The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-11-27
PUBLIC HEALTH GUARDIANS.
The State Board of Health Meets at the
Governors Chamber.

The State Board Of Health Meets at the
Governors Chamber.
The state board Of health met at the 60 YER
nors chamber at the capitol Monday afternoon.
There were present Doctors D. W. Hand, st.
Paul, presidents C. N. Hewitt, Red Wing, Sec
rotary; Franklin Staples, Winona; V. Smith,
Duluth; E. j. Davis, Mankato, and W. H
Leonard, Minneapolis, and Gov. L. F.
Hubbard Dr. Hewitt, as secretary, pre-
sented his report of the work of. the board
from Jan l, 1885, to Aug. l, 1884, a
period of nineteen months The report of the
board is ready for the printer. and will pub
lished soon. A perusal of it when it appears
will give an idea of the work done to protect
the people of the state Reports have been re-
ceived at the secretary's Office, and the aid OF
the board invoked in thirty two outbreaks of
aiphtheria in twelve different counties. Of
these outbreaks twenty have been confined to
one family by prompt and efficient quarantine.
In all the outbreaks in which more than one
family were infected, quarantine was not es-
tablishcd until after The disease had existed
for some time, or--as in st. Paul and Minneap-
elsewhere the disease had a variety of origin.
Of the outbreak confined to one family, the aver
age number of cases to the family was five; the
aveage number of deaths two, and the average
death to total sick, 41G per cent. More than
ever before secluson of the sick of diptheria
is enforced, ana tnls mas Deen repeatedly zone
by the local boards of health in country dis
tricts through their chairman without medi-
cal aid Very valuable data as to the relation
Of the disease to uDsanitary conditions are
given, and also of its relation to water supply
and sewerage. Many examples are given OF the
the children from five to seven) of the infect
ed family died of the disease. Where isola-
ton Of the sick was possible the mortality has
been notably less
SMALL PoX STATISTICS
From Jan. l, 1855, to Aug l. 1854, there has
been reported to the secretary seventeen dis
tincts and separate outbreaks Of small pox,
distributed in seventeen towns or townships
and lumber camps The statistics of this dis
ease are as follows
Number of cases, 255; deaths, 81 of the sick,
whites, 22O; Indians, %; of the dead, whites,
40; Indians, 25; of the sick belonging to fam
lilies, 1866 number of fam lies infected, 81 total
deaths in families 2S: per cent of deaths to total
SICK 1872; sick in lumber camps, So; deaths,
1G; per cent of deaths, 80
A single case caused the outbreak in the
lumber camps above Aitkn in 1855. In that
outbreak but eight infected escaped below
Aitkin, five to Minneapolis and one each to
Bralnerd, Duluth and Morris, where they
were quarantined. The disease was not CIV
others were directly or indirectly infected
When the character of the population, the diff
ficulty of access and of control. and
the extent of unorganized territory is
considered, the success of the mea !;
is regarded as a credit to all concerned Ill
the work The other important outbreak
was in the town of Frankfort, Wright county,
with few cases in adjacent townships The
total cases were Is; families infected, 81;
and deaths, s. Full credit is given the eff
Gent local health officer and boards of
health, who had direct charge of infectious
diseases, and many valuable and important
reports from health officers are given in
full in the report. The work of the lab
oratory, chiefly in water analysis, is de-
tailed This work is increasing. The sub
ject of infectious diseases OF cattle was
thoroughly considered and steps taken TO:
further action as respects their control
Many other topics were discussed which, among
other less important things, resulted in the res
olution to call conference of local health
boards and popular sanitary council in st
Paul this winter. Cholera was discussed in al
its bearings, and steps will be taken to fully
prepare for its possible advent This matter
will be thoroughly considered at the propose
conference. The board adjourned at 6 o'clo;l
to meet again during the session of the legisla
ture as is required by law.