The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1916-01-20

reaching the greatest numoer or people.
Thanking you for your valuable part in
keeping down infectious diseases in
Garrett through your paper, am,
Very sincerely yours,
X. H. RILEY
Deputy State Health Officer.
The following diseases are reportable
under the laws of the State of Mary
land within twelve hours after ascer-
tanning that such diseases exist. From
reports that come to me have reasons
to believe that there are many cases of
infectious diseases in Garrett county at
this time and that there have been cases
recently that have never been reported
to the State Health authorities. The
correspondents of local papers from
time to time mention cases of la
grip or influenza, whooping cough,
mumps, chicken poX, and other con-
tagious or infectious diseases that have
never been reported.
These cases will be investigated later.
Occasionally deaths are recorded by
these correspondents as being due to
some reportable contagious or infectious
disease. l want to thank these re-
porters for the important part they are
playing in getting these matters before
the people and incidentally into the
hands OF the health officers. The work
of the State Department of Health is
to prevent diseases and how can an
epidemic be prevented if the health
authorities do not know of its presence.
Physicians are not by any means
always responsible for this lack of re-
ports and | do not say that they are
falling short of their duty in this respect
because do not know of any positive
violations. The householder that does
not call a physician in the event there
are known cases of contagious or IN
fictitious diseases in the home must re-
port these diseases to the County Health
Officer Immediately.
On this point wish to quote the law
on the duties of householders that they
may haye due warning: whenever
any householder knows that a person
within his family or house is sick OF
smallpox, diphtheria, membranous
Group, scarlet fever, typhoid fever,
typhus fever, measles, mumps, whoop-
ing cough or any other infectious or
contagious disease dangerous to public
health, he shall Immediately give notice
thereof to the board of health of the
city, town or county in which he dwells.
Any person neglecting or refusing to
comply with any of the provisions of
this section shall be punished by a fine
not exceeding one hundred dollars"
The physician duty in the matter of
reporting is stated as follows: When.
ever any physician knows or has reason
to believe that any person whom he is
called to visit is infected with smallpox,
diphtheria, scarlet fever. typhoid fever,
tYphus fever, yellow fever, measles,
whooping cough or any other disease
dangerous to public health, he shall i'm
mediately give notice in writing over
his own signature to the Board of Health
or Health Officer of the city, town,
county or district in which such disease
exists; ard if he refuses or neglects to
give such notice, he shall be fined not
less than ten dollars nor more than one
hundred dollars"
The regulations of the State Depart
ment of health which have the effect of
law list the following contagious and in
fectious that are reportable by the
physician or by the householder in those
homes where there is no physician in at
tendance:
Acute Dysentery. Anthrax, Asiatic,
Cholera. Bubonic Plauge, Cerebo-Spinal
Meningitis, Chickenpox. Dungue Break
bone fever, Diphtheria (Membranous
Group, Erysipelas, German Measles,
Chambers (FarcV, Influenza LA
Grippe, Leprosy. Malaria. Measles,
Mumps, Ophthalmia Neouatorum,
Pellaga, Poliomyehtis Qnfantile para
lysis), Rabies (Hydrophobia) Relaps-
ing Fever, Scarlet Fever (Scarlatina,
Scarlet RASH, Septic Sore Throat,
Smallpox (Variola, varioloid) Trachoma,
tuberculosis Consumption, Typhoid
Fever, Typhus Fever. Nhooplng Cough,
Yellow Fever.
| advise the careful reading of this
list of diseases and if it is found that
there has been any of them in your
home and not reported that you i'm.
mediately write DR.. N. I.'.Broadwatel
to that effect giving the time of de.
velopment of the disease, name, anc
age, and address of each one. This will
save much correspondence in the future
This is the day of preventive medicine
and the people OF the best communities
have reached that point when they will
not tolerate any loose methods in deal
ing with preventable contagious and in
fectious diseases. 1t is a pretty goo
sign to see interest taken in the frs
case of infectious diseases that show