdale, water supply
Hobbs Brook reservoirs, analysis of water
Holden, water supply
Holliston, water supply
Holyoke, advice concerning well of Valley Paper Company
Water supply
Honey, examination of
Hood, H. P., & Sons (Lynn), advice concerning w
Hoosick River, examination of
Pollution of
Hopedale, advice concerning sewerage of Draper Company
Hopkinton Reservoir, analysis of water
Hopkinton, water supply .
Horn Pond (Chester), analysis of water
Horse-radish, examination of
Housatonic River, examination of
Pollution of ....
Housing ......
Hubbard estate (Weston), advice concerning water supply
Hubbardston, advice concerning well .
Hudson, water supply
Huntington, advice concerning sewerage
Water supply ....
Hygiene, work of State District Health Officers i)i re to
Hygiene, Division of .
Report of .
Ice cream, below standard, prosecutions for sale of
Chemical examination of ... .
ater s"
upply
PAGE
483
99
149
256
153
100
100
256
258
256
258
189, 194
256
257
257
541
541
567
570
568
572
564
564
791
149
261
256, 260
256
255
256
260
149
256
483
149
280
59
195
254
261
255
483
281, 282
59
27
145
149
256
198
256
740
22
787
458
444, 483
812
INDEX.
' Ice supplies, advice concerning .......
Infant mortality .........
Statistics of Massachusetts, 1909-14 .....
Infectious diseases of the eye .......
Influenza, cases and deaths reported for 1914 ....
Ingraham, T. H., Company (Peabody), advice concerning treatment of wastes
Inspection of dairies .........
Inspection of slaughtering ........
Iodine, deficient in strength, prosecutions for sale of . . .
Ipswich, advice concerning water supply .....
Ad^ace concerning well at Rose Tree Inn ....
Water supply .........
PAGE
66, 150
737
787
692
587
216
438
437
462
101
149
256
Jails, reformatories and lockups, inspection of, duties of District Health Officers
in re to .
Jams and jellies, examination of .
Johnson's Pond, analysis of water
Jonathan Pond, analysis of water
Kenoza Lake, analysis of water .
Kent Reservoir, analysis of water
Kenwood School (Dracut), advice concerning well at
Kingston, water supply
Kitchen Brook, analysis of water
Lake Averic, analysis of water
Lake Cochituate, analysis of water
Lake Pentucket, analysis of water
Lake Pleasant, analysis of water .
Lake Saltonstall, analysis of water
Lakeville, advice concerning sewage disposal of Lakeville State Sanatorium
Lakeville State Sanatorium (Lakeville), advice concerning sewage disposal
Lake "Williams, analysis of water .......
Lander, Jacob (Sherborn), advice concerning location of slaughterhouse .
Lard, compound not marked, prosecutions for sale of .
Examination of ......... .
Lawrence, advice concerning well at Everett Mills ....
Advice concerning well at Washington Mills .....
Advice concerning well at Wood Worsted Mills ....
Water supply ..........
Lawrence city filters . . . . . . . . .
Lawrence Experiment Station, experiments upon the purification of sewage and
water at the .........
Leaping Well Reservoir, analysis of water ......
Leatherboard waste ..........
Lecture service of Division of Hygiene .......
Lee, water supply ..........
Legislative recommendations ........
Leicester, advice concerning sewage disposal .....
Leicester (Cherry Valley and Rochdale Water Supply District), water supply
Leicester Reservoir, analysis of water .......
Lemon, examination of ........ .
Lenox, advice concerning spring in Lenox Dale .....
Advice concerning water supply .......
Water supply ..........
Lenox Dale (Lenox), ad\'ice concerning spring .....
INDEX.
813
Leominster, water supply .....
Leprosy, case and death rates per 100,000 population
Cases and deaths from, 1906-15 .
Cases and deaths reported for 1914
Fatality rate ....
Lines of attack ....
Reported cases of, by cities and towns
Lincoln, water supply
Liquid chlorine and bleach, disinfection of water by
Liquor, examination of, for police authorities
Statistical summary
Little Quittacas Pond, analj'sis of water
Little Sandy Pond, analysis of water .
Little South Pond, analysis of water
Littleton, water supply
Local boards of health, ad^dce to, functions of District Health Officers in re to
Local health workers, organization of, functions of District Health Officers in re
to
Longham Reservoir, analysis of water .
Longmeadow, water supply
Long Pond (Falmouth), analysis of water
Long Pond (Great Barrington), analysis of water
Lowell, advice concerning spring .
