DIVISION OF LABORATORIES

Summary of Activities in July, 1918 The Division made 1,546 examinations in July, of which 1,118 were bacteriological and 428 were chemical. The bacteriological examinations, with their results, were as follows: Tuberculosis, pos. 85, neg. 247, unsatis. 1..

333 Diphtheria, pos. 24, neg. 127, no growth 10.

161 Typhoid, pos. 19, neg. 69, susp. 2..

90 Wassermann, pos. 100, neg. 252, unsatis. 11.

363 Malaria, pos. 1, neg. 3.

4 Rabies, pos. 7, neg. 6, unsatis. 4.

17 Water

139
Sewage
Miscellaneous
Outfits were distributed in the following quantities :
Tuberculosis

102 Diphtheria

282 Typhoid

126 Malaria

9 Wassermann

696 Ophthalmia

2,758 Typhoid vaccine

108 Chemical-water and sewage.

18 Bacterial-water and sewage.

96

Total

4,255

The chemical samples examined included 120 specimens of foods and 48 of drugs. Results of the food examinations were: satisfactory 56, misbranded I, adulterated 40, insufficient information 23. The misbranded substance was a sample of pop. The adulterated products included: milk 15, vinegar 12, lemon extract 2, vanilla extract 7, miscellaneous extracts 2, grape juice 1, pop I.

Reports on the drugs were as follows: satisfactory 31, misbranded 2, adulterated 12, insufficient information 3. The misbranded drugs were listed as one hair tonic and one miscellaneous. Adulterated drugs were: tincture of iodine 3, hair tonic i, turpentine 2, proprietaries 2, miscellaneous 4.

DIVISION OF INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

Summary of Activities in July, 1918 The Division has continued the study of coal mines in Ohio for the purpose of collecting data for the Health and Old Age Insurance Commission. A survey has alse been undertaken of representative munition plants in the state in co-operation with the United States Public Health Service. A survey of one establishment, employing more than 3,000 people, has been completed.

One case of stonecutter's consumption has been reported and 168 cases of tuberculosis among industrial workers were included in physicians' reports during this time.

The consultant to the Division has been given a two-weeks' leave of absence for the purpose of conducting a survey of the coal mines in Illinois for the Illinois Health and Old Age Insurance Commission.

Over 1,100 form etters to munition firms were sent out during the month, included in each being a pamphlet and a leaflet describing the cause and methods of prevention of boils and infections among machinists.. A considerable amount of correspondence has resulted, including a number of requests for personal visits by members of the Division.

The reference library has been kept up to date and abstracts of current industrial hygiene literature have been prepared and published in the American Journal of Public Health,

DIVISION OF SANITARY ENGINEERING

Summary of Activities in July, 1918 Investigations by the Division during July dealt with eleven existing and three proposed water supplies and water purification systems, and with seven existing and eleven proposed sewerage systems and sewage treatment plants. An examination of the watershed above Columbus was made, sanitary conditions in a village were investigated, a typhoid fever epidemic at Connorville (Jefferson County) was studied, a garbage disposal plant was inspected and three cases of stream pollution were investigated.

Three sets of water supply and water purification plans and ten sets of sewerage and sewage disposal plans were examined.

Reports were submitted to the Commissioner of Health regarding proposed new water supply for East Palestine and four minor sewerage and sewage disposal projects.

A New London ordinance, passed July 1, to prevent pollution of the public water supply was approved July 10, fulfilling the first condition of approval of plans for a public water supply, granted October 11, 1917.

By revision of a condition of approval July 3, the time for awarding contract for installation of the outlet extension sewer at Greenfield was extended.

Eleven conferences were held with health officials, engineers, city officials and others, regarding water and sewer systems.

One hundred and thirteen certificates of approval of railroad water supplies were granted and no such certificates were refused.

a

BUREAU OF PUBLICITY, DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATION

Summary of Activities in July, 1918 Twenty-four publicity stories were issued during the month, of which nineteen were issued through the weekly News Letter, attaining a total circulation of 4,072,643 copies (incomplete), an average of 214,349 copies per story.

