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September 19th. Detailed to Monticello, Jefferson County, reported smallpox. Found several cases convalescent and contacts had been vaccinated.

September 23rd. Detailed from Monticello to Centralia, Hernando County, reported smallpox. Investigation showed one case of the disease which had been isolated in a tent far removed from any place of abode. The local physician had vaccinated the volunteers for protection. Returned to Bartow September 27th. October 2nd. Detailed to Brooksville, Hernando County, to investigate so called sanitary nuisance. My report of October 4th gives the particulars.

October 11th. Detailed by wire to Romeo, Marion County, reported smallpox. One case found in Atlantic Coast Line Section house, patient isolated andd house placarded. Very few vaccinations.

October 13th. Administered hog cholera serum to hogs at Agricola, Polk County.

October 16th. Administered hog cholera serum to hogs at Fort Meade, Polk County.

October 17th. Administered hog cholera serum to hogs at Ona and Wauchula, DeSoto County.

October 21st. Detailed by wire to Floral City, Citrus County, reported smallpox. Upon investigation, found one case, a negro, west end of the county.

fifteen miles in the

November Ist.

Detailed to Orange City, Volusia County, reported smallpox. Investigation revealed three cases which were isolated and houses placarded. The citizens seemed indifferent to vaccination and only a few would take the protection.

November 6th. Ordered to Romeo, Marion County, reported smallpox. Found one case variola, patient isolated, contacts and many others vaccinated.

November 7th. Detailed to Interlachen, Putnam County, reported smallpox; on investigation found three cases which were isolated and the usual instructions given. The white and colored schools and more than fifty citizens were vaccinated.

November 13th. Ordered from Interlachen to Istachatta, Hernando County; reported smallpox; found evidence of one case. Citizens indifferent to vaccination. Returned to Bartow November 15th.

November 16th. Administered hog cholera serum to hogs at Wauchula, DeSoto County.

November 21st. Detailed to Lake City, Columbia County, reported smallpox. Investigation showed several cases in negro settlements south of Lake City, four and one-half to seven miles distant. Cases were isolated and usual instructions given. In the surrounding neighborhood I have succeeded in vaccinating ninety per cent. or about 400 negroes. Recently five cases have developed at Watertown; very few have been vaccinated.

December 24th. Polk County Jail inspected, six cases of smallpox being found. All officers, attaches and prisoners vaccinated. The close of the year 1911 finds me as yet on the Lake City detail, endeavoring to vaccinate all who will receive it.

Yours very truly,

H. P. NEWMAN,

Assistant State Health Officer.

Report of DR. HENRY HANSON, SENIOR BACTERIOLOGIST

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, January 1st, 1912.

Dr. Joseph Y. Porter, State Health Officer, Jacksonville, Florida. Dear Doctor:-I herewith submit report of the work accomplished in the Central Laboratory of the State Board of Health of Florida, at Jacksonville, for the year 1911.

In briefly comparing the work of the year 1911 with that of 1910 we notice there is a decrease of 1,652 in the number of specimens submitted to the Central Laboratory. This decrease is accounted for in part by the difference in the number of specimens submitted for animal parasites for the two years. There were 2,234 more specimens for animal parasites in the year 1910 than in 1911. Of other specimens, however, there is an actual increase in the number submitted. The decrease in the Central Laboratory can also be partially accounted for by the increased number of specimens received in the branch laboratories, since a great many of the physicians in the towns who are now patronizing the Tampa and Pensacola laboratories formerly sent their specimens to Jacksonville.

Containers and mailing cases have been sent out from the Central Laboratory with mailing directions corresponding to the locality from which the requests were received. The majority of the outfits have been for the Central Laboratory, and the number sent out bearing Tampa and Pensacola labels have been in proportion to the amount of work in those laboratories as seen from the daily reports. Most of the specimens received in the Central Laboratory have been from distant points. The number of specimens from Jacksonville has been decidedly less during 1911 than during the year 1910.

In addition to the containers vaccine points have been sent out according to instructions from the Executive Office. The sum total for the year 1911 is as follows:

Containers for collecting specimens of excreta to be examined for hookworms or other animal parasites

Containers for collecting specimens of sputum to be examined for tubercle bacilli; containers for sending swabs from throats for examination for presence of diphtheria bacilli; slides in maiding cases for malaria, gonorrhea and opthalmia, and sterilized bottles for collecting samples of water to be examined for evidence of sewage contamination

Vaccine points sent out

Total

7,031

7,037 43,603

57,671

There is a small increase in the number of blood smears submitted for malaria, and a decrease in those submitted for the widal reaction, which increase and decrease practically balance and make the sum total of such specimens approximately the same as it was for the year 1910.

There is, on the other hand, an increase in the number of specimens submitted for tuberculosis; also, a decided increase in the number of diphtheria examinations for the year. When one remembers that these specimens submitted for communicable diseases are from decidedly more limited territory and still show an increase, one cannot but feel that the efficiency and usefulness of the laboratory is continuing to grow.

There is one feature of the past year's work, however, which requires special attention and consideration, and that is the matter of rabies. We find that for the past year the laboratory has made 169 examinations for rabies. This is a very high figure and one that should cause a great deal of concern. Of this number 100 were found to be positive, a certain number doubtful and the remainder negative. The different animals submitted for examination, in addition to one human being, are dogs, cats, horses, mules, monkeys, rabbits, guinea pigs and rats. As a result of this a great many animals af all kinds have been killed because of having been bitten by animals in which the evidence of hydrophobia had been found by laboratory examination. Numerous valuable dogs as well as cattle, goats and even chickens have been destroyed by these rabid animals. It has been reported that three deaths from rabies have occurred in human beings in this locality during the past year, two of which were known to be definite cases, and the third hearsay. In addition, another death has occurred in a different portion of the state. This clearly indicates that rabies is a most grave and important problem for the State Board of Health and one in which there is room for more careful work and investigation. This feature of rabies will be discussed in another section of this report.

The rest of the work does not call for special consideration here. The nature and amount of the miscellaneous work can be seen in the tabulation of specimens submitted herewith.

The tabulated statement shows a general increase except in the number of specimens examined for animal parasites, in which there is a decrease of 2,234. The decrease in the number of

typhoid specimens this year is accounted for by the very decided decrease of typhoid in the city of Jacksonville during the summer of 1911 as compared with the summer of 1910.

STATEMENT OF SPECIMENS EXAMINED IN THE CENTRAL LABO-
RATORY JACKSONVILLE, 1911

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