Advice concerning water supply
Advice concerning well at United States Cartridge Company
Water supply .......
Lower Holden Reservoir, analysis of water .
Lunenburg, ad-\ace concerning watei supply .
Lynn, advice concerning taking of clam, from certain fiats
Advice concerning water supply of H. P. Hood & Sons
Water supply .......
Malaria .......
Case and death rates per 100,000 population
Cases and deaths from, 1915
Cases and deaths reported for 1914
Fatality rate .....
Lines of attack .....
Outfits distributed by Diagnostic Laboratory
Reported cases of, by cities and towns .
Report upon examinations for
Report upon specimens of blood examined for
Seasonal prevalence of
Manchester, sewer outlet at
Water supply
Manhan River, pollution of
Mann Reservoir, analysis of water
Mansfield, advice concerning ice supply
Advice concerning water supply
Water supply
Maple syrup, examination of
Marblehead, advice concerning water supply
Water supply
Marion, advice concerning sewerage
Advice concerning water supply
Water supply
PACK
257
623
623
590
623
589
634
257
427
449
485
257
254
258
261
570
570
258
257
255
256
149
103, 106
149
261
259
107
239
149
257
693
623
623,
580*
623
580
659i
634
671
657
652
352
257, 261
58
259
154
108
261
483
109
261
201
110
261
S14
INDEX.
PAGE
Marlborough, advice concerning sewerage ....... 203
Water supply ........... 257
Marshfield, advice concerning water supply of Webster Terrace Land Company 149
Water supply ........... 261
Massachusetts Hospital School (Canton), advice concerning water supply of . 73
Massachusetts Volunteer Militia (Sandwich), advice concerning water supply . 131
Mattapoisett, water supply ......... 261
Maynard, advice concerning sewerage ........ 205
Water supply ........... 257
McClellan Reservoir, analysis of water ....... 255
Measles ............. 694
Case and death rates per 100,000 population ...... 618
Cases and deaths from, 1906-15 ........ 618
Cases and deaths reported for 1914 . . . . . . . 586
Cases and deaths reported to State Department of Health, Nov. 1, 1914,
to Oct. 31, 1915 601
Diagram of cases reported 1914 and 1915 ...... 598
Fatality rate . . . . " 618
Lines of attack ........... 586
Reported cases of, by cities and towns ....... 634
Seasonal prevalence of ......... 652
Measles (German), case and death rates per 100,000 population . . . 622
Cases and deaths from, 1915 ........ 622
Cases reported for 1914 ......... 588
Fatahty rate 622
Lines of attack ........... 586
Reported cases of, by cities and towns ....... 634
Meat products, examination of ........ . 446, 483
Medfield, advice concerning well ......... 149
Water supply ........... 261
Medford, advice concerning Fulton Spring ....... 149
Medway, water supply .......... 261
Meetinghouse Pond, analysis of water ........ 255
Merrimac, water supply .......... 261
Merrimack River, analysis of filtered water ....... 256
Examination of 283, 284
Flow of 329, 333
Pollution of . ; 59
Methuen, advice concerning sewage disposal at Barker School . . . 208
Water supply ........... 261
Metropolitan Park Reservation (Wellesley), advice concerning spring . . 142
MetropoHtan Water District, water supply ....... 254
Middleborough, water supply ......... 261
Middleton Pond, analysis of water ........ 255
Milford, water supply .......... 257
Milk 27
Analysis of, from individual cows ........ 529
Analysis of samples from Fagot Dairy, Metairie Ridge, Jefferson Parish . 532
Analyses of eight samples of herd milk ....... 533
Chemical examinations made in Food and Drug Laboratory . . . 442
Complaints entered in court, 1883-1915 ...... 455
Data for detection of added water to ...... . 525
From cities and towns, examination of . . . . . . . 474
From suspected producers, examination of . . . . . ' . 478
Not of standard purity, prosecutions for sale of .... . 456-458
Of known purity, analysis of 518, 520, 522, 523
INDEX.
815
Milk, quality by months
Quality of average milk by months
Summary of statistics .
By months
Milk, condensed, examinations of
Mill Brook, analysis of water
Mill River, pollution of
Millbury, water supply
Miller's River, examination of
Pollution of . . .
Millham Brook Reservoir, analysis of water
Millis, water supply .
Millvale Reservoir, analysis of water
MUton, advice concerning well
Mincemeat, examination of
Molasses, adulterated, prosecutions for sale of
Examination of .
