The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-08-06

may be cured, if treatment IS begun,
while the disease is in its incipiency.
There can be no doubt that there
are several hundred Cat least 500
such cases in the state all the time
yet the Vermont Santorium for in
cipient cases" with accommodations
for forty-four cases, seldom mas "A
quarter OF its rooms filled with such.
The medical profession fails in these
respects to help on the crusade
against this disease
The action of the last Legislature
in making it possible for a limited
number of cases of this disease to
receive Sanatorium care at state ex-
pense, is a sep in the right direct
ion. We may hope that IL Is the
precursor OF generous foundation
in the near future, which will pro
vide hospital facilities for advanced
cases in the state public Conveyance
es spread infection broadcast.
Properly handled in the Sanatorium,
they cease to menace the public and
not infrequently are returned to
their homes arrested" cases.
We still have small pox with us
There is no prospect that the mild
form of this disease, which has pre-
vailed over the North American Con
tinenJ during the past decade will
be arrested in the near future It's
very mildnoss is a serious obstacle
to its suppression We all know
that there is only one effective pre-
yentive of small poX, viz, general
vaccination The disease cannot
exist in well vaccinated community
Measles and whoopng cough con
tinue to sweep over the country in
waves. During the past year We
have had in Vermont a wave Of the
former. 1857 cases of this disease,
measles, have been reported to this
Board.
The only marked advance that
can be reported in our management
OF measles and whooping cough lis
that each is now reported more
closely than ever before. We
are unfortunate in not knowing def
nitely the cause of measles, and
there is no known way of surely dia-
gnosing it before it is contagious.
The schools furnish the key 40 the
situation. in the presen, state OF our
knowledge. Medical inspection o.
the public schools may do something
10 check waves OF this disease.
Two popular fallacies in regard to
these diseases should be noticed.
First, that they are harmless chill
dren's diseases" and second that
the younger they are had, the more
harmless.
During the first five months Of
this year. 1913. there were 80 deaths
from measles in this state. rs against
Is from diph,heria. from scarlet
fever and 10 from typhoid fever
This Is not of course n high case
mortality. yet in the gross it is
worthy Of serious attention Nearly
twice as many deaths in five months
from measles as from diuhtheria.
scarlet fever and typhoid combined:
These figures should not be lightly
regarded. They lead to the qucs-
lion. While We are cutting down
death rates from the Old seriousi,
regarded infections. why do we not
pay more attention TO these harm
less" diseases Of childhood?
Tho second fallacy, that these dis
eases are more harmless" when
had young. is equally wide of the
truth. Statistics show that measles
and whooping cough are both more
fatal in early years than later in
life.
While We have made a creditable
record in this state along certain
lines Of public health work notably
in controlling the old time familiar
Infections, Vermont must not stand
still. Health conditions must be-
still further improved. The charac.
ter Of the services must keep pace
with the spirit of sanitary progress
the world over. To this end the 10.
cal health boards. which come into
direct contract with the people and
with the actual conditions of com.
munity life. must not relax their
vigilance OF forget their duty TO
these communities.
Vermont IS q rural state. None Is
more so. The town system Of local
government is the time.hon0red svs-
TEN. D. has been decided in our
courts that the local health officer
must be a resident Of his town.
Tho demand for greater efficiency
IN our rural health administration 81
daily becoming NOS iusistent 81
this season OF the year we are forci