Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-11-24

1 latest and most approved methods OF &C.
curing prompt and efficient isolation tand
quarantine, II necessary. and disinfcc-
lion OF these infectious diseases. A State
board. getting Its information from In
vestigations and experience OF ether
boards. and also from its own invesfi
| cations, then this Information Is promptly
sent 10 all local boards, either by printed
circulars or by wire. II the urgency OF
| the information requires II, and by them
| disseminated TO the people &C large. ard
/ to the infected districts especially. BY this
means valuable information can be Sc
cured from these local boards as to the
prevalence of any disease or nuisance
that may be endangering the public
health. and directions given in detail how
to prevent or check the spread Of any
infectious or Contagious disease smons
| the people at the time any such disease
is prevailing. Often an epidemic can be
abated by following the instructions and
rules given.
Our State board felt most keenly its
inability 10 10 to the rescue Of the good
people OF Staunton this past summer
when the town was infested with small
pox. but, having no means at Its dis
posal. II was powcrless. IL was severe
reflection on our State that. after appeal
ing TO the Governor for aid, through It's
own State board, they sent TO Washing
ton, 10 the United States Marine Hospi-
pal Bureau. for an expert to decide
whether or not the disease at that lime
prevailing was smallpox. / speak with
confidence when / say that IL the State
Board OF Health had been clothed with
the power and the means to enforce its
regulations, and had been in position
to have sent representative at once to
stanton, as soon as the disease broke
out there, II would have never made such
Roadway az h did. and. most probably,
could havoc been stamped out In It's in
ception. and thousands Of dollars would
have been saved TO the good people OF
stanton, for who can estimate the loss
sustained by this city from commercial
standpoint by the epidemic? stsLpion
alone could have better afforded 90 have
given the sum asked OF the Legislature
or lSo3-'9i, for the support OF the board.
This line Of argument might bc indefinite
~ extended. and supported by facts and
figures. In other States where State
boards OF health exist, ana why would it
not hold good In our state?
3. by advising how TO abste nusGnces
that are dangerous to the public health
A State board Of health Is often called
upon 10 give advice about the removal
OF misunderstanding the cause and source
from which they emanate. IL Is often
asked TO find out the origin OF come re
vailing contagious disease-those produced
by polluted air and bad drinking water,
etc.
4. Scientific Work.-A we'll organized
and equipped board can do a great deal
OF scientific work IL prepared for It. such
as the analysis OF impure food, water.
etc; tracing the source of impure milk
seeing that dairymen only dispense milk
from sound and healthy cows. and that
the butchers and dealers only sell sound
and healthy meat. Many case OF dis
case can be traced to these and kindred
causes. Such work is being done by other
boards. and with good results.
Our State Board which Is one only
in name, could carry on such investi-
cations II provided with the means.
Health and money thereby could be saved
TO the people Of our State, yea, often
the lives of some OF her best citizens,
many OF whom each year succumb 10 dis
eases contracted from these causes.
/ need hardly refer to the analysis OF
water, to which almost always typhoid.
fever can be traced. by an investigation
into the source and quality OF the water
used for drinking and cooking purposes.
Impure water can be discovered: cpl.
denies of this disease can be prevented
or held in allegiance by the discontinuance
of water from contaminated sources,
which can only be detected by careful
and scientific investigation by one COM
petent 10 do such work. Typhoid-feyei
has been quite prevalent all over the
State this past summer and fan, due
in many cases TO the water famine; TO the
low condition and pollution OF wells,
springs, and streams, from which drink
,ng-water was obtained. Under these and
IA h nV.A
out circulars and literature on this sub
ject, describing infinitely how this dread
disease could be at least limited, II not
entirely prevented, and such would be
the action OF the board as TO epidemics OF
other diseases having known prevent
able cause These are only few OF the
scientific Investigations or work we'll
equipped board could undertake. Many
Others might be enumerated, but IL is
hardly necessary at this time to do so.
The prime and chief object Of a State
board Of health Is the prevention of dis
case and the saving of human life, and
II this Is accomplished. why the result In
the saving from commercial stand
point also other countries, and almost
every State in the Union, consider this
work worthy of their attention, and are
giving large appropriations annually to
this cause. The discoveries and scientific
investigations of Koch. OF Germany, ard
Pasteur of France, have been made
under the authority and by the most
liberal appropriations of their respective
governments. and they have large and
most extensively equipped laboratories
for their Investigations. which are main
tanned and supported entirely at great
cost to the government.
That the reader may appreciate what
other States think State board OF
health is worth to them, l append
list Of annual appropriations made for
the use Of some State boards OF health
in the United States by the secretary OF
the Missouri Board of Health, which
speak In no uncertain sound:
Massachusetts ...................Nll, Vp
Texas - ......... .............. 1000
sJllinois .,. minimum. ...... 1900
Mississippi ,,,... ......... ........ n, $50
Minnesota .......... ................ 5000
New York ......... .................. % 900
sNew Jersey ....... ................. 1893
Wisconsin .......... ................. ~, go
sMichigan ........ ...,................ ls.1is
Alabama ..... ...................... 1900
MARYLAND minimum. ................ 1900
california ...... ................ 1850
.Connecticut ...... .................... 1c,0OO
.Neu Hsmpshire ...... .......... $500