Michigan State Board Of Health

The quarterly meeting of the state board of health was held at Lansing on the 9th inst. The quarterly report by Secretary Baker, states thatthe last three months have beeh busy ones, by reason of the prevalence of diphtheria, scarlet fever and small.pox. Efforts tó restrict the diseases have devolved Diuch labor and correspondence on the officers and employés of the board. The compilation of the weekly bulletin has been systematized. It is now mailed to 52 papers in Michigan and three ready-print conapanies, which would add 100 papers to the Michigan list. The board, to ascertain the relation between rires and meteorological conditions, in September last, prepared a report of the meteorology of the state at each of its own station, about the time oí me nres ín Hurón county. Health oflicers, 57, of villages have furnished weekly reporta, and to all such a f uil letter of instructions and suggestions has been sent. Each offlcer lias been requested to give report of the outbreak. the number of cases, death, and measures taken to restrict the disease. As showing the manner in which diseases obtain a footing in the state, atteniion was called to information received at the state board of health through a report made at the . ment of vital statistics, of typhus or snip fever having broken out at East Frankfort among some Norwegian emigrants, over 60 days af ter their arrival, and its subsequent spread. Dr. Baker followed up ti.e clue and learned the facta above stated, although noreport was made at the time by any health offleer. If a regular system was in force in this state whereby notiflcation might be received from New York by the health oflicers of Port Hurón and Detroit of the expected arrival of emigrants in our borders, they might be followed to their destination and placed under surveilliance by local boards until all danger was past. A statement of the duties oe healtb oflicers in connection with diagnosis of diseases which injure the public health, prepai ed by Leroy Parker, was read, discussed, adopted, and ordered printed in the annual report. Mr. Parker reported that in Genessee eounty recently, a child was reported to liave died of malarial fever. A neighbor and his wife helped to lay the child out and some of the childreñ attended the funeral. A few days after the woman was taken sick wlth diphtheria, and in turn there were 13 cases out of 14 in the i'amily and 7 out of 10 of the children died. About the same time this lirst death occurred there was a death occurred in another fainily where ;he child was said to have had sore :hroat. It is difflcult to say where the contagión sprang from. Drs. Kellogg and Avery were apDointed a special committee to prepare a report which shall contain wi at ia now known relative to diphtheria. Dr. Lyster spoke of the offective work of the Detroit board of health, and conjratulated the state board on the effecve results secured through its efforts. The board has ordered the issuing of another circular on the duties of physicians and householders with reference ;o reporting contagious diseases. Also a circular setting forth the duties of ïealth offlcers. It also voted to con.inue to demand weekly reports of sickness f rom health offlcers of cities. Leroy Parker made a statement of the egal method of placarding houses for contagiaus diseases. The place where a person is sick with a contagious disease may be declared by the local board a hospital, and they may make regulaions concerning it and publish them. If these regulations are violated the penaloies my be inflicted. Dr. Baker presented the subject of establishing an inspection station at ?ort Huron, designed to aid in preventng the introduction of contagious diseases in the manner suggested above. Che state board of health has no funds 'or carryiufout such an inspection and the question was referred to the president, sectetary, and Dr. Lyster to confer with the national board of health and take such action as is f ound possible. Dr. Avcry, who had visited the overflowed lands of Gratiot and Clinton counties, reported. A rosolutiou was adopted, stating that the board was conïnced that the dam at Maple Eapids was a nuisance, and advising, in case he owners will not take it down, that asuitin equity be brought against the owners. The secretary was instructed o notity the board of supervisors of the action of this board. The subject of inspection of summer esort hotels with reference to danger by fire was reported back by Dr. Hazlewood with the question whether it was ïot now provided for by the law for inpecting public buildings. Mr. Baker hought not, and that the law for inpection with reference to safety from fire should be amended so that the inpection should be made by other than olitical offlcers, and placed under the are of local boards of health. It was eferred to Mr. Parker The secretary presented a resume of he work of other state boards, which ncidentally show a wide-spread prevaence in this country of typhoid fever, mall-pox, and in the northern states, iphtheria.