The Washington herald., 1912-06-02
make PLANS FOR
PUBLIC HEALTH
Nationwide Fight to Be Conducted
Against Infantils Paralysis and
:. Spinal Meningitis.
OFFICIALS DISCUSS METHODS

A nationwide fight against the spread
Of infsntile paralysis and cerebral spinal
meningitis was decided upon yesterday as
geon General OF the Public Health and
Marine Hospital Service and representa-
tives Of more than score Of State boards
Of health.
A committee was appointed TO inquire
Into the State laws governing quarantin-
ing Of these cases, and TO rapport, with
recommendations, as to uniform laws to
be presented for adoption by the various
State Legislatures.
Among the States represented at the
conference were Vermont. Massachusetts,,
Rhode Island, Pennsylvania. New York,
Virginia, South Carolina, Minnesota, Con-
necticut, California, Montana, and the
Territory OF Porto Rico.
Epidemics Frequent.
The Public Health Service Is receiving
with increasing frequency reports Of Sc
rious epidemics OF infantile paralysis and
cerebral spinal meningitiA The latter
disease has been particularly prevalent
in the Southwest, and in Texas alone
the mortality from recent epidemics has
passed the thousand mark. The State
laws so far have not given the disease
sufficient attention, and State and county
officers have been greatly hampered in
their efforts by lack OF legal authority
to enforce strict quarantine regulations.
The disease is easily spread by means
Of healthy carriers, who may carry the
germ and infect others while not them
selves susceptible to its ravages. Be-
cause Of the prevalence Of these carriers,
the quarantine is often Intellectual in
checking the spread Of the disease. The
committee will not only attempt TO find
some more effective measures for the
control of these carriers. but probably
will recommend that an anti-menigitis
serum, which has proven eficacious, be
made available to hospitals free, in cases
OF epidemics, and that the hospitals be
induced or required to give treatment
free in times of emergency.
The following were appointed commit
tee on these two diseases: DR.. H. NJ.
Braken, Secretary of the Minnesota State
Board Of Health; DR.. Mark w. Richard
son, Secretary Of the Massachusetts State
Board Of Health; DR.. Gardiner T. Swarts,
Secretary Of the Rhode Island State
Board Of Health: DR.. Wade H. Frost. Of
:he Public Health Service, and DR.. H. B.
Roger, Of the Pennsylvania Department
of Health.
The conference adopted a resolution
calling upon all State health departments
10 make a special effort to diminish the
prevalence Of typhoid this year. Nine
teen hundred and twelve will be known
IS typhoid year" from the campaign in
this direction. A committee to aid in this
campaign was appointed as follows:
Dr.. Allen H. Freeman, assistant health
commissioner Of Virginia, chairman; DR..
William c. Woodward, District Of Co
lumbia Health Oficer; DR.. James a.
Hayne. secretary Of the South Carolina
State Board Of Health; DR.. J. H. Town
send, secretary Of the Connecticut State
Board Of Health, and Passed Assistant
Surg. L. L. Lumsden. OF the Public
Health and Marine Hospital Service.
One Of the most important acts OF the
conference, and what some OF the health
officers believe to be the most important
step taken in public health work in re-
cent years, was the decision to create a
mOrbidity registration area in the United
States similar to the mortality area.
In this the plan of the Census Bureau
in respect to its mortality area will be
followed out. States where disease or
morbIdity statistics are complied with
the greatest care will be included in
the area and will forward to the pub I
Information Of other State boards Of
health.
Secretary of the Treasury MacVeagh
addressed the State officers. The Secre-
tary spoke of the work Of the public
health service and said that the integ-
rity Of the service would best be main
tained by cOnfining its work entirely to
public health questions. Nothing involv-
.;rg legal questions should be permitted
70 enter into its work, the Secretary
said.