Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-08-07
EXPERTS TALK TO
HEALTH OFFICERS
Contagious Diseases Subject of
Day at School of In
struction.
DR.. DALTON SOUNDS WARNING
Assistant Surgeon-General of
United States Thinks Some
Vermont Houses Are
OvercrOwded.

tuesday to the health officers here fo
their annual school of instruction. amont
the speakers being Or. b. H. Stone. drec
tor of the State laboratory of hvgiene
Dr. c. f. Dalton, secretary of the Stat,
board of health, DR. w C Rucker o
Washington, d. c., assistant surgeon
general of the United States publi
health service, and DR.. Charles T. Nortl
Of the New York milk committee.
An illustrated lecture on sanitation O
the Panama Canal" by w. /. Saunders o
New York. civil engineer. and severa
educational motion pictures made up tn,
evening program.
The state board of health hit upon a liv,
wire when they picked DR.. w. c. Rucke,
nf Washington. y. G.. assistant surgeon
general of the United States public health
service. During the afternoon DR.. RuckeI
mad little tilt with NJ. j. HapCood o
Peru. Mr.. Hapgood had declared the dus
from automobiles. blown into houses.
was the cause of diseases. and Or. Rucler
suggested that horse also he declared
from the highways since the dust OF
highways much used by horses contains
the tetanus germ, which leads to lockiaw
and thereby prevents speech
DR.. Rucker gave great credit TO Vor-
ed advances made recently in the federal
health service. He said that sherman p.
Allen. former chief secretary TO President
Taft ana still assistant secretary ~ the
treasury, had been one of two mon whose
push and interest had aided chiefly lu put
Ing the laws through Congress
In an interview Tuesday Or Rucker.
referring to Secretary Allen. said that
Vermont 10, 4
10 with the advancement of the federal
protection of public health than people
here realize, for in this work Mr.. Allen
has been largely instrumental. The fed
.ral powers were increased during the
administration of Secretary Franklin Mac
Veagh and Surgeon General Rupert Blue.
md high tribute was paid to his efforts
ALLEN GRAsPs SITUATION.
Mr.. Allen, said DR.. Rucker, was sympa-
thetic, anxious to push the work. and
possessed of grasp Of the situation far
better than one would expect in a lay
man.
He is a great, big man" declared DR..
Rucker with enthusiasm "and we are
proud OF him, as indeed Vermonters have
right to be also"
DR.. Rucker also expressed himself as
delighted with his discovery of the Yer
mont land. Il can understand now" he
said why Vermonters show up so well
wherever they GO" He was also enthus-
,astic over the climate and general
hcalthfulness of the State
Il have attended a great many schools
Tor health officers" he added, "but I find
his the best one. The papers We're spIen-
lid and little outside talent has been
called in" He recalled that this State
Mas the third to compile vital statistics
DR.. North, discussing a paper by DR.
s. S. Eddy Of Middlebury who spoke upon
IAN Epidemic of Septic Sore Throat"
contributed information regarding a dis
ease of much importance that is not as
yet so widely known to the public as are
some Of the common contagious diseases
MILK CAUSES THROAT DISEASE.
This disease. says DIR. North can usual
ly be traced to the use of infected milk,
but it is also contagious from person to
person, although seldom is it transmitted
in this way to more than two or three
individuals in succession; were it other
wise, there would be epidemics of wide
extent DIR. North believes the diseas
resembles scarlet fever in some respects
It's effects, say the physicians, frequently
extend much farther than the throat
causing peritonitis, erysipelas and endo-
cardltis, and sometimes end fatally
DR. North told of his experience with
the Cortland and Homer, n. Y, epidemic,
when Of GG9 cases, $50 were traced to
milk bought of one dairy farmer, in
whose stables were found two cows with
infected udders, from which the examin-
ers were able to secure a germ identical
with the bacteria in the tnroats of the
victims of the disease. There We're Il
deaths seven of these from peritontis.
In the Baltimore outbreak, which DR..
North investigated, there We're several
milk dealers was under suspicion. When
he was ordered to pasteurize his milk
the bacteria disappeared within day
and the epidemic Immediately stopped.
Or. North's opinion is that the disease is
always due to milk, and he recommends
that every board of health should pass
an ordinance making the disease report
able
DIR. DALTON OUTLINES DUTIES
DR.. G. f. Dalton, secretary of the State
board had a heart to heart talk with
the health officers about their duties and
quoted freely from the law lie impressed
upon them their great powers and high
responsibility, moral as we'll as legal
Or. Dalton said in part;
The records of the seCretary's office
show, all too plainly, that these laws are
not complied with as they should be-
Soon after the beginning of the present
wear, a letter was sent to the health Of
ncers from whom no reports had been
received during the year 1912 There were
4i of these. In the course of time, re-
sponse to this letter, The excuses were
many and varied and reminded one forci-
bly, of the parable of the supper in Holy
Scripture. In many towns, there had
been no contagious diseases and there
Tore, no need OF reports In others, the
complaint was made that such diseases
mad occurred but had not been reported
~ the doctors in attendance Stil others
frankly admitted that the negligence
Nas on the part of the health officer
himself and the reports were forthwith
sent. very late, but better late than
never.
THE remaining "a were written "A sec
md letter, and again, after some waltz
ng. twenty replies were received, with
.aauIte qiuIlar To the first set except