The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-04-02
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH
4 VERY COMPREHENSIVE AN
 NUAL REPORT

Children Recommended -rhe Ty- phoid Epidemic in New Haven Dis
 cussed Changes in Public Water Supplies In Connecticut.
 The annual report of the State Board
 of Health is just issued. Of all the an
 nual reports of the various commls- sions appointed by the State there is none that appeals more directly to the
 personal interests and the general well [ fare of the public than that which con cerns the public health
 The present volume gives very sat- isfactory showing of the work accom-
 plished by the board and presents cod
 elusive evidence that the mortality III
 the State has been greatly diminished
 and the amount of sickness much re-
 duced through it's very efficient and tn-
 telligent direction.
 The board expresses its qualification and pleasure at the change in public
 sentiment within the past few years on
 the subject of public hygiene, and acknowledges it's appreciation of the
 great aid rendered to sanitary admin
 istration by the cooperation of the
 public and the health officers. The re- port says: The people appreciate as they have never done before the bene-
 fits which result from public hygiene
 when judiciously and wisely directed by competent officers The consideration and wisdom, and careful adherence to legal requirements with which the pro- ceedings of the town health othcerS have been characterized during the last few years have commanded the re- spect of the public and secured that ald and concurrent action without which good sanitary administration is impos- sble, and without which it has in for mer years been so imperfect and unsat- isfactory,"
 The board attributes this change m popular sentiment very largely to higher standard of excellence in the personnel of the health officers, due to taking the office out of the influence of party politics, and prolonging the tenure of office from one to four years, and to the recognition of their services by reasonable conpensation
 The report, very justly and emphati- caIly, expresses it's appreciation of the powerful and omnipresent instrument tality of the public press in populariz- ing and diffusing sanitary science and making it the common property of an intelligent public,
 The report speaks in positive terms of the great advantage to sanitary ad- ministration derived from the meetings
 Ntit, 1scH,s in 6 conference upon practical subjects re- lating to their official duties The knowledge and confidence acquired by these mutual interchanges of personal experiences have given an impulse and right direction to public sanitation more effectively than anything else could In the words of the report
 ''The responsibilities which at times may devolve upon health officer as guardian of the public health, are so serious as to test his judgment his in tegrity and his courage, to the utmost. It Is on such occasions that the knowl- edge he has gained by frequent associa- ton and conference with his fellow health officers will direct his judgment, and give him confidence to act with promptness and decision, and to act wisely.
 The influence above mentioned have improved the personnel of the incumbents of the office, and by increasing and broadening their knoWl- edge of practical sanitation have cor improved their work. The serious earnestness with which the health officers regard their duties, the and judgment which they ex- hibit in the discharge of them, have greatly to promoting the cooperation of the public,
 HEALTH OF THE STATE.
 The number of deaths from all causes reported to the State Board dur ing 1901 was 14745, while in the year before they numbered 16,290, showing 1 545 less deaths than in the previous year. But there is reason to believe that there has not been a correspond 1 ing difference in the general health. During the year there has been an eX- ceptionally wide prevalence in an epidemic form, in many parts of the | State, of those diseases which in former i years have been the causes of a high | mortality Not within the memory of l any living practitioners have smallpox, | measles and scarlet fever been so gen arally prevalent and productive of so few fatal results.
 In more than 40 towns in the State | here is evidence that epidemics of these | diseases have been prevented by the | timely supervision of primary cases by 1 the health officers
 The report makes some timely re- marks upon smallpox and vaccination It says: "Connecticut is to be highly congratulated that with a population of lver 90S 900 there have been only forty eight cases of smallpox; at time, tOo when it is prevailing so extensively in other states with which we have such constant intercourse. No stronger evil lence can be offered, no more forcible argument can be made, no more con- yincing proof can exist, than is found II the fact that in Connecticut, as else vhere smallpox occurs only in unvac- inated subjects, or in those upon whom vaccination has been neglected or many years
 Other methods of securing immunity rom smallpox are temporary, untrust- worthy, vaXatiOus, expensive and .reatly inferior in every way to the ecuritY assured by vaccination"