The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-05-31
CARELESS DOCT0RS
WILL Be JAILED
Health Commissioner Jep.
son Planning to Enforce
the Laws.

sioner OF West Virginia, has issued
q number Of regulations that were re-
Gently adopted by the Public Health
Council of West Virginia, which Is
composed OF nine Of the eminent physi.
clans and scientists Of the state. These
regulations are for the prevention of
diseases that are transmissible and
to better the living conditions OF the
inhabitants OF the commonwealth OF
West Virginia. Violations OF the reg.
ulations by physicians and laymen are
punishable by fines and Imprisonment.
These regulations went into effect last
month, the law authorizing them hav-
ing been passed by the legislature in
February, 1915.
Many OF the physicians and o.hcr
persons who 6now Of transmissible dis
cases failed to report them last mouth
as required under the regulations It
Is likely that the Health Commission.
er will be compelled to order the ar.
rest OF all the physicians who have
failed TO comply with the law. DR..
Jepson in the last circular to the ply.
sicians Of the state says: 1.-THE regu.
lations must be obeyed," and again,
1.-THE New York State Board of Health
has Just issued an order for the arrest
OF physicians failing to comply with
a similar law. II better results are
not soon secured, this extremely url.
pleasant duty may become necessary
In this state
Copies Of the regulations have been
sent to the different classes OF per.
sons affected by them such as dairy.
men. BARRIERS, restaurant and hotel
proprietors, railroad and street car
companies, ice cream factories and
vendors. etc. Especially strict are the
requirements for dairymen and milk
vendors. The milk regulations ars
similar in every respect to the milk
ordinance now on the ordinance books
OF Fairmont but which, since the pass.
ing Of the measure seven years ago,
has never been enforced. The .egula.
lions of the state council provide that
at any time an officer of the depart.
ment may make all inspection Of the
milk supply of community and in.
vestigate the methods OF preparing
tho milk for market.
The inspector has authority to en-.
force any order that may be necessary
to bring the milk up to the required
standard. For the reason that the
Health Council is financially unable
to make often and thorough inspection
OF all the milk supply in the state 1t
asks the cooperation of all physic.
ians and others interested in the bet.
terment of the public health and the
prevention OF disease. Concerning the
Importance OF careful and frequent
milk inspection, DR.. Jepson in his
last circular says: More sickness and
death, especially among children, Is
chargeable to impure milk than to
any other one cause. That many cases
OF tuberculosis are traceable TO the
use OF milk from cows effected with
this disease can not be doubted. The
summer diseases Of infants are In a
great many instances directly caused
by milk from unclean cows mill;ci IN
unclean barns by unclean, milke!s with
unclean utensils. 1t Is the purpose
OF the Health Commissioner 20 make
SPECIAL effort TO secure such i'm.
provements In the production, hand.
ling and marketing Of milk &C will
save hundreds Of the babies If the
state from sickness and death. AT least
enc.hfth of bottle fed infants dies In
the first year. Thirty out OF q hun
dred bottle.fcd babies and hut seven
out OF hundred breast-fed babies liz
This ought not to be and will net
when milk is properly produced ann
marketed We ask and shall expec:
the ali OF all good citizens in our
efforts 10 secure compliance WEI In,
dairy regulations adopted by our
Health Council"