Money, how a State Department of Health should spend
Monson, advice concerning water supply of State Hospital
Water supply .......
Monson State Hospital (Monson) , advice concerning water supplj-
Montague, advice concerning water supply of Turners Falls
Water supply ......
Montgomery Reservoir, analysis of water
Morbidity balance sheets (epidemiological bookkeeping)
Morphine tablets, examination of . . .
Morse Reservoir, analysis of water
Mortality for Massachusetts, chief factors in
Mortality reports, lack of adequate
Morton Brook, analysis of water
Mountain Street Reservoir, analysis of water
Moving pictures
Muddy Pond Brook, analysis of water
Muds or deposits, relation between the C-N ratio in, and the production of
offensive odors under more or less anaerobic conditions
Mumps, case and death rates per 100,000 population
Cases and deaths from 1915 .
Cases reported for 1914
Fatality rate ....
Lines of attack ....
Reported cases of, by cities and to\\Tis
Muschopauge Lake, analysis of water .
Nagog Pond, analysis of water
Nahant, advice concerning sewerage
Nantucket, water supply
Nashua River, examination of
Flow of
Pollution of
Rainfall on watershed
Yield of watershed
Natick, water supply .
Needham, water supply
Nemasket River, pollution of
Neponset River, examination of
Improvement of .
PAOB
481
482
480
480
444, 483
258
58
261
285
61
257
261
256
149
483
459
483
9
111, 112
261
111, 112
113, 114
257
258
544
449
257
11
546
255
257
789
258
386
623
623
588
623
588
634
256
255
209
257
286, 287
323, 333
60
324
327
261
261
61
288
62
816
INDEX.
supply-
water supply of Webster Company
Neponset River, pollution of .... .
New Bedford, advice concerning location of public bathhouse
Advice concerning water supply
Sewer outlet at .
Water supply
Newburyport, water supply
Newton, advice concerning ice supply
Water supply
New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad (Braintree), advice concerning
odors from cinder pile
North Adams, advice concerning water
Water supply
Northampton, water supply
North Andover, water supply
North Attleborough, advice concerning
Water supply
Northborough, water supply
Northbridge, water supply .
Advice concerning water supply of Rockdale . . . . •
North Brookfield, water supply ......-•
North Easton Village District (Easton), advice concerning water supply of
Northfield, advice concerning sewerage of Northfield Hotel Company
Advice concerning water supply of Northfield schools
Water supply .......
Northfield Hotel Company (Northfield), advice concerning sewerage
Northfield Schools (Northfield), advice concerning water supply
North metropolitan sewerage system, outlet near Deer Island
North Orange School (Orange), advice concerning well .
North Pond, analysis of water ......
North River, pollution of, in Salem and Peabody .
North School (Edgartown), advice concerning sewage disposal
North Watuppa Pond, analysis of water ....
Norton, water supply .......
Norwell, advice concerning well at school ....
Norwood, advice concerning swimming pool of Norwood Civic Association
Advice concerning treatment of wastes at Winslow Brothers & Smith Com
pany
Water supply
Norwood Civic Association (Norwood), advice concerning swimming pool
Notch Brook Reservoir, analysis of water
Nuisances ......
Oak Bluffs, water supply ....
Oil of almond, examination of .
OUve oil, adulterated, prosecutions for sale of
Examination of .
Onset (Wareham), water supply .
Ophthalmia neonatorum, case and death rates per 100,000 population
Cases and deaths from, 1910-15 .....
Cases reported for 1914 ......
Distribution of silver nitrate prophylactic for prevention
Expenditures for prevention of ... .
Fatality rate ........
Follow-up work .......
Lines of attack .......
Reported cases of, by cities and towns ...
PAGE
60
240
114
352
257
261
155
261
236
115, 116
257
257
257
149
261
257
257
117
257
80
210
119
257
210
119
345
149
257
62
177
255
261
149
241
212, 214
257, 261
241
257
571, 741
261
483
459
446, 483
258
624
624
589
562
33
624
569
589
634
INDEX.
817
Orange, advice concerning well at North Orange School
Water supply ........
Orangeade, adulterated, prosecutions for sale of .
O'Shea, T. H., Leather Company (Peabody), advice concerning treatment of
wastes ..........
Oxford, advice concerm"ng water supply of town farm ....
Water supply ..........
Oxygen, absorption of, by trickling filter eflBuents .....
Palmer, advice concerning ice supply .......
