The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-08-25
In Reporting Vital Statistics
at Washington
SAYS CHIEF STAIISTICIAN
He Declared Before the Health 0ficers'
School To-day That Vermont
Held up the Entire coun-
try Last Year.

At the opening session Of the Yer
mont health officers school in Montpelier
to-day, Prof. j. w V0tey Of the uniyer-
sity Of Vermont spoke on Sewage Dis
posal, his talk having been transferred
from last night Prof Votey called at
tention TO the various systems and rec
commended the percolating-flter system
as the best for Vermont. This paper
was discussedby DR.. f. r. Clark of Gas.
tleton and Dr. w. A. Young Of Vest
field
Dr. Cressy j. Wilbur Of Washington.
d. G., chief statistician Of the census bu.
reau, was the next speaker, talking about
"Vital StatisticsP He displayed charts
showing how Vermont stood in the mat.
ter Of reporting vital statistics and he
said that Vermont was behind the other
states in this matter This was in part
due to the fact that responsibility for
reporting was divided between the town
clerk and the local boards Of health. The
fact that it was not definitely stated
who should do the work has resulted
in. the work not being properly done.
Dr Wilbur said that the Vermont reg
istration of births was better than the
registration of death. lie declares. fur.
tbermore that the whole OF the country
was held up by-Nermont last year be-
cause Of the iateness Of sending in the
returns In closing he urged town clerks
and boards Of health TO be more prompt.
Neither City Clerk Merrill Of Mont
pelier nor City Clerk Mackav Of Barre,
who were to discuss the paper, was pres
ent, SO Dr.. Holton Of the state board Of
health answered some questions on the
matter.
DR.. J. II, Huber Of New York was to
have spoken before the health officers
last night, but owing to the fact that
he got mixed in the dates, his part OF
the program had TO bs put over until
late to-day. He was ia Burlington last
night instead Of coming Through to
Montpelier. Dr. David D. Drouzh.
medical inspector Of the Boston board Of
health, spoke this afternoon on "Infec-
tious Diseases
Duties Of Health Boards.
Yesterday afternoon DR.. c. o. Probst,
secretary Of the Ohio state board Of
health and secretary Of the American
Public Health association, gave most
excellent address on THE Duties of
State and Local Boards Of Health.D Dr..
Pfobst said that health boards should
be educative, legislative and executive
in their Offices; first educating the public
mp to the laws Of sanitation and proper
safeguarding Of the health Of the com
munity He insisted that every child
after the primary grade should be in.
structed IN the nature Of contagious dis
eases and how to fight against their
spread Physical development should be
put on a plane with mental development
and an experienced physician should be
connected with avery school as q member
Of the staff Of teachers Good morals
are dependent upon good health.
There remain certain phases which
should be treated BIZ the state board. the
crusade against unclean milk. We should
have a travelling milk exhibit and edu-
cate the public to accept the raise in
price per quart in consideration of the
improved quality Of the milk Educa.
ti0n removes obstacles legislation pre-
pares the way to do things, but the
executive work Of the health officer is
what counts The duties become more
and more complex and the health officer
should take proper cognizance Of the i'm.
portance OF his work
An able discussion on Dr. prohst's
paper was led by Or. C W. Peck Of
Brandon and DR.. ii II. Seelev Of Rich.
mond. and an amusing tilt waged ameng
the representatives Of the old practition.
ers and the young doctors.
G. r Moat, chemist of the state beard
of health, read a paper Notes on Yer
mont Waters which was a clear and
logical explanation Of the laboratory
methods used IN the analysis Of Vermont
waters and Mr.. Moat explained many
things for the enlightenment Of the
school Or. Arthur Morton Of ST. al
bans and Dr. g f Ball OF Rutland led
q discussion Of MIR. Meats paper which
was illustrated by charts.
MontpeIier's Water Supply.
Dr. Probst told Of q little trip to Ber-
lin pond. Montpelier's source of water
supply. which he examined Tuesday
together with DR. Holton and
DR. William Lindsay Of this city and
was no favorably impressed with the
conditions. lie pointed out some Of the
dangers Of the system which we now use
and seemed especially displeased with the
number Of dwellings and camping places
which are almost upon the pond and
which naturally, have an outlet into
the pond
In the absence Of DR., Huber last night
the evening session was given ever 70
discussion ofof pure Water and Air.
with Prof. John A. Kober as the chief
DR. probst compiimented
Vermont on her great natural resources
and urged that the watersheds be kept
clean and pure