(4) The Laboratory bill. This bill, first introduced in 1899 and again in 1901, was passed this time by an overwhelming vote, but failed to become a law because of veto by the Governor. (5) Joint resolution creating a commission to investigate, report upon and make recommendations concerning the suppression of tuberculosis in Indiana. This measure failed of passage. The office work received a severe backset because of the illness of Miss May Stuart. Miss Stuart since 1898 has been most efficient in statistical work. She fell ill of gripp March 2d and has not been at work since. March 15th her place was filled by the appointment of Miss Bonbrake. There were forty-three requests for special help from the State Board during the quarter. Five of these were answered by visits from the Secretary, the remainder being adjusted as best could be by letter. Full accounts of the visits made are hereby given: Winchester, January 3d.-I visited Winchester on account of smallpox. Dr. Hunt, County Secretary, telephoned me a suspicious case of eruptive disease had occurred in the family of Mr. Harrison; that the doctors were doubtful as to what the disease was, but that he was certain it was smallpox. He appealed to the State Board of Heath to settle the difficulty. Upon arrival at Winchester I visited the house of Mr. Harrison, and found that his youngest son was in the desquamitive stage of smallpox. He had had a severe attack. The mother, the father and another son were in the prodromal stages. The oldest son and the daughter next to him were at home from college, where both had been successfully vaccinated. Eventually the mother died, and this was the beginning of a severe epidemic in Winchester of twenty-one cases and seven deaths, a rate of 33 per cent. After visiting the Harrison house, as above recorded, I went with Drs. Hunt and Chenoweth to call upon the Mayor. We had a long talk with him, and I urged that the city buy a sufficient quantity of fresh vaccine and offer free vaccination; that a formaldehyde generator be purchased and that every house that was infected or supposed to be infected should be disinfected. That evening the Council was called together in special session and all recommendations were adopted. Dr. Chenoweth has written a full account of the epidemic, and the same has been published in the Bulletin. This out break is notable as being one of the few where the disease appeared in virulent form. Washington, D. C.—On January 17th I went to Washington, D. C., on account of the Plague Conference, and in accordance with the directions of the board. The Conference was called by Surgeon-General Wyman because several State Boards of Health had requested him to do so, and their request was founded upon the fact that plague existed to a considerable degree in California, especially at San Francisco, and the proper precautions were not being taken to suppress it and prevent its spread. It was further declared that the authorities of California, including the Governor and the State Board of Health, and also the authorities of San Francisco had declared no plague existed. The officers of the Marine Hospital Service, after careful microscopical examinations, had announced the existence of the disease. Twenty-one States were represented at the conference. On Sunday evening, January 18th, the representatives of the various boards present held a session in the Hotel Willard. Here the whole ground was gone over and newspaper accounts of the plague at San Francisco were considered; also the official reports of the Marine Hospital Service. On Monday, the 19th, at 10 o'clock, the conference was assembled in the Marine Hospital building. Surgeon-General Wyman presided. Full and detailed accounts of these meetings are to be found in the Sanitarian for March, and it seems unnecessary to give them here. It is the opinion of the Secretary that much good resulted from this conference. A resolution was adopted requiring a positive statement from the authorities of California and San Francisco that immediate action would be taken to suppress the plague, and that open official reports would be made daily. The conference adjourned, having held three sessions. Batesville. On February 7th I went to Batesville on account of smallpox, which the health officer, Dr. Martin, said prevailed to an unusual degree. Advice and direction was asked from the State Board of Health because the local officer was unable to make the people believe the discase was smallpox, and it existed to such a degree as probably to threaten surrounding neighborhoods. Upon arrival I found Dr, Martin out of town, attending a patient in an urgent case. On account of information at hand I immediately visited the postoffice and called upon Mr. McCallum, post master, who, it was reported, had smallpox. I found him and his assistant distributing mail which had come on the same train with myself. When the mail was distributed and the people waited upon I requested Mr. McCallum to give me an interview. Upon conversation and examining him it was very plain that he had suffered from a mild attack of smallpox. His assistant had also suffered from the disease. The wife of Mr. McCallum, upon examination at her home, was found to have the disease at that time. The United States authorities were informed by telegraph and the postoffice was that night disinfected and closed for two days, a special agent taking charge. Together with Dr. Martin I visited four other families and found in each one of them a case of mild smallpox. It was then officially announced that the disease existed in Batesville, and the town board was assembled to receive instructions. I recommended, as usual, that a sufficient quantity of pure vaccine be purchased and free vaccination offered. I distributed smallpox circulars and gave out copies of the rules of the State Board of Health. The town authorities assured me that all the directions given would be followed to the letter. I have learned since that they were, with the result of promptly driving the disease out of the town. Noblesville.-On March 7th I went to Noblesville on account of an outbreak of winter cholera, being summoned by the health officer, Dr. Tucker. The so-called winter cholera attacked about 1,000 persons, and for a few days the town was prostrated with the strange disease. The character of the outbreak was diarrhoeal. The patient was seized with severe pains in the stomach and bowels, and vomiting and purging resulted of the severest character. One of the marked symptoms was the extreme prostration which attended the attack. The patients responded readily to treatment and no deaths occurred. The outbreak was easily traceable to polluted water which had gotten into the public supply. The waterworks of Noblesville are owned by a private company and the supply is secured from six deep wells which are driven to a depth of forty to sixty feet, along the edge of the river. These wells are six inches in diameter and connected with the main in such a way that each well can be cut off by a valve. The tubing is capped with a heavy iron cap, screwed on. The ice in the river broke up, and in falling down tore off the cap of one of these wells, master, who, it was assistant distrikte myself. Whe upon I request-i conversation and e fered from a 1.... suffered from the ination at be 21 The United Ser postoffice vis ard as having oc sburg on account health officers were Cans believe the disthe citizens generwith those who said. arrival I visited five smallpox, and so anromised that every preguish the disease. SenDecatur County, was Des distant, and I concluded able, for with the evidence other sources it was discovered died at the Circle Park Hotel, ch 8th, must surely have had Fully and completely reported as eived from Spencer County. I visited Dillsboro on account of an that point. The story is simply told, Some doctors denied the eruptive it was gradually gaining force and ere becoming alarmed. My visit served stirred the local authorities into action. , indeed, to follow any directions which. The most active campaign was immediately munication from the Governor was received, Statistics or information of the kind asked for, to comply with the request: st, Marion, Ind.: Indianapolis, Ind., April 1, 1903. The enclosed communication from H. W. Wiley is respectto you, by direction of the Governor, with the request that subject matter thereof your consideration. Yours respectfully, GEO. B. LOCKWOOD, Secretary to the Governor. d. of Health. |