Albuquerque morning journal., 1910-12-25
THE ECONOMIST

wife, who nursed the boy, also as
sisted him with the milking. she in-
fected the milk and caused from one
to three cass of typhoid fever in every
one of those thirty-nine families. An
epidemic of 236 cases of typhoid az
Pala Alto, Cal. In 1903 was traced
directly to dairyman washing his
milk pans In n stream. the water or
which contained typhoid germs.
The care of city's milk supply
should be an important part of the
work of the health department. Sam
pies should be collected frequently
from each dairy and sent TO the lab
oratory for analysis to provide
against adulteration with water. or
chemicals introduced into the milk TO
keep 1t fresh. The water used by
the dairy should be examined chem
ically and bacterilogically A daily
record should be sent by each dairy
man to the health department OF the
sickness in the families of any Of his
employees which sickness should be
Immediately investigated by the de-
partment.
a certain standard OF excellence
should be set for all dairies. their
cows, stables, sheds, milk rooms. at
tendants. the cooling, bottling and de-
livery of their milk, ana they should
be all marked upon percentage
scale as compared with the standard
and any dairyman falling below
certain percentage of excellence
should not be allowed to sell milk in
the city.
Inspection OF the city schools
should be instituted, The majority
Of the infectious diseases with which
we have to deal, occur amongst chill
dren of the school age. Without
doubt. large part of the present
epidemic of scarlet fever would have
been obviated had a certain school
been under daily inspection. In
towns the size of Albuquerque. this
inspection could be made by a nurse
trained TO this duty. BY this method
suspicious cases come unders the no.
tice of the department early and the
danger of spread of the Infection con-
trolled. Besides this, school inspec-
tions have proved themselves bene-
ficial i'm many other respects, in
bringing to the notice OF parents,
tagious nature. which are easily re-
tagious nature which re easily re-
paired and are Of inestlmable benefit |
to the child in after life.
Laboratory Department
This department is most essential |
and without It's help the health de- /
partment is about as much use as a |
city fire department would be with |
out hose. II should analyze the |
milk ana water as before stated, but |
its particular benefit is III making /
early and accurate diagnosis In those I
cases of infectious diseases, where II
IS either impossible 20 diagnose them |
correctly. Or where the important ele-
nent Of time Is necessary 20 differ
initiate the disease by other methods.
BY laboratory methods, II Is pos
,ibie to diagnose typhoid fever on the
second or third day of the disease,
while by clinical methods IL In rarely
hat one may be sure Of the dag |
losis for a week or ten days. In
liphtherla il Is impossible for any
loctor to be absolutely sure. whether
my sore throat is diphtheria. most
rrave disease TO the public safety. or
onsilitis. one OF comparatively no |
10 the public generally,
n twelve hours the microscope viii
Ell this positively
OTTER the worst looking throat Is
Iot diphtheria. while very mild
hroat affection may be true diph-
heria ana may give rise 10 most
Malignant infection In another child
omine in contact with IT,
Unfortunately u is those very mild
ases that either have no doctor al
n, or when thcy do, the true condi- J ,