The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-22
NECESSARY EVILS
What Biologist Calls
Boards of Health.
Annual PreventabIe Loss to the State
from Typhoid Fever; Not Less than
S385,OOO. Over 1000 Deaths
Every Year from this Disease.

In a treatise on safeguarding The
Public Health" Mr. Gerald Nc
Carthy, State Biologist, says Boards
of Health, both State and city, are
everywhere looked upon as necessary
evils, and that they p are nowhere
popular or much respected, except in
times of epidemicS. He says there
are over 1000 deaths annually caused
by typhoid fever. and the yearly pre-
ventible loss to the people of this State
from this disease is not less than
$3S5,000 Mr.. Mccarthy says:
According to the last published re-
port of the North Carolina State Board
of Health, the number of deaths an
nually caused by typhoid fever in
North Carolina is over 1000. About
ten times as many cases of lingering
illness are due to the same disease. In
England where the population is more
dense, and human life cheaper than in
the United States, the average money
value of a life is estimated at $1lIOO.
In the United States, some statisu-
clans place the money value OF
healthy man of middle age at $4,000.
I'm cases of typhoid fever in North
Carolina, the average bill for medical
attendance and medicine is $50 Inc
loss of wages for the period of sick
ness will average about $50 for each
case. 1t is q very conservative esti-
mate to place the number of these ty-
phoid cases due to neglect, and pre-
ventible by reasonable hygienic meas
ures. at one-half the whole number as
stated above. The annual preventible
loss to the people and STATE of North
Carolina from typhoid fever alone is
not less than $3S5,000.
THE satisfactory application of
scientific preventive measures to public
hygiene demands for each State and
town a central hygienic authority
clothed with power to inspect, inVesti-
gate and advise and coerce individuals
in matters relating to sanitation. mis-
fact has led to the general creation of
State and city boards of health. These
boards are nearly everywhere looked
upon as necessary evils They are
nowhere popular, nor much respected,
except in times of epidemic, when cney
are called upon to save the people
from the results of the peoples own
ignorant or wilful disregard of sani-
tary rules.
"Of all the American common
wealths Massa Chusetts stands first
among those who make serious en-
deavors to protect the public from
contagious disease. That State spends
$500 annually, for the maintenance
of it's State Sanitary Board. The only
Southern States which make any real
effort to guard against contagion and
the pollution of water supplies are
Louisiana and North Carolina Both
these States have active boards of
health which rank among the best IN
the Union.
"The systematic control of public
water supplies by the State Board of
Health began in North Carolina only
two years ago, but the work has grown
so fast that it now requires the time
of three persons.
THE meteorological and chemical
analyses made by the North Carolina
State Board of Health, during the last
two years has exceeded $50 per an
mum Most of these analyses repre-
sent water samples Many samples Of
milk were examined for the germ of
tuberculosis; standings from the
threats of persons suspected of haV-
ing diphtheria, and samples of sputum
from the threats OF persons supposed
to have consumption are examined by
the Biologist and reported to the
physician in charge of the cases.
Physicians having obscure seases
to treat have samples of them exam
med and thereby, often secure the
needed clue to the diagnosis. The
la boratory is now arranging to exam
inc the brains of supposed rabid dogs,
and also to make nicrOscOpical eX-
aminations of tumOrS and canCerOuS
growths. The amount of good done
| by this work is incafcrlable and must
| have an important influence upon the
happiness of the present and stamina
of future generations.