St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1916-10-18

i the contrary. The very fact or his
! having many patients in the com
munity, to whom he must give a good
deal of time and with whom his per-
sonal and professional relations are
such as not infrequently
with the proper carrying out of meas
ures of quarantine and the like, pre-
cludes the possibility of his being aD
! efficient public health official.
! In the state of New York, as I be-
lieve is the case in Vermont, not only
health officers and other physicians,
but also the heads of households, are
now required by the sanitary code to
report cases of communicable dis
ease; the failure to do so being mis-
| demeanor-a criminal offense under
the law. This has resulted within a
very short time after it's enactment III
much greater proportion of infec-
| tious diseases being reported; never
| theless we are all aware of the fact
| that there are still a great number of
cases which for one reason or other
fail to be reported.
One of the most serious problems
| which confronts this country as a
whole is the medical care of the peo-
pie of the rural districts. The higher
requirements now being made in most
of the recognized medical schools,
together with the frightening of the
various curricula, is resulting unques-
tionably in turning out better physi-
clans, but in much fewer numbers
than formerly and in many instances
those who are unwilling to assume
the cares and moderate returns of
country practice. The country dis
tricts are thus being denuded OF
physicians. Many suggestions have
been made regarding the solution of
this difficulty; none are wholly con-
vincing.
The care of the health, the cure Of
their various ailments must of ne
cessity be one of the first thoughts OF
every. intelligent human being, and
until this is provided in the country
districts we shall continue to see
what is now daily going on-the de-
nuding of these districts for resi-
dence in more populous centers.
/ am in hearty accord with the
views Of one of your speakers at the
meeting of the 18th annual school for
health officers, DR.. Townsend of Rut-
land, that this problem is one which
can only be solved by the education
of the youth, both male and female
at about the time Of puberty. This
may probably best be done in the
schools, but-and this is of the great.
est importance-by those who know
how and what to teach. The ostrich
like policy firmly fixed in the Amer1-
can mind has too long been allowed
to control a question which is regard
ed as too delicate to be discussed In
public, and the consequences are
everywhere appalling. Until these
diseases are discussed as diseases ana
not as something set apart in the code
of morals, little can be accomplished
by any organization. however praise
worthy be their efforts.
In conclusion, while 1 have only
touched on a small number of the
problems which arise in connection
with the administration of public
health in the state of New York, ana
realize that there are many of equal.
if not of more Importance, I trust you
will give me an opportunity to answer
such questions as I am able, regard
ing other matters with which our
mutual state departments of health
have constantly to deal, and from the
discussion of which we may derive
mutual benefit.
A photopIay Typhoid Fever
which was screened following, carried
a lesson in regard to the carrying Oh
the disease in milk through the me-
dunn of a human carrier. The in
structiveness of the film was not lost
in the delightful little romance that
was entwined in the plot.
Fifty Doctors Registered
About so doctors registered for the
morning session but many more ar
rived for the afternoon, the total reg
istry being about 100. A large num-
Der of those registering will remain
over night to the Friday sessions. The
following physicians registered dur
ing the day: H. E. Somers and B. L.
Longe of Newport; A L. Leonard, A
A. Cheney, M. J. Sheehan, D. r.
Brown and F. H. Davis of Lyndon.
Vile; P. C. Templeton, Irasburg; F.
N. Aldrich, Derby; C. Fairbanks. e
H. Ross, w. ]. Aldrich, w. G. Kicker,
F. E. Farmer, J. w. Wesley, T. R
Stiles and c. A. Cramton of st.
Johnsbury; w. E. Lazell and NJ. L.
Chandler of Barre; c. L. Mckinley OF
Newbury, w. H. Sisson, Northfield;
A. T. Marshall, Chelsea; G. G. Buck
ley st. Adams; G. r. Anderson, Brat
tleboro; J. S. Eastwood, Brandon; w.
Scott Nay, Underhill E. M. Crane,
Hardwick; A. D. Ferris, Hardwick;
G. F. Adams, West Derby; r. w.
Adams, Newport Center; G. c. Rub
lee, Hardwick; J. H. Woodruff,
Barre; ]. F. Wright, Orleans; c. w.
Bartlett, Bennington; ]. F. Blanch-
ard, Newport; F. c. Kinney Of
Greensboro; A. c. Kinney, East Hard
wick; G. S. Horner, West Pawlet; w
F. Stone and C. f. Beecher of Bur
lington. A. M. Goddard, Albany; II
L. Newell, East Randolph; L. A
Russlow, Randolph; r. G. Prentiss
Johnson; A. L. Miner, John Blodgett,
Bellows Falls; G. B. French, Con-
cord; J. NJ. Gibson, McIndoes; A. w
Townsend, Rutland; w. L. Caldwell
Groton; F. K. Jackson and c. x
Johnson of Burlington; A. S. CHS
holm, Bennington; Franklin Down
| ing, Lanesboro, Mass; H. A. Elliott,
Barnet; Sidney L. Morrison and John
B. Wheeler, Burlington ]. A. Stew
| enson, Chester; c.. w. Howard.
Shoreham; w. F. Hazelton, Bellows
Falls; w. NJ. Bryant, Ludlow; A. 7
| Wood, Northfeld, Mass; Frank N
1