The Adair County news., 1912-11-13
To the Members of the Fiscal
Court.

Columbia, KY, November 5, ~
Respective Sirs:-
L have completed my annual round
of school visiting, and as my custom
is, am ready to make my report. In
every report that have ever made, i
have strongly recommended a compul-
sorry school law, and our last legis-
lature enacted one. And while it is
not such as would desire, it is much
better than none. Under it there has
been an increase Of SS5 in attendance
over last year, and there seems to be
very little trouble in enforcing it.
The children show that they do not
have to be made to attend school, but
only want chance to do so. The
health of the children has been re.
markably good during the present
year, according to the report made to
me by the registrars Of the county
made for the first months of the
year. Out of 1927 school children in
the county. only seven died the first
six months, and if only seven die the
LAST six months making fourteen in all,
it will require $50 years for them all
to die. have been making my fight
to keep the little children from get
ting sick and dying. Very few young
people are dying now, compared to the
death rate of few years ago. In our
Graded School district in this town,
out of 800 pupils, not single death
has occurred in the four years that
the school has been running, at least
no death has been reported to me.
Only one child has died in Columbia
this year, and only three persons un-
der so years old. There have been on
ly persons died in Columbia this
year., which is very small death rate
for town of this size. Last year we
had forty-two deaths from consump-
ton ia the county, this year up to the
first of November, only %. Last year
we had II to die from typhoid fever,
not half so many this year. The war
that have been making on consump-
ton has begun to show its effects
the war that has been made against
the common house fly, is causing a
falling off of all the germ diseases.
The fight that the peopel have made
against the ''skeeter," has nearly put
them out of commission. We have
very few malarial diseases, and 1 have
not seen case of old fashioned
''shakin ager" for several years. Peo-
pie may contend that Health officers
and Health Boards do not do any good,
but when they butt up against facts
and figures, their unsupported opin-
ions must give way. | have bought
and distributed among the doctors
this year, S63 worth of antitoxin for
the treatment of diptheria, at a saw
ing of $50 to the people of the county,
il they had bought it from other
places. We have two cases of pellagra
this year in the county, but one of
them seems to have recovered. But
we Will not know It'll the roses come
again. for the disease frequently sub
sides III the fall, and comes back with
renewed energy in the spring. 1 have
spent some time hunting for the hook
worm disease, and have sent off sew
eral specimens for alalySis, but they
were returned showing negative re-
suits. DR.. f. \. Waggener has found
a whole family affected with the NAL
ady. Five or six members including
man. woman and several children all
seriously diseased.
We cannot stop the ravageS of dis
ease ontil our people make and use
more sanitary priyies. They must be
made >dog-proof, hOg-proof, chicken
proof and tly-prOof. 1t is not a diff
cult matter TO do, and one case of sick
ness saved by il will prove a profita-
bic investment. And now in conclu-
sion, | want to again call the atten-
tion Of the people to the condition of
their premises, and especially their
back yards.
L. L. Taylor
Health officer for Adair County.