The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-13
THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.

The first annual report of the state board
Of health, for the year ended September 80,
1892. has been submitted to the governor
From the time the board OF health act be-
came law until July l. 1891, was spent In
preparing records for county officers. for
the state secretary's Office. and publishing
and distributing the necessary blanks.
All county aditors are now supplied, and
nearly all have made creditable returns,
Pacific and ClalIam being notable ex-
captions.
The number of violent deaths in this
state is remarkable. In looking through
reports from other states the average is
found to be from per cent. to per cent.
Of total deaths. but in this state the num-
Der was over l3 per cent.
The record of marriages is very imper-
fect-some counties not reporting one.
The rules of the state noard will be for
warded to every one authorized to SOL
emnize marriages in the state whose adj
dress can be obtained. 1t Is a very
important part of the public records. and If
made complete, will in the future settle
many vexed questions.
The returns from the various counties
show the need of some common nomen-
clature.
The usefulness and efficiency of the state
board can only be obtained through united
action; the local and state boards working
together for one common object. Our sys-
tenn at present is lamentably defective.
The general incorporation act for cities OF
this state provides that cities Of the first
and second classes may regulate this mat
ter for themselves. Cities of the third
class Il 500 to 10000 elect health officer.
In the general charter for cities of the
fourth class $500 to 1900 no reference is
made to health matters, except in the
most general terms. In order that
the state board may have proper
information and assistance the stat
utes should be amended to provide
for the formation of boards of health
in all cities and towns. to whom physi-
clans shall report all cases of disease and
who shall report the same to the state
board. The state board requests the Co
operation of all physicians.
County commissioners have full juris-
dictlon over cases of contagious disease on
vessels, but no reference is made to cases
occurring on land.
The present board of health act merely
makes a reference to diseases OF live stock.
but does not transfer to the board suffi-
cient authority to deal promptly and effi-
GENTLY with these cases. The only dis
ease reported during the year was CHAMBERS
in horses. an incurable disease. The board
sent a veterinary surgeon to Douglas
county, and on his recommendation the
county authorities ordered infected ami
mails killed. The state board should have
power to order infected animals destroyed,
as in other states.
During the past two years cholera has
been constantly in China and Japan.
Having direct communication, this state
is peculiarly exposed. Peculiarly, because
We have not the same means of ascertain.
ing the conditions present in those Asiatic
ports as We have of European ones. There
is also direct communication between
Canada and the Orient: and with tho
proximity of Vancouver and Victoria to
our state lines. the possibilities of infec-
ton are by so much increased. The
state board insists that quarantine
should be under national control,
but until action is taken which will place
quarantine under national authority this
state must do what is possible for its own
protection. In many states there is an
emergency fnnd placed at the disposal Of
the governor. Some such provision is re-
Quired here. The ordinary appropriation.
while sufficient for the regular expenses Of
the board, is totally inadequate to estab-
lish and maintain effective quarantine
such IS was required in New York. Had
to contend with cholera, it would have
been compelled to get the requisite funds
from private sources.
An not in 70 81
sells was approved November 5, 1891, pro-
viding for the establishment of . local
board of health at Port Townsend, this
board to appoint health officer who
would inspect vessels arriving at that
port. The bill further provided for fees
tor such inspection, S for boarding and
examining vessels in the day time, and
$40 for night time, besides other fees for
fumigating, ETC., these fees to be paid by
the vessel, and to be lien on it until paid.
No doubt this action was necessary at the
time for proper protection from contagi-
Gus and infectious diseases.
There is, however. an entirely different
condition of affairs there now. The hos
pitai marine service of the United States
maintains a surgeon there to perform tho
duties which heretofore devolved wholly
on the local officer. But reports from yes
sci owners to members of the state board
lead US to think that the greater part of
the work is done by the local officer yet.
The appointment Of q marine surgeon
there terminated the usefulness of the
local board, and while We have not q word
of censure for the local board or its health
officer, We are of the opinion that this alto
gether unnecessary tax on the commerce
of the state should cease. gentleman of
Port Townsend has directed letter to the
secretary of the state board, from which
the following is quoted:
hold that there 10 no need of any such board
and it should be abolished, because the United
states government placed . surgeon here three
years ago belonging to the marine hospital ser.
vice. whose duty it 10 to inspect all foreign ves-
sells free of charge to said vessels. He gets his
regular salary from the government at Washing
ton City. On the other hand, the health oficer
appointed by this Puget sound collection dis
ir,ct collects his direct from the vessel at the
time the inspection 10 made. The Consequence
is that the government health officer seldom or
never makes All inspection of q vessel, but
makes up his reports at the end of each month
from the memoranda of the local health officer
VITO makes the inspection and collects tie fee
from each Here is a useless embargo placed on
our foreign commerce simply for the benefit Of
two men,
The following table shows the births for
the year ending September 80, 1892:
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