Notes on preventive medicine for medical officers, United States Navy / Department of the Navy, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.

  • United States. Navy Department. Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.
Date:
1918
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Notes on preventive medicine for medical officers, United States Navy / Department of the Navy, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    oF REPORT OF A SURVEY FOR MEASLES NONIMMUNES. (Notes from the naval training station, Great Lakes, III.) Between January 5 and 10, 1918, a thorough canvass was made of the First, Second, and Third Regiments to ascertain the number of men who had not had measles. Hach man who was in doubt about the matter was carefully questioned, and it is thought that the list of non- immunes is, therefore, accurate. In the First Regiment, with a complement of 1,450 men, 269 nonimmunes were found. In the Second Regiment, with a complement of 1,750 men, 245 non- immunes were found. In the Third Regiment, with a complement of 1,641 men, 391 non- immunes were found. : At the suggestion of the medical officer the naval hospital was visited and all patients witl measles and German measles were interviewed in order to determine the number of cases of measles admitted from the regiments and to ascertain the number of men who were having their second attack. Each man was questioned as to the onset of his present illness, and a diagnosis made before the patient was asked if he had ever had measles before. One patient only was found who apparently was having his second attack of measles. Here, however, there was room for disagreement, as the doctor in charge of the ward believed the man to be suffering from German measles. The history of a previous attack of measles was conclusive. Ninety-three cases were interviewed, 47 of true measles and 46 of German measles. The work involved in the sanitation of extra cantonment zones was undertaken shortly after the war by the United States Public Health Service in cooperation with State and local health authorities. The importance of this work can not be overestimated. very focus of disease in a civil community jeopardizes the health of men in the military establishments, and tends to render ineffective other individuals who should be available for military duty. On the other hand, disease on the military reservation may be introduced into civil communities, thereby menacing the health and lives of civilians. To meet the situation there is required a well-organized health department in the locality, with adequate funds to carry on its activities. It is unfortunate though none the less true, that many civil communities in the United States are decidedly deficient in organization, in money, and in men with which to carry on public health work, and it is for this reason that it became necessary for the Federal Public Health Service to take an unusually active part in local health matters in the present emergency. The officer of the Public Health Service placed in charge of extra cantonment work is in most instances delegated by the State to be the representative of the State board of health in the locality, and usually he is appointed by the locality to be its health officer. Among his first duties, he should secure the passage of adequate ordinances or regulations; insist upon the reporting of diseases with promptness and thoroughness, and organize a health department capable of performing its duties efficiently with money supplied by the locality as well as by financial and other assistance received from the United States Government. The activities of the organization comprise the control of communicable diseases, including the establishment and operation of venereal clinics and isolation hospitals; health supervision of schools; control of the milk supply; supervision over the water supply, as to the purity of water; antimalarial work; supervision over the disposal of sewage, marae and other wastes; and inspection of places manufacturing or selling food or food products, ete. In each organization there are employed medical officers, sanitary engineers, public health — nurses, bacteriologists, technical assistants, and sanitary inspectors. Work of this nature has been carried on in the vicinity of the naval establishments at Newport News, Norfolk, Hamp- ton Roads, and Quantico, Va., Key West, Fla., and the navy yard, Puget Sound, Wash. In some instances State authority has been delegated to medical officers of the Navy. More recently arrangements have been made with the States of Maine and New Hampshire to carry on more intensive work in the vicinity of the Portsmouth Navy Yard. The sanitation officers of the Navy have made numerous inspections in areas surrounding naval stations to determine sanitary conditions and the status of public health work in the locality, and they have very generally met with splendid cooperation on the part of local authorities. Medical officers are invited to submit to the bureau any suggestions that they believe may be useful in extending the scope of this bulletin to render it of greater value. Questions in the field of preventive medicine will be welcomed and will be answered in accordance with the best available authority. J