Princeton City Board of Health.

To the State Board of Health:

Princeton, Ky., Dec. 31, 1907.

Gentlemen:-The present City Board of Health of Princeton, Ky., was appointed by the Council, during the spring of 1907, so the report for 1906 and the first few months of 1907, is only an estimate, as no record was kept by the health officer in office at that time.

During 1906-07 there has been only one case of smallpox in the city, and he being an employe of the I. C. R. R., was in charge of the local surgeon at this place. All persons exposed to him were at once vaccinated and kept in quarantine the required number of days.

During 1906 and the early part of 1907, we had about one hundred cases of scarlet fever. Since June 1907, we have had eleven cases of scarlet fever in the city, all of them have been promptly flagged and as rigidly quarantined as possible. One man has been fined for failing to observe the quarantine laws, but I am sorry to say, that the City judge saw fit to give him the minimum, instead of the maximum fine.

The Princeton Collegiate Institute was forced to suspend work for three or four weeks during the month of December, on account of a case of scarlet fever in the dormitory.

The probable causes of so many cases of scarlet fever in 1906 were: The failure of the health officer to enforce the quarantine laws, and the fact that certain physicians failed or refused to flag the houses of some of their clientele, for fear of wounding their "delicate sensibilities."

It would be impossible for us to give you an accurate report on tuberculosis or typhoid fever, as it has not been the custom here to report these

cases.

The present City Board of Health feels very grateful to the physicians and the great majority of the laity for their hearty co-operation in our effort to rid our city of scarlet fever, which has been prevalent here for about eighteen months.

The health officer, assisted by the physicians in the city, has been inspecting the pupils at the public school, and all children found with sore throats, are sent home until the nature of their trouble can be ascertained.

We feel and hope that we will soon have this disease under control, and will use every possible effort to prevent the spread of any contagious or infectious diseases in the future.

Yours respectfully,

R. W. OGILVIE, Health Officer.

Calloway County Board of Health.

To the State Board of Health:

Murray, Ky., Dec. 30, 1907

Gentlemen :-Since the published report from this board two years ago we have had no serious epidemics or outbreaks of disease.

During the summer and early fall of 1906 we had about 250 very mild cases of scarlet fever. So mild it was well scattered before it was recognized. Often it was recognized only by the history and sequella-1 death.

We have had 4 cases of smallpox in the county-all confined to one familywas contracted while on a visit in Arkansas. It was readily recognized upon their return home and the entire family was vaccinated and quarantined. No deaths.

Of the other preventable diseases, as accurate summary as possible is given as follows:

Typhoid Fever.-200 cases, 15 deaths.

Cholera Infantum.-300 cases, 75 deaths.

Dysentery, 150 cases, 25 deaths.

Measles.-100 cases, no deaths.

Diphtheria, 3 cases, 1 death.

Tuberculosis, 250 cases, 150 deaths.

This board recognizing that tuberculosis was costing the county more in lives and money than any other disease petitioned the fiscal court for enough money to conduct an educational campaign against this dreaded disease.

After presenting the court carefully collected statistics of the number of cases and deaths in the county and the cost and loss of one of these cases the amount asked for was allowed and spent in the following way:

Dr. J. A. McSwain of Paris, Tenn., was employed and delivered seven public lectures in different parts of the county.

100 copies of Dr. Knopf's prize essay on "Tuberculosis as a disease of the masses and how to prevent it" was given to the county school teachers.

2,000 copies of the circular issued and furnished by the State Board were distributed.

Many of the "anti-spitting" signs furnished by the State Board have been tacked up in the public buildings over the county.

Our county papers have published reports and articles furnished them from time to time.

By these methods public sentiment has been aroused and a wonderful good has been accomplished.

The average cost of treating and managing a case of the above preventable diseases-counting medical attention, nursing, loss of time, etc., is about $50.00, making a total loss of about $55,000.00, much of which can and should be saved.

The health officer receives a salary of $150.00 per year. Other members of the board serve gratuitously.

Very respectfully,

W. H. GRAVES, M. D., Secretary.

Carlisle County Board of Health.

Bardwell, Ky., Dec. 31, 1907.

To the State Board of Health:

Gentlemen: Since our last published report two years ago there has been one outbreak of small-pox in this county, at Berkly with a total of four cases to date and no deaths, with six others quarantined who have been exposed. The first case came from Jackson, Tenn.

We have no eruptive hospital, our method of managing the disease is to quarantine the persons infected or exposed in their homes and enforce vaccination. The population of our county is about ten thousand. At the time of our last report two years ago 43 per cent were unvaccinated and there have been no vaccinations since. The chief difficulty in stamping out the disease has been the failure to impress the people with the value of vaccination and the mildness of the disease. The total cost for managing the present outbreak including, physicians, vaccination, food and medicine, will be about two hundred dollars. The estimated cost in loss of trade and interference to business has been nothing, as nearly as can be ascertained. Other cases of preventable disease have occurred as follows:

The health officer is paid a salary of $100 per year and the rest of

the board serve gratuitously.

Very respectfully,

GEO. W. PAYNE, M. D., Secretary.

Clark County Board of Health.

Winchester, Ky., Dec. 30,1907.

To the State Board of Health:

Gentlemen: There has occurred since our last published report one outbreak of small-pox in the northeastern portion of the county last May. With prompt action, vaccinating all exposures and quarantining for a few days it was confined to one family of seven, all of whom had it. There have been a few scattering cases of scarlet fever, isolation and disinfection have prevented any epidemic. There has been probably seventyfive cases of typhoid fever in the past two years, with very few deaths. Some deaths from consumption and almost as many from cancer. James H. Evans is county judge. From an oversight and press of business before the fiscal court, no member of that body has been appointed on board of health, but will be in February next. We have no county health officer.

Respectfully,

I. H. McKINLEY, M. D., Secretary.

Campbell County Board of Health.

Alexandria, Ky., Dec. 31, 1907.

To the State Board of Health:

Gentlemen: In the last two years there have been two outbreaks of small-pox in this county, with a total of eighteen cases and no deaths. At Minton, the character of the disease was not recognized by the attending physician, and the attention of this board was not called to it until five houses had been infected.

All the physicians on our board visited the place and under the strongest opposition we were able to confine it to infected houses.

The second outbreak at California was promptly reported to this office and did not spread from the one family infected.

We have no eruptive hospitals. Our method of managing the disease was isolation and vaccination of those exposed.

As nearly as can be ascertained, other cases of preventable diseases have occurred as follows, diphtheria, 15 cases and four deaths, scarlet fever eight cases. Very respectfully.

C. W. SHAW, M. D., Secretary.

Christian County Board of Health.

To the State Board of Health:

Hopkinsville, Ky., Jan. 1, 1908.

Gentlemen: Since our last published report two years ago we have had but two cases of small-pox in the county; they were negroes who came from Tennessee. The disease was recognized before any one had been exposed, and they were sent at once to the Eruptive Hospital. Prompt action in isolating these cases saved the county several thousand dollars and without any loss of trade or any interference with business. The total cost for taking care of these cases to the county was one hundred and thirty ($130) dollars.

During the last week of December, 1906 and until the 15th of January, 1907 in the northwest part of the county, Cerebro-spinal meningitis was epidemic, fifteen people falling victims to the disease within a few hours of each other. All the cases were within a radius of three miles, there were four deaths before I was notified, all dying within twelve hours, and in less than ten hours after they were taken ill. The sanitary condition of this neighborhood was very bad. The small streams and branches were dammed up in many places with tree laps etc., which had been cut during the summer and fall. Many of the hillsides were covered with dead timber; the heavy rains had washed much of this debris into the branches and small streams, thus decaying vegetation, and the unsanitary condition of the homes of those who suffered from the disease, I believed to be the primary cause of the outbreak. Owing to the excitement and the fear of the disease I had but little trouble in getting the streams cleared of this driftwood. There were eight deaths within ten days. Of the seven who recovered, convalescence was slow but complete. This Board has served thirty nuisance notices during the two years just past.

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An incomplete report from the physicians of the county for the year 1907 shows that there have been 183 white children born, and 73 negroes. 50 per cent. of this number are females. There have been deaths from the following preventable diseases. Consumption 12, Typhoid Fever 20. The total number of deaths from all causes is 102, divided as follows, whites 44, negroes 68. The reports from four-fifths of the physicians for the quarter ending December 31, 1907 has not been received at this office yet. We have visited several of the public schools and corrected the unsanitary condition where ever it existed. Respectfully.

J. B. JACKSON, M. D., Secretary.

Clinton County Board of Health.

To the State Board of Health:

Albany, Ky., Jan. 1,1908.

Gentlemen:-Since the organization of our present Board of Health, De