Total, 1 Sample.

BULLETIN OF THE

VERMONT STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.

Vol. IX. No. 4.

Issued Quarterly at Brattleboro, Vermont.

The Bulletin is published quarterly by the State Board of Health under the authority of Section 5 of Act No. 90, Legislature of 1900. It will be sent to all Boards of Health. A copy will be sent to any person in the state upon request addressed to the Secretary, Henry D. Holton, Brattleboro.

NEWS ITEMS.

PHYSICIANS TAKE NOTICE.

Under an act of the recent legislature, all marriages, births and deaths are required to be returned to the office of the secretary of the State Board of Health monthly by the town clerks. In order that the town or city clerk may comply with that law, it will be necessary that every physician make the returns of births and deaths that may occur in his practice. The births within ten days, the deaths within thirty-six hours. See sections 3292, 3296, 3307 and 3310. Write with unfading ink and in a plain hand, as your certificates remain as a permanent record in the office of the town clerk. For this reason the secretary of the State Board of Health never sees the original certificates, hence give the cause of death with great care, according to registration methods adopted by the United States census office, to which the secretary has to report all births and deaths.

TOWN CLERKS.

The attention of town clerks is particularly called to the fact that by enactment of the last legislature they are required to report the vital statistics of their respective towns, to the secretary of the State Board of Health monthly, thirty days being allowed for the names of children to be reported.

This is a matter of importance; the census bureau insists on having prompt returns from the secretary. He cannot make them unless they are made to him. The law of the state imposes a penalty on clerks who neglect to make their reports as required by law. The same statute also imposes a penalty if physicians, midwives, or the head of a family do not make reports of births. Many town clerks say that physicians fail to make report of births or deaths with the promptness the law requires; that parents do not report the names of children, paying no attention to blanks sent by the clerks for the name. Would it not be well for clerks to call the attention of all persons required by law to make these reports to sections 3292, 3293, 3294, 3295 and 3296 of the public statutes, giving notice that all returns not made as required by law will be placed in the hands of the state's attorney for his action? Probably very few persons realize in how many ways these statutes affect their interests-insurance, pensions, school attendance, franchise of citizens, inheritance of property. It takes but a few minutes to fill out the cards each month. If in any given month there have been no marriages, births or deaths, write "None" on the face of the marriage, birth or death card, date it, put down name of town, and sign it as town clerk, then forward it to the office of the secretary of the State Board of Health. The blank pieces of pasteboards are to be used with the cards returned when there are so few that they are likely to get doubled up or otherwise despoiled in the mail.

FRESH AIR IN THE TREATMENT OF DISEASE.

Not only is fresh air recommended for the treatment of tuberculosis, but it is being urged as a most valuable adjunct in the treatment of pneumonia.

As early as 1860, Prof. Edward E. Phelps, then a resident of Windsor in this state, and a professor of pathology in the University of Vermont, recommended it in the treatment of pneumonia. Meeting with much opposition by the friends to the removal of the windows from the room occupied by patients ill of this disease, he devised a way of furnishing it without exposing the occupants of the room to the cold air.

The window was raised six inches, a board properly fitted to this space; in the board was inserted a tin box the outside of which was perforated with numerous holes admitting the fresh air; to the inside was attached a rubber tube having at its free end a mouthpiece by means of which the patient was enabled to breathe the pure cold air. He insisted that this treatment was of special value in these cases. After the lapse of fifty years the profession is adopting his recommendation in the treatment of pneumonia.

FLY TIME WILL SOON BE HERE.

That the house fly is a prolific carrier of disease is recognized by all sanitarians-diarrhoea, cholera infantum, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, may all be disseminated by the filthy fly. They breed in stables, especially in horse manure, privy vaults, and other filthy places. They feed on the worst kind of filth, as well as on our food. They carry the germs of diseases on their feet, examination of the foot of a fly showing that one thousand germs of diseases were attached to it; crawling over the most disgusting and vilest filth, then, reeking with the attached filth and germs, they gain entrance into your houses, swarm over the bread, cake, meat, fall into the milk, take a swimming bath, washing off some of the germs. They feed on the discharge of the sick, the sputum of the careless tuberculosis patient (who spits everywhere). Then wonder why the baby has diarrhoea, or some other member of the family has tuberculosis or typhoid fever. How can each family prevent this infection? By doing away with their breeding places. Keep your premises clean, free from decaying matter of all kinds, see that your garbage receptacles are tightly covered, keep them in screened enclosures. Do not purchase any food supply that is exposed to the dust of the street, or where the flies can gain access to them. Screen your doors and windows, especially the kitchen. Remember that "cleanliness is next to godliness," that the watchword of the sanitarian is "cleanliness."

SCHOOL FOR HEALTH OFFICERS, MONTPELIER, AUGUST 23 TO 26, 1909.

ACT No. 90, OF LAWS OF 1900, AUTHORIZES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SCHOOL OF INSTRUCTION FOR HEALTH OFFICERS OF THE STATE.

In accordance with the provision of this law the Eleventh Annual School for the Health Officers of the State will be held in Montpelier, opening Monday evening, August 23, at 8 o'clock. All health officers of the state are hereby notified and called to be present on that date to attend the sessions of said School. Only in case of his sickness will any health officer be excused for non-attendance; such excuse must be filed with the Secretary.

Per order of the State Board of Health.

HENRY D. HOLTON, Secretary.

The difficulty in securing accommodations owing to the Tercentenary Celebration in Burlington is the occasion of holding the School in Montpelier.

This School is held for the purpose of giving instruction to health fficers.

Every member of a local health board should register immediately on arrival.

The public are invited to be present, as every citizen will be equally interested and instructed.

Arrangements will be made with the railroads of the state to give convention rates to all those attending the School.

The selectmen, with the local health officer of every town, constitute the local board of health. The selectmen are especially urged to be present.