The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-06-13
REPORT ON HEALTH
Smallpox and ChickenpOx In
creased During May.
Total Number of Communicable
Diseases Was 257.
INCREASE OF SO CASES
Serious Smallpox Epidemic May
Occur, Says DIR. Brown.
Urges Vaccination as Proven
tive of Disease.

The prevalence of smallpox and
chickenpox in Topeka in the month of
May resulted in an increase of SO i'll
the number of cases of communicable
cording to the monthly report of DR..
Earl G. Brown, city health officer,
to Commissioner Robert D. McGiffert.
The total number of communicable
diseases in May was 257, the report
states Only in January and Febru-
airy of this year when the measles cpl
demic was at its peak was the num-
Der of communicable diseases larger
than in May.
May Have Smallpox Epidemic.
1t is probable that a serious SMALL
pox epidemic has been averted by vac
cination. as the health report states
that 52S persons were inoculated for
the disease during the month. Altho
few cases of smallpox are now being
reported, the epidemic may not be at
an end, Doctor Brown pointed out, for
wholesale exposures were made by
two cases before they were placed I'M
der quarantine.
Chickenpox scored a larger number
of cases in May than did smallpox,
with a total of 10 cases. There were
IS cases of smallpox reported during
the month, totalling III cases for the
first five months of 1921. In the
whole year 1920 there were 81 cases
of smallpox.
The importance of vaccination as a
preventive of smallpox is Illustrated
by the history of the SIS cases of the
disease in May OF the SIS persons af-
fIicted. 81 had never been vaccinated
successfully. Three of them had been
successfully vaccinated more than
seven years ago, but only one case
gave q history of successful Vaccina-
ton in the past seven years.
Other Diseases Reported.
other diseases reported in May were
fifteen cases of whooping cough, to-
falling 20 for the five months of the
year. Six cases each of scarlet fever
and measles were reported; three cases
of pneumonia and one each of mumps
and diphtheria.
Aaron Green, Fred Thompson and
S. c. Davis. city sanitary inspectors
made a total of 894 visits of inspection
in May, the report of Doctor Brown
shows.
Mrs. Alma Dermody. social welfare
nurse for the city board of health, re-
ported thirty calls of various kinds for
the month, in addition to her work as
assistant at the slin disease and ner-
vous and mental disease clinics. Mrs
Dcrmody vaccinated 121 persons for
smallpox during May.
Low Death Rate Here.
The death rate in Topeka in May is
month for the last six years. This year
in May SO deaths were reported, while
the May average for six years has
been 63 deaths. When nonresident
deaths are excluded. the death rate
for Topeka per thousand population
is ST.
An alarming fact concerning the
death rate is that six of the deaths
were of children under one year of
age. Doctor Brown said. Altho To-
peka has stood well in keeping down
infant mortality, such a death rate
bids fair to spoil the city's record,
Doctor Brown said. Thirty-three of
the deaths were of persons so years of
age or older.
SeYenty-Six Births.
Seventy-six births were reported to
the city health board in May. of which
81 were white. eight were colored and
four were Mexican.
DIR. RansleyJ. Miller, city physician,
made a total of $50 professional calls
in May. the report shows. Forty-one
OF the calls were at the Provident as
sociation and thirty-six at hospitals.
He gave his services at six accidents
that occurred in May.
Miss Sarah Cellar. city contagion
nurse. made so nursing visits in May,
made 113 vaccinations. and assisted
Doctor Brown in making 11S vaccina-
tons