The Indianapolis journal., 1898-11-30
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH
SIXTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT MADE
TO THE GOVERNOR YESTERDAY.
Summary of the Work Accomplished
Room for sanitary Improve
menf fn the state.

u j.
1898. summary Of the work accomplished
shows among other things: Water analyses
made. 19S; wells, springs and other sources
Of polluted water supply condemned, 10;
vinegar analyses made. &c; vinegar con-
oemned as below legal standard, 2; diph-
theric examinations made, So sputum exam
nations made. %; butter analyses made, l.;
personal visits and sanitary inspections by
the secretary In answer to requests OF
health officers and others. 73
Each quarter the vital and mortality sta
tistics have been collected and tabulated.
Under the head of Remarks on the Disease
and Death Statistics Collected" the Board
first points out the impossibility. under the
present law. of collecting accurate and
full statistics and deplores that 1t is com
PEELED TO make estiamtes. 1.-THE total num-
ber of deaths reported was IL, 1885," says the
Board. Taking the population Of the State
at 100000, the death rate from this basis
is sos per 1000. The death rate in Michigan
as shown by the very perfect registration, is
II. per 1000 AS Indiana cannot possibly
have a. lower rate than The Salubrious
Peninsula" nor yet below the normal rate
the conclusion is forced that our figures
must be doubled to secure approximately
true results. Doubling would show the total
number OF deaths to be 31670, which can
not be far from the truth. Germ diseases,
ramely, consumption, typhoid fever, scarlet
fever, diDhtheria, etc, caused 6,556 deaths.
The great Pasteur has said: 1T is possible
for man to Danish all germ diseases from
the EARTH" If this be true and II it be de-
sirable to save human life, there is room
for much sanitary work in Indiana. The
number of births was 81 979. OF this number
726 were colored. White males Is. 150; white
females, Is, 103; colored males. 366; colored
females, 800. These were the figures re-
ported and the board considers them to be
within 80 per cent. of the truth. A 10 per
cent. correction being made, the total num-
Der Of births would be 35,176 showing
large increase over death.
TUBLERCULOSIS DISCUSSED.
The report was especially exhaustive con-
cerning the subject of tuberculosis. 1t says
in part: The first step after securing an
accurate list of all consumptives In the
State, would be to instruct them in the care
and destruction of their sputum and other
points OF prevention which each individual
should practice. For pauper consumptives
a public sanitorium should be provided.
This would be a distinct economic move, for
as now cared for in poorhouses, the cost
per capita is much greater than would be
the case in a special sanitoria. But what is
more to be considered is the fact that, in
Il sanitarium every precaution could and
would be taken against propagating this
horrible disease. instead, as at present, aid
ing it's propagation. Each poorhouse where
consumption exists, and Ii may be properly
presumed that all contain 1t, Is at the pres
ent time, a center of affection. Two i'm
portant contributing factors to this disease
are badly ventilated public and private
buildings and the building OF residences fiat
upon the ground The dwelling which rests
close upon the ground Is damp ana musty,
and these conditions contribute greatly to
the acquirment of tuberculosis. The people
should be taught the facts in regard to this
matter. and this would be the duty Of the
State Board of Health If means were pro-
vded 1t might be that statute governing
the point would be practicable and whole
some. BY far too many school rooms are
not only not ventilated properly but are not
ventilated at ALL The children are thus
forced to live under conditions adverse TO
good health, being compelled to breath the
same air over and over again, weakening
their lungs and laying them open to inva-
son by the tuberculosis organism
Concerning typhoid fever the board says:
mot less than fifteen hundred people die
annually from this disease In Indiana. Eff
teen times as many have the disease anu
vet get we'll and therefore there must have
been at least 1000 cases during the year.
When 1t is considered that typhoid is pure
lv a filth disease, and can be prevented to
the extent OF at least 30 per cent. by simply
properly disposing of all excreta, there ap-
pears sad comment upon our civlllzatlon;
In Massachusetts and other States great
advances have been made in the suppress
sion of this disease. The MASSACHUSETTS,
Health Report for 1897 gives tables showing
that since 1871 the typhoid death rate be-
cause of education and enforcement or SAN
itary laws, has decreased from as in the
10000 10 rs. In Indiana the rate is 5.5 in
each 10000 In other words, Massachusetts
saves 81 persons in each 10000, while In
diana loses them, and by this standard fu2
lives are sacrificed annually in our state
Diphtheria is fully considered in the report
in all It's relations, as follows: There were
$40 deaths from this disease, and not less
than 1900 cases. Hundreds OF schools have
been closed throughout the State in the hope
Of staying epidemics by separating the chill
(lren The cost Is enormous. and in order
TO control the disease, continue the schools
and save large sums, the following pro-
cedure has been recommended. medical
inspection of every person connected with the
school is made and every one falling under
the least suspicion Is dismissed and directed
to remain at home until another inspection
Is made and further orders given. Inc un-
affected are permitted 10 remain at school,
after the building is cleaned and disinfected
Cultures are taken from all suspicious cases
and the diagnosis definitely determined
This plan has worked well wherever tried.
ACCURATE VITAL STATISTICS.
Under the head of Legislative Recon-
mendations' the board recommends certain
amendments to the present law intended 10
secure accurate vital statistics. One point is
to increase the tenure of Office of health
officers from one year to four, because 1t
takes about one year for the average in
cumbent TO become familiar with and ex-
pert his work. A further amendment con-
Germs burias. 1t provides that no dead body
may be legally buried without a permit
from the nearest health officer. AS health
officers, under the law, are TO be found in
every city and town, the board concludes
that this will work no hardship. and If ii
should work some hardship, no objection
ought to be made. for the advantages gained
to the whole people would be very great. II
is pointed out that the present food, drug
and pure liquor laws have no provision made
for their enforcement. and it is proposed
that this work be especially given to the
health department. The report concludes
as follows: THE people seem to be well
aware that something can be done to re-
leve them for during the past year almost
two hundred applications have been received
from persons throughout the State asking
the state board to visit their places to abol-
ish unsanitary conditions. OF this number.
il was within our power to reply in person
TO but seventy-three, on account of lack OF
means.
The financial exhibit gives the Items for
which the $4.30 appropriation was spent.
Salaries consumed 50 400 OF this amount The
remainder was spent I'm printing sanitary
pamphlets. paying postage and in general
1 IL