The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-14

advance In prices.
 Idle furnaces are being repaired and on one furnace alone-the Sloss-Sheffields No. at North Birmingham-between s15O,000 and $2OOO00 will be expended on Improvements. When ready for the torch 1t will be practically new furnace. The steel plant at Ensley continues in
 
 of a medical assistant need not be high. The writer worked for while in one of the large hospital laboratories of the east few years ago and one of their best assistants in this work was a boy of 15. He did all the mechanical work and was one of the best micro scopists there. but of course he knew nothing of the more important scien- tific aspect of bacteriology. Owing to his size and age and lack of a medical education he was not called a bacteri in doughtful cases
 The report of the city health office for last year showed decrease in nor tality from every cause except that of infantile diarrhoea. All the doctors in the city conversant with the facts, so far as we know, agree with Dr. Hardness that this was probably due to unofficial milk inspection.
 Two years ago there was a circum- scribed epidemic of typhoid fever due, most of us believed, to the infection of a single milk route by means of flies or some other carriers
 Health offices, in all cities that have them, are maintained because they are supposed to have at their head a medi- cal official who makes a speciality of studying those conditions that are a menace to public health. If a city government does not believe such an office necessary they should abolish 1t; if they think their official in such a position is incompetent they should abolish him and get another If they are willing to be guided by the expert ence of other cities and have no reason to doubt the zeal and ability of their city health officer they should hold up his hands and furnish him. and allow him to equip his office with every help that he can show good evidence is nee essary to make his office as efficient at least as the health offices of other cities of its class. In the case of epi- denies or other conditions they should be willing to furnish him with more assistants or consultants who can help him out.
 One of the latest discoveries in the study of typhoid fever Is that there are people known as typhoid carriers. A properly equipped and conducted health office would comprehend a search for such among those people who are en- gagged in the handling of milk and oth- CT food consumed by our citizens.
 As you say, MT. Editor, the doctors are now reduced to ranks as they al- ways are when there is no alarming sickness among us. At present, how ever, we are facing another high rate of infant mortality and unless we have a cool rainy summer that will keep down the flies typhoid fever will be with us as usual. If. however. the sum- mer is long, hot and dry the infantile mortality will almost certainly be high and the accidental infection of the milk with typhoid germs, may happen to one milk route or 1t may happen to a dozen. The duties of an up-to-date city health office should also comprehend thorough inspection and supervision of the dafries well as of the milk after 1t Is bottled. When a dairyman applies for license to sell milk he should be given a list of instructions and if he neglected to confrom to them he should have his license revoked.
 Yes, as you say, the doctors are re- duced to ranks and they occupy & very low place until they are very gradually restored as the sickly season comes on. When an epidemic lights upon us sud denly their elevation is more rapid, and the health officer may, like Lord Byron Hobson. awake to find himself famous.
 Two or three years ago, when Dr. Hardness was allowed an assistant bac- teriologist, we had high hopes that he would make a name for himself with a model health office and so he would have done. He would have done more in one summer to advertise city favorably than our Commercial club has done. The opportunity was ripe. as, indeed. for that matter 1t is now; but. alas! he is re- duced to ranks and does little else to earn his salary besides collecting the birth and death reports while the sickly season approaches. His hopes ran high and really 1t was cruel to play a joke on him in such serious business as this. He now corresponds with his brother health officials in other cities with great caution in fear that they of New York. New Orleans, Memphis. Atlanta and Nashville might find out that he has been deprived of his bacteriologist and lest they should learn that his office has nothing to do with the dairy and milk inspection of Birmingham, and that they should, with starting eyes and pendent jaws, ask: Well who in the name of George Ward, does inspect them?'
 It was just piece of hard luck and wherever the blame lies the citizens of Birmingham must pay for it.
 Had the doctor created an assistant for himself and then through carelessness lost him and there were no loss to others. some might taunt him with Hamlets words, Tt Is great sport to see the en- gineer hoist with his own petard." or say something about modern "Franken- stein.' but it was all piece of hard luck In a channel of business concerning the mortality records which is too serious a matter to joke about
 Many of us doctors are heartily sorry that Dr. Harkpess did not have the chance to show what he could do in or gapizing and conducting high efficiency health office, and we are still more grieved that the city of Birmingham is not to have the benefit of 1t and that the citizens may not see the figures on 1t In a reduced mortality report
 GEORGE s. BROWN, M. D.
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