The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-12-19
PUBLIC HEALTH WORK
Of IMMENSE VALUE
ANNUAL Report of ~ur1cosi-tscssssf
shows Busy Year In ETort on
Nations Behalf
pb,GrE At NEW ORLEANS
Rodent Infection Met ISy Efficient
Preventive Measures Peilasrst
Caused By BADLY BALANCED and
Faulty Kafion.

Was h'4p.oss u. *, Dec ls.-~The
HrrGHl fopors of toe SURGE 0f -Jnnerai
uf the United States Public Health
Se}vlea records tho largest amount Of
patE terre-ue5 tn the bIstnrT ST that
organization. Since the rtssag e et
sas AVA ~ 1eI2 the pHhNc heaith
<r tane or tht seryfrs have iaare-
r.-f1 HrraGouct thereby increasing
eoat' u+rfujrsss to rHc &Wefj-
.ar rlr TaroughoHt the report
.1.e economic importance 90 disease
prev oats0u made apparent to the
eeed-s-
Perharso he most important
arhjeverent Of the year wss the dis
67zery frat pellacra is q. deprivation
-.sse7sc. resulting from 3 faulty diet
containing an excess OF Carbo-hy-
aratcs While the final experiments
which led to- ihis discovery have only
recently been completed, The coneIu-
SION Itself IS tho fnlUinafion OF in
ysStlgatIons extending over period
~ seven years The work has con
~trd ~ epjdemlolo field studies
4stral feediue experiments conducted
at numerous places In Georgia and
Misc ss3rpi. aud eNpeItmeptai research
at Spartanb1rg, South Carolina and
other places
A new rational quarantine station
wss opened at Galveston. Texas, and
the control - the Roston station wa
transferred TO the Public Health Ser
wee 4 great reduction IN imuisra
tinn has been observed during the
eear with "A corresponding increase
IN the nafaf-<sr sae alien certified. Al
the port Of New York, the percentage
has risen from 229. previous to the
E .4g f. IT 20 n
fIIrt. - 537 since that time, this in
crease largely being due 10 the fact that
with the aaeH.ase@s 3Fn EstfsTat ton mare
time car be devoted To the cXamfna-
ton The number of cases treated
ct Marine hospitals and relief stations
exceeded 5000. 900 Of which We're
hospital patients considerable in
crease over previous years. The Coast
Guard Cutter "Androscogein" was fit
ted out AZ "a hospital ship and now at
f6rds relief to dee-sea fiShermen on
the banks Of Newfoundland
ON the occurrence Of plague at New
! Orleans the first outbreak upon the
calf seaboa1d, the state and local
health authorities requested the Pub
tic Health Service to take charge of
the situation Extensive rat-prooting
and otAer autI-piaEue measures were
undertaken, resulting in the eradica-
ton of the disease from among hu-
man beings, and the practical ex-
termination OF the rodeut4 infection.
Great reduction IN the Incidence OF
malaria was obtained In localities
where, conducted. Drainage projects
rico cuf1ife Studies and the conditions
surroundinrstre .inaounding of water
for, Pew er purposes ware INVESTIGATED
in order toi eradicate as far "a possi
Bile the disease in these areas. Sci
entlfic Investigations Of malarial IN
lection showed that in the latitude o
fhis country the most important agen
IN carrying the infection through tn
winter season is man, and not the in
fected, alternating. Anopheles mos
qnitoes as was previously supposed
From the standpoint of prevention
this Is discovery OF considerably
> value
i Studies Of occupational diseases ant
. industrial hygiene were instituted a
= several places during the year 4
G survey Of the industries OF Cincinnati
e was made 10 determine the cause o
| the prevalence OF tuberculosis amoni
, Industrial workers The investiaa
D lions relating to the migration of per
= sons suffering from tuberculosis wer
completed
u Upon the reuue4t Of the health an
! thorItYes or five States. the organlz3
+ . boards Of health were studied AM
I recommendations advanced for i'm
8 provement in the powers and datie
I If these bodies The health organiza
. tons OF several cities were likewis
= Investigated
II Investigations ~ INC pollution O
= streams and tho exa mination OF shell
{ fish We're also conducted.
y Trachorna was Coulbated IN the Ap
3 paiachian Mountains. whore II ia mos
70 prevalent over 10000 cases helm
Z treated Surveys IN certain STATE
& during the year showed that the dis
. ease Is not an uncommon infection
Sanitation Work I'm SIX states
t. Rural sanitation WORK was conduct
= ed in six different States, and every
Q where resulted in he reduction Of ~
= phoid and other communicable dis
- eases
Public health laboratories for In
T prevention NJ the Interstate spreai
a If disease were established Mt Chi
( cago, Seattle. aud numerous cthe
= railway centers.
/ Additional duties have been i'm
O posed upon the service by eStensio
$ of relief benefits 10 the newly organ
I lzed Coast G1ard and the physical eS
IA animation Of seamen applying for tn
4 rating Of able seanen For thl
"a rea son. and because of the greatly
increased health functions OF the ser
{ vice an increase Ia the commissions
t personnel Is recommended. An addi
q tional building for tho Hysieafc Iat
i orstorv and the establishment OF
national leprosariuur for ehe rrope
Z aggregation and care of cases OF lep
rosy are also recommended.
mn