The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-11-16
DRIVING DISEASE
OUT OF VIRGINIA
People OF State Can Exterminate
Typhoid and Diphtheria
if They Will.
CAN REDUCE TUBERCULOSIS
Newspapers Greatest Power for
Public Health, Says Annual
Report OF Department.

By observance OF simple rules OF
sanitation. typhoid fever can be wiped
out In virginia. diphtheria can be made
70 disappear. tuberculosis can De
greatly reduced, and the lives OF the
people Of this Commonwealth can be
Heightened and frightened. Such are
Sthe conclusions which sum up the an
snual report OF the state Board OF
Health, which was presented to Gov
ernor Mann yesterday and sent on to
the Superintendent Of Public Printing.
The report Is luminous with the
record OF things done. and with the
possibilities Of the days to come. Facts
and figures are given TO prove the as
sertions regarding accomplishments
which stand to the credit OF organized
health work in Virginia The business
of the State Health Department Is
given in detail, with reports OF It's Off,
GERS at the head OF each bureau to
show the accuracy OF the general de-
auctions
sanitation . Necessity.
II 1, not a report without purpose.
All through II runs note which ihci-
Gates that the vital feature of the hour
IL rural sanitation--the providing OF
sanitary outbus:dings. Most OF the
communicable diseases. It seems. are
spr$ad through the lack OF proper care
in this respect Towns are improving
in the matter OF water supplies ana
sewerage, school sanitation IS rece.v-
ing more and more attention. comes
tic hygiene is making great strides.
Ye. rural sanitation remains the
great problem because OF the predomi-
nance of population in the country.
and because Of the fact that water for
sewage Is not available in pc, cent
Of rural homes.
In the nature OF things. effective
health organization IS lacking III
many counties; therefore. the need Oh
the proper kind of outbuiidings.
Un,tl they are a fact in Virginia, the
State will never be rid OF typhoio
fever and hooKworm, says the report
should Not Keep secTets.
Cities and towns often make great
mistakes in trying TO cover up out
freaks Of such diseases as smallpox
and typhoid, the report proceeds. Tney
have no right 10 conceal the facts nor
,rus. to their own facilities. Inc
newspapers are going to ind out the
truth. anyway. and SO VIII the pubic
ard then the facts often become ois-
torted and exaggerated. Common cuty
to other communities should cictete
frankness, and the aid OF state au-
,horities should BE invoked in self
protection
Showing the rapid reduction in ty-
phoid in Virginia the report gives the
following cases officially reported for
the past four years: 1909. 7sii2, 1910.
C,1.1: 1911. 1851: 1912, 4.SsS. The to-
tai Of estimated cases In the State
vas as follows: 1909. l4,ass. 1910, H.
s43: 1911. ll,so3; 1912. s.7io.
Hookworm affects 2og.oho OF the peo-
pIc Of Virginia, according to the de-
partments estimates. or 10 per cent
OF the population In two ysars$s0,peo
CT the money Of the Rockefeile: SAM
tary Commission has been spent In
Virginia Counties where dispensaries
are established usually furnish only
70 per cent o. the cost
Must Treat Negroes.
A crying need N this STATE IS cure
Tor the tuberculous negroes. menaces
to the health OF all
At present, only the insane and GRIM
inal coIored people get treatment The
next Legislature Will be asked to act
During the year. ninety-four cases
Of rabie. were treated This causes
the department to emphasize the de-
STABILITY Of muzZling all dogs IN the
cities. especially IN warm weather, and
OF tying all country dogs as soon as
they show signs OF illness.
Hotels are much improved because
OF thu new Law.
In one Virginia county the authori-