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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1960-02-191 1 409 BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING February 19, 1960 The regular meeting of the Board of Health was held Friday, February 19, 1960 at 3 P.M. in the Selectmen's Room of the Town Office Building. Members present were Dr. William Cosgrove, Mr. Charles Cole and Health Officer Mr. Mark D. Lurvey. The minutes of the December and.January..meeting were accepted and the.Clerk was:instructed to make the necessary corrections before putting them in the permanent record book. Mr. Lurvey reported that on January 21, 1960 a call from Dr. MARIA Potter stating that approximately 120 children had been stricken HASTINGS with Diarrhea at Maria Hastings School was received by the Health EPIDEMIC Department. Mr. Lurvey immediately called the State Health De- partment and they sent Dr. Pickering, State Health Department Epidemiologist, out to investigate this outbreak. Mr. Lurvey and Dr. Pickering worked all afternoon Thursday and all day Friday pro- curing food samples, stool specimens of food handlers and children stricken and a complete history of all the circumstances surrounding the outbreak. All laboratory reports proved negative. As the same type of outbreak was reported in another section of the State and because of the detection of a particular bacteria, considered nonpathogenic, up to this time but whereas it was found in such large numbers in this case, a culture of this organism has been sent to Washington D. C. for experimentation. Human volunteers will be used in the experiments and we will just have to wait until the experiments are concluded to find out what caused the mild epi- demic at Maria Hastings School. Letter to Grace Hussey, M.D. of the State Health Department stating that the Lexington Health Department has confirmed the PREMATURE tat that Premature Infant Bjorkan is a Lexington Settlement and INFANT- the'Health Department will be responsible for the payment of hos- BJORKEN pital charges for Premature Infant Bjorken on the recoginized $12.00 per diem was read and accepted by the Board. The bill from St. Elizabeth's Hospital, 736 Cambridge St. PREMATURE Brighton, Massachusetts for premature infant, Baby Boy Hamil- INFANT ton of *732.00 was presented to the Board. Mr. Lurvey reported HAMILTON that an investigation by Mr. Collins of the Lexington Welfare Department has proved this case to be a Lexington Settlement and therefore we are responsible for payment of this bill. The Board voted to pay this bill of $732.00 for Premature Baby Boy Hamilton. Mr. Lurvey reported that he had attended several meetings STATE on the State Sanitary Code. The State health Department wishes SANITARY to set up a uniform Sanitary Code to be used by all communities. CODE A State Code of this type would benifit the small towns and also make the Public Health Laws of all towns more uniform. The accept- ance of a Sanitary Code will enable the State Health Department to set up a list of rules for all Health Departments and also enable the State Health Department to ammend the rules when necessary. The purpose of the meeting on February 24, 1960 at the Middlesex County Sanatorium Auditorium is to inform all Boards of Health of the 410 purpose and advantage, of the State Sanitary Code. Dr. Cosgrove and Mr. Cole will both try to attend this meeting. Mr. Lurvey also has talked to Mr. Harold Stevens, Town Councilor and he will try to get to the meeting too. The letter Mr. Lurvey sent to Mr. Harold Stevens, Mr. R.L. McQuillan, Dr. Wm. Cosgrove and Mr. Charles Cole concerning the meeting on the State Sanitary Code was approved at this time. HAYDEN Letter to James Sumner, Hayden Recreation Center, Lincoln St. RECREA'z.stating that the. water samples obtained February 2, 1960 showed TION CTRuo•signs of pollution was approved by the Board. CEDAR The report from Mr. Lucas, Engineer for Whitman & Howard GLEN on Cedar Glen subdivision, owned by Mr. Gerard Freil, was read and discussed. Public Sewer is available to take care of the sewage problem but Mr. Lucas has stated in his report that the cellars of all the houses should be at least one (1) foot above the top of the drain in Cedar Glen Circle to assure the home owner of having a cellar that can be kept dry by connecting to the drain if necessary. Mr. Lucas has also recommended that in order to avoid water pockets on the land Mr. Freil should provide the Board of wealth with a grading plan. This plan should indicate drainage outlets so that it will be possible to see where all surface water will drain. Mr. Lurvey reported that John Ca -roll, Superintendent of Public Works has okayed this subdivision. The Board instructed Mr. Lurvey to send the regular letter accepting this subdivision but'also stating