Health Officers Meeting

TVe aré ladetrted to the Daily Times íor Uie following ccouut of tlie meefcimg of HeaJüi Ofïicers öf the state, JieJd at the University last Thursday uil Priday : The meeting oí the health offlcers of the state opened at the hygienic laboratory this afternoon at 2 o'ciock. There were about 60 health offlcers and prominent physicians of the state present besides members of the state board of health and state live stock commission and some from outside the state. The meeting promises to be a very lnteresting one. Dr. Vaughan introduced President Wells, of the state board of health, who presided over the meeting. Dr. Wells called attention to the similar meeting which was held a year ago, when the cholera threatened this country and said that many things had been learned Ihen which would be useful in the future. The state was now threatened with smallpox, for which the popular mind had more fears than any other disease. He said, however, that it was a disease which could be prevented by care and that it would be a disgraee to a community if it became prevalent. He then alluded to consumption as the most insidious foe of the human race and stated that in the belief of the state board of health if work was continued along the lines of modern discovery and if the work inaugurated by this meeting was taken up by health offlcers and boards in all the states that the dread disease would become practically extlnct in time. It might not be done in a few years, but he believed that there were those living who would see the time. Dr. Wells was then elected permanent president of the meeting and Dr. Oven, of Petoskey, secretary. Dr. Vaughan introduced Dr. Novy, who proceeded to explaln the lofis bacillus and gave some j tions to show how it was recognized. A number of interesting demonstrations were made in the course of the afterncon's work. The meeting will continue tomorrow. This evening's session begins at 8 o'clock local time and includes papers on tuberculosis and discussions. To those who have attended the meetings of the conference of the state health oflicers and have noted the main object of the meeting, the importance of the conference will be without question. While the cali stated that the conference was for the purpose of conferring regarding consumption, typhoid fever and small pox, up to noon today almost nothing had come before the sonference but the subject of tuberculosis. The theme which runs through the entire proceedings _is that consumption is an infectious disease and that it requires the same methods to stamp it out that are employed toward small pox, cholera, etc. It is a somewhat new propaganda and the result is being watched by santiary experts throughout the country. This is especially appareat when it is known that far away Connecticut has sent two distinguished delegates to the conference, Dr. Lindsley, of Yale College, who is a member of the state board of health, and Dr. Worden, also a member of the state board of health. Both of these gentlemen stated to the conference that their state was taking great interest in the work of the Michigan state board of health. If Michigan is successful other states will immediately follow her example. Dr. W.orden and Dr. Lindsley both stated that the work required a tremendous campaign of education and that the west was in the advantage in that it had less of established custom and usage to overeóme in the work. They looked upon the work as important in the extreme and believed that in the end it must be successful. Regarding the opposition to treating consumption as an infectious disease Dr. Vaughan stated that it was but a few years ago when the leading physicians of Detroit and of the state had protested against the treatment of diphtheria as an infectious disease, but that no reputable physician would take that prround at Dresent. At the session last evening Prof. Grange, state veterinarian, reported some experiments he had made with tuberculin in discovering tuberculosis in cattle. He noted two experiments espeeially. Of two cattle one appeared to be perfectly healthy and fat while the other was thin and hard looking, both of them having been subject to the same eonditions. An injection of tuberculin showed that the healthy looking one had signs of tuberculosis while the sickly looking one showed no signs of it. Both animáis were killed and a post mortem showed that the tubereulin test had been trué, the Ithy looking animal having1 tubèrcui the other being free from it. ïhe experiment showed the value of tuberculin in the disease and the deceiving character of the disease in some animáis. As it has been plainly shown that tuberculosis or consumption can be conveyed from animáis to human beings by the milk of infected animáis Dr. Vaughan offered a resolution whlch was unanimously adopted asking the leg-islature to pass an act making it unlawful for dairymen to sell milk unless their cows had been subjected to the tuberculin test and had showed no signs of the disease, the test to be made under the direction of the state live stock sanitary commission. It was pointed out that the danger of communicating the disease by milk was especially with infants, as the milk of one cow was often used for many children and in case the cow was affected the probabilities were that all the children would be infected. After the discussion on tuberculosis in cattle had been flnished, Dr. Novy, ot the medical faculty of the University, read a very interesting and instructive paper on the spread of tuberculosis. Dr. Novy said in substance that while like certain other diseases, syphilis, small pox, etc, the flrst cause of consumption was still ïmknown, y et it had been equally well demonstrated that whatever it may be, that like them it was infectious. Tuberculosis, or consumption, can be communicated in a variety of ways. By subcutaneous cuts in which the tubercle bacillus is introduced. This has been demonstrated on animáis. It can be taken in the fgod or it can be inhaled. The tubercle bacillus is very hard to be destroyed. It exists mainly in the snuta. nf mn. sumptives and when dried will live as long as six months. In its dried form It mingles with the dust and is most dangerous. Dust from a hospital had been accumulated and upon being given to guinea pigs had developed acute tuberculosis in a short time. If the tubercle bacillus come in contact with a cut it will be taken up into the system and produce tuberculosis. For the prevention of infection Dr. Novy advised that the sputa always be discharged' into a prepared vessel in which it could be taken care of. Dr. Novy concluded his paper by recommending that a consumption hospital be established. Dr. Baker, secretary of the state board of health, then read a aluable paper on the prevention of tuberculosis in which he brought out the views of the state board of health on the subject. It is clearly the opinión of the board that this dread disease which causes over one death in seven can be nearly completely eradicated by the adoption of the same methods as are adopted for the prevention of other infectious diseases. The proposed consumption hospital is only for those poorer who cannot be sufficiently isolated or cared for in their own homes and who are padopé S3.ms-B9ui a.yeu; o} uot;o9uuoo auna--: 3i)j ui papus}m si }i -onqnd IBJSuaS sq} o jeSuep 30 aojnos ■e 9joj for the care of those others at their homes in such a way t'nat there is no danger of infection. After the discussion which followed Dr. Baker's paper the conference resolved unanimously in favor of the consumption hospital and other restrictive measures. At this morning's session tuberculosis still had the right of way. Among others who spoke were Drs. Lindsley and Worden, of the Connecticut state board of health. who spoke commendingly of the work being done by the conference. Dr. Reynolds, health officer of Chicago, also told the conference that the eyes of other states were turned toward Michigan to lead the way in this work. He also commended the work being done by the Michigan state board of health very highly and said that others must certainly follow its example. Left befcind- The tail. Head eai-rers- Sculptors.