The state chronicle., 1893-05-28
Health Notes For the People.

Health Notes For the People.
We are seriously threatened dur
ing the coming summer with an in
vasion of the most dreaded OF all
the contagious and infectious dis
Cholera.
In fighting that class of diseases,
while cleanliness of the premises is
of the highest Importance and
should never be overlooked-a du'y'
by the way, that you should attend
to at once, if you have not already
done so, now, that warm weather
/ has set in, and repeatedly and regu-
larly Misunderstanding at all is
comparable in results to the prompt
and complete separation of the sick
from the we'll, and the thorough dis
infection Of everything used by the
patient. A complete application of
these principles would nip in the
bud every epidemic; indeed there
could be no epidemics. The ma
chinery for carrying them out has
been provided in the "Act Relating
to the Board of Health passed by
the last legislature, but it is q we'll
known fact that no law can be sue
cessfully administered unless it is
supported by public opinion. l
therefore desire, very brie fly, to call
attention to certain parts of it
which particularly require the CO.
operation of the people for whose
benefit it was passed, and to show
why it is to their interest to give it
their cordial support.
/ Most people known the value to
health of cleanliness Of person,
premises, food and drink, but not so
many are familiars with the great
Importance OF strict quarantine
or isolation of those sick of infec-
tious diseases, and more especially
the necessity for the disinfection of
the patient and his effects after his
recovery. As nothing is 80 convinc-
Ing as facts. L will give come of the
results obtained in tbs State OF
Michigan, where sanitary regula.
/ tlons are carried out, certainly as
we'll as, if not better than, anywhere
! else in this country: The number
; of deaths from scarlet fever in that
: State before the Board of Health
t undertook it's restriction was 4.05
, for every 10000 -afte,
3 2 IS; of smallpox before, IS pei
, 1O,O0O-after 19. One of the dia-
< grams to be exhibited by that Board
j. at the Columbian Exposition "indic
8 ates the lives saved: from scarle,
t fever, 1866; from smallpox, 1921
and from typhoid fever, 1,671.'
: The administration of health laws
. even in Michigan is still very, very
r far from perfect, and yet see the
s great saving of life brought about
g by their partial application. Wha
f has been done there can be don,
: here and ought to be done, every
r one must admit.
Il The following are the extracts
from the law referred to:
Sec. 9. Inland quarantine shall b.
;. under the control of the Count,
Superintendent Of Health, who shat
see that diseases especially danger
GUS to the public health, viz: small
g pox, dipththeria, scarlet fever, yel
o low fever, typhus fever and cholera
I: are properly quarantined and iso
i lated within twenty four hours afte
the case is brought to his knowl
Q edge; and that after the death O.
/ recovery or removal of a person
y sick OF either of the diseases men
g toned, the rooms occupied and tn
o articles used by the patient ar
= thoroughly disinfected in the man
ner set forth in the printed instruc
l. tions, both as to quarantine an,
u disinfectlon, which shall be fur
: nished him by the Secretary of tn
: State Board of Health The eS
J pense of the quarantine and of tn
disinfection shall be borne by tn
o householder In whose family tn
o case occurs, if able, otherwise b
y city, town or county of which he j
n a resident. ANY perso
n neglecting or refusing to compl
with or in any way violating th
le rules promulgated in the name
q above set forth on the subjects {
quarantine and disinfection, shall b
4 deemed guilty of a misdemeano
y and upon conviction shall be fine
e. or imprisoned, at the discretion
b. the court, not less than five ne
s. more than fifty dollars, or less tha
n ten nor more than thirty days.
Provided, however, That in any ci.
al or incorporated town having a res
a ularly appointed medical healt
officer who is member of tt
W County Board of Health, the duti,
IS assigned in this section to tt
County Superintendent Of Healt
w shall be performed by the said met
a. ical health officer for the people
~ this city or town, and he shall
subject to the same penalties f,
dereliction of duty st the hands
the Board Of Aldermen or Tow
Commissioners as are dn ected
r.. be imposed by the County Commi
+. sioners and County Board of Heal,
"a upon the Superintendent: Provide