ï~~ M~~~~~~~1 ~~ 16i d Q A pa o cd q AL pue Aied i ql1 e Aq aup~p~a i to Aieiq euoglEN aqlJ to UO!o3IIoo ati WuoJJ Padoo seM abed Sgl~ UO e!i e J~ REPORT OF STATE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH. 13 12 REPORT OF STATE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH. HOTEL INSPECTIONS. Hotel inspection has been carried on this year by Dr. Garnett, assisted by Messrs. E. W. Braithwaite and J. E. Enders. These inspections show a steady improvement in the condition of the hotels. It is still a source of em barrassment to our representatives to have to collect the fee for their inspec tions, and we are of the opinion, as stated in previous annual reports, that: the hotels should not be required to pay the fee. The inspections are made' for the public good, and should be paid for by the public. ORTHOPEDIC HOSPITAL. The last legislature appropriated $10,000.00 to be used by the State Board: of Health in the establishment of a hospital for crippled and deformed chil dren in Virginia. There has been a special need for such an institution on account of the many victims of the infantile paralysis epidemic during the, summers of 1916 and 1917. The State Board appointed a committee to carry, out the provisions of this act. Upon invitation of the faculty, its members visited the University of Virginia and received from tha t body the generous offer of a building, equipment and services of the medical staff, but the com mittee decided it would be better to' accept the offer made by the Memorial Hospital of Richmolid.rhis was done, and patients were received there in July. Dr. William T. Graham, a distinguished orthopedic surgeon of Rich mond, has most generously given his services to the patients. CATAWBA SANATORIUM. The past year is notable in the history of Catawba Sanatorium, as an increase in the capacity of the institution was authorized by the legislature, which generously appropriated $100,000.00 for this purpose. Plans were drawn for two dormitory buildings for patients with a capacity of fifty each, and also for anl adinistration building, and bids were advertised for. The bids, however, were so high that it: was decided we could attempt to put up only two structures at the present time, so contracts were awarded for the. dormitories. J. F. Barbour & Son bid lowest on one, and Sears & Brown on the other, so each of these firms was awarded the contract for a. building. Construction was begun in July, and splendid headway has been made up to the present time. A new' concrete dairy was completed during the year, and a herd of Holsteins was purchased. The operation of the sanatorium has been all that could be desired. The shortage of help, coupled with the high cost of everything, has given an unusual amount of trouble to the management, but as usual, all the difficulties have been surmounted by that ability and resourcefulness which have characterized the manager and his fellow workers from the beginning. The spirit of Catawba remains unchanged among the patients and the officers. Its characteristics are kindliness, friendliness, courage, optimism and cheerfulness. PIEDMONT SANATORIUM. For many reasons, chiefly incident to the war, construction was delayed and Piedmont Sanatorium was not opened for patients until April 22d. This; institution is the first sanatorium in the country that is devoted exclusively to the care of colored consumptives. The patients' building downstairs contains a dining room, kitchen and offices, and upstairs the living quarters for the officers and help. Dr. H. G. Carter was put in charge as superintendent, and Miss Mary E. Gilliam, a graduate from Catawba, as head nurse. In June Miss Agnes D. Randolph, on behalf of the State Anti-Tuberculosis Association, offered to give $5,000 for the construction of a second building, provided the State Board would complete it. The acceptance of this generous offer was favored by the Piedmont committee of the Board, and authorized by its executive committee. Later the acceptance was approved' by a full meeting of the Board. The contract was awarded to R. K. Stewart & Son, who had constructed the other buildings. The new structure, with a capacity of forty