Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-07-13
PUBLIC HEALTH.
SECOND DAYS SESSION OF THE
SCHOOL FOR INSTRUCTION.
Relation of the Laboratory to the Citizen
and Powers aud Responsibilities of
Health Omoers-Demonstrati
and Lecture by DR.. Linsicy.

The business sessions Of the school for
health officers under the management of
the State Board Of Health opened Tues
day morning in the city Hall with good
attendance of medical officers from the
different towns Of the state. The attend
Hncc was much more a representative one
of the state health officers than that of
the previous evening when the school was
opened, many in attendance having wait
cd to come upon the morning trains The
number was Increased later in the day.
The morning session was an interesting
enc and fulfilled the promises which had
been made for it. The address of pr
$. W. Abbott. secretary of the Massachus-
etts State Board of Health, was the fast
upon tho programme. His subject was
THE Relation Of Public Health Labora-
tories to the Citizen" He said In part:
The remarkable success which has
crowned the work of public hygiene dur
ing the last % years is due in a very con-
siderable measure TO two important
branches Of medical work, vital statistics.
and experimentation. In the patient ana
laborious work of classifying and
setting in order the vast storohouse
of obs rrvation, which make up the for
mer, may be found the proof of the value
of the researches which are constantly
being wrought by means of the latter.
The great object OF health Organization
and work is the prevention of disease"
Dr Abbott then raised to review and
discussion of tho great discoyerers in the
department Of science, with which his adj
dress was Identified, and gave some time
TO their work.
Continuing he said public hygiene is
beyond question an evolutionary science
Its growth mas been rand and continuous
one of the sroltcst factors in this has
been the laborat 1ry-both chemical and
hacteriolocical The laboratory is essen
tial to the welfare of the community as
is the forge Of the blacksmith"
A description Of the work of the MaSsa-
chusetts laboratory and a general outline
Of its work followed. The work of the la
boratory has embraced up to the present
date the examination of about 1000 cui-
tures from naticnts suspected Of diuhthe-
ria, about 800 specimens of sputum. about
500 specimens Of blood ana the production
Of - 700 walls Of diphtheria anti-toxn.
In fact the state cannot make a more
wise or more profitable Investment for ii !
citizens than a good sanitary laboratory.
Every dollar invested will he returned
many times ova,. The money which the
citizen contributes as tax towards the
sirort of a laboratory of hygiene returns
to him what is far better than an ord n
acv rate of interest. the saving of human
ife Profitable is the expenditure of mon V
which is cont ributed for the humane nur-
pose of preventing disease and of making
the life of the citizen healthier longer
and more endurahle."
| The papcr was discussed bv Or. D. c.
Noble of Middlehurv. DR.. John Gibson Of
Ve,.rcnncs and Others in an interesting
manner. The discussion at this noint was
diverted tn a reference to the ANALYSIS Of
LIQUORS at the laboratory of somewhat
humorous nature.
The second paper of the morning was
entitled "The Powers and Rosponsbilitie,
of the Health Officers and Local boards q,
Health" written hv I T.. Cushman of thi,
CITY. and in his absence at Detroit. deliv.
eced by Edmund C. Mower
, It contained many extracts from the
avs of the state regarding the duties OF
health officers and local boards. which
were discussed in ,heir different phases
and said in part: "Perhaps no safer cri
tcrion for YOUR official conduct can be her,
stated than this: You possess powers anC
ONLY such ,,owers as are either hv expres
crms or by necessary implication con
tanned in the general law and rules ano
regulations PROMULGATED by the Stat,
Board. All other powers not conferre,
are eypressIy withheld
When the law is fairly susceptible Il
, moro than one construction Won should al
WAYS act on rood legal advice until sucI
time az the court shall construc tho law
II holds Won personally respon sihle 70
. damages in acts exceeding your authori
"" The paner then passed to a discus
, sion of different matters under the fol
lowing heads: "Appointmcnt" Power
and duties of lealth officers" and Pow
, ers and duties of local boards of health
, In closing Mr.. Cushman said The law
in some respects loosely drawn and re
, ouires revision. The eenecal plan is eX
tellent. its workings in the mast and pres
ent have not been attended with much lega
remain until the State Board have oppor
tunity N get a revision which will NOR
clearly letine the duties of the health Of
ficers and local boards and will eliminat
all parts of the law now existing whic
render II uncertain"