The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-12-14
Health Experts Devote
Second Day Conference
to Diphtheria Control
DR.. William H. Parks of New York Is Principal-Mills
Sanitarium In Alabama Is Also Discussed

The second days session of the first
conference of the county health Of
ficers of Alabama held under the aus
pces of the postgraduate medical
school of the University of Alabama.
was devoted largely to the control OF
diphtheria.
The evening session held last night
at o'clock in the auditorium of the
former medical college adjacent to
The Hillman hospital was addressed
by DR.. William il. Park of New York,
one of the leading authorities of the
nation, on the subject of the Con
troll of Diphtheria." DR.. Park ad-
dressed a large gathering of state and
county health officers, augmented by
prominent physicians belonging to
the Jefferson County Medical society,
under whose auspices the evening ses-
sion was held and presided over by
Dr. +. A. Lupton, president of the So
ciety.
IJr. Park first reviewed the work
done in the past in controlling diph-
iberia, the stating steps taken by the
medical profession as to cultures and
anti toxins, together with the isola-
ton precautions taken, all of which,
according to the speaker, usually
prevented or controlled any wide
failed to stamp it out or further re-
duce the mortality"
ut Is felt" continued DIR. Park,
that a much more valuable proceed
ure is now at hand in the new method
of control by vaccine or Injection
sub cut am eously, which affords
practically absolute immunity to
diphtheria and also will indicate with
in As hours whether or not the in
vdual is susceptible to the disease.
The new method has been tried In
New York on several thousand chill
dren with splendid results"
DR.. Park illustrated his lecture with
charts and pictures and demonstrated
It's use and the results upon patients
treated here in Birmingham.
General discussion and questions
pertaining to the subject followed the
lecture and were participated in by
many of the leading physicians of the
city.
State Health Officer S. W. WEIGH
presided over the morning session
calling upon the various doctors
present for opinions concerning con-
ditions relating to the subject in
their districts. Practical clinic dem
onstrations of diphtheria control by
use of toxins and anti-toxins were
given by the speaker. malaria con-
troll was also discussed to some ex-
tent.
The afternoon session of the confer
ence was devoted entirely to dis
cussion of the milk situation by the
various city and county health off,
GERS OF the state. DR.. WEIGH called
upon the members from different
parts of the state for general re-
sumo of the work being done by the
city and county in the matter of rails
ing the standard of milk for public
consumption. 1t was evident from the
nature of the various reports offered
by the officers that Birmingham had
taken the most advanced and most
rapid strides in both sanitary meas
ures adopted among dairymen of the
district. Statistics offered by DR.. j.
d. Bowling. city and county health
officer for Birmingham and Jefferson
county, pointed to the fact that the
strides taken in this connection in
this district have attracted the at
tention of several large milk distrlb-
uting concerns to make Investigations
with the ultimate view of establish
ing branches here.
That the establishing of branches
IN this city was but tentative as yet,
until further investigation was made,
was pointed out by DR.. Bowling. who
further stated that the local depart