Advice concerning wells and springs at Three Rivers
Water supply ..........
Palmer (Bondsville) , water supply .......
Paper mill wastes ..........
Digester liquors ..........
Paratyphoid fever, report upon examination of blood for Widal reaction for
Parker, F. C, & Son Company (Woburn), advice concerning wastes
Pasteur treatment ..........
Peabody, advice concerning Crystal Spring ......
Advice concerning taking of clams from Danvers River .
Advice concerning treatment of wastes of J. F. Ingraham Company .
Advice concerning treatment of wastes at T. H. O'Shea Leather Company
Advice concerning treatment of wastes of Thayer-Foss Company
Advice concerning water supply ....... 122,
Pollution of North River ......
Water supply ........
Peabody and Salem, discharge of sewage into Salem Harbor .
Pellagra ........••
Case and death rates per 100,000 population .
Cases and deaths from, 1915 .....
Fatality rate ........
Reported cases of, by cities and towns ....
Seasonal prevalence of ......
Pepperell, advice concerning ice supply ....
Water supply .....•••
Peppermint, deficient in strength, prosecutions for sale of
Examination of ...•••• •
Phillipston Reservoir, analysis of water . . . •
Pickles, examination of ...••• •
Pineapple, examination of ...••• •
Pittsfield, advice concerning location and plans of water supply and sewage dis
posal of Coolidge Memorial Hospital .
Advice concerning sewerage ...••■
Advice concerning water and ice supplied to Berkshire Street Railway Com-
pany .....•••
Water supply .....•••
Plainville, water supply ...••■•
Plumbers, State Examiners of . . ■ • • •
Report of ...••••• •
Plymouth, advice concerning drainage of Newfield Street marsh
Water supply . . • • • ■
Pneumom'a, bronchial, total deaths reported for" 1914
Lines of attack ....••••
Pneumonia, lobar, total deaths reported for 1914 .
Lines of attack ....••••
Poison statistics, summary of . . • • • •
P.VGE
149
258
460
215
120
261
403
155
121
258
261
412
• 414
657
253
573
149
242
216
215
218
124, 125
62
258, 261
346
696
624
624
624
634
652
156
262
462
483
255
483
483
242
220
156
258
262
27
793
243
258
585
584
585
584
485
818
INDEX.
Poisons, examination of, for police authorities .....
Police stations, lockups, houses of detention, jails, prisons, houses of correction
reformatories, etc., work of State District Health Officers in re
Pollution of shellfish ..........
Property return ...........
Proprietary foods, examination of ...... .
Provincetown, advice concerning wells ......
Water supply ..........
Public Health Council, report of .
Public health educational work as regards District Health Officers .
Publications of Divi.sion of Hygiene .......
Purification of sewage and water, experiment.? upon the, at the Lawrence Exper
iment Station .........
Purification of water ..........
PAGE
449
742
417
8
449
126
262
1
571
791
377
419
Quaboag River, examination of .
Quincy, advice concerning condition of WoUaston Beach
Quinebaug River, examination of ....
Pollution of ...... •
271
244, 245
289
62
Rabies and dog bite .
Rabies, cases and deaths reported for 1914 .....
Lines of attack .........
Reported cases of, by cities and towns .....
Seasonal prevalence of .......
Rainfall and stream flow ........
Rainfall in Ma.ssachusetts ........
Randolph, water supply ........
Reading, advice concerning well .......
Water supply .........
Respiratory passages, indefinite disea.ses of, deaths reported for 1914
Lines of attack .........
Rivers, examination of ....... .
Pollution of .........
Riverside Recreation Grounds (Weston), advice concerning water supply
Roaring Brook, analysis of water ......
Rockdale (Northbridge) , advice concerning water supply
Rockport, water supply ........
Root beer extract, examination of ..... .
Rose Tree Inn (Ipswich), advice concerning well ....
Rossi Brothers Company (Chelsea), advice concerning well of
Round Pond, analysis of water .......
Rowley, advice concerning well of H. C. Foster ....
Advice concerning wells .......
Running Gutter Brook Reservoir, analysis of water
Russell, water supply ........
Russell Brook (Woburn), advice concerning pollution of
Sacket Brook, analysis of water .
Salad dressing, examination of
Salem, ad\dce concerning springs
Advice concerning water supply
Pollution of North River '
Water supply
Salem and Peabody, discharge of .sewage into Salem Harbor
12
696
590
5§9
634
652
46
309
258
149
262
585
584
263
55
146
255
117
258
483
149
149
257
149
6, 127, 128
256
258
251, 253
258
483
149
128, 129
62
258
346
INDEX.
