Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-10-31
BOARD OF HEALTH.
Smallpox Situation On the
Northern Border
Discussed Friday Al Meeting Of
the State Board.
Simple Methods Of Assisting In
tuberculosis Fight.


ters which came up for discussion and
tor action was the SMALLPOX situation
which strongly threatens our northern
border. Reporting the present status
of the matter to the board, the sec
rotary told what had been done from
MS office to the present time In the.
latter part of June, a careful investi-
cation was made as to the truth of
rumors of smallpox at Grand Falls, n
Is, and lower down the river Every
thing was found safe then except that
there We're some disquieting rumors,
which could not then be verified, that
there were cases in the Madawaska
region on the Province side.
In August the secretary was called
to Mapleton and found case of small
poX. The patient would not disclose
the exact location where he contract
ed the Infection, but it was learned
that he had been in the Madawaska
region. An investigation showed that
he had been infected at st. Ann Qusi-
bis on the Province side Quite a long
while ago there were rumOrs of small
pOX at EdmundStOn. First it was re-
ported that there were six cases. then
so. then the State Board of Health
took action by starting promptly an
inspection service, a part of which has
been taken over by the United States
Public Health and Marine Hospital
Service at the request Of the board.
Recent reports state that there are
at least 125 cases of smallpox in the
one town of Edmundston, and this re-
port has been confirmed and the state
mentS in regard to the management
of tn CASES on the other side of the
line indicate that the measures lack
rrnHutne~S and efficiency. Local
boaros &c Hcalth have been warned,
and a cir u'Ar letter has been sent to
tn" lunbt "nirn Another circular let
ter viii b" sent tomorrow to the local
boards N a the towns in the northern
part Of the State.
The following rules and regulations
relating to smallpox in New Bruins
wick were made and adopted by the
State Board at its meeting yesterday
and were approved by the Governor
and Council.
"sSectiOn i. on account Of outbreaks
of smallpox in the northern part of
the Province of New Brunswick the
State Board of Health of Maine hereby
person shall come from the said Prov
incc Of New Brunswick into any city.
town. plantation. township, lumber
camp. or other place in the State of
Maine unless he can prove to the sat
isfaction of the local Board of Health
of the place to which he comes, or to
an inspector of the State Board of
Health. that he has been successfully
to the infection OF smallpox.
Section >. This order shall not APP
ply to travellers by steamboat lines to
Maine. or to travellers by railway who
are able to show to the satisfaction
of an inspector Of the State Board of
Health that they have come from
counties or parts of New Brunswick
which are free from smallpox.
by order of the State Board of
Hcalth.'
The penalty which the law provides
for disobedicnce of orders of this
kind made by the State Board of
Health is as follows:
Amy person who shall neglect or
refuse to obey the said rules and rcgu-
lations or who shall wifully obstruct
or hinder the execution thereof, shall
be punished by fine of not more than
$500, or by imprisonment in the county
Jail for a period of not more than six
months. or by both fine and impriSOn-
mcnt."
The secretary was authorized to
have Il translation MADE into the
French language of the smallpox cir
culars Nos. y and - and have them
printed as soon as possible for dis
tribution in the northern part Of the
state.
Much time was spent in considering
some advanced and very necessary
work for the prevention and restric-
ton of tuberculosis which the board
had already discussed to some extent
at previous meetings One of these
was the necessity of being able to en-
plov one or more district tuberculosis
nurses to aid local boards of health
and local physicians in their cam
paign against tuberculosis in rural
places. Another was the necessity of
some arrangement for furnishing
burnable paper spit cups to all con-
sumptive patients who are not able
readily to obtain these important aux
iliaries in restricting the spread of in
to others Another matter was the
need of. arranging for large number
of local tuberculosis exhibits using
rs the basis for such work. the exhibit
which was recently shown at the In
ternational Congress on tuberculosis
in Washington, adding to it new fea-
lures when desirable and at the same
time feasible.
The board voted that hereafter Rule
of the Boards rules and regulations
relating to the transportation OF dead
bodies shall be interpreted as requir-
ing a permit from the State Board of
Health in cases of diSinterment only
when the remains are to be transport
ed by railway or other common car
rier. In all cases. it should be under
stood that the law requires a dlsln-
torment permit to be issued by the
town or city clerk of the town IN
which the body lies buried.
LOCAL RETAIL MARKET.
Prices Remain Steady With no Signs
of Falling OFF.