LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. STATE OF WISCONSIN, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH, To the Honorable, Wм. H. UPHAM, Governor of the State of Wisconsin : SIR: In accordance with the provisions of section 333 of Sanborn and Berryman's annotated statutes, I have the honor to herewith present the Sixteenth Report of the State Board of Health for the biennial period ending September 30, 1896. TABLE OF CONTENTS. Report of the inspection of the different state institutions Report of delegate to the Conference of State Boards of Health, by C. H. Marquardt, M. D., of La Crosse...... The Purification of the Water Supply of Ashland by Sand Page. GENERAL REPORT OF THE BOARD. The State Board of Health herewith presents the sixteenth report of the Board, covering the biennial period ending September 30, 1896, as required by the organic law establishing the Board and other special acts relating thereto. The report embraces the following topics: General Report of the Board. Report of the Secretary. Report of the Inspection of the Different State Institutions. Report of Delegate to the Conference of State Boards of Health, by C. H. Marquardt, M. D., of La Crosse. The Purification of the Water Supply of Ashland by Sand Filtration, by Prof. H. L. Russell, Consulting Bacteriologist of the Board, of Madison. Enteric or Typhoid Fever, by G. W. Harrison, M. D., of Ashland. List of Health Officers of Local Boards of Health for the year 1896. General Health of Cities and Towns as Presented by Health Officers of Local Boards of Health for the Year 1896. During the past two years the general health of the state has been good. There have been outbreaks of contagious diseases in various places from time to time, but as a rule they have been efficiently handled and quickly controlled by the local boards of health. It has been the aim of the Board to see that local boards of health have been legally organized, and with few exceptions the law in this regard has been strictly obeyed. It has been the aim of the Board to assist the local boards by counsel in every way possible in the performance of their duties, and it is very gratifying to the Board that as a rule the local boards of health throughout the state have been very efficient in the performance of their functions under law, and have in most cases eradicated outbreaks of contagious disease at short notice. The health officers, together with their local boards, are entitled to great credit for the faithful manner in which they have performed their duties, the interest taken, and the courtesies shown the State General Report of the Board. Board on all occasions. The Board believes that it is of great primary importance that harmony should exist between the local boards of health and the State Board to that extent that they may work together in unison in performing their various duties. It is believed that a very commendable degree of harmony exists at the present time, and it will be the earnest endeavor of the State Board to maintain that harmony. The law requires that every town, village, and city shall organize a board of health immediately after their election.. There are 1,256 towns, villages, and cities in the state entitled under the law to a board of health, and out of that number 1,219 boards Iave been organized in 1896, leaving but 37 places that are without boards of health. In the majority of instances these places are in sparsely populated farming districts where the necessity of a board has not impressed the inhabitants sufficiently to comply with the law. The Board desires to call especial attention again, as it has in times past, to that portion of the secretary's report relative to vital statistics, and to the importance of having some law passed that will furnish better statistics. It is believed now that if the reports of births and deaths can be furnished by i local boards of health a more efficient system will exist than under the present law. The Board also desires to urge that the legislature pass some law that will prevent the pollution of our rivers and ! lakes, or a law regulating the drainage of towns, villages, and cities. The extent to which our rivers and lakes, from which many communities derive their drinking water, are being pol lated, is a very important matter as no doubt they are becom ing sources from which contagious diseases are spread, especially typhoid fever, and some steps should be taken to remedy the evil. The Board has been hampered considerably during the past two years by the decision of a lower court to the effect that the rules made by the State Board of Health are null and void, and that the law giving the Board power to promulgate rules is unconstitutional. An appeal has been taken from the decision of this court to the supreme court, and it is hoped that an early decision will be given as this is of the utmost importance to the state. If this law is declared unconstitutional by the supreme court, it will be highly necessary that the legislature pass some law that is constitutional regulating General Report of the Board. the powers and duties of the State Board. It is gratifying to the Board, however, to be able to report that as a result of the vaccination rule, which was promulgated by the Board, a large proportion of the people of the state have become protected from small pox by vaccination. If this work would continue, the Board believes that small pox could never again get any foothold in the state, and the Board would most respectfully urge that some law be passed by the legislature to provide for frequent vaccination of the people as a protection against this loathesome disease. The outbreak of small pox, which caused the state quite a number of lives and a vast amount of money, ceased in June, 1895. Since then there have been only a few sporadic cases in the state, and at the present time the disease does not exist in the state to the knowledge of the Board. The two diseases which are preventable, and carry off the most people in our state, are diphtheria and typhoid fever. These two diseases are continually breaking out in different parts of the state and a great deal of effort has been put forth to prevent their spread. Early this year the Board issued a pamphlet on the "Restriction and Prevention of Typhoid Fever", which has had a very wide circulation throughout the state, as has also a circular relative to the best means for the "Prevention of Tuberculosis or Consumption". The Board now issues circulars pertaining to the prevention of small pox, diphtheria, scarlet fever, tuberculosis or consumption, and typhoid fever, and these circulars have had a very wide distribution. The Board desires to also urge that the contingent fund established by legislative act two years ago, to be used for the prevention of cholera and other dangerous contagious diseases, should they occur, be continued; that fund not being used by the Board reverts back to the state treasury and it is necessary to have another bill passed setting aside a fund for that purpose. While the state has been fortunate in not hav ing to use any of this fund, the future is very uncertain and it is possible that within the next two years such a fund will bc indispensable to protect the health and life of the people. This fund should be set aside for the use of the Board in case of any extensive outbreak of any contagious disease on approval and by consent of the governor. The Board desires to call especial attention to the article |