The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03
US. HAD NO SERIOUS
PESTILENCE IN 1915
Cooperation Of Federal, State
and City Authorities Made
Country Healthy.
MOST B%OTHERSOME

W~AsHISoroN. Jan. 2.-The general
health Of the people OF the United States
year hat has Just come to an end This
result was brought about through CO.
operation by the Public Health Service
Of the United States with various State.
municipal and private agencies.
Tho year 1916 was notable for an alb
sence of any general epidemic OF the
pcstilential diseases. The plague ap-
peared In one OF the Southern states and
three cases Of typhus fever came across
the border from Mexico. Prompt meas
ures were taken to prevent the spread
OF these diseases.
In fighting disease IN 1915 the Fed
eral Public Health Service Joined hands
to a larger degree than eve- before with
States and municipalities and with edu
cat!onal institutions throughout the coun-
out the country. Surgeons Of the service
went direct TO the Individual. preaching
health "don'ts' to tho farmer and to
persons IN small towns. all with the idea
of emphasizing the need for the general
good OF operating the farm and the home
in accordance with UP 20 date methods
Of sanitation and hygiene.
Federal officials assisted In organic
Ing the health departments OF various
States. and as n result In many counties
and municipalities physicians were M
ployed on full time instead Of per-
forming such services Incidental to other
labors. Through the good offices of the
service the compensation VI public health
authorities In many States was advanced,
with a resultant increase In the eff.
cheney of State, county and municipal
organizations.
Campaign of Education.
As a result, of a campaign OF educa-
ton in tho p:ess and the establishment
Of courses In various State universities
especially designed to train physicians
In the work OF protecting the public
health. Legislatures were impressed with
the need for advancement OF sanitary
and hygiene work. In ~onseQuence laws
OF the kind We're amplifed and appro-
priations Tor their enforcement vastly
Increased.
While pes.ilent,al epidemics were not
~ Nf' sN'i To-
colds" pneumonia" and other like all
ments ran riot non adults. and ~. 900
children died from the measles. Never
thcless, progress was made in lighting
all diseases, notably pelegra, inala ria
and typhoid fever.
SO far as the Federal Public Health
Service is concerned officials regard dis
covcries relative to pellagra and malaria
as the big accomplishments OF the year.
Studies made In the south demon
strsted that pellagra manifested itself
in persons who live on "A strictly cereal
and vegetable diet rather than In per
sons who vary their diet with fresh
animal foods such as fresh meats, Eggs
and milk. Experiments were made with
men and women suffering from p-ila3ra.
They were fed with a well balanced
diet ~ fresh animal food and cereals
and vegetables. with the result In most
cases treated that the disease d!sap-
peared and did not recur where the in
structions Of the Federal surgeons were
carried out.
War on Malaria.
II was formerly the theory Of physi-
clans that the parasite that starts ma
laria In the human system wintered IN
the bodies of mosquitoes. Studies in
1915 hav demonstrated that this para
site is carried from season 20 season Ia
human beings. The parasite starts life
with the mosquito and gains a lot OF
vitality before ho enters the human.
He gains more life after transmission
by the mosquito. and In the human ron
tinues to do business from year TO year
unless a cure is effected. Quinine is a
specific for malaria, and II Is the belief
Of the Federal authorities that II hui
mans SO afflicted would properly doc
tor up" IN the spring the spread OF the
disease would be checked and ultimately
disappear as a bodily ailment.
IT IL estimated that OF the population Of
10000, 600 in the Southern States at
least I per cent. Of the inhabitants suf-
fer annually an attack OF malaria. In
time. the officials hope. the knowledge
ha: the human is the real carrier OF
the malaria parasite will sink into the
minds Of suffering humanity and with
the application OF the proper remedy
those h annually suffer with head
aches. sore Joints, lassitude and chills
and fevers will find relief.
At any rate In the spread Of malaria
man must share responsibility with the
mosquito. and this knowledge, Federal
officials say, will go a long way toward
checking the disease In the South and
other sections where II appears every
year just as regularly ~ taxes and
death,
Plague in the south.
The plague broke out In New Orlenn.
in July. l9li. and work to pr cent its
spread continued through the yea.
Since the inception of the trouble more
than $4,000, 900 has been expended to
stamp II out and to prevent a rccur-
renee. In that period more thar 600, 900
rats were caught In the city. many OF
which We're subjected TO meteorological
tests. Immense sums have been ex-
pended to make all buildings In New
Orleans rat proof" and instructions in
this sort OF building have been issued
by the Public Health Service for the
benefit Of all those who may be inter-
ested.
"Rura, sanitation was pushed with
great energy by the Public Health Ser
vice In 1915. In this work surgeons
went into rural communities and made
studies on the farm. They pointed ont
to the farmer and his wife just what
methods OF sanitation should be adopted
to protect health. They gave simple III
structions relative to the sanitary dis
posal Of refuse and how to protect water
supply from pollution.
The vast majority Of the people inter-
viewed were found either to be entirely
uniformed OF to have one ideas
about the source and mod of spread
OF typhoid fever and other infections and
about tho principles Of preventing dan
va M rs,lIittln1. al sl,, ..fI .al - d.