Morehead City Passes and Then Repeals Measure to Prevent Typhoid, 1914

“Health Facts About Morehead City” from the May, 1914, issue of The Health Bulletin, published by the North Carolina State Board of Health and distributed for free to any citizen of the state upon request.

The first four facts are taken from the death certificates which the town officials have filed with the State Board of Health.

Fact 1. The average death rate for Morehead City for the last three years has been over 35 per cent higher than the average death rate in the United States.

Fact 2. The death rate from typhoid fever for Morehead City for the last three years has been 263 per cent higher than the average typhoid fever death rate in the United States.

Fact 3. The death rate from diarrheal diseases among children (summer complaint) in Morehead City for the last three years has been 353 per cent higher than the average in the United States.

Fact 4. Over 17 per cent more of the deaths in Morehead City for the last three years have occurred during the six fly months than during the other six months.

Fact 5. One of the chief causes for these excessive death rates from typhoid fever and diarrheal diseases doubtless is that flies carry fecal matter from open, unsanitary privies to the people’s food.

Fact 6. The town authorities passed a model sanitary privy ordinance in May of last year, and bought about $500 worth of sanitary privy cans. The enforcement of this ordinance would undoubtedly have greatly reduced not only the death rates from typhoid fever and diarrheal diseases, but the total death rate as well.

Fact 7. A petition urging the repeal of the ordinance was circulated and received over 200 signatures out of approximately 400 voters. It is claimed that the names of many people who were not entitled to vote appeared on this petition.

Fact 8. On February 24^th of this year the sanitary privy ordinance was repealed.

The State Board of Health has repeatedly called attention to these conditions and urged that adequate steps be taken to remedy the situation, but thus far such action has not been taken.