The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-27
DEPARTMENT FEATURE
New System of Compiling Vital
 Statistics Effective.
Examiner Credits New Examination Law With Much Good--Depsrt- ment Grows Beyond Rec-
 ord of Single Pre- <
 vious Year.

In organization and results accom- plished. the State Department or Helath has effected more during the last year than in any single year pre- ceding. according to the report of State Examiner H. Y. Brooke, filed yester- day with Governor Conner.
 The establishment of the State Pas teur Institute during the last year, the inauguration of the new system or collecting and compiling vital statis- tics of the State, the new law gov erning the examination of applicants for State licenses to practice medi- cine are three features which are stressed in the report as index of ex- ceptional progress.
 During the year in which the Pas teur Institute has been operating. 200 patients, who could not have otherwise undergone the expensive treatment, was cured after having been bitten by rabidp dogs, without cost to them. !. The treatment of patients who have been mad-dog bitten is one of the most expensive known to common practice. and it has been offered with out cost by the States institute.
 The report of Examiner Brooke cov- CTS period from Jan. 12. 1907. to Oct. 1. 1909. During the time the expenses or the QepdFIaleHL nave UtCu voStSov.cv' with s3.97s.35 to balance.
 Because of the new regulations as to the collection of statistics, Alabama has acquired during the last year some of the most complete records of births and deaths and contagious diseases of any State in the country
 The report says as to this:
 ''The largest part of the work Of the State Board of Health is in the su- pervision and control of the County Boards of Health. In this field 1t col lects the vital and mortuary statistics of the State. The books show that this work has made more progress during the present year than for the twenty years or more of effort that preceded it.. To carry on this work, every doctor and midwife in the State. of whom there are fin round numbefs 5000, must be supplied with blanks, stamped envlopese. etc, for making monthly reportssof all births. deaths. and infectious diseases that occur in their several practices.
 The State Board is now receiving monthly, and placing on file, the origi- nal birth records of from $500 to 4,O0O children, and the original deaths re- ports of from i,200 to 1:500 persons. These birth records and death reports are so filed as. to render. them easily accessible should occasion arise to es- tablish, the fact of the birth or death of person. .. .,s- t- s+es--
 Because of the new law governing the, examination for physicians li- censes. a higher standard of efficiency is afforded. The report shows that of s9s candidates under the new pro- visions, 180 passed and received H. censes, and 21S failed.
 The report dwells on the work of the State meteorological department and the laboratory experiments. It says: Aa
 'HThe State Board of Health estab- lishei 6 laboratory in the Capitol fer. the purpose of rendering such scientific aid as 1t could to the physi- clans of the State in diagnosing ob- scure and grave diseases. Work is go- ing on in the laboratory daily in the way of examining specimens sent by physicians from all parts of the State with the view of aiding them in the study of diseases, such as typhoid fe- yer. tuberculosis, malarial levers, hook worm disease, diphtheria, cere- bro-spInal meningitis, etc.
 "In addition to this work the brains of animals supposed to have been rabid are being frequently examined in order to ascertain scientifically whether or not the animal was rabid. This work is growing all the while and requires the expert help of several bacteriolo- gists."
 The examiner recommends that more space be assigned the bacteriologicaI department.
 A record of examinations made by the department was revealed in the report as follows:
 A total of 1857 examinations, AZ being positive and 636 negative. The examinations were divided as follows Stools for hook-worms, 235; sputum for tubercle baci1li. 220; typhoid ba- cilli, 1Ss: malarial parasites. Fl; para typhoid bacilla, IS; diphtheria bacilli IS; pathological sections. 35: animals suspected of rabies, 292; bacteriolog. ical analysis of milk, 16; bacteriolog. icaI analysis of water, 102; miscel. laneous. 121.