constructive efforts to stamp out this menace but has even tabooed discussion of it and clouded its terrible results by the use of veiled language. "The time has now come when this age-old problem must be faced honestly and solved, in some measure at least, for the immediate purpose of this war. * * * "Our own Government is the only one among the belligerents which has grappled with this problem at the very beginning. * * * "Briefly, therefore, the task set for you is to assume active responsibility for the elimination of all sources of disease in your own community. * * * "No matter how many facilities are provided for amusement and entertainment, if a "Red Light" district, or, as it is sometimes called, a "segregated district," exists in your community, it is bound to take its toll of victims. "Your first step, therefore, in the work of keeping our soldiers free from venereal diseases and fit to fight it clear. The Red Light district must be wiped out! "These districts form the greatest single source of disease with which we have to contend. * * * Such districts can exist only with the consent of the cities and communities and their elected officials. Their elimination is, therefore, up to persons like yourself, who feel a deep sense of responsibility and sincere loyalty to the cause for which we are fighting in this war. * * * "It has proved time and again that if a prostitute is compelled to ply her trade clandestinely, instead of openly in a district set apart for State and Cities Assist Venereal ENTRY of Ohio's state and local health authorities into the fight against venereal disease, pronounced the most important sanitary problem of the war, was marked by a gathering of health officers of eight Ohio cities, at the invitation of the State Commissioner of Health, in Columbus, November 7. Methods of dealing with the situation were discussed, with a view to adopting some method of direct control. California's way of meeting the problem was taken. up in detail and attention was also given to steps already taken in Cincinnati, Toledo and Davton. The following pronouncements subscribed to by all those present. resulted from the discussion: sary for the free distribution of Salvarsan; and, 5. That the State Department of Health request all municipalities to provide sufficient funds to enable the local health authorities to inaugurate suitable measures for the isolation or quarantine of known carriers of venereal dis eases. Health officers present at the conference were: Dr. R. W. E. Cole, Akron; Dr. D. E. Robinson, Camp Sherman Sanitary District; Dr. Louis Kahn, Columbus; Dr. W. H. Peters, assistant health officer, Cincinnati; Dr. A. L. Light, Dayton; Dr. A. L. Smedley, Hamilton; Dr. E. B. Starr, Springfield; Dr. C. C. Dreyer, Toledo, and Dr. H. E. Welch, Youngstown. Army Campaign Vigorous The military authorities, as is well known, are waging a vigorous campaign to suppress venereal diseases. Vice is being Stamped out in the five-mile zones about all cantonments, careful medical attention to this phase of the soldier's health is being given, educational work to acquaint the men with the dangers of dissipation is being carried on and wholesome recreation for the soldier's spare time is being provided. Co-operation of civil agencies and of civilians in general is being sought. It is such co-operation that is to be given by the health authorities in Ohio, working in harmony with the military. authorities who are striving for the same end. Will Isolate Carriers Reports of venereal disease carriers, obtained by military and civilian physicians from their patients, will be followed up vigorously. A policy of isolation for known carriers will be put into effect. While, as the statement of the health officers previously quoted points out, Ohio's laws are not perfect, it is felt that much can be accomplished under such provisions as are now on the statute books. The most dangerous carriers of venereal diseases, as of any other disease, are comparatively few, according to persons in touch with the problem, and it is expected that an isolation policy thorough enough to do much toward checking the spread of infection will be possible. California's Plan In California, where the law specifically includes venereal diseases among the quarantinable diseases (as it does not provide in Ohio), the health authorities are in a position to take and have. taken - very effective steps in fighting this disease peril. The regulations there make the local health officers inspectors of the state department, and direct them, as inspectors, "to use every available means to ascertain the existence of, and immediately to investigate, all suspected cases" of venereal disease in their respective jurisdictions. The inspectors are given power, and are directed, to: Make examinations of all persons suspected of venereal infection (in which class are to be placed all prostitutes); isolate infected persons when deemed necessary; continue quarantine or isolation until the case is determined non-infectious; use proper means of suppressing prostitution and refrain from issuing certificates of freedom from venereal diseases; keep records of reports of venereal diseases closed to public inspection and make reasonable efforts to keep the identity. of sufferers secret, so far as is consistent with the public health. NEED HOUSING LAWS IN RURAL SECTIONS Housing laws are needed as much in the country and small towns as in the large cities, to protect health, according to discussion at the National Conference on Housing held recently in Chicago. A point brought out was that nearly every small town had shacks, huts and cabins used as abodes for human beings, that were menaces to health and good citizenship, and that overcrowding, particularly room overcrowding, was a condition frequently found in the country. As a matter of fact, worse conditions in the way of overcrowding, lack