The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-08
DR.. Reynolds Plan to Treat
Condemned FOodstuffs.
Tells of His Troubles i'm En-.
forcing the Law.
DOCTORS ARE REMISS.
Fail to Make the Required
Health Reports.
Would Issue Bulletins on Deaths
and Sickness.

In his paper. on 'The Work of the
County, Health Officer DR.. E. c..
Reynolds, health officer of Allen
county, today advocated the use of
kerosene to destroy the commercial
value of gocds which confectioners
and bakers put on display and which
they do not take the proper pre-
cautions to protect from flies and
other disease carriers. The paper was
read at the sixth annual conference of
the state, county and municipal
health officers, which was held in the
office of DIR. S. J. Crumbine, secre-
tary of the state board of health In
cidentally DR.. Reynolds paper shows
what may be accomplished by the
health officer who is interested II, his
work and he received many compli-
ments from the physicians present. He
also called attention to the cost in ac-
tual cash of tuberculosis to the state.
1t was in telling of his work in
keeping the displays of confectioners
and bakers in a sanitary condition
that he recommended that the health
officers be allowed to use kerosene in
stead Of burning such goods after
they had been condemned. 1t is one
of the most difficult tasks which falls
to the health officer to keep bakers
and confectioners within the law in
displaying their goods, he declar ed,
and he cited some of his OWL ex-
also told of the fight which had been
made to compel the barber shops to
observe the sanitary regulations i'm
posed upon them by the state board
of health, declaring that usually one
Turkish towel began work on Satur-
day morning and was used on the face
of every man who was shaved until
II o'clock Saturday night.
Task a Heavy One.
In telling of his work as county
health officer. DR.. Reynolds called at
tention to the inadequate pay. the
heavy work which a health officer must
do and the fact that such an officer is
chosen. not because he is particularly
| fitted for the work but because he. was
the only person who would be bothered
with the task.
Dr. Reynolds has worked out a sys-
tenn of obtaining reports from physi-
clans who neglect this part of their
work that is at once admirable and
wonderful. He has series of letters
which he sends out that are equal to
the systems used by some collection
agencies and he declares that as re-
suit there is not an active practitioner
IN Allen county that does not make the
monthly reports required. Sometimes,
he says the reports are slow, but they
are always collected.
By watching closely the newspapers
of the county he collects all of the birth
and death notices and the name of the
attending physicians. In this way he
knows the families in which the deaths
occur as well as the name of the
negligent physician. Blanks are sent
to the family and physician also and
information concerning the illness and
death of the deceased is thus obtained
whether the physician gives it or not.
And when the physician learns that the
health officer has information from 9TH
er sources he usually makes his re-
ports.
The Teachers Help.
Another feature of the work which
DR.. Reynolds has found profitable is
the issuance of monthly bulletin of
the deaths and sickness In the county
together with recommendations as to
bettering sanitary conditions. These
bulletins are sent to each physician and
newspaper in the county and through
the newspapers are given to the public
School teachers report to the health
officer in Allen county when there is
sickness in the homes of the students
and an investigation is made at once
In case it is disease to which the
school children are exposed by the
presence of children from that home
the children are sent home from school
and not allowed to re-enter school un-
til they have secured health certifi-
/ cate from the county health officer,
The great trouble in the treatment
| of tuberculosis. according to DR.. Rey-
! holds. is to get physicians TO report
such cases. Scarlet fever, SMALLPOX.
| diphtheria, typhoid fever and MANY
! other diseases. not nearly so deadly are
| reported more promptly than cases of
| the white plague. DR.. Reynolds COM
| piled a cash estimate of the cost of
| consumption to Kansas. estimating each
life to be worth $3.50. The cost is
nearly 3 million dollars for the first
| ten months of the present year
| In closing DIR. Reynolds made a plea
| for a health department which would
| be regarded by the government with
the same Importance as is the depart
ment of justice of the revenue depart
ment. He urged that money to carry
cn such work and power to do it when
| the money was secured be given the
health department.
The attendance at the meeting was
not as large as was hoped for but the
live wires" among the guardians of
the health seem to be present DR..
Mary ;. Lobdell. county health. officer
of Mitchell county. is the only woman
in attendance.