Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1920-09-11
Work Of State Health De- pertinent for Last Year

hcdiIiA lS luily Sct loItAl ]" eiic eih nual report of George E. Goodrich, M. D., superintendent of health, and sec retary of the board which thoroughly covers the activities of the department for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1920, and has just been filed with Governor Campbell. T
 This report covers fourteen type written pages and on account of it's length cannot be published in full in the Bulletin. A summary of its con tents and some of it's more important passages are presented herewith in the belief that they will be found of value to all persons interested in pub lie health activities.
 :Simplified Reporting
 The department found that physic- ians were not reporting communica- ble diseases as required by law. To correct this evil elaborate detailed re- ports were abolished, and a simple re- port fUrm substituted. A daily record book for communicable diseases has been established thus depicting graph ically the existence and spread of these diseases from day to day. To simplify the turning in of reports the forms are printed on addressed postal cards. Influenza and pneumonia have been removed from the quaran- tine list and are included among those diseases which merely have to be pla- carded.
 Smallpox Increasing
 The records of the office show a steady increase in the number of cas- eS of small pox evidencing the menace of this infection when. vaccination is discontinued. With the exception of few cases that had been vaccinated from 20 to 50 years ago, none of the 194 cases reported during the first five months of the present year had been vaccinated. Ten of the fourteen counties reported smallpox. Each month showed an increase in the num- Der of cases and the record of May (55) was more than the total the first three months. Out of the total of 134 cases there were four deaths.
 Keeping Up Records.
 In sistence by the department on a strict observance of the law regulat- ing burial permits and death certifi- cates is resulting in splendid cooper ation on the part of local registrars and county registrars. Previously the department had not insisted on strict compliance with the result that the reporting of deaths became perfume tory and reports from county regis trars were allowed to emain uncheck, ed for months at time.
 A permanent record of all deaths is now kept. This shows the princi. pal causes and is by counties. We think that the death certificates of the State are very nearly complete except for the Indians and for a few deaths of whites in remote districts. N Fatalities by Diseases
 A recurrence of influenza and pneu- monia began the latter part of Janu ary, reached its peak in February and was still claiming deaths in April. In January there were 173 cases of in. fluenza and pneumonia reported and kS1 deaths from these diseases. IT February total of S29 cases anC 214 deaths. In March 457 cases and 17S deaths; in April 1855 cases and 9I deaths. During the same period there were only four deaths from ty. phoid fever, one from measles, Il from whooping cough, six from dip theria and none from scarlet fever.
 Still Births.
 Out of total of 250O births record, ed during the first four months of the year 26O were still-born or died short, after birth from congenital debili' ty, malformations or diarrhoel troub' le. This total represents many in nocent sacrifices to ignorance, care lessness and stinginess of the paren; who would rather take chance ct losing the baby and perhays the moth CT than pay for adequate attention.
 Birth Certificates
 Accurate and complete records are \pow maintained Ion birth certification Heretofore this ahs eben sorely ne
 ected. Ordinarily 21 years would pass before the question of birth reg, istration would come up and then nothing could be done to correct the omission in the records. Monthly lists of births giving the names of the parents are now sent to the newspap- CTS and the mother is advised of the official record of the birth, thus per hitting any corrections as to name or other data.
 s,. .,Et Midwife Problem Y
 All persons who assist at child birth are required to register as'mid-- wives and are subject to few simple rules laid down by the department Cleanliness must be maintained and with the appearance of certain unto ward symptoms a physician must be secured without delay. Full cooper ation is being secured from local reg istrars in the matter of registering mid-wives.
 Cb;Id Welfare Bureau