Consumption-Its Cause and Prevention.

An "International Consumption Congress" was recently held in Paris. It was composed of leading medical men and sanitarians from all parts of the world. After mature deliberation upon the causes of Consumption, Dr. Chaveau said, in reference to the conclusions reached:

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One of the most remarkable facts to recall is the virtual unanimity of the Congress in admitting the contagious nature of Tuberculosis (Consumption) and the possibility of its transmission from human beings to animals, or vice versa. I believe indeed only one doctor disputed this point. The practical identity of Tuberculosis in the case of men, women, and cattle, is now acknowledged. * Men and women are constantly giving Tuberculosis to cattle and getting it back through meat and milk. This is how so many happen to have Consumption who are engaged in dairy work. A dairy-maid with Consumption coughs and spits on a bundle of hay; a cow eats the hay and gets the same disease. The cow is milked and some one drinks the milk, and, if he is apt to take the disease, he gets Consumption. Many strong people, of course, escape, and in a general way the stronger the general health and constitution, the less likely is the person to get the infection, but the proportion liable to get it is very large. Over one fifth of the population of the world dies of Tuberculosis. France alone one hundred thousand yearly perish.

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While speaking rather discouragingly of the results of treatment he says: "There is hope in open air health resorts, such as you have in America. Get into perfectly pure air, away from towns or even villages, on some height. Live in air night and day; the revivifying and even curative virtues of this treatment is wonderful. * * * The great things, remember, are to beware of Saliva. Cook your meat right through. Boil your milk thoroughly."

House-flies and Consumption.-House-flies are often, and a very common means of propagating Consumption. A number of very interesting experiments were made by Spillman and Haushalter recently, with a view to ascertaining what, if any, probability there was of Consumption being propagated by the common house-fly. In a report just made to the Academy of Sciences, Paris, they embody the results of their experiments. They made repeated examinations of the excrement and of the contents of the intestines of the flies that fed upon the spit-cups containing the sputa of Consumptive patients. They invariably found present in this excrementitious matter the bacillus of Tuberculosis, the demonstrated contagious principle of Consumption. They also found these

Physiology in Public Schools.

bacilli present in the dried excrement of the flies as it was scraped from the walls and windows of the rooms occupied by Consumptives. It has been well demonstrated that these germs possess wonderful tenacity of life, and they suggest, in their report, how easily the air or food and drink may become polluted by the dried remains, or dried excrement of flies having access to the sputa of Consumptive patients. They further suggest in their report that a suitable, receptive soil is quite as necessary as a suitable seed for successful implantation and propagation of Tuberculosis. The practical deduction from these reports is the great importance of promptly and effectively disinfecting the sputa and spit-cups of these unfortunate patients—either by the complete destruction of the sputa by fire, or by a strong solution of corrosive sublimate, or of phenic acid. This report, and the practical deductions therefrom, only more strongly confirm the opinion that too great care cannot be observed in the exposure of the well to this disease—that Consumptives ought not to cast their expectorated matter upon the ground and upon the floor of churches and public halls, to be desiccated and set afloat in the air, to be breathed into the lungs, and to contaminate our food and drink. Then, too, greater conveniences should be provided for such cases by the railroads in the passenger coaches. As it is, almost invariably the sputa is thrown upon the floor-more or less becomes dried and adherent, and later set afloat to produce is noxious effects.

PHYSIOLOGY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

At the May meeting of the State Board the Attorney-general presented a resolution providing for the appointment of a committee of three to examine the various text books on Physiology now in use in the public schools of the State, and to report as to their fitness, and to what extent they comply with the spirit and letter of the late statute requiring Physiology to be taught in the

Physiology in Public Schools.

common schools with the especial reference to the effects of alcohol and narcotics upon the human system. A committee was appointed who presented the following report at the November meeting:

MR. PRESIDENT-Your committee, to whom the resolution on text-books on Physiology was referred, beg leave to submit the following report: After giving the matter all possible thought and consideration, we are of the opinion that it is not wise nor prudent for us to recommend any particular set or series of text-books for use in the common schools of the State, for the reason that all such schools are already supplied as contemplated by law, compelling the teaching of the evil effects of alcoholic stimulants, narcotics and tobacco, upon the human system, by several different series of text-books on these subjects. Therefore a sweeping change at this time, substituting a single series for the many, would work a hardship and a loss upon the patrons of our schools.

