Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-10-17
BIENNIAL REPORT.
Secretary Young Reports for State
Board Of Health.
Work Of Great Importance Treating Laroe,v
on Disinfectants.

me tenth report of the State board
or health. Which is the third biennial
report. for the two years end;,o ~,
cemoer ii. 1897. has just been corn
pleted by DR.. A. G. Young, secretary Of
the beard. 1t is a report that =. doc
tined TO be as important among the
books OF that nature, as the last re-
port. This report contains as its most
important subject, outside the ranort
OF the work that has been done in the
STATE by the local boards and the State
board, a great deal upon disinfection.
there oeing long articles by the sec
rotary and ether recognized authorities
upon the subject.
During this time, as in the nreced-
ing years" says DR.. Young in his in
PRODUCTION, "the chief and the most i'm
portant work of the board has been the
quiet direction and co-ordinali,n of
the public health work in the State.
Though unusual epidemic outbreaks
have been infrequent, the work of aid
ing and advising local boards Of health,
and IN supplying them with blanks and
circulars needed in their work of pre-
venting ard restricting diseases, is an
| ever present one.
The most notable outbreak Of in
| fectious disease which occurred within
| the two years was the epidemic of
diphtheria in and around Fort Kent.
Through an unfortunate series of local
| circumstances, the disease was found
to be widely extended among the poor
er class of people in the outlying parts
of Fort Kent and the surrounding
| plantations, when the representative Of
| the State board of health arrived
Nevertheless, the rapidity with which
verse conditions, with the thorough
| use of quarantine, antitoXin, and dis
| infection, should encourage other local
boards to employ the same efficient
| measures if occasion should call FOR
| Them
In regard to the diphtheria in the
Madawaska region, long account OF
the matter is given. 1t contains in
brief the mention that request was
in October, 1897, from the local board
OF health in Fort Kent, asking that a
man be sent to help them in an out
break which had prevailed some weeks.
| Although the local board had re-
| ceived detailed instructions, antitoxin,
antitoxin syringe, formaldehyde gem
orator. wood alcohol to be used in it,
they had, on account of some local
MISUNDERSTANDING and some special
de,nic. DR.. Wellington johnson of Au-
gusta was. therefore, sent to aid the
local board.
In addition to verbal advice the
typewriter Instructions and >other
directions in pamphlet form We're given
him, and which are also given in the
report.
DR.. Johnson was greatly helped in
the work of suppressing the disease by
the Catholic clergymen, and by the
secretaries of the provincial boards.
Dr. Johnson's report of the affair is
given in full.
Another account of the diphtheria
that prevailed at Castle Hill and
Mapleton is given. In connection with
this is given a little article on the
powers of the local boards in regard TO
quarantine with the opinion of the at
torney general. The following is the
case cited and the opinion of the at
torney general in the matter:
A man and his wife who were quar-
antined in Castle Hill. disregarding the
requirements of the quarantine, went
to Napoleon on a visit. In answer to
the communication of this fact, the
secretary of Mapleton was instructed
to send the name of the man. and: 'If
you have such a case again, have the
man arrested at once. am laying tine
matter before the attorney general, and
will instruct you more definitely in
regard to this case. From what you
write it would seem that an example
should be made of him, for by his ac-
ton he wilfully endangered the pub
lic."
The secretary of the local board OF
health of Mapleton gave the man five
minutes to go home or to he arrested
and he went. The instructions from
the attorney general were as follows;
There have never been any tess
made of the strength of the con
tagious disease statutes which we
have and the sooner we commence
row the sooner the State will be re
! lieved OF such criminal carelessness a
you refer to in the case at Castle Hill
have no doubt but that the statute