Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-01-08


State Commissioner of Health.
on constant watch for IN outbreak Of
infectious disease, so that all avail
able means may be employed at the
start to check the devastating sweep
Of an epidemic which might other
wise be uncomfortable. The local
health officers are repeatedly urged
to report promptly every outbreak
to the Department and the nearest
district health officer. A large
amount of detail work falls upon this
division in the collection and tabula-
ton of reports. Another important
work is the help and cooperation ex-
tended to local health officers and
other persons. To eacn district health
officer q daily report Is mailed giving
the location by towns from which
cases of the communicable diseases
have been reported. The same re-
port goes during the vacation season
to the directors Of all of the camps
for boys and girls.
Division Of Sanitary Engineering.
This Division supervises the sanitary
quality of all public water supplies
in the state; cooperates with officials
lities Commission In locating sources
Of pollution and gives advice on
methods Of decreasing pollution and
on publication equipment and filtra-
ton apparatus; aids towns and sum-
mer camps in designing sewage dis
posal plants; and maintains a chem
ical laboratory for analyzing water,
sewage, etc.
There are at present les water COM
panieS in the State, all Of which re-
ceive at least one complete bacterio-
logical examination every three
months. About 20 companies, who
have provided shipping cases, receive
a meteorological test every month,
and all companies have a complete
physical. chemical and archaeological
test at least twice a year. Summer
camps and public. eating houses have
their drinking water tested once 4
year, and tests Of drinking water are
During the last year 1868 tests Of
water were made by the laboratory Of
which IS per cent were safe and rs
per cent unsafe.
Division Of Diasnostie Laboratory.
As the name implies the work of this
laboratory Is largely along diagnostic
lines. Tests are made for tubercu-
losis, typhoid fever. diphtheria,
gonorrhea. syphilis. rabies, anthrax;
examinations Of urine, tissues. spinal
fluids, feces; blood counts and other
general and special archaeological
work. The work Of the laboratory is
increasing. During the fiscal year
ending June 1924, 1927 completed
examinations We're made. an increase
ha
Division Of Vital Statistics. To It
comes at the end of each month the
records Of births, marriages and
deaths, made in each city, town and
plantation. Work is continually car
ried on to insure the prompt receipt
OF the monthly returns, and the cor
rectness Of each individual record.
The value Of this work is indicated
by the fact that the division is very
frequently receiving requests for
copies of these records; to verify
records Of births, requests are con-
stantly coming from the labor De-
partment, the State Board of Chari-
ties and Corrections, naval recruiting
stations, and private individuals.
To the Census Bureau in Washing
ton transcripts of all these records are
sent every month. Exacting work Is
the division director in the tabula-
lions for the annual reports which
gives invaluable information, not
only to health workers. but to many
other persons.
Division Of Social Hyaiene,
Through the agency of kind hearted
physicians and clinics this division is
carrying on the work of preventing
contagton and the treatment of
INDECENT persons, many of whom
are children suffering from the We
neral diseases and their sequels. This
work Is supplemented by lectures and
moving pictures and is IN close touch
with all welfare work of the State.
ABOUT two hundred lectures are given
each year in colleges, schools,
churches. and welfare organizations,
the audiences ranging in number
from hundreds in large towns and
cities to very small groups in isolated
hamlets.
Division Of Public Health Nursinu
ana Child Hygiene. The purpose Of
the division Is to stimulate an inter-
est In public health nursing and in
the need OF better protection and de-
Velopment of child life from infancy
10 adult age. It has been the aim
OF the director to standardize the
public health nursing work through
out the state and. with the assistance
OF -FOUR field nurses, to stimulate int
crest IN the better preparation for
motherhood and the more intelligent
care of the baby.
Division Of Dental Hygiene. Maine
was the ninth state in creating a
DIVISION or this kind. 1t was organ
lied in July, 1924. Its purpose ia
something more than to make Maine
healthier state from the dental
point OF view. It is only somewhat
recently that 1t has definitely been
established that arthritis, disease of
the heart, disturbances Of the stom-
ach. and malnutrition. neuralgia, and
various other ills are directly trace
able to diseased teeth and unhealthy
mouth conditions. 1t has been shown
that IS per cent. of school children
nave decayed teeth. A wide spread
distribution Of information about
dental hygiene is vital to the welfare