We, therefore, beg to be relieved of that part of our duty, as imposed upon us by the resolution referred to. We do, however, deem it proper to offer some suggestions as to what we think such text-books should aim at. In our opinion, it was the aim of the Twenty-first General Assembly to promote the cause of temperance, and to protect the young from the pernicious effects of the poisons referred to, by showing and teaching that all beverages containing alcohol are harmful; and their effects should be explained to each grade according to the age and understanding of the pupil. Narcotics, with tobacco, should, as well as alcohol, be treated and described as poisons in all cases, and not at all be treated therapeutically. Their value in that relation should not be treated in our common schools, but be left to those who teach materia medica and chemistry-to those who have attained a higher grade of education than is afforded by our common schools.

We do not deem it expedient, nor even possible, for your committee to set forth in a report of this kind, just what a series of text-books on this subject should, or should not, contain, but deem it advisable and proper to leave such books open to competition by the various authors and publishers who may wish to compete for the patronage and profit accruing to those who supply the best books-books that will best set forth to the youthful mind the direful results following the use of such deadly poisons.

That uniformity may be secured, thereby saving great loss to the patrons of our schools, and that the best may be secured, and unworthy books be excluded, we think it would be wise for the next General Assembly to so amend the law that some proper authority may be designated, whose duty it shall be to adopt, for the use of the schools of the State, a series of text-books that will best promote the cause of temperance and protect the interests of those concerned.

The report was accepted and the committee discharged.

Powers and Duties of Health Officers.

POWERS AND DUTIES OF HEALTH OFFICERS.

Must be Apointed.—The statute, chapter 151, laws of 1880, section 14, requires every local board of health to appoint a "competent physician" as health officer. The provision is mandatory, not directory. The presumption of law is that he is to be the sanitary adviser and counsel of the board.

What he should be. To competently fill the office, he should have a practical knowledge of Chemistry, Physiology, Ventilation, Sewerage, Drainage and Water Supply. He should be a student of sanitary science, and be able to distinguish a nuisance when he sees or smells one. He should be competent to diagnose correctly contagious and infectious diseases. He should be a person of practical, professional experience- the more the better. He should be a person of good judgment and discretion. He should be the most competent physician" obtainable.

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Not a Member of the Board.-He is not a member of the local board. But a physician who is a member of a local board may be also the health officer of the board.

Powers and Duties.-His powers and duties are only such as are conferred by the local board, when in session. They cannot be conferred nor authorized by individual members of the board. Neither can members of a local board by separate acts, or declarations, ratify acts of a health officer. The power of a health officer must be previously given by a local board, and it must be of record. He has power to do whatever is authorized by the local board, not in contravention of the rules and regulations of the State Board, or the lawful powers of the local board.

Powers and Duties of Health Officers.

Is Advisory Counsel.--He is an advisory counsel of a local board in sanitary matters, and not an executive officer, except when acting under authority, and by order of the local board.

Not to attend Quarantined Persons. It is not his duty to attend persons quarantined for contagious diseases. The sick may employ whom they please to attend them, except in the case of paupers, as provided in chapter 1, title IX of the Code.

When Diagnosis Doubtful.—It is not his duty to verify the statement of an attending physician as to suspected cases of contagious disease. Whenever well authenticated symptoms lead to certainty that the attending physician is in error in diagnosis, it is the duty of the board to direct the health officer, or other person, to visit the case, but, such visit should not be made except after notice to the attending physician, and as a courteous recognition of his professional rights.

Danger Signals.-It is not his duty to put up danger signals. That should be done by some police officer, constable or specially delegated officer.

Quarantine. He cannot establish, nor release, quarantine. That power is vested in the local board. He must obey the rules of the State Board, regarding quarantine.

Disinfection.-It is not his duty to disinfect quarantined premises. That should be done under the supervision of the attending physician, and some member of the local board, acting by advice of the health officer.

Notice to State Board.-Upon the occurrence of Small-pox within his jurisdiction he must report the same by telegraph, if there be no telegraph, by mail, to the State Board, and this whether the case be mild or severe, or modified by vaccination.

Report to State Board. It is his duty to study the cause, rise, progress and decline of any epidemic disease in his jurisdiction and report the same to the State Board, on subsidence of the disease.

It is his duty, by statute, to make a report to the State Board, on blank forms furnished by the State Board, of statistics, concerning the local board of which he is the health officer. If he is the health officer for a township and a city or town within a township, or more