Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-30

bunalo1 n. T., Tor 1uU treatment.
commendatory letters were received
by our board for this work, among
theta letter from Surgeon General
he was preparing the Cuban campaign
in the Spanish American war.
A itfa. later the state board of
health 20 Maine took up, in advance
| of anysother state, municipal or ma
tional health departments, an inyesti-
CATION Of forInaldehyde as a dlsinfect-
ant and gave to the world a formal
dehyde lamp. ana later, We're the first
Investigators OF the value Of Nhe per-
mapganate process for the rapid liber-
alton of fogmaldehyde gaS,in the work
of general disinfection. That work was
very highly appreciated, not only in
this country but abroad.
There have been various other pieces
of advance work which have been
started and carried through by the
state board of health away ahead OF
any other health organization in the
country which the friend of the new
bill' may learn about if they care to.
Those states, some of theYn.at least,
which, '"by virtue OF. reorganization
have surpassed. Maine.'" have not in
Fact surpassed Maine in some direc-
tons in spite of the enormous appro-
priationS which have been at their
sdisposal1 Is compared with the small
lsum VIII has been dealt out by the
ffsgislataAe. for. the general work of
! the state board of health Of Maine.
Those states which have a commits
sioner Of health at the head Of de-
partmepr Of health are only four:
Massachusetts, New York, Pennsyl-
vania and Oklahoma. Their. appro-
priations were, as given by the. last re-
port from the office of the Surgeon
Geneel of the L. S. Public Health
Service. respectively, 1SD,219, $2S4,-
sc, $1.047,4Sl, and $4,000.
In spite of the large appropriation
of the second of these states which is
mentioned she has not made SO good
showing in some directions as has
the state of Maine with it's appropri-
alton of only $1,000 which is all that
the board has had for it's general
work; for instance, the infant mortal
ity rate for the state of New York
was 105 for the year 1914, while the
death-rate of infants in the state of
Maine for the same year was only 80.
Then1again, from pulmonary tubercu-
losis in the state of New York the
death for 1914 was 143 per 100,-
| 600 of their population, while our
death-rate from the same disease was
only go per 100000 That perhaps is
due to the, fact that the state board of
health of Maine issued the first cir
cular put out by any state department
or health organization in this country
violating to the prevention of tubercu-
iosis and that we were the first to
| take up the work for the diminution of
the prevalence Of tuberculosis. There
was after that a more rapid diminu-
ton in the death rate. from tubercu-
losis in this state than could be found
in any other state.
Giving the friends another bit OF
statistical information which they APP
peared 70 delight in, giving: The death
rate from .pulmohary tubeFculosis in
the state Of. Maine in 1915 Gas only
As per. cent of. what is was in 1892,
the YEAR in which our system. of reg
istration Of deaths first went into sf-
feet sThat means. about, $50 fewer,
deaths every year. from that disease
than we .shaild have if w,SStill had
the. sa9 = aef-fate which Eeyailed
as the ftfian suggest, tt each
human lfel Birth $500. tn neans
Ia saving ~ tba statssof Mainsxevery
wear of lfttls over $1,000 lG DOT
ecSun tApG- the safif9 of the babies and
sth& persons WHO were dying ~ other
,.dseases but are not how leaving us so
Again nr9 IN one Of dose states where
they have "reorganized" and have a
very large pproafation for : their,
work. they ge two years behind the
state Of Ma in ing up educative
work before thu anges, a work.
q Skh tas been ys highly appreciate
49, tn gtate; And d another state
Itch has eorganizsds they havs, been'
Dshind Interstate of Mains In do-
6rk by -smeansSof lectures illus
4 Nd with laptefr side. sapd wrote
t0 our board for help and ice. 4,
In some Of. the A state have
MT ssdEganized." or ~ that Re-.
have beenathe 60 pr fsssive
and first class health brS IN,
some tmportar stons cans
give the "fxiepdd nipus ofhe 1ants2
they J. arr n Y sosAa bout
I s.sr.,.|k sla 1! ss sssl,s
! yT2 E-&x- ~