that a set of grading plans must be submited to the Health Department before a Building Permit may be issudd. CARRIG Letter to Louis L. Green reminding him of his agreement to PROPERTYnotify the Board of Health if .the land taken by the State from WELLINGTON Mr. Carrig included the piece of property on Wellington Lane LANE in Lexington, Massachusetts which has a large accumulation of rubbish on it was read and aprroved. Letter from Mr. Louis L. Green stating that Mr. Carrig was in elorida at the present ime and that upon Mr. Carrigts return the question of the Wellington Lane property would be taken up with • the Board of Health immediatly was read and placed on file. The Board voted to wait until Mr. Carrig returned from Florida before taking any further action on the Wellington Lane Dump problem. MIDDLE Letter to the Chairman of the Planning Board regarding RIDGE Middle Ridge, Section IV stating that the Health Department SECTION had investigated this subdivision and has approved this sub- IV division subject to the condition that Lots 48, 49, 50 and 51 should not be built upon without prior consent of the Health Department was read and approved. Mr. Lurvey reported that a letter of correction was sent to the planning Board on this subdivision stating that Lot 51 was accepted for building pur- poses but that lot 54 could not be built upon without the consent of the health Department. The Board approved bots. letters. PAUL The letters to Mr. Paul Broughton, 502 Massachusetts Ave. BROUGH* Lexington, requesting him to clean up the accumulation of TON rubbish and garbage in the rear of 502 Massachusetts Ave. was 502 MASSread and approved. Mr. Lurvey reported that as the usual letter Ave. was ignored and the certified letter was unclaimed at the Post Office a letter was sent by Constable on February 10, 1960 stating tori 1 1 411 that this nuisance must be abated within 3 days.. A pre -inspection was made and as there was no improvement in the condition a Court Order was obtained February 19, 1960 against Mr. Paul Broughton. The letter to Herbert Nickerson, State Health Department YOUNG ST. requesting the State Health Department to investigate a parcel & WEBB ST. of land approximately 7 acres bordering on Young Street and Webb Street in Lexington for installation of private sewage disposal systems was read and approved. Mr. Lurvey made this request to the State Health Department in order to avoid any misunderstanding in the future on this property. Mr. Cole and Mr. Lurvey had looked over the land earlier in the week and accepted one house lot on 29 Webb Street. Letter to Anna Phillips, 29 Depot Square stating the results Of the inspection made on February 1, 1960 was approved. Mr. Lur- vey reported that Mrs. Phillips had been ill but would take care of all violations as soon as possible. Letter to Mike Zirpolo, Heritage Room, Battle Green Inn, BATTLE 1720 Massachusetts Avenue stating the results of the inspection GREEN,inl, made on February 1, 1960 was approved. Upon a complaint from Mrs. Willey, 3 Loring Road concerning TOWN cockroaches in her home, Mr. Lurvey investigated this conditon, DUMP Mr. Lurvey also inspected the Town Dump and feels that something should be done about the condition of the dump. .Mr. John Carroll Public Works Superintendent agreed to share the cost of the exter- minators with Mrs. Wiley. Mr. Carroll has informed Mr. Lurvey that the dump is to be sprayed periodically and a rat baiting pro- gram is carried on continuously in order to keep under control any vermin or rodents that infest the area. The Board instructed Mr. Lurvey to continue to work with the Public Works Department in try- ing to control the nuisance from the Town Pump. The letter to Manuel•Souza, 12 Eastern Avenue, Lexington stating that,a complaint, had been received by this -department concerning MANUEL poultry,beipg kept at 12. Eastern Avenue, was approved. <,Mr. Souza SOUZA filled out and filed with the Health Department an Animal App.!. 12 EASTERI lication and upon investigation, Mr. Lurvey found two ducks wel- kept in a pen in the rear of the house. Mr. Lurvey felt.that if Mr..Souza moved his-pen'down the hiil_and away ,from the complainants boundry line no objection couldbe..made to the Ducks. The_Board suggested Mr. Lurvey call on.the,pere on,who made the complaint and ask- if the •Ducks are moved if ,they will give the arrangement .a three months trial period. If this is satisfactory issue the permit with the stipulation that the Ducks be moved and a trial period be tried before complete consent may be obtained from the Board of Health. ANNA PHILLIPS. Letter to all local physicians reminding them that they may THEATRE obtain State Biological supplies at the Theatre Pharmacy whenever PHARMACY the Health Office is closed was read and approved. Letter to Mr. Donald