819
ov. 1
1914
Salisbury, advice concerning ice supply
Advice concerning sewerage of Salisbury Beach
Advice concerning water supply
Salisbury Beach (Salisbury), advice concerning sewerage
Salisbury Plain River, pollution pf
Sandwich, ad^^ce concerning water supply of Massachusetts Volunteer Militia
Sandy Pond, analysis of water
Sanitary Engineering, Division of, report of .
Saugus River, analysis of water .
Sausage, adulterated, prosecutions for sale of
Sausages, examination of .
Saxon'V'ille (Framingham) , adv'ice concerning well
Scallops, containing added water, prosecutions for sale of
Examination of .
Scarlet fever . . .
Case and death rates per 100,000 population
Cases and deaths from, 1906-15 .
Cases and deaths reported for 1914
Cases and deaths reported to State Department of Health, N
to Oct. 31, 1915
Diagram of cases reported 1914 and 1915
Fatality rate .....
Lines of attack .....
Reported cases of, by cities and towns .
Seasonal prevalence of ...
Schick reaction ......
School hygiene ......
Investigation of .
Scituate, water supply ....
Scott Reservoir, analysis of water
Septic sore throat .....
Case and death rates per 100,000 population
Cases of, 1915 .....
FataUty rate .....
Reported cases of, by cities and towns .
Seasonal prevalence of ...
Sewage : —
Effect on bacteria of- certain cloth-washing hquors when mixed with
Intermittent sand filters operated with untreated
Preliminary treatments for the clarification of
Precipitation with sulphate of alumina
Sedimentation in open tanks
Straining through anthracite coal
Purification of, by aeration with the aid of biological growths
Sewage clarified by aeration, contact filtration of
Sewage disposal, advice concerning
Methods of
Activated sludge
Chemical precipitation
Dilution .
Disinfection
Filtration
Screening
Sewage-disposal systems, examination of
Sewage-disposal works, condition of
Sewage sludges, carbon monoxide in gases from fermenting
PAGE
157
222
130
222
61
131
257
37
257
460
483
149
461
483
699
616
616
586
601
597
616
586
634
652
752
791
573
262
255
702
624
624
624
634
652
415
408
378
379
378
379
387
406
158
334
338
334
339
339
336
338
52
357-368
385
820
INDEX.
Sewer outlets, examination of ... .
Sewerage, insanitary conditions due to lack of
Sewerage and sewage disposal, advice concerning .
Sharon, water supply .....
Shaw Pond, analysis of water ....
Sheffield, water supply .....
Shelburne, water supply .....
Shellfish, pollution of .....
Sherborn, advice concerning slaughterhouse of Jacob Lander
Shirley, water supply .....
Shrimp, examination of .... .
Prosecutions for sale of ....
Silver Lake, analysis of water ....
Silver nitrate prophylactic, distribution of
Slaughtering : —
Confiscations ......
Inspectors of, nominations by local boards of health
Reports of ..... .
Prosecutions for violations of law .
Slaughtering inspection .....
Expenditures for .....
Report on work of .... .
Statistical summary .....
Sludge : —
Stabilizing, by oxidation ....
Studies of .
Available nitrogen .....
Available nitrogen in trickling filter sediment
Effect of age ......
Fertilizing value .....
Hydrolysis ......
Processing ......
Smallpox . . . ■ .
Case and death rates per 100,000 population .
Cases and deaths for 1914 ....
Cases and deaths from, 1906-15 .
Fatality rate ......
Lines of attack ......
Reported cases of, by cities and towns .
Seasonal prevalence of ....
Snake Brook Reservoir, analysis of water
Somerset, advice concerning well ....
Soup, examination of .....
Southborough, advice concerning condition of Winchester property
Advice concerning water supply of Winchester Place
Advice concerning well .....
Southbridge, advice concerning ice supply
Advice concerning well .....
Water supply .......
South Deerfield (Deerfield), advice concerning sewage disposal
Water svipply ......
South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water District (Easton),
cerning water supply of . . .
South Egremont (Egremont), water supply .
South Hadley, advice concerning water supply of Hadley Mills
Advice concerning water supply of South Hadley Falls
advice con-
PAGB
49
54
66, 158
262
258
262
258
417
245
262
483
461
255
562
473
453
453
451, 465
437
32
499
515
383
380
380
381
381
380
382
382
703
624
580
624
624
580
634
653
258
149
483
246
132, 133
149
133
133
258
174
255
80
255
149
134
INDEX.
