New Britain herald., 1924-10-08
BLAMES CITY FOR
 SMALLPOX CASES
Dr. Osborne Says Fault Lay
 With New Britain

New Britain was responsible for it's own smallpox epidemic as were Waterbury and Bridgeport in their turn, they got what they were asking for by not taking proper vaccination precautions in time. according to statements made by Dr. Stanley H. Osborne, state health commissioner, at the weekly meeting of the Ki- wanis club at the Burrtt hotel to- day. He also depored the lack of refrigerating plant and bacteriolo- gist here.
 Representatives of the local board Of health were present and brought up the question of rubbish collec- ton which Dr. R. w. Pullen, health superintendent, has been advocating for the past six months.
 Dr. Osborne was introduced by Former Charity Superintendent Will liam Cowlishaw. He opened his ad- dress by pointing out the fact that public health problems of today are very much different than they were a few years ago. He said health de- partments and physicians today know what causes diseases great deal better than they used to. He described the father or grandfather of a generation ago driving through Berlin. Passing the Berlin swamp he would breathe as easily as poss- ble, thinking that by getting as little as he could of the odors arising from the swamp he was helping to ward off malaria, The physician said ma laria may come from the mosquito In the swamp and probably does, but the avoidance of breathing the odors would not make the slightest differ ence.
 Speaking of typhoid fever, Dr. Os- borne said the state hasn't had ty- phoid epidemic since 1911 when there was one in Torrington, due en- tirely to pollution and lack of proper care of the water,
 He described the functions Of the public health department, referring first to the engineering department which has supervision of water and sewerage.
 Launching into description or the department of preventable dls- cases, Dr. Osborne said;
 "The smallpox epidemic in your city last spring was entirely needless and due to the neglect of New Brit ain to take proper precautions against the disease, such as Vacclna- ton of school children.
 1 "Vaccination won't prevent infect od eases coming into the city from other places, but it will prevent others from catching it. Waterbury and Bridgeport got what they were asking for by not having vacclnatlon when smallpox broke cut.
 He called attention to other cites Detroit, Pittsburgh and Kansas City whore epidemics of smallpox exist , cd. this past spring and summer and said they were due to the lack of , vaccination.
 1 Speaking Of diphtleria he said : people can immunize themselves, . especially children for 10 years by proper precautions. He said New ] York city has nearly a million children immunized against diph- thrria; Massachusetts has between ! 700, ,nn0 and 500, 900 and Connecticut about i0o.q0o.
 He said so per cent of the diph- , thoria cases in Connecticut last year wore under eight years of ago and half Of those were under four. show . ing that it is a matter for the parents to handle and not entirely | for tho schools. There was some discussion by the speaker on the iQucstion Of water sewerage and milk inspections, and said even some blood has bee nanalyzad.
 flo referred to tho Now Britain mnnioiroj slaughter house and said; 1 We dcplorc the fact that New Britain cant put in a r"frigcrating plant so that the meat can be properly cared for"
 The physician paid his respects to "ouack doctors" saying; When a man can go to a medical school,