The fact that leprosy-generally speaking-is on the decrease should create a feeling of sympathy and not cruel and inhuman brutality, such as was shown not a few years ago in the highly civilized states of Pennsylvania and Maryland towards George Rossett, the unfortunate Syrian.

In Cuba there are probably some six hundred cases, but leprosy is on the decrease in that island. The opinion generally held there is that the leper herself or himself is the source of contagion, but farther than that or how the disease is passed from person to person is not known. In Hawaii and the Philippines the disease is on the decrease, probably, as in Cuba, owing to segregation of the infected. In Europe some few hundred years ago leprosy was very prevalent, but now only slightly so.

How or why these facts no one knows, or at best it is only a matter of conjecture. The hysteria which follows the announcement of a case of leprosy is therefore to be deplored and advised against, although abandoning all cautionary measures is not recommended nor would they be permitted when brought to the notice of the executive officer.

It is believed to be a maxim of the old English law that "a man's house and home is his castle," and, therefore, if lepers are forbidden to appear on the public streets, in public thoroughfares and public vehicles of travel, the public health in this regard has been duly and perfectly safeguarded, and it only remains for the family to protect each member by proper segregation of the sick, withdrawing them from public gaze and comment and an idle, prying curiosity into personal and private affairs.

Only two cases of leprosy have been reported in the state during 1911, one in Monroe county and one in Hillsborough county, and the executive office has no knowledge of any other existing cases.

Pellagra:

It is to be regretted that not more is known about the cause of pellagra. The disease has been widely talked of both by medical men and the magazine writer, and various theories have been put forth as to what produces pellagra, none of which have stood the test of prolonged investigation. Each has its advocates who seemingly are convinced that they are on the right track, but to the conservative health officer, nothing has yet been said or written that will give even a hint as to preventive measures of control. Pellagra

is not believed by this office to be contagious and therefore no measures of isolation have been recommended.

The number of cases which have been reported in Florida during 1911, or coming to the knowledge of the executive office, has been eighty-six, as shown in the following tabulation :

The hookworm work of the state has assumed a steadier tone. It is less spasmodic in character than formerly and this in spite of the fact that a large portion of the efforts of the Board have been partially withdrawn from the hookworm crusade to prosecute a vigorous campaign against smallpox. It is true that where the two could be combined it has been done, but much of the smallpox has been so located that it was not possible to combine that work with hookworm work to any advantage.

About 3500 laboratory examinations were made during the year for hookworm disease, which is something like 2700 less than in 1910. This would seem to indicate that less hookworm work is being done but such is not the case. More was done in 1911 than has ever been done before. The aggressive campaign against hookworm disease in the state, now covering several years, has done its work. All physicians in the state are recognizing the disease and are treating it and, in fact, it might be safely asserted that there

are few mothers who do not, when occasion arises,, suspect the presence of hookworm disease in their children and ask medical aid.

That the number of cases treated has increased is shown by the fact that the number of cases treated at the expense of the State Board of Health has increased about twenty-five per cent; that fewer laboratory examinations are being made now than formerly simply means that the physicians are depending more upon themselves than upon the laboratory. Many cases are diagnosed simply from clinical manifestations and treated accordingly, and many physicians use their own microscope. It is the purpose of the Board to continue the work, varying it as experience indicates. While only 750 cases were treated at the expense of the Board during 1911, it is pleasing to know that no child is too poor to get treatment for the asking.

The people have been informed and are kept informed by the Board of the destructive influence of this parasite and the wonderful recoveries to health and vigor which have followed a systematic treatment. They are daily presented with living pictures which must carry conviction more certain than any talk or treatise on the subject. After all is said or written, it must be educational measures and a “line upon line" teaching that will finally triumph. Some people learn through reading, some by accepting what is told— through confidence in the speaker-but the large majority of the people are convinced only by visual results.

DISTRIBUTION OF CASES OF HOOKWORM DISEASE, 1911 SERIES, TREATED AT THE EXPENSE OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH

RESULTS OF TREATMENT OF CASES OF HOOKWORM DISEASE, 1910 AND 1911 SERIES, TREATED AT THE EXPENSE OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH

(d) From 22nd Annual Report of the State Board of Health of Florida,

1910, pp. 33.

(e) Also given three courses of beta-napthol.

18

156 25.91

154

20.58

310

22.96

10 1.66

20

2.67 30

2.22

.33

.80

8

.59

1

.17

.67

6

.43