The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-03-17
HEALTH OF THE STATE.
As Shown by the Report of the State
Board of Health. q
The Prevailing Diseases-Remarks of
Secretary Lame in Reference
to Smallpox.

Ut. j. IL. Lame, secretary OF the state
Board of Health, III his report for Febru-
airy, states that reports from SO cities,
towns, villages, and sanitary districts,
aggregating population of sol ,5Sl, show
total of l,0l9 deaths from all causes in
February. This corresponds to a death
rate of LIZ per 1000 for the month, or
l5.24 per LOCO per annum.
There were lS7 due TO consumption.
III to pneumonia, 81 to bronchitis, to
congestion of the lungs, to diarrhea
and dysentery, 81 to other diseases of the
stomach and bowels, p to diphtheria, s to
Group, II 10 scarlatina, 3 to smallpox, 3 to
whooping cough, is to typhoid fever, S to
cerebro spinal fever. l to malarial fever,
% to cancer, to erysipelas, 80 to diseases
OF the heart, , to alcoholism, and 4l6 to
all other causes, among which were due
to la grippe.
PREVAILING DISEASES.
Reports from seventy-three towns, viii
lagos ami sanitary districts outside Of the
large cities give 10 cases of pneumonia,
2"i OF bronchitis. 81 OF pleurisy, 80 OF con-
gestion of the lungs, 60 of diarrhea, ~ Of
dyst ltery, OF cholera mOrDus, 8 OF chol-
era lniantum, 9 of diphtheria, ~ OF Group,
- VI SNsil AsttliISt. 10 % lllGSllS, % Oh NIOOl-
ing cough, 6l5 OF la grippe, IL of typhoid
fever. lob Of malarlal levers, Of cerebro-
spinal foyer, 10 Of erysipelas, 10 of rheu-
matlsm, III OF neuralgia and i4I oil ton
siljtis.
SMALLPOX.
Two de1ths from this malady were re-
ported from San Luis Obispo as having
occurred in February, but late authentic
reports show 30 new cases. All quaran-
line Is raised and no further danger is
unprecedented.
The report of smallpox in Woodland
was Obtained, not rom the Health Officer.
but from . momber OF the Board OF
Ilealth. The first case that appeared
came from the smallpox camp at Santa
Margar!ta, to visit his sister at or near
sacramento, where he infected the entire
fanny OF seven persons, which We're re-
ported III February. From Sacramento
he went to Woodland, and it is not UNI
H@ely that he injected Il young man at
SWiHglo Station on his way to the
| clio County Hospital, where he was re-
ctlved as patient, and infec ed other in
mates OF the hospital before the true ma
ture OF his case was recognized As
usual, there was tie manifest attempt To
suppress facts, and with the common re-
SUlt of such pernicious policy-which
IS the inevitable spread of the disease
came distrust, alarm and avoidance of
the town. No reliable information could
| be obtained, except through the Special
Inspector OF the State Board OF Health.
who ascertdiued that there had been NJ
least ten cases, with two deaths. none Of
which have been reported directly from
or through the Health Officers Of Wood
land. II would be as well to abandon
forever this injurious notion that the
presence OF smallpox in Il locality is q
matter to he concealed. There is no
more certain means of causing its spread.
The authorities should De at once fully
informed, and AN pie agtiOns speedily
taken 10 limit lis spread, after which It
should be authOritatlVely announced that
all danger Is passed. j he history Of the
epidemic at Woodland proves this to be
true, Tor not until full publicity was given
Of the true state Of the facts were full and
ample steps taken to prevent its spread.
1t IS 10 be hoped that chickenpoX will no
longer be the name under which modified
smallpox is to masquerade. If medical
men are TO give out that adults enter hos
pitfalls on account OF chcsenpoX, it is time
to inform the people that any such state
ment is altogether improbable. Chicken
poX is a disease OF childhood and when a
grown man is said by q physician to have
this malady, 1t IS safe to set it down as a
case of modified smallpox, which we call
VariolOid. Publicity is the only sure
means of limiting the spread of the dis
ease, for not until it is recognized will
sufficient effort be made to stamp it out.
There was one new case in san Fran
cisco in February. and a patient died at
Paperville, having contracted the disease
at San Francisco.
Another case was discovered at lone.
but in this case, as in the case at Paper
vile, there was no further spread of the
disease.
The Sanitary Convention, a further
notification of which is to be given, will
be held on Tuesday, the 18th Of April, at
San Francisco. instead of Monday. the
18th, as was announced in a circular let
ter III February. This is to enable visitors
TO attend the State Medical Society, which
convenes April 18th. An invitation is ex-
tended to all, in or out of the medical pro-
tession, who take sufficient interest in
sanitary matters, to attend.