The following reprints of articles from the June OHIO PUBLIC HEALTH JOURNAL were ordered printed: “Physical Supervision in Ohio

(4 pp.) and “Publications of the State Department of Health" (8 PP.). The following publications were received from the printer: Circular letter to physicians regarding venereal disease regulations, Venereal Disease Regulations (4 pp.). Whooping Cough Regulations (4 pp.) and “Your Baby's Eyes - How to Save Them” (4 pp.).

Copy for Volume IX, Number 7, of the Ohio PUBLIC HEALTH JOURNAL, a venereal disease number, was prepared for the printer.

Requisitions for eight pieces of printing and bindery work were issued.

Management of the Department library was taken over by this bureau July 1. Ten books were added to the library in July.

FOREIGN BABIES NEED unrecorded. And in Waterbury

HEALTH SAFEGUARDS the health office had no record of The necessity of giving every

329 live births, or practically a

seventh of the total number occurmother a chance to learn how to

ring during the year studied. protect the health of her children

The Lithuanian mothers show and of arousing the whole com

the largest percent of babies who munity to its responsibility for pre

are not given the protection of venting infant deaths especially breast feeding even during the first under the pressure of war condi- three months. In their group also tions is evidenced by the figures

occurs the highest per cent of incontained in the latest report of the fant deaths from digestive diseases, Children's Bureau of the United

- diseases largely preventable, and States Department of Labor. The

traceable not only to such things as report deals with conditions sur

housing conditions which are often rounding 2,197 babies born in

beyond the control of the individWaterbury, Connecticut, a town of ual mother, but to indiscreet feedof nearly 75,000 in 1910, whose

ing which could be prevented if population has increased rapidly

wise advice were made available to since the war because of the brass

every mother, and an effort were and copper industries.

made to make plain to mothers the Waterbury has a large foreign importance of breast feeding. population and little has been done The Children's Bureau in preto place at the disposal of the many senting the report emphasied parLithuanian and Italian mothers ticularly its bearing on the Chilknowledge of modern methods of dren's Year work to save 100,000 hygiene. Many mothers speak no babies. The intensive statistical English. The isolation of the study in Waterbury serves to point foreign born group is instanced by again the value of classes for trainthe fact that three of the mothers ing mothers in the feeding and geninterviewed although born in this eral care of children. Such classes country, could speak no English. have been inaugurated in the DisFor these mothers few educational trict of Columbia and in Seattle facilities are available. Few of

for example, as Children's Year them seek the services of the visit- follow-up work to meet the needs ing nurses' association. Among the reevaled by the weighing and measLithuanian babies is the largest uring test of over 6,300,000 chilnumber of babies whose births are dren.

HEALTH OFFICERS' ROUNDTABLE

Prepare for Smallpox tional work among American troops in

Europe. His policies as head of the Akron is preparing to defend local schools will be carried on as far herself against the threatened re- as possible by officials thoroughly fanewal of the smallpox epidemic this

miliar with them. Similarly, the acting

commissioner of health will endeavor to fall. Health officials in that city

carry out the sanie progressive ideas have issued a warning to the public that have marked Dr. Bishop's administo be vaccinated this summer. tration of the health office. "There is just enough smallpox

“Dr. Bishop has made the office of

health commissioner an intimate part in the city at this time to hold over

of the city's life. To an extent not until the first cold weather, when realized by most of his predecessors, he it will become more virulent," the has seen the importance of bringing the health department has announced public into close co-operation with the

. "Hence we can look for a small

department's activities. This has in

volved intelligent publicity. It means pox epidemic in the fall

. The only public education along health lines; possible way to avoid it is by vac- hence the bureau of health education, cination, and therefore every man,

within the division of health,. at the

head of which is J. D. Halliday, who woman and especially every school

know's publicity and has been an effichill should be vaccinated during

cient partner of the commissioner. the summer."