Nickerson, Board of Appeals, stating BOARD OF the results of the inspections made of the Child Care Centers in APPEALS - January was approved. Mr. Nickerson would like to meet with the CHILD CARE Board of Health at our next meeting to discuss our regulations CENTERS on Child Care Centers. Mr. Lurvey explained that the Board of 412 Appeals wants no more than 10 children in Child Care Centers that are conducted in private homes. The Health Department regulation reads that there will be one toilet for every 12 children. The only Child Care Center in violation of our regulation is Miss Lothrop's Kindergarten but as Mr. Lurvey reported her kindergarten is as clean as can be and she was in operation approximately 27 years ago before any rules and regulations were in being. The schools and churches are not affected by this ruling of the board of Appeals. The Board agreed they would be pleased to meet with Mr. Nickerson to discuss the problem. The Board also voted to postpone any action against Miss Lothrop's Kindergarten until after the meeting with Mr. Nickerson. The copy of the letter sent to Mr. John J. Shanahan, Lawrence Farms, 48 Pleasant Street, Lexington by Mr. Mitchell J. Spiris JOHN J. stating that all milk cases will be steamed each night, milk SHANAHAN coolers will be provided for the 2 elementary schools whiChare now without that equipment and that a concerted effort will be put forth to eliminate all the problems that have been encountered so far this year. Letter to Antonio Buse, 46 Lowell Street, Lexington stating that the Board of Health voted to order the dwelling owned by Mr. Busa at Lowell Street connected to Public Sewer by April 1, 1960 was approved. . Letter to Mr. William Maloney, Chairman of Board of Select- men stating the results of the inspection made by Mr. Lurvey of the property owned by Mr. Joseph Goodwin, 9 Pearl Street, Lex- ington was approved. Mr. Lurvey reported that although their was considerable amount of automobile parts and miscellaneous junk stored in a shed at the rear of the house he could not find anything objectionable from a Health standpoint. Letter to Mr. William Maloney, dhairman of Board of Select- SEWER men stating the results of the survey made by Mr. Lurvey of the SURVEY sewage problem on Longfellow and Hawthorne Roads was approved. LONGFELLOW Mr.-Lurvey reported that of the 12 houses on Longfellow Road' & HAWTHORNE 8 had sewage trouble, of the 6 houses on Hawthorne Road 4 had trouble quite often. Letter to J. Neil Morrisey stating that permission to keep 3. NEIL 2 ponies at 25 Brandon Street, Lexington was denied due to lack MORRISEY of sufficient land areawas_ approved. Letter from Clifford D. Castle, Jr. President of the Lex- APPOINTMENT ington Visiting Nurse Association was read and the Board voted to appoint Mr. R. L. McQuillian as the representative of the Board of Health to serve on the Board of Directors of the Lexington Visiting Nurse Association. Report of action taken by the Board of Selectmen on the 1960 BUDGET Budget Expense Account was reviewed by the Board. Our expense ACTION Budget for the year 1960 has been decreased $1,500.00 1 ANTONIO BUSA 46 LOWELL ST, MR. JOSEP] G00DWIN 9 Pea' r: St. Report of children attending posture clinic and their marks was presented to the Board. Thisreport was accepted and placed POSTURE on file. CLINIC 413 The Whitman & Howard Bill was accepted for payment. ENGINEER BILL The Dental Clinic report for January was accepted and DENTAL placed on file. CLINIC Licenses were signed by the Board for: Paul Little - Garbage John Reardon & Sons - Garbage Georgine Bodine - Child Care Center LICENSES Application signed appointing Mr. Lurvey, Slaughtering APPOINTMENT Inspector. Mr. Lurvey asked the Board to please write a letter to Mrs. VIOLATION Yarin who sent her child to school although she knew he had the COMMUNIC* Chicken Pox. This case was reported by Dr. Pearlman to Mr. LurveyABLE DIS - The Board voted to write a letter to this mother stating the EASE State Law concerning Communicable Diseases. An animal permit was granted by the Board to Henry Travers ANIMAL L0 Earl Street to keep' 1 horse and 1 goat. PERMIT The discussion of a Booster program for Fourth Polio Shot POLIO for the children of Lexington was postponed until the next meet- CLINIC ing. The Board would like more information on this program. Mr. Cole asked Mr. Lurvey about 1001 Waltham Street. Mr. 1001 NAL- Lurvey explained that he wanted Mr. Kraynick of Whitman & How- THAM ST. and to look at this property before he could say too much about it. Approval was granted by the Planning Board for this building a few years ago but since then the zoning laws have been changed and at the present time this property is in the hands of Harold Stevens, Town Councilor for further action. Meeting was adjourned at 5:00 E.M. Clerk