Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-11-29
Has Much Of Value from
Sanitary Standpoint.
Report Covers Two Years Ending
Dec. 81, 1905.

The 18th annual report of The State
Eoard of Health Of Maine, being the
seventh bienial report for the years 1854
and 1903, has been submitted 10 the
Governor and Executive Council by the
secretary of The board, a. q. Young
NJ. ID. Following is an extract:
This report for the two calendar
years, 1904 and 1905, presents in an
epitomiZc1 form the WORK of the State
board Of health, and it seeks 10 present
to c0-workcrs in public hygiene ard u
the general public trustworthy and
helpful Information.
E.ducative Work.-An important
function indeed, in the opinion of the
board is its cducatve work. and one
which the law sets before il, and tho
enforced neglect Of this part Of the
work now and again due to the de
EiahdS of that more spectacular WOrh,
the restriction OF epidemicS within our
borders, or guarding against their i'll
lroiut ;ion. has been regretted by the
ptaid Ior referring To smallpox, The
time and money spent in the stamping
Out of some single epidemic to save loss
to our industries, and TO save Il score
Of towns, mayhap from trouble. world
suffice to put into every household
trustworthy Information in regard To
the prevention of diseases far more de
Structive TO life and happiness. Public
health administration by cfrcuiariz.I-
ton is far from being the whole of it,
but the experience OF the board has
been that, Well-prepar'I circulars, nos
too long, distributed il places where
an emergency calls for them, or for
some diseases always rTty' eit AMI al
ways destructive brought often To the
public attention, have Il s:tltllry effect,
plainly discerned by local health Of
iicers or statistically demoratrablc.
The Bulletin Of The board issued ni-
monthly is practicl.ly Il continuation
of The Sanitary Inspec or formerly
published by the board and suspended,
through necessity aft ~ the spread of
smallpox over the states ana prev inc"S
struck our own State-itS publication
suspended at a time when it WAS need
ed t. keep the State boa d an the Il Cal
boards in frequent touch with rna am
other.
The epidemic work has mostly been
confined to outbreaks of smallpox; and
outbreaks of that disease occurred!
quit" often in tn" first half OF thu
ycar 1904 as Il legacy from the rrcccd-
ing year In no place in the State.
either in. 1904 or in 1905. did an extern
sive outbre;1l' occur, save the one II?
Joncsport in the former year, whore the
recognition Of the real nature of the
ma!aly came late. and the spread Of
the infection to ether towns resulted
in some other small outbreaks. Of the
II outbreaks Of smallpox mentioned in
the report of the secretary. the State
board, through its secretary, other
members. inspectors. OF other agents.
has personally been present i'll SO OF
the places to advise or help the local
aut horities. or to be assured that SucA
measures are put in force as shall
quickly stamp out epidemics. In the
unorganzed townships. the state board
has usually had to take full charge OF
the cases The position of the State
board. 80 far as it has jurisdiction. is
that outbreaks of smallpox and other
endemic diseases in the State must and
snail be stamped cut promptly. Mild
ness of type for the present is no "X-
cIse for neglect. There is no knowing
how soon the disease may again as
sumo virulent form, as it has many
times in the past. Whether the change
comes soon or late, aside from III"
cucstion of life or health. there is the
continued prosperity of industries
which must be considered. Some Of
these, particularly those which depend
mpon the good rcputc of Main" rs Il
health ard pleasure resort. are duitc
susceptible To adverse influences. Iln
wish of the state board is that the rec
orb of our public health service snail
N Il guaranty that the stat" "f Main"
is a .,afc place, as Wrll ;.S 4 pleasant
place.
That outbreaks Of smallpox can ha
stamped out promptly even under con
ditinns which are far from faVorahi"
for easy work has again and again
been shown by the experience OF the
local boards and the state board In
SMALLPOX work health officers hav" L
precious advantage In vacclnatioh'
which they do not have in equal Dc
gree in any other epidemic dISchS''
and.whei the people will mr"t h"ahh
officers halfway in accepting this boon,
every outbreak OF smallpox can quick
" he subducd.
Observation-Disclosures the provisions OF
2 congressional law passed Few years
ago every person or firm WI" Would
prepare and put upon the market vac
cine virus must receive license from
thr Surgeon- General of the United
States Public Health and Marine Hos
pial Service. and all laboratories ana
establishments in which such products
arc produced must come up to the strict
requirements established by that ser
vice. Samples of vaccine found in the
open markets are periodically examined
in the laboratory in Washington to en-
sure their purity. Since the Public
Health and Marine Hospital Service
began this work, there has been n nota-
Bile Improvement in the products OF
these laboratories from the point OF
view of both the vaccinator and the
laboratory worker.
Tuberculosis-This. as one of the
most destructive of the Captains OF
DEATH" deserves a good part Of the eff
forts of boards of health, While il.
infection is not so rapid in its seizur,
or ia its destruction of it's victims tn,
plentiful sources of infection in com
munities and houses where intellieen