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Report of Trials Attended During March, 1917.

J. S. MCCUNE, Chief Chemist.

March 16, 1917- Coshocton, O., Dairy and Food Trial.

State vs. Gus Pappas; charged with having in his possession for sale and selling to M. J. Dotter, on January 4, 1917, 8 ounces of milk which was adulterated, in that it contained less than 12% solids, to-wit; 11.37%, and no more, more than 88% watery fluid, to-wit, 88.63%, and less than 3% fats, to-wit, 2.5% and no more.

Justice of the Peace, Levi Williams, brought in a verdict of guilty, and find the defendant $50.00 and costs.

PUBLIC HEALTH TO BE CONSIDERED BY CONFERENCE OF CHARITIES AND CORRECTION.

A realization of the importance of health seems to have spread through the program of the National Conference of Charities and Correction like an infection. The outline of discussions at the fortyfourth annual meeting of the organization, to be held at Pittsburgh June 6-13, has just been issued from the permanent office at Chicago. The division on health will be under the chairmanship of Professor C.-E. A. Winslow of Yale University, and the vice chairmanship of Dr. H. M. Bracken, secretary of the Minnesota State Board of Health.

The modern public health program will be featured by the chairman in his address This idea seems to characterize also the discussions scheduled to occur at four other meetings under his direction. "What the Social Worker has Done for Public Health" will be the

topic of Homer Folks of New York, a former president of the National Conference.

The campaign against infant mortality will be brought to the attention of the conference by Miss Julia C. Lathrop of the Federal Children's Bureau, and Dr. Charles E. Terry, late health officer of Jacksonville, Fla. Professor Graham Lusk of Cornell University Medical College will speak on hygiene and economy in diet. Coordination of health activities appears prominently in the program outlined. Three phases will be presented, respectively, by Franz Schneider, Jr., and Gertrude Seymour of New York, and Wilbur C. Phillips of Washington; the apportionment of the health budget, the relation between social workers and public officials and the health center plan. Another session will be devoted to public health nursing.

"The United States is the only great industrial nation without compulsory health insurance," Professor Irving Fisher has said recently. In view of this need, the National Conference has provided an entire division on the subject of social insurance for its meetings at Pittsburgh. The chairman of this series of discussions is Max Senior of Cincinnati. The program has been arranged to occur the latter part of the conference period so as to accommodate medical men who attend the meeting of the American Medical Association in New York.

The section on mental hygiene will convene under the chairmanship of Dr. Owen Copp of Philadelphia. His speakers include Dr. Stuart Paton of Princeton, Dr. E. E. Southard and Dr. Harry C. Solomon of Boston, Dr. C. Macfie Campbell of Johns Hopkins University, Dr A. J. Rosanoff of New York, and Dr. E. Bosworth McCready of Pittsburgh.

In other divisions of this extensive program there will occur discussions of illegitimacy, of diagnosis of crime, of state aid to dependent mothers and of Negro migration to northern cities. There will be separate meetings of groups interested in hospital social service, in social hygiene, and in anti-tuberculosis work. It is likely also that a special housing institute will be held.

The conference at Pittsburgh will continue for one week. Thirtyfive hundred delegates are expected to attend. The president is Frederic Almy, secretary of the Charity Organization Society of Buffalo. The prevention of human distress through the operation of all sorts of agencies has been adopted as the main topic of the meeting.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WORKS TO PROTECT HEALTH.

Complete refutation of the claim that the government does not concern itself with the loss from preventable disease is contained in the annual report of the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service submitted to Congress recently. Activities ranging from the prevention and cure of blindness, scientific studies of pellagra, the protection of the health of industrial workers, the prevention of the introduction of typhus fever, investigations of child labor and health insurance,

the eradication of communicable diseases and the control of the pollution of navigable streams, are recorded and demonstrate conclusively that the national government is vitally concerned in the health of its citizens.

The most striking achievement of the year relates to pellagra, an affliction which in certain states destroys more lives than tuberculosis. Pellagra is no longer a disease of mystery as the Public Health Service has clearly shown that it is caused by a restricted diet and that it may be prevented and cured by means of a properly balanced ration. The practical application of this knowledge has already resulted in a material reduction in the prevalence of this affliction in all parts of the country and it is confidently believed that in another year even more marked improvement will be observed.

In the eradication of trachoma, a contagious disease of the eyes frequently terminating in blindness, such marked success has been obtained that the methods followed, the converting of private residences into small hospitals and the holding of free open air clinics, have been adopted by the Egyptian government. During the year 1,700 persons were operated upon for the relief of partial or complete blindness, nearly 2,000 received hospital treatment, while more than 19,000 were treated at hospital dispensaries and clinics. When it is realized that a large proportion of these people were doomed to years of suffering terminating in at least partial blindness and that they have been restored to lives of usefulness, in some instances even being taken from county poorhouses where they had been public charges for the greater portion of their days, the importance of this most beneficent work can be imagined. The total cost of this undertaking, including the remodeling of buildings and every expense in connection with the feeding and care of patients, was less than $39,000 for the year.

