Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-01-29
OUR STATE LABORATORIES WORK

The following handsome compliment
to the Vermont Laboratory and State
Board of Health is from the columns
OF the British Medical Journal, the
official organ OF the British medical
association, which unquestionably
has the largest circulation of any
medical journal in the world:
It may be remembered that about
year ago we mentioned that the legis-
lature of the state of Vermont had
passed an act for the foundation of a
laboratory for the chemical and bac-
THEOLOGICAL examination of water sup
plies, milk, and all food products, and
the examination of cases Or suspected
cases of various Infectious diseases.
The laboratory was opened on Jan. 1,
1899, and has since done a great deal
of good work under the direction of
DR.. j. H. Linsley. An interesting de-
velopment OF the work Of the labora-
tory was the holding last July of
school of instruction for health Off
GERS. The school, which is believed
to be the first Of it's kind in the Uuited
States, was conducted for five con-
secutive days. Papers were read by
wellknown sanitary authorities from
the large cities, by members of the
State Board Of Health, and by other
professional men. The subjects con-
sidered were numerous, and included
the following topics; the relation of
the public health laboratory to the
citizen; the powers and responsible
tiles of health officers a2d the local
Board of Health; public water supplies
and sewerage; sanitary plumbing and
house drainage; the relation Of ami
NAL diseases to public health; school
house sanitation and inspection of
school children; isolation of Infectious
diseases; the prevention of diphtheria
and tuberculosis; distinction, disin-
fectants, and quarantine; adultera-
tions and dangers Of milk; the menace
of the pig pen IL country towns; wa
ter supplies and the significance of
constituents as reported in the chem
zeal and bacterial analysis; and a
discussion of the Vidal test for ty-
phoid fever. Daily demonstrations
were held at the laboratory for the
purpose ofsfamilairizing, as much as
possible, members OF health boards
and others with the nature of the
technical work done in public labora-
tories. Working models Of systems
of correct and faulty plumbing were
used; disinfecting apparatus, filters,
etc.. were shown and demonstrated.
The sessions were free to all persons
Interested in The subject of public by
giene, and no fees of any sort were
imposed. There was an attendance
of eighty nine officers of health, rep
resenting as many municipalities, and
as there are only about two hundred
and forty towns in the state, the
number present was thought to be
very satisfactory, especially when the
rural nature of the country is consid-
cred. 1t is now proposed to hold these
schools of instruction annually here
after. Moreover, the Vermont State
Board of Health is about to publish
a periodical devoted to the subject of
public sanitation, the first number to
appear in January next $4,000. This
journal will be furnished to all officers
of health gratis, and its object is to
promote interest in and the efficiency
of public health work throughout the
state. We trust this very laudable
object may be fulfilled.