The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-18
HEALTH OFFICERS CLOSE
SCHOOL WITH BIG FEAST
Banquet at Claypool-Dr. Novy
Seeks the Sleeping Sick
ness" Germ.
VACCINATION

The health officers school was brought
to a close last night with a banquet at the
Claypool and a reception n honor of George
NJ. Sternberg, former surgeon general of the
United States army. Governor Durbin was
toastmaster and General Sternberg, Prof. F.
G.. Novy, of the University Of Michigan,
DR.. Frank Airport, of Chicago. and DR..
Charles o. Probst, of Ohio, were guests of
honor.
The health officers spent a busy day yes
terday. One of the interesting discussions
was by Professor Novy. who talked of the
protocol diseases. These are diseases that
are caused by plant and animal germs. DIR.
Novy gave blackboard illustrations and also
showed specimens under the microscope.
He gave an interesting description Of the
sleeping sickness of Central Africa. This
disease is communicated by a deadly biting
fly.
1t attacks young people mostly and is in
variably fatal. Sometimes the patient sleeps
for two or three months before death comes.
Professor Novy has been making some ex-
periments at the University of Michigan and
has developed a number of germs OF differ
ent kinds. He has not been able to get hold
of the fly that causes the sleeping sick
ness" and has little hope of procuring one.
Professor Novy declares that 20 per cent.
or the population of Central Africa has this
parasite in its blood.
An interesting feature of the morning ses-
sion was a lecture by DR.. Frank Airport, of
Chicago, who gave a practical demonstra-
ton OF means of detecting defective vision
or hearing. Several children served as sub
Jects for the lecturer. DR.. Airport declared
that OF the 100000 school children In the
country, two-thirds of them have a disease
OF the eye, nose, ear or throat.
COMBAT AGAINST CONSUMPTION.
DR.. Charles o. Probst. secretary Of the
Ohio Board Of Health, talked OF 9TH Com
bat Against tuberculosis" having made an
extensive investigation of the care and cure
Of consumption. He believes that States
should begin a systematic fight against this
disease as a matter of economy. He thinks
that every State should have a hospital
where consumption in the earlier stage can
De treated and he suggests that counties
should have isolation hospitals. where
paupers in the last stages could go. He
pointed to the fact that Indiana is now los
ing 5000 people annually by this disease
and suggested that a hospital where the
first stage of consumption could be treated
would reduce this death rate to q
According to DR.. Probst's figures ITO. sol per-
sons died of tuberculosis in the United
States in 1900. All but 1.3os of this number
died of pulmonary tuberculosis.
Dr. Probst urged that factory owners
should provide cuspidors for their men as
one means OF carrying on the combat
aCnsr consumption. He thought factories
should have appliances to expel the dust
from the shop. He would also have sleep
ing cars disinfected at the end of each trip.
Or. Probst urged that people pay more at
tention to the health Of their children and
he suggests that a regularly appointed phy-
stefan should keep watch over the physical
condition of children in the school.
Prof. Stanley Coulter, professor of botany
at Purdue University. discussed THE In
nuence OF Plant Life on the Public Health -
DIR. HURRY ON VACCINATION.
The closing talk of the day was by DIR.
]. N. Hurry. secretary of the State Board
OF Health, who discussed vaccination and
told the health officers of a visit to some
Of the establishments where vaccine is pre-
pared. These establishments are kept
scrupulously clean. and are under the super
vision OF the governments health DEPART
ment The health officers appeared to be
ueepiy interested In DR.. Hurty's talk, and
asked him numerous questions. DIR. Fer
guson, who has become an expert in the
treatment of smallpox, addressed the health
0fncers briefly, and he, too, was piled with
questions. One health officer told DIR. Hurry
that he had vaccinated two children eight
times and the vaccine had failed 10 take
DIR. Hurry instructed him to let the chill
became hungry and worn out with fatigue
to vaccinate them. "Tn guarantee that il
will take under these conditions" said the
secretary. DR.. Hurry defended vaccina.
ton, and referred to the cases of tetanus
that have developed as the alleged result
of vaccination. Abiding to the Lafayette
cases. he said that one of the children had
accidentally run three splinters In its hand
one OF which would have caused lockjaw,
He told of another case of lockjaw that
was charged TO vaccination where a child
had run a splinter In its nose.