821
South Hadley, water supply ........
South Hadley (Fire District No. 2), water supply ....
South Hadley Falls (South Hadley), advice concerning water supply
South metropolitan sewerage system, outlet north of Peddocks Island
Southwick, advice concerning locations for school for feeble-minded
Spencer, water supply .......
Spices, examination of ...... .
Spirits and tinctures, adulterated samples, analyses of .
Prosecutions for sale of ......
Spot Pond, analysis of water ......
Spring Pond, analysis of water ......
Springdale Finishing Company (Canton), advice concerning wastes
Springfield, advice concerning ice supply ....
Water supply ...'.....
Sputum, report upon the examination for tubercle bacilli
Sputum outfits, distributed by Diagnostic Laboratory .
Stabilizing sludge by oxidation ......
State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, report of .
State Department of Health, an act to create and to amend the public
laws ....
State District Health Officers
Clerical work, travel and suggestions of
Report of .
State Inspectors of Health, expenditures of
Sterilization of water, investigation on the efficiency of ultra-violet
Sterling, ad\^ce concerning spring
Stockbridge, water supply .
Stoneham, advice concerning sewerage
Stony Brook Reservoir, analysis of water
Stoughton, advice concerning well
Water supply ....
Streams, flow of ....
Streptococcic infections of the throat, cases and deaths reported for
Lines of attack ........
Sudbury Reservoir, analysis of water .....
Sudbury River, examination of .
Flow of ........ •
Pollution of ........
Rainfall on watershed .......
Yield of watershed .......
Suntaug Lake, analysis of water ......
Sutton, advice concerning wells ......
Swampscott, sewer outlet at ..... •
Swansea, advice concerning water supply of Swansea Dye Works
Swansea Dye Works (Swansea), advice concerning water supply
Swift River, examination of
Syphilis ....
Lines of attack .
Prevalence of
Syrup, examination of
Tanneries, experiments upon wastes from
Taunton, water supply
Taunton River, examination of .
Pollution of ....
Tekoa Reservoir, analysis of water
rays
health
in the
1914
PAGE
258
262
134
347
231
258
483
448
462
254
258
167
157
258
656, 667
659
383
793
3
677
746, 747
677
31
421
135
258
224
255
135
258
46.311
586
586
254
273
311, 333
57
312
319
258
136, 137
352
149
149
272
18
583
582
445, 483
417
258
290
61
259
822
INDEX.
Templeton, advice concerning well in Baldwinsville
Ten Mile River, examination of .
Tetanus ........
Case and death rates per 100,000 population .
Cases and deaths from 190&-15
Cases and deaths reported for 1914
Fatality rate ......
Lines of attack ......
Reported cases of, by cities and towns .
Seasonal prevalence of ....
Tewksbury, advice concerning wells at schools
Thayer-Foss Company (Peabody), advice concerning treatment of wastes
Three Mile River, pollution of ..... .
Three Rivers (Palmer), ad\'ice concerning wells and springs .
Thunder Brook, analysis of water .....
Tillotson Brook Rese'rvoir, analysis of water
Tisbury, water supply .......
Town River, pollution of ...... .
Townsend, ad\ace concerning water supply of Townsend Center
Townsend Center (Townsend), advice concerning water supply of
Trachoma, case and death rates per 100,000 population
Cases and deaths from 1910-15
Cases reported for 1914
Fatality rate .....
Lines of attack .....
Reported cases of, by cities and towns .
Trichinosis ......
Case and death rates per 100,000 population
Cases and deaths from, 1906-15 .
Fatality rate .....
Reported cases of, by cities and towns .
Trickling filter efficiency, the depth of filtering material and
Trickling filter effluents, absorption of oxygen by .
Trickling filters : —
Method of rating the size of broken stone used in the construction of
Operation of ......... •
Tuberculosis ...........
Cases and deaths of all forms reported to State Department of Health
Nov. 1, 1914, to Oct. 31, 1915
Detailed investigation reports .......
Diagram of cases reported 1914 and 1915 .....
Follow-up work, duties of State District Health Officers, in re .
In the smaller communities ........
Literature, distribution of ....... .
Method for recording and utilizing information obtained by State Depart
ment of Health .........
Oversight and supervision by State District Health Ofiicers
Tuberculo.sis, other forms than pulmonary, case and death rates per 100,000
population
Cases and deaths from, 1912-15 .