of ventilation and room cleanliness, have been found in the country than in the slums of the big cities. Sickness rates as well as deathrates in the country bear out this testimony. The relation between room overcrowding and communicable diseases is close. Recent data collected in an illness census in New York City shows that there is a regular increase in the sickness rate as the number of persons occupying each room increases. Where the number of persons occupying a occupying a room was three or four, the sickness rate was much higher than if only one or two occupied the room. cupied the room. The number of cases of grip, colds, tuberculosis and the other contagious diseases increased according to the number of persons in the room. NEW DISTRICT HOSPITAL OHIO'S FIFTH Institution at Chillicothe Makes Public Care Possible in State for 1,500 Tuberculosis Victims-Fayette, Highland, Ross, Pike, Scioto and Jackson Counties Join in Erecting WITH Structure at Cost of $45,000 WITH the opening of the district tuberculosis hospital at Chillicothe, Ohio will have five such institutions in operation, it is expected, by the beginning of January. In addition. the state has three county and two municipal hospitals for the care of tuberculosis victims, besides the state sanatorium at Mt. Vernon, where only incipient cases treated. The total capacity of these institutions is 1,500 patients. are In the newest of the district hospitals six counties - Fayette, Highland, Ross, Pike, Scioto and Jackson - are co-operating. Fairfield and Pickaway counties were included in the original plan for this district, but did not come in. Charity and Pay Patients The Chillicothe hospital has been erected at a cost of approximately $45,000. It will care for both charity and pay patients and for both incipient and advanced cases. Present capacity is 30 patients, and outdoor shacks to house other patients are planned. The hospital stands on the plateau at the edge of the steep hill west of the city about a mile out West Main street. Built in a roughly semicircular shape, with a central portion from which wings extend out diagonally forward, it overlooks a beautiful view of the city and the fertile Scioto valley. Miss Maranda L. Dye, former public health nurse at Piqua, is medical superintendent of the new institution. The board of trustees includes: Conrad Roth, Scioto County; Harry F. Brown, Fayette Law on District Hospitals The five district tuberculosis hospitals have been organized under provisions of Section 3148, Ohio General Code, which permits commissioners of any group of counties, numbering from two to ten, to form themselves into a joint board for the purpose of establishing and maintaining such an institution. There is a proviso that no county in which there is a municipal hospital for the treatment of tuberculosis shall enter such an agreement. It is also provided that new counties may be admitted to districts already established. Any new district or addition to an old district must be approved by the State Health Department. The board of trustees of a district hospital consists of one member from each county represented, to be chosen by the joint board of county commissioners. How Cost is Apportioned The cost of constructing the hospital and of all betterments and additions is borne by the member counties in proportion to the amount of taxable property in each. Costs of maintenance are asessed upon the counties in proportion to the total number of days spent in the hospital by the pa culosis patients from nine counties other than those served by the hospitals listed. This arrangement is under contracts approved by the State Department of Health. In all 36 of Ohio's 88 counties have made provision to date for the care of those of their citizens who are victims of tuberculosis 22 by district hospitals, three by county hospitals, two by municipal hospitals and nine by contract The 52 other counties have as yet failed to attend to this phase of public health work. Incipient cases from throughout the state can receive care at the Mt. Vernon sanatorium and can ordinarily be checked. But in the 52 counties not provided with facilities for the care of tuberculosis sufferers the advanced cases remain in association with other persons, a menace to the public health. MILITARY AUTHORITIES PROMISE AID TO HEALTH OFFICIALS IN DISCOVERING TUBERCULOSIS CASES Co-operation between army and navy medical examiners and state health authorities promises to help in the uncovering of numerous hitherto unknown cases of tuberculosis, and thus to give impetus to the work of suppressing this dis ease. Formal approval of the suggestion that records of local exemption boards be made available for use by health authorities in detecting new cases has been given by Provost Marshal General Crowder in a letter to the National Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis. General Crowder explained that he did not wish to send directions to governors to this end, because such action would conflict with the policy, which had been established by necessity, of addressing the governors directly only on matters of importance in the immediate administration of the draft law. He pointed out, however, that by law the draft records were open to the public and that health officials were free to inspect them under this general provision. If this were found to be sufficient authority, he added, he advocated the presentation of a copy of his letter to governors in order to obtain from them the necessary authority. A similar policy of co-operation. is already being pursued by the Marine Corps, names of tuberculous or suspected tuberculous applicants for enlistment being turned over to agents of the Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis and by them reported to the health officials. The Ohio state department of health has already received a number of such notifications. |