HEALTH DEPARTMENT’S
REPORT FOR JULY
(By Dr. B. E. Washburn)
During July no case of quar
antinable infectious disease was
reported to the Health Department.
Although there has been a marked
increase in the number. of cases
of diphtheria reported in North
Carolina and the United . States
during the ^jresent year, it is wor
thy of mention that not a single
case has occurred in either Polk
or Rutherford Counties so far
during 1946.
The regular clinics were well
attended: 47 patients were seen at
the Health Office in Columbus; 5
at St. Luke’s in Tryon and 10 at
Saluda. Also, 5 crippled children
were sent to the Orthopedic Clinic
held in Rutherfordton on July 5,
and 4 to the clinic held on August
2. At St. Luke’s hospital 2 school
children had tonsil operations. A
special clinic was held at Fork
Creek on Melrose Mountain where
14 persons were vaccinated for ty
phoid fever. Vaccinations were giv
en at the Columbus office where
20 completed typhoid, 2 smallpox,
3 whooping cought, and 1 diph
theria immunizations.
]V|rs. Myrtle Pearl, County
Nurse, is away at the University
of North Carolina completing her
training for a certificate in public
health nursing. Mrs. Gladys Hins
dale assisted in securing maternity
and pediatric patients for the
clinics held at the Saluda Seminar,
July 15 to 27th.
The Sanitary Inspector during
July made 9 visits to private
premises to adjust complaints; al
so 2 new septic tanjcs were ap
proved. In addition, the following
routine inspection work was con
ducted: All Grade A Dairies were
visited, as were also cafes, mar
kets, and hotels. In the grading of
food-handling establishments, the
regulations of the North Carolina
State Board of Health make the
following distinctions. Grade “A”
shows that the cleanliness of the
premises and equipment and the
methods of handling food in a safe
and sanitary manner attain a score
of 90 per cent or more. Grade “B”,
a very satisfactory rating, repre
sents a score of 80% to 90%;
while Grade “C” shows a score of
from 70% to 80%. During July,
1 cafe was closed for failure to
reach a score of 70% in regard to
cleanliness. Grade “A” was at
tained by 3 cafes: The Auberge,
Tryon Hotel, and Missildine’s
Pharmacy, each with a score of
90%. Grade “B” was the rating
of 11 cafes: Thousand Pines 86;
Melrose Lodge 85.5; Mimosa Inn,
84; Ruth Cafe 83.5; Melrose
Park 83; Pine Crest Inn 83.5;
Picnic Park 82; Saluda Cafe 81.5;
Sunnydale 81; Rock Grill 80; am
Tryon Cafe 80. Grade “C
Owen’s Pharmacy 75; Oak Hall
Cafe 74.5; Rook’s Lunch 71.5; and
Taylor’s Tavern 71.5. Of the 7
hotels inspected (graded separate
ly from their cafes) 6 were Grade
“A”. The Auberge, Melrose Lodge,
Mimosa Inn, Pine Crest Inn, Thou
sand Pines and Tryon Hotel. Grade
“B”: Oak Hiall.
Inspection was also made of the
Child Health Camp, located be
tween Columbus and Lynn. The
score attained was 43.5%, and a
laboratory analysis of the water
supply showed pollution with B.
coli._ The camp closed July 13th.
Meat markets, of which 8 were
inspected, were found to be in the
following condition; Grade “B”:
Talant’s 87%, Thompson’s 87%,
Cowan’s 86.5%, Ballew’s 83%,
Ballenger’s 81%, Farthing & Coa^
ipgton 80.5% and A&P 809®
Grade C: Blanton’s 78%.
It should be noted that there
has been a marked improvement
in the cleanliness of all the food
handling establishments in the
county.
M. G. Powell joined the staff
of the Rutherford-Polk District
Health Department as a junior
sanitarian on July 1.
Mr., and Mrs. J. L. Edwards
have as their guests, Mrs. Ed
wards] mother, Mrs. Dan Hicks,
and sisters, Mrs. Ed Swearingen
and Mrs. Desmond Harp, and chil
dren, Anne and little Desmond, all
of Reynolds, Ga.