The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-02-16

The visit to Missoula last week OF
DR.. Harvey w. Wiley, the nations
great pure food expert, did much to
quicken the interest of the Garden
city people in things pertaining to
their health. Those who missed DIR.
Wiley's lecture missed both an
ing's entertainment, exceeded by few
attractions that come to M~issoula, and
an opportunity to learn an important
and vital truth connected with the
welfare of themselves, their families
and the community.
DR.. Wiley's visit suggests a timely
theme which should be of great inter
est to the people Of Missoula, that is,
the city health department and its
work.
Few laymen realize the great change
which has taken place during the past
few years in the functions of the
health department of most cities of
any size. Usually we think of its
duties as confined to the placing of a
sign Of some contagious disease upon
the house where it exists and the lot
ting loose of some noxious gas when
the place is ready to release from
quarantine,
Of late sanitarians are extending
their field of duty and are taking into
consideration the control of all of
those agencies which in any way may
be responsible for the aust of disease.
Twenty years ago but a few medi-
cal schools provided for instructions
in preventive medicine, but at the
present time quite a few universities
give instructions to those who may
wish to specialize in sanitation, with
the result than in u larger cities the
political favorite is no longer consid-
cred a proper person to place at the
head of its department of health, but
rather one is chosen. who. by cXpe-
rience and training, has become an
expert in the duties which he may be
called upon to perform. That results
may be accomplished the health Off
Ger must be efficient as we'll as con-
scientious in his duties M not feel, as
is usually the case, that he is not be-
ing paid sufficiently for his work,
An ideal health department is hard
to realize, but in Missoula an effort
is being made to cover the ground
the same as in the larger cities with
the expectation that gradually 1t may
be given the place which its import
anCe demands.
The state law requires that most of
the infectious diseases shall be re-
ported to the local health officer, and
when so reported such diseases as
scarlet fever, measles, smallpox and
d%iphtheria are placed under Ouaran-
tine. AS all of these diseases nun
Grated are contracted from some pre-
vious case, an effort is made to locate
the source of the infection. inquiry is
made as to where the patient was two
weeks previous to being taken sick.
The milk supply is inquired into, the
school is attended, the sanitary con-
dition Of the house and its surround
ings and the names of those who
have been exposed before the patient
was isolated are each examined into in
turn. At the end Of the quarantine
period the house IS f~umigated by the
health officer. As an additional pre-
caution in the case of school chill
hl'il, llltN are H'l bIlDMtt ~ 81 JAIN
to school until two weeks have passed
| after being released from quarantine.
Garbage Disposal.
The disposal of garbage is a uues-
ton which has caused no end of trou-
BILE to the city administration for some
time past. There is an ordinance
which provides that each house and
each place of business shall be pro-
vidcd with a garbage can. This part
of the ordinance is generally complied
with, but the methods advanced for
the emptying of the cans when full
have not been a success, and from the
experience of other cities nothing