The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-13
STATE HEALTH CONFERENCES.
various Subjects Discussed by Mem
hers Of the County Boards

various Subjects Discussed by Mem
bers Of the County Boards.
The sixth annual conference of the health
officers Of the State began its sessions in the
agricultural rooms of the Statehouse yester-
day morning, with DR.. Ramsay president of
the State Board, in the chair, and about
forty health officers of various counties pres
ent. Governor Matthews delivered brief
address Of welcome. The response was made
by DR.. w. r. Francis, OF Marion, who
thanked the Governor for the hearty well
come and then spoke of the work accom-
plished by the State board.
After these addresses the conference ad-
journed until the afternoon, when the pro-
gramme Of papers and discussions was taken
up. The first subject assigned was that of
more liberal appropriations for sanitary
work, upon which DR.. Francis spoke without
notes Though all agreed that these appro-
priations were necessary, the question of how
to get them was discussed for some time.
DR.. I. +. Leech. Of Charlottesville. spoke on
Meeting Emergencies" and his paper was
brief and to the point. He said
AS chairman OF the committee to devise
pidnS 10 meet emergencies wrote to each
member OF the committee soon after our
last meeting, urging him to commence at
once 10 collect material for our report at
this meeting. The consensus Of their replies
was that men who Knew the least did the
all showed themselves to be very wise by
not saying anything. This Is to be regretted.
because 1t Is from such men that we ex-
In the performance Of our duties as health
officers. We don't expect men who have
peen In offiee only a short time to write a
book on sanitary science, but they can at
least give US the benefit of their expert
ences.
For my own part I had to devise plans
to meet some emergencies during the past
year. l received a dispatch from distant
city, saying that Miss B., who lives at No.
- street, Crawfordsville, Ind, had been
exposed to smallpox and had returned 10
ner nome. / Immediately quarantined her
at her home. vaccinated her and had her
keeping faithful guards on duty day and
night. AS at Muncie, Satan came also. There
were one thousand people and two newspa-
pers that knew just what to do and they
them. Unfortunately. we had no pesthouse,
but we proceeded to build one, and soon
located to suit everybody Some people
seemed to think that everybody in sight of
II was in danger of contracting the disease.
Fortunately our subject escaped having the
dread disease, and we have a new pesthouse
in which to quarantine our next patient. 1t
IS good plan to nave man of experience
and not change every time there is a change
in the Town Council. The civil-service rules
should apply in this case. If in no. other.
"A case Of diphtheria occurred in family
numbering eight persons. The house was
quarantined and kept so until all danger
had passed, and the premises and people
thoroughly cleansed and dsinfected. To be
ready for such case the secretary should
have the names OF all persons who are quail
fed and willing to go into such a home, to
nurse or guard; otherwise much Valuable
time will be lost in hunting them up. We
succeeded In combining the disease to the one
house: case Of diphtheria was reported
a r WI ftrTo TIM
would have worked a great hardship to the
people running it. visited the case myself,
much against the will of the attending ply
stefan, who seemed very much elated over
the prospect OF treating case with anti
toxin. advised delay In posting the house
and after twenty-four hours we were able
to say with degree OF certainty that the
disease was not dlphtheria, which proved TO
be correct. to the great satisfaction OF every
dire calamity is threatened or there SIS a
tendency TO some terrible disease unless my
medicine takes hold. is thus forestalled. TO
his reputation's loss, but to the patient and
the patients friends gain. might mention
other cases. but these will suffice to acquaint
you with the manner OF my procedure,
which IS, II you err always err on the side
THE first thing to do in every case Is to
diagnose the disease. and to do this there
every county and the County Commissioners
should appropriate money to establish IT,
The public health would be conserved by il
and the owners Of all kinds of domestic ami
mails would be benefited TO such a degree
that the cost of establishing and running
su ',in, an anc womld Snh INTO inslg
strides nowadays that the scientist must oc.
casionally doublequick in order to keep UT
with the band wagon"
After the discussion OF this subject DR.. s
" Hamilton. of Connersvile, read paper
OF some length on the duties and powers o.
health officers. His paper was a close an
ft,o ~.
subject. and a discussion Of their origin anC
meaning.
The committee. OF which DR.. S. H. Pearse
OF Mount Vernon. was chairman, appointed
20 look into various sanitary subjects, re
ported the following for consideration:
1--WE, for committee No. 4. respectfully sub
NIT the following:
whereas, The rotation OF county health
officers practiced In most counties OF oul
State insures but one years service TO the
secretary, the Accomplishment of any con
| siderable good in the way of dis1ricting and
| organizing district societies looking to
more perfect sanitation OF our State is i'm
| practicable.
| bers OF our committee present and the secont
| proposition, viz: Other matters that will in
| Health seems SO general and comprehensiv,
| in its scope, we feel that this body at thi.
| time should thoughtfully consider IL and rec
OnlmeD0 dugtuins ludt pIoulSec 10 lncFedSi
| the efficiency OF our State ana local boards o
/ health.
| I'VE believe that united and continued ef
| fort on the lines marked ous by our Stat.
! Board OF Health will accomplish much an,
| lasting good. but spasmodic and interrupte,
| effort will ever be productive of barren re
suits" This signed by Drs. :. III
| Pearse, j. II. Wheeler and J. 3. Lyttle.
This report was accepted. and the discus
sion upon II took a wide range. resulting II
/ the adoption OF the following resolution of
| fered by Or. G.. W. Bruce:
Resolved. That the State Board OF Health
should adopt and promulgate rule prohibit
ing the disinterring OF a body dead OF yellow
| fever smallpox. scarlet fever diphtheria o
] membranOus Group: also, rule prodibitin,
/ tie TRANSPORTATION OF any body dead OF an,
| OF these diseases by any conveyance, eitbe
| public or private. over any public highway
| except for the purpose of reaching the ordi
/ nary burial ground OF the community Il
| which the death occurred.
This ended the work OF the day. In IN
| evening the visitors were rendered recep
ton BY the faculty OF the Indiana Medics
College. and DR.. theodore Potter iectured o