Arizona republican., 1905-05-17
TERRITORIAL BOARD OF HEALTH
Importance of New Work It Is Now
 Undertaking.


 It is a matter for general congratu- lation that Arizona people, and espe- cially the medical practitioners of the territory, are beginning to take an in terest in the affairs of the territorial board of health as a necessary safe guard to the general health and well fare of the people. The thing that has most handicapped not only the Arizo- na board but the boards of many states is a dearth of reliable data and statis- tical information. In this direction, there are needs peculiar to each state or territory, and in Arizona there are perhaps more requirements of a spe- ciaf nature than anywhere
 The southern states have the men ace of yellow fever. All coast points have to keep sharp lookout for the bubonic plague and other diseases that may be brought in by immigration. Arizona has few of these things to contend with but there is here a great variety of climates with differing con- ditiOns, and a constant menace from smallpox and other contagious diseas- es. though there is none in the terri tory now so far as the writer is in formed. Arizona has become almost national sanitarium for those
 mected with the various lung troubles and there is no data covering the number of cases that seek refuge here annually, no statistical record of the result of any form of treatment or all treatments combined. but little harmony in the laws and regulations of the various communities, that affect either the sick or the well people who have to contend with these things. In addition to. the above. and numerous other deficiencies that might be pointed out, Arizona is the home of many pois- onous insects, reptiles and varmints, peculiar to few sections of the south west. such as Gila monsters, scorpions, centipedes, hydrophobia, skunks, ta- rantulas rattle snakes, vinagarones, cts. These things are of course but small menace to human life for they are not nearly so prevalent nor so dangerous in many cases as popularity believed Nevertheless they are dan gerous in some degree and the worst feature of the situation is that there is very little reliable information avail able on such subjects, so that the phy- sician knows but little more about such things than the laity. When a man is brought to town bitten suppos- edly by hydrophobia skunk or a Gila monster the treatment is necessarily experimental in a large degree for there are few reliable precedents on which judgment may be formed.
 All this is predatory to the statement that the present board has been busily engaged for a long time in systemat- izing it's work and preparing to com pile such informaton as may be of ben eft to physicians and therefore to the people generally.
 The territorial health officer some time ago addressed a circular letter to perhaps couple of hundred physi- clans and others who might be consid- cred authoritative sources of informa- | tiOn, asking them to furnish the board their experiences in the treatment of wounds made by such natural enc mics of man as are cited above, togeth- CT with their observations in cases they were not interested in and any infor- nation that might be relevant to the subject. The health officer has re- ceived numerous replies to this circu- lar letter and the facts related will be properly compiled for the issuance of a pamphlet or bulletin on the sub ject at some later date.
 Another circular letter was sent out seeking statistical information in the hope that soms system may be evolv- ed whereby it may be determined how many people come to Arizona annually for lung trouble, the nature of their affections, the methods of treatment, the results obtained, and all informa- tion of a similar character that may prove of value.
 An early response to this circular was the receipt of a printed circular of several pages issued by the Pima county board of health and the Tue son city board of health. It is design ed to educate both the sick and the well on the causes of consumption and methods for preventing it's spread on the theory of fighting by prevention and appealing to those afflicted to aid in keeping others from infection. The key note of it is NO Spit, No Con- umption" an injunction it appeals to every sick person particularly to heed, as a duty to his race. It is brief but a valuable little folder and there should be a hundred thousand of them dis tributed in Arizona annually for their moral effect.
 It is likely that eventually bulletins on the subject of Arizona's sick visitors