The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1936-01-16
LESS CONTAGIOUS ILLNESS
IN MARYLAND LAST YEAR
1885 Had Lowest Record For the
Past Several Years

There was considerably less sickness
in Maryland from contagious or infec-
tious diseases in 1885 than for several
years, according to provisional figures
issued by DR.. r. H. Riley, Director Of
the State Department of Health. The
total number of cases of such diseases
reported in 1885 was 39,171 in compar-
ison with 63,O89 in 1884; 80, 7S1 in 1888
and 1852 in 1882. The fare-up in
1884 was largely due to the State
wide occurrence of measles and to in
creases in the pneumonias which are
always to be expected in a "measles"
year. The totals for 1885 were divided
as follows: Baltimore city, 20,855; the
counties, 1886.
Doctors in attendance are request
ed to report the occurrence of commu-
nicable or Catching" diseases, among
their patients, to the nearest health
officer in order that the health repart-
ment may know what diseases are
prevalent and where, so that measures
to proven their spread may be insti-
tuted as promptly as possible. There
are over fifty diseases on the list,
which includes fevers, typhus, I'M
dulant, "tick-bite"; the so-called chill
dren's diseases-diphtheria, scarlet
fever, whooping cough, humps, meas
les, chickenpox; infantile paralysis; in
fuenza; all forms of pneumonia and
tuberculosis; diarrhea and dystentery;
the venereal diseases; malraia, spetic
sore throat, "trench mouth" and other
diseases that may be spread from per-
son to person or that are contracted
in eating contaminated foods. in the
use of contaminated water supplies,
through the bites of insects or animals
or through direct contact with infected
material.
Two diseases that were matters of
major concern during the year were
poliomyolitis (infantile paralysis),
and epidemic meningitis. Though
Maryland was fortunate in escaping
an outbreak of poliomyolitis compare
BILE to those recorded in other states,
there were lot cases reported in the
State as compared with 81 in 1884.
The occurrence was about evenly d.
vided between Baltimore City and the
counties. There were also 217 cases
of epidemic meningitis, 1872 of which
occurred in Baltimore City and IS in
the counties, as compared with Is in
1884.
Other diseases in which increases
were observed included syphilis of
which 9,251 cases were reported, 5,755
in Baltimore City and 3,496 in the
counties; scarlet fever, 1897 cases
1899 in Baltimore and 1898 in the
counties; typhoid 472 cases, rs in Bal
timore and 1874 in the counties, and tu-
berculosis 1928 cases, 1861 in Balti-
more and 1857 in the counties. The
totals for the samed iseases in 1884
were: Syphilis, 1854 scarlet fever,
1913; typhoid fever, 416, and tubercu-
losis, $3.50. The larger totals for both
syphilis and tuberculosis were regard
as due to the clinic service and to the
more complete reporting of both dis
eases, rather than to an actual in
crease in either disease.
A favorable side Of the picture was
shown in the following reductions:
Pneumonia, broncho and lobar, from
3,O73 cases in 1884 to 1912 cases in
1885; whooping cough from $3.50 cases
in 1884 to 1909 in 1885; diphtheria,
from sos cases in 1884 to APO in 1885;
undulent fever, from 40 cases in 1884
to SO in 1885, and tularemia (rabbit
fever), 33 cases in 1884, % in 1885.