Increased interest was shown by the government in the health of rural dwellers and Congress has recognized, by making an appropriation for studies in rural sanitation, that the welfare of the country resident is not to be neglected. During the past three years 80,270 homes in 15 different counties of 13 states were visited and complete sanitary surveys made of the premises. In every instance definite recommendations were given to remedy such evils as existed, as for example the pollution of wells, the presence of disease-bearing insects. and the improper disposal of excreta. In addition, 22,234 homes were revisited, mostly at the request of the owners, in order that the government agents could inspect the improvements instituted. Wherever this method of bringing the lessons of sanitation directly to the rural dweller has been followed a marked reduction has been observed in the prevalence of typhoid fever, hookworm, malaria and other preventable diseases.

Attention has also been given to the health of the children of the nation, more especially to rural school children. Over 32,000 children attending the public schools were examined during the year in order to determine their mental status and the causes and percentage of mental retardation and deficiency. In addition 7,000 physical examinations were completed for the determination of physical defects.

The health of industrial workers has been safeguarded to a greater extent than at any time in the past. Studies have been made of the occupational hazards of steel workers in many of the leading industrial establishments of the country and insanitary and harmful conditions corrected. In the zinc mines of Missouri methods have been adopted which should go far toward eradicating tuberculosis from that district. Investigations of child labor and of health insurance have also been made.

What is regarded as the largest and most important single undertaking of this nature yet inaugurated, the investigation of the pollution of the Ohio river, is still in progress. Surveys of the Atlantic Coast and New England watersheds have, however, been completed and the extent and effects of their pollution is now known; this knowledge demonstrates that Federal legislation to prevent the contamination of water sourses is a necessity.

Better provision for the health of travelers has been obtained by safeguarding the water supplies of common carriers and through the promulgation of regulations governing the transportation of persons suffering from communicable diseases.

Energetic efforts have been made to prevent the introduction of all communicable diseases and to control those already with us. Typhus fever has been combated at all points on the Mexican border and disinfection plants established where the clothing and persons of all incoming aliens have been disinfected. At one station alone, El Paso, Texas, 26,000 persons were inspected and treated in such a manner as to insure their freedom from this highly fatal infection.

Plague eradicative measures at New Orleans have been continued. Over 371,000 rodents, the carriers of plague infection, were either trapped or killed and more than 100,000 were carefully examined. No human case of the disease has occurred during the year. Measures for the control of typhoid fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, malaria and other infections have been continued as heretofore and the results obtained have been most gratifying.

In only a single field, the medical inspection of immigrants, has the work of the Public Health Service shown any diminution during the year but this has been compensated for by the more thorough examination accorded. 481,270 aliens were examined for the purpose of determining physical and mental defects. Of these, 16,327 were certified for deportation, proportionately a greater number than has ever been recorded. The percentage of mental defectives certified is also steadily increasing.>

At the Marine hospitals and relief stations of the service approximately 69,000 beneficiaries received medical or surgical treatment, a number greater by 10,000 than for any previous year.

HEALTH OFFICERS' ROUNDTABLE

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS OF INTEREST TO HEALTH OFFICIALS.

Sanitary Policeman Acting Also As Humane Officer.

The health board of one of the smaller cities of Ohio recently appointed a man as sanitary police to act as such only part time and to receive twenty-five dollars a month for her services. The appointee is acting also as humane officer of the city and county and receiving a salary from each.

The question asked of the secretary of the State Board of Health was whether or not the sanitary policeman could be legally paid two salaries by the city. The following opinion was sent by the Secretary:

"I am in receipt of your letter of the 20th instant, in regard to your sanitary officer. I see no reason why your sanitary officer cannot also serve as humane officer for the city and for Fairfield county. As long as the board of health understands that the sanitary policeman is to serve only part time, and this would be plainly indicated by the amount that is paid him, the only question that need be considered is as to whether or not his employment would be incompatible with his service as sanitary policeman. I can see no reason why he cannot act as humane officer without in any way interfering with his legal or moral obligations as sanitary policeman.

"I can see no reason why the city cannot pay compensation to this man from the health fund and also from the humane fund."

Appropriation of Funds for Specific Purpose: Board Members Can't Be Employed By the Board.

The following letter and the answer subjoined were received and sent recently by the Secretary:

"The Local Board of Education has, for the remainder of the school year, turned over to the local Board of Health the work of medical inspection of the schools. An appropriation has been made for the use of the Board of Health under the general head of "Sanitation" and special head of "Medical Service." The mayor has asked me to learn the legal limits under which this appropriation can be used.

(1) Could a physician member of the Board of Health draw this money with the understanding that it was to be used as the salary for school nurse?

(2) Could the money appropriated for "Medical Service" be expended directly by the Board of Health in the employment of a school nurse?

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