Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1930-04-11
Health Projections A Cooperative
Undertaking.

Over 10000 cases of communicable dis
eases have occurred in Maryland since the
FIRST Of the year and have been reported to
the State Department of Health. The cases
have been about evenly divided between
the counties and Baltimore City. Large as
the number seems. it is much less than the
total for the first three months Of last year
when influenza brought the total for that
period up to over $4,000.
There are nearly fifty diseases on what
10 called the "notifiable" list. These in
clude typhoid fever. typhus. tuberculosis. in
fiuenza. pneumonia. the so-called children's
diseases measles. whoopins cough. scarlet
fever. and dipththeria. other diseases such
as septic sore throat. dysentery. sleeping
sickness, with rabbit fever. and undulant
fever among the more recent additions.
Asked whose duty it was to notify the
health officer of the occurrence of commu-
nicable diseases. Dr.. R. H. Riley. Director
of the State Department Of Health. said
that the responsibility falls upon the attend
ing physician. upon superintendents of in
situations and upon householders. Teachers
are also asked to report suspected cases.
Communicable diseases are reported to
the local health officer or to the State De-
partment of Health" DR.. Riley continued.
"for the same reason that fire is reported
to the nearest fire Departmental order
that the outbreak may be gotten under
control promptly and to prevent its spread
elsewhere. Just as fire departm ent snaps
into action Immediately. so a health de-
partment starts the necessary control meas
ures as soon as it is notified of the occur
renee of a communicable disease. The
measures differ in accordance with the
character and seriousness of the disease.
I'm these days of rapid and easy travel
by land and sea and in the air, disease
may spread very swiftly. 1t is no LONGER
sufficient for health officer to be informed
only with regard to sickness from the catch
ing diseases in his own county or State.
In order that the people under his care
may be adequately safeguarded. he must
be notifed-and notified promptly-of the
occurrence of diseases in other places. Dis
ease prevention has become more and more
a cooperative undertaking.
"Information in regard to the occurrence
| of communicable disease in this cIuntry
and throughout the world is collected by
the u S. Public Health Service and relayed
to health departments throughout the
United States. The records for each State
are furnished by city and State depart
ments Of health. Il is obvious that to be
Of use they must be accurate. complete and
sent without delay.
1.-THE accuracy and completeness of the
reports that are furnished by the different
States are being tested by the U. S. Public
Health Service to dete rhine their right to
be included in what is to be called the U.
S. Registration Area for Sickness Morbidity.
to use the technical term. This will include
only those States whose registration or
reporting-of sickness comes up to certain
standards. The tests have been completed
in sixteen Of the twenty-three counties in
Maryland, and so far eleven have had a
perfect record. 1t is hoped that an equally
good showing will be made by the remain
ing counties and that Maryland will have
a place in the proposed Registration Area.