Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1926-02-13
Maryland Served By
Local Laboratories
Great Service Rendered To
State By Department
OF Health.

Under the title of Maryland Served
by Local Laboratories" an interest
ing account of the service rendered to
the people of Maryland, by the Blu
reau Of Bacteriology Of the State De-
partment of Health through the Gen.
trail and Branch laboratories, that
has attracted widespread attention, Is
given in the current number Of the
Nations Health" The article was
prepared, late in the fall, by DR.. r. G.
Salter, the brilliant and greatly be-
loved young scientist, who was chief
Of the Bureau from 1920 until his
death on December S, 1925, and who
was largely responsible for the de-
velopment of the plan under which la
boratory facilities have been extend
ed to every section Of the State.
Reference is made in the article, to
the fact that each extension has been
undertaken in response to local de.
mand and to meet community need.
Only one branch interchangeable one
in Cumberland - was in existence
when DR.. Salter became chief of the
State Bureau of Bacteriology in 1920.
Now, in addition to the Central Lab
oratory in Baltimore City, there are
branches at Cumberland, established
in 1915; Hagerstown, 1921; Hurlock.
1922; Frederick, 1928; and Washing
ton, opened in 1924. Besides being
centers for diagnostic tests and analy-
ses, the laboratories serve as storage
and distributing points for anti-toxin,
small pox and typhoid vaccines, for
supplies furnished to patients suffer-
ing from tuberculosis; and for other
materials distributd by health officers,
physicians and public health nurses
in connection with the statewide &C
tivities for the control of communi-
cable diseases.
A map of the State and other illus
trations, show the ways through
which this net work of laboratories is
operated so that no doctor has to
wait more than twenty-four hours
for a repotr Of test made for ty-
phoid, diphtheria or other communi-
cable disease, and so that no child
who CONS down with diphtheria is
more than three hours distant from
the relief-giving anti-toxin.
The cooperative principle has enter
ed into the maintenance Of all Of the
laboratories. The Central Laboratory
and the one at Hurlock are financed
entirely from State funds. The others
are financed through combinations OF
State, county, school or other local
funds.
The number Of tests and analyses
made each year was over three times
as great in 1925 as in 1920. During
that year, the total number of tests
and analyses made in the Central and
the Cumberland laboratories was TO-
900. In 1925, the total was 52,228.
According to recent reports from
the State Department Of Health the
value of the tests and analyses made
in 1921, without charge to the people
Of Maryland, if charged for at COM
mercial rates, amounted. to $182, 1852.
The value of the tests made in 1926,
estimated at commercial rates, reach
ed q total of over $327,5S0. Included
in this were 9540 tests for typhoid;
examinations; 4s48 archaeological
analyses of milk; 5367 archaeological
analyses of water; and 9177 complete
treatments Of anti-typhoid vaccine.
Over 1000 miscellaneous examinations
for which commercial rates are not
cbtainable, are not included in the
estimated value of the work of the
laboratories in 1926.
Alice NJ. Williamson, novelist,
xx,,,s&oe, tTNom Tho,so no p1o tonic