The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1890-01-09
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.

tient-Registration, Etc.
The annual report of the State Board
OF Health to the Governor is just out.
1t is analytical of the sanitary situation
In Missouri, and contains few figures.
The first point made is that the public
health interests of the State are at a
disadvantage because neither branch OF
the State Legislature has committee
on sanitary affairs. 1t is deemed desir-
able to have such committees for the re-
ception and consid Grafton of sanitary
measures.
The neglect of physicians to supply
complete records of births and deaths is
seriously felt. The law directs that this
be done, under penalty of SO for each
case neglected. This neglect is especial
ly to be regretted this year, on account
of the compilation Of the Federal census
reports. Nevertheless the State Board
protests against the present lack of pro-
vision for compensation of physicians
for such returns. The board recon-
mends also, in this connection, the en-
actment of law to pay county clerks
for collecting and tabulating statistics
sent them by physicians under the ex-
'syrnR r law
ine ooaro polnts OUT thaC every uh-
certified death is direct temptation to
'no commission OF murder. =,
Cooperative efforts between this and
o1her o.ates nave met with some sue,
oees' 'he quarantine conference nelo
iaso March at montgomery, Ala, nav
ing been productive of good results.
Inc poard commends thc actlon OIL the
Naeiohal ASSOCIATION OF baggage Agents.
taken last summer to govern the trans
portaeioh Oh corpses Dy rail- anu regrets
that ~ IL not Wlthln tho legal power Oh
the missouri BOARD 10 ADOPT ana enforce
tne requirements OF railroad companies
IN TINS respect
Win the rigid enforcement OF modern
quarantine regulations, 1t IS deemed al
most Impossible Tor Asiatlc cholera to
OBTAIN 1oothoId IN America, and scarcely
IN Europe.
smallpox Is very Limited IN It's raw
ages anu the pracuce OF vaccination IS
recommended as an almost lntalllble
preventive Dlphtheria and scarlet
rover are now regarded as being FAR
more destructive IMAM smallpox, but the
Doard DelleVes that ooth diseases are
uhuer netter control now than they were
year ago.
tuberculosis is still doing destructive
"ork' oanltarians regard the presence
Oh every patient suffering with pulmo-
nary consumption as menace to other
human hVes, ana earnestly invite the
a''eh'ioh ol the ntate ana Natlonai
governments 10 thls dlsease' whlch Is
ehtaiiihg greater alsapillty ana suuer'
ing lhan any other known, Doth as te
man ana domesnc animals. --..
me o. LOUIS ieprosy patleht Is mo-
reearueu as a serious menace 10 the pup
nc heaitn' tno otate Doard declarin9
'he perPe'uaVioh an spread OF tnls us
ease 10 DC aue 10 continuous bad fegl'
men vi naollation anu constant assocla-
''om Win ahecteu lndlViouals'
Inc poaru appreciates he alleged
lalse economy OF the state and National
governments III apptopriating money
10 ueS.roy yuomest'c anitnais anected with
Such diseases as RABIES CHAMBERS, 1arcy'
ana iooa animals suffering with splenc
leVer' charooh' ieNaS leVer, actlnomy-
cnosiS, SWIM PRAGUE trlchlhosls' etc'
NO oo!ectioh Is maae 10 the approprla'
uon OF money 10 lnvestigatc and pre-
vent olseases OF domestic animals, but
the ooard insists that TOO little expense
Is incurred 10 preventdangcr OF human
HE from the existence OF such diseases
Inc ooard comments the medical prac'
tce laws OF MISSOURI along with those
oi several other western states, and
quotes with admitted satisfaction legal
decisions npholdlng state boards ol
health IN the enforcement OF such laws
Inc decisions referred to affirmed the
rlgnt OF such state boards 10 pass on the
sumclency OF mcalcal diplomas, and to
revoke licenses of registered practition-
ers for PRONUNCIATION OF immoral htera'
The hoard declines to mass mon tbe
question of tho substitption of a three.
term rule for the two term rule now in
force in modic.l coIlagos of tbo Stoto
but is unonalifedlv of tho oninion tha,
AGITATION of this subject NAV he nroduc.
tive OF good results. Itbelieves that the
State board should be relieved OF all du-
ties relative to the regulation OF medical
practice, and suggests, as a matter OF
justice to physicians that the entire
business OF regulating medical practice
nlaced exclusively in the hands of the
medical profession.
Tho total number of repistrationa d,r-
ING the wear was 8sa of which 341 we're
nbysicians and 40 m;dwives Tho boord
hei;ovoe that tho comnlete reristr,tion