Cases and deaths reported for 1914
Fatality rate ....
Lines of attack ....
Reported cases of, by cities and towns
Tuberculosis, pulmonary, case and death rates per 100,000 population
Cases and deaths from, 1906-15 ......
PAGE
149
291
705
625
625
590
625
589
6.34
653
149
218
61
121
255
259
262
61
137
137
625
625
589
625
589
634
736
626
626
626
634
393
403
403
393
16, 705
601
713
598
568
723
612
601
608
626
626
581
626
581
634
613
613
INDEX.
823
Tuberculosis, pulmonary, cases and deaths reported for 1914
Fatality rate ....
Lines of attack ....
Reported cases of, by cities and towns
Seasonal prevalence of
Tuberculosis dispensaries
Function of District Health Officers in re to supervision of
Minimum requirements for, as defined by State Department of Health
Relative standing of, in cities and towns per 1,000 population .
Tuberculosis dispensary uniform record system, minimum requirements for
Tuberculosis district hospital resolve .......
Turners Falls (Montague), ad\ace concerning water supply
Tyngsborough, ad\4ce concerning spring ......
Tj'phoid carriers, search for ........
Typhoid cultures, outfits distributed by Diagnostic Laboratory
Typhoid fever ...........
Case and death rates per 100,000 population .....
Cases and deaths from, 1906-15 .......
Cases and deaths reported for 1914 ......
Cases and deaths reported to State Department of Health, Xov. 1, 1914
to Oct. 31, 1915
Deaths from, in Massachusetts from 1896 to 1914 ....
Diagram of cases reported, 1914 and 1915 .....
Fatality rate ..........
Investigation of outbreak at Chelmsford .....
Investigation of outbreak, East Deerfield yards, Boston & Maine Railroad
near Greenfield .........
Investigation of outbreak at Grafton State Insane Hospital
Investigation of outbreak at Northbridge .....
Investigation of outbreak at Quincy, November, 1915 ...
Reported cases of, by cities and towns ......
Report upon examinations of blood, feces and urine for typhoid bacilli
Report upon the examinations for ......
Report upon the specimens of blood examined for Widal reaction for
Seasonal prevalence of .....
Typhoid prophylactic ......
Typhoid prophylaxis in State institutions
Typhus fever, case and death i-ates per 100,000 population
Cases and deaths from 1913 to 1915
Fatality rate .......
PAGE
581
613
581
634
653
715
571
706
711
708
573
113, 114
138
557
659
724
617
617
580
Ultra-violet raj's, investigation on the efficiency of, in the sterilization of water
More thorough cleaning of apparatus .....
Treatment of water comparatively low in bacteria .
Use of roughing filter ......••
Union Stock Yards (Watertown), ad\'ice concerning keeping of hor.-5es in
Union%alle (Easton) , ad\'ice concerning water supply of .
Upper Holden Reservoir, analysis of water . .
Upper Naukeag Lake, analysis of water .....
United States Cartridge Company (Lowell), advice concerning well
Uxbridge, water supply . . ■ • • . •
Vaccine virus ....••••
Summary of the work of propagating
Valley Paper Company (Holyoke) , advice concerning well
753
778
149
824
INDEX.
Vanilla, adulterated, prosecutions for sale of
Examination of .
Varicella .......
Veal, examination of .
Vinegar, examination of .
Vital statistics of Massachusetts, general review of
PAGE
461
483
684
483
483
633
Wachusett Lake, analysis of water
Wachusett Reservoir, analysis of water
Wakefield, advice concerning sewerage
Water supply ....
Walden Reservoir, analysis of water
Wallace Reservoir, analysis of water
Walpole, water supply
Waltham, water supply
Wannacomet Pond, analysis of water .
Ware, water supply ....
Ware River, examination of
Pollution of ....
Wareham (Fire District), water supply
Wareham (Onset), water supply .
Warren, advice concerning water supply
Warren (West) , water supply
Washington Mills (Lawrence) , advice concerning well
Wassermann Laboratory, assistance to, by District Health Officers
Policies of .
Report of work of ... .
Wassermann tests, meaning of, to public health
Summary cases of ... .
Water, consumption of, in cities and towns .
Disinfection of, by liquid chlorine and bleach
Investigation on the efficiency of ultra-violet rays in the sterilization of
Purification of ..... .
Water companies, supervision of .
Water supplies, advice concerning
Examination of . . . . . .
Examination of private ....
Results of bacterial examinations of, cities
In towns ......
Sanitary protection of .
Water supply, incorporated districts for
Statistics .......
Water supply and sewage disposal, expenditures for
Water supply and sewerage, advice concerning
Report upon ......
Work of State District Health Officers in re .
Watertown, advice concerning keeping of horses in Union Stock Yards
Advice concerning well
Wayland, advice concerning water supply
Water supply ....
Webster, advice concerning well .
Water supply ....
Webster Company (North Attleborough), advice concerning water supply
Webster Terrace Land Company (Marshfield), advice concerning water supply
Wellesley, advice concerning sewerage .
255
254
224
258
257
256
262
262
257
262
271
57
262
258
138
262
149
572
766
758
767
760
306
427
421
419
48
64,67
39, 254
45
374
375
47
42
293
31
64
39
743
247
150
140
258
150
262
149
149
225
INDEX.
825
eaving Company
wastes
Wellesley, advice concerning spring in Metropolitan Park Reservation
Advice concerning water supply
Water supply .....
Wenham Lake, analysis of water
Westborough, advice concerning wastes from Westborough "\\
Water supply .....
Westborough Weaving Company (Westborough), advice concerning
West Brook, analysis of water .....
West Brookfield, water supply .....
Westfield, ad\-ice concerning sewerage ....
Advice concerning water supply ....
Water supply .......
Westfield Little River, analysis of filtered water .
Westfield River, examination of .
Pollution of .......
Westford, water supply ......
West Groton Water Supply District (Groton), water supply
West Newbury, advice concerning well
Weston, advice concerning water supply of Blake estate
Advice concerning water supply of Hubbard estate
Advice concerning water supply of Riverside Recreation Grounds
Advice concerning well at boys' camp .
Water supply .....
Weston Reservoir, analysis of water
Westport, advice concerning wells
West Springfield, advice concerning sewerage
Water supply .....
Wet lands, drainage of ... .
Weymouth, water supply ....
White Pond, analysis of water
White Reservoir, analysis of water
Whiting Street Reservoir, analysis of water .
Whooping cough .....
Case and death rates per 100,000 population
Cases and deaths from, 1906-15
Cases and deaths reported for 1914
Diagram of cases reported 1914 and 1915
Fatality rate .....
Lines of attack .....
Reported cases of, by cities and towns .
Seasonal prevalence of ...
Widals, distributed by Diagnostic Laboratory
WilUamsburg, water supply
Willimansett (Chicopee), advice concerning water supply of
Wilmington, advice concerning well at high school
Winchendon, advice concerning wells .
Water supply .....
Winchester, advice concerning Aberjona River
Water supply .....
Winchester Place (Southborough) , advice concerning water su
Winchester property (Southborough), advice concerning condition of
Winslow Brothers & Smith Company (Norwood), advice concerning treatment
of wastes ......
Wintergreen, examination of ... •
Winthrop, advice concerning taking of clams
Woburn, advice concerning pollution of Russell Brook
ppiy
PAGE
142
142
262
258
225
262
225
257
262
227
143
258, 259
258
292
61
262
260
150
146
145
146
150
262
254
147, 148
228
259
62
259
257
256
256
736
627
627
586
598
627
586
634
653
659
259
74
150
150
262
249
259
132, 133
246
212,214
483
251
251
826
INDEX.
Wobum, ad\-ice concerning pollution of Russell Brook by wastes from Woburn
Gas Light Company .........
Advice concerning pollution of Russell Brook by wastes of F. C. Parker &
Son Company .....
Water supply ......
Wobum Gas Light Company (Woburn) , advice concerning pollution of Russell
Brook by wastes .....
Wollaston Beach (Quincy) , advice concerning condition of
Wood Worsted Mills (Lawrence), advice concerning well
Woolen mills, wastes from .....
Worcester, water supply ....'.
Worthington, water supply ....
Wrentham, ad\-ice concerning sewerage of State school
Water supply ......
Wright and Ashley Pond, analysis of water .
253
253
262
253
244, 245
149
409
259
262
229, 230
262
256
Zinc ointment, examination of
449
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
1 1719 02753 7879
^J
DO NOT REMOVE
CHARGE SLIP EROM THIS POCKET
IF Slip IS LOST PLEASE RETURN HOOK
DIRECTLY TO A CIRCULATION STAFF MEMBER.
Boston University Libraries
771 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts 02215
Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
TV News
Understanding 9/11