REPORTS FROM COUNTY AND CITY BOARDS

OF HEALTH.

Adair County Board of Health.

To the State Board of Health:

Columbia, Ky., August 31, 1905.

Since our last published report two years ago there have been four outbreaks of smallpox in this county, in the Cane Valley, Pellyton and Columbia districts, with a total of thirteen cases and no deaths.

The first case came from Green county, and eleven persons had been exposed to the disease before its character was recognized and reported so that we could take steps to bring it under control. Of those exposed, none had been properly vaccinated; of these eleven contracted the disease, and none died.

The population of this county is 15,000. At the time of our last report 5,000 had been vaccinated. Since that time it is estimated that none, or very few, have procured vaccination, leaving 66 per cent. still unprotected, after nearly eight years of smallpox almost constantly in some section of the State.

We have no eruptive hospital. Our method of managing the disease was to quarantine them at their homes. One young man belonging to a prominent family in town, was isolated in a back room at home, all the others vaccinated, and all escaped. A negro from the State of Ohio was found on our streets, and was cared for in a tent, and the disease did not spread.

The total cost of managing the disease for the two years, including hospital, physicians, vaccination, guards, nurses, food and medicine, has been $300. The estimated cost in loss of trade and interference with business has been $300.

The chief difficulties in stamping out the disease have been none. The county authorities co-operated with me in all things.

The county health officer is paid a salary of $200, and all of the other members serve gratuitously.

The following additional facts will be of interest in connection with this report: I have no means of knowing the number of cases of preventable diseases in our county because the physicians do not report them to me except occasionally. Very few cases of typhoid fever have occurred, and several have died. The usual number of cases of consumption have occurred with the usual result. We have

had very few cases of diphtheria, scarlet fever, dysentery, or cholera infantum, and no deaths that I have been informed about.

Very respectfully,

U. L. TAYLOR, M. D., Secretary.

Allen County Board of Health.

Scottsville, Ky., August 31, 1905.

To the State Board of Health:

Since our last published report two years ago there have been two outbreaks of smallpox in this county-one in Scottsville and one in county, with a total of thirty cases and no deaths.

The first case came from Nashville, Tenn., and a large number of persons had been exposed to the disease before its character was recognized and reported so that we could take steps to bring it under control. Of those exposed, none had been properly vaccinated. Of the exposed who had not been vaccinated, all took the disease and none died.

The population of this county is about 16,000. At the time of our last report 10 per cent. had been vaccinated. Since that time it is estimated that 5 per cent. have procured vaccination, leaving 85 per cent. still unprotected,, after nearly eight years of smallpox almost constantly in some section of the State.

We have no eruptive hospital. Our method of managing the disease was: All but one who have had the disease within the last two years were in reliable families, who took the matter up themselves and isolated themselves. The one family was quarantined at their own home.

The total cost of managing the disease for the two years, including hospital, physicians, vaccination, guards, nurses, food and medicine, has been $500. The estimated cost in loss of trade and interference with business has been $1,000.

The chief difficulties in stamping out the disease have been ignorance, some physicians who fail to co-operate, and a general lack in appreciating the need of stamping it out.

As nearly as can be ascertained, other cases of preventable diseases occurred during the two years, as follows: Consumption, twenty cases and fifteen deaths; diphtheria, eight cases and four deaths.

The county health officer is paid a salary of $100, and all of the other members serve gratuitously.

The following additional facts will be of interest in connection with this report: In this county there is no record kept relative to

infectious diseases, with the exception of smallpox. There is some 1 think I can estimate fairly close; others I can not, and the estimate at which I would put them would be of too much uncertainty to be useful.

Very respectfully,

A. L. WAGONER, M. D., Secretary.

Anderson County Board of Health.

Lawrenceburg, Ky., August 31, 1905.

To the State Board of Health:

Since our last published report two years ago there have been no outbreaks of smallpox in this county.

We have an eruptive hospital, located six miles from Lawrenceburg, with a capacity for twelve patients.

As nearly as can be ascertained, other cases of preventable diseases have occurred during the two years as follows: Consumption, sixty-five cases and twenty-five deaths; typhoid fever, fifty cases and ten deaths; diphtheria, thirty cases and two deaths; scarlet fever, thirty cases and two deaths. The average cost to our people for managing and treating a case of any of these diseases, including medical attention, nursing, loss of time and incidental expense, is estimated to be $100, making a total loss to the county for the two years from diseases which might be prevented of $13,500, as against $24,000 for State taxes.

The county health officer is paid a salary of $50, and all of the other members serve gratuitously.

Very respectfully,

!

J. L. TOLL, M. D., Secretary.

Ballard County Board of Health.

Wickliffe, Ky., August 31, 1905.

To the State Board of Health:

Since our last published report two years ago there has been one outbreak of smallpox in this county at Wickliffe, with a total of five cases and no deaths.

The first case came from East St. Louis and fifteen persons had been exposed to the disease before its character was recognized and reported so that we could take steps to bring it under control.