"It is evident that much the same methods that have made the Cleveland

division of health a success are to be Bid Health Officials Farewell taken to Italy and Mr. Halliday accom

panies Dr. Bishop to take charge of the Regarding the departure of Dr.

health educational work there. DoubtR. 11. Bishop, Jr., Cleveland health less, the problem in Italy is essentially commissioner, and J. D. Halliday,

identical with the problem in Cleveland

The publicity director in Dr. Bishop's

or in any other American city.

public is to be interested in its own department, with a Red Cross ex- health welfare. No population can be pedition to Italy, mentioned else- saved in a health sense until it apprewhere in this magazine, the Cleve

ciates what health salvation means. land Plain Dealer comments

"Regretting the absence of Dr. Bishop,

Cleveland appreciates this compliment follows:

and is glad to lend his services to Amer“The acceptance by Dr. R. H. Bishop. ica's great ally : just as it is glad to lend jr., Cleveland commissioner of health, Supt. Spaulding for the task that has of membership upon the American com

been assigned him. It is another opmission selected to help Italy fight portunity for this community to aid in tuberculosis adds one more to a length- the cause of ireedom." ening list of Sixth City men called to serve their country in conspicuous war activities. The city grants Dr. Bishop

Why Not Vaccinate? a six-months' leave of absence. His work abroad will be done in co-opera- From an Ohio city comes a thrilltion with the Italian government under ing newspaper story of a smallpox Red Cross auspices. “Supt. Spaulding, under a year's leave

as

didn't say.

pustules, walked into the city hall. Births during the first six months Officials, suspecting the disease, of the present year exceed the numfled out the back door. The health ber of births during the correspondother was called and started the

ing period last year, and we have smallpox victim down the middle

saved more babies. of the street to the pesthouse, following him in an autoombile wat a

The total death rate, also, is less safe distance," as the newspaper

than it was last year. These conaccount expressed it, in the rear.

ditions, in large measure, are due Why the city officials hadn't

to increasing efficiency of the health been vaccinated and why the health

department, which, of course, reofficer, at least, didn't recognize the cognizes the fact that the general fact that recent vaccination would . public is becoming better informed, have enabled him to take the pa

more careful, more obedient to the tient into the autoombile and still obviously wise directions and adbe 'at a safe distance," the reporter

vice given out from time to time by this department. It may not be amiss here to call attention to the

fact that the warm season is not Dr. Smedley Enters Army friendly to babies; and it is our Dr. A. L. Smedley, for seven

chief concern to conserve baby life. years health officer of Hamilton, We want to see the birth rate mainhas resigned to accept a commis- tained at a high average, and we sion in the Medical Reserve Corps. want to see the death rate reduced

to the lowest possible minimum.

It is the business of the health Smallpox in Children's Home

department to lead in this work ; Every inmate of every public in- our business to assist by following stitution should be vaccinated. orders, direction and advice. This recommendation has been The department urges every permade from time to time since the son in the city to be on the alert to outbreak of the smallpox epidemic observe and discover disease last fall. That it is still necessary, sources generally, and to assist in however, is proved by a recent case stamping them out. Mothers are in which an inmate of a northern especially urged to be careful of Ohio children's home visited Cleve- their little ones during July and land and after returning developed August, to avoid crowded places, to smallpox. All inmates and attaches pay attention to diet, clothing and were then vaccinated — another the like, and to refrain from taking case of locking the stable door too the little ones out in the heat. late.

There are, of course, in every

city, persons who cannot be as careOur City's Health Record

ful in this matter as they would (Dayton Journal.)

like to be, but a report of the fact Të feel that the department of

to the health department or other he ilth is entitled to credit for good authority would bring assistance. work done during the year past. In connection with this matter of Birth and death, and birth again baby conservation the local mem—that is the story of life, and time, bers of the Volunteers of America and eternity.

have prepared to deliver free ice