Arizona republican., 1910-12-02

acted upon, but were mere nedltn ' officer to do the same thing for any i considerable number of days. he , would probably be accused cf graft
 unless he had an epidemic to excuse his temerity. It is rather curious
 that the economical layman super
 visor will complacently allow bills for epidemics that are sometimes truly staggering, and yet hesitate at
 the bare thought of a bill for in SPection. It is also rather curious that they view with cOmplacencN
 the salary bills which are frequently for next to nothing at all, and Yet object to paying reasonably for health services actually performed. To a certain extent perhaps the
 fault lies with the county super intendents themselves. Some few possibly really want the office to re-
 main sinecure; some have failed l. impress their boards with the lII- portance of inspections; possibly rbe inspections have not beea Followed by q remedying of Oeiectiona ole con dItions either, through their ii1rrac- tiSdl'ihty or through lack If -'ersis- tence by the superintendent. There is another reason. and it is very potent one. It is the natural h-s-
 itancy of a conscientious man to suggest something which, though d thing in every way desirable iS yet unusual and will bring pers lnal monetary reward. He las rather natural feeling in these days of graft exposures that his motives will be misjudged-that deep in their minds people will think that the os- tensible. worthy motive is but a cloak tO cupidity.
 But all Of these difficulties could be removed and we would have an other most difficult obstacle to ov ercOme. That is the reporting of births and contagious diseases by the physicians and midwives The re porting of births. owing to the pres ent lack Of means whereby these reports could he made of cOnsid erable use, is not of vast impOr- tance from the public health stand point. The reporting of infectious diseases is of vital importance. It seems to me rather peculiar that in the articles which have read in re- cent years uhOugh l have not read
 
 Of the physician to the public. the reporting of infectious diseases is Gnmentioned We find not a word about this duty to the public. though it k so apparent that it must come first to the mind of him who gives it thought. IL would be easy to be- lieve that it had been passed over as q commonplace were it not that the experience of health officers leads to a far different conclusion.
 ] am told by health officers from different parts of the territory that in their opinion the number of con tagious diseases reported comes farther from being the truth than either births or deaths thnE there is some reason to be found Tor this in the fact that the Teri,t. r. ial Board has never specifically named those diseases which are :o he considered infectious. Anotn, r partial reason is that the quarantine 1 is not always properly maintained. l that fOci Of infection are not sought | for and eradicated. Another reason. | and a less flattering OE,. " lich | has been given. is that physicians | fear interference and a loss Of pat rOnage I do not think this a com mon cause. The principal reason in | my estimation is simple neglect snrgetfulness.
 A remedy for this condition which | is not uncommonly heard. is the 1 payment of small fee to the phy- sician for his report. Th's might be approved upon the condition that l | h. k.. Z .F, detailed information which wlii en- able health officer to find the source of infection, whether school. water. milk, or whatsoever it may he For such a service the physician is entitled to a fee. and I think that under our present law its payment can be accomplished. It is provided in Section 34 of the Act of 1903 that in case of the occurrence of any 1 epidemic disease. the local board oG | health may employ such persons as 1t deems necessary to prevent it's spread. Hence when a physician 1 makes a diagnosis of an infectious disease. why could he not be made lpso facto an employee of the local board of health for the purpose of obtaining complete report of tn" case?
 Such complete reports are neces- sary if we are to have intelligent action. They are also highly de- sirable as a means of accumulat- ing evidence as to the influence of social conditions upon disease. This Is phase of public health work that has been given very little considera- ton in this country, except in the large cities of the east However. if We will look at the experience Df those other states which have had their day as reputed health resorts. We must see that industrial and social conditions have had at least quite as much influence as the much vaunted climate in the estab- ishment of a low death rate The effects of Overcrowding and unsani- ary housing which result from high rent and poverty cannot be overcome 1 )y education and disinfection They an be ameliOrated by these meas Ires it is true. but that they afford l solution of the problem does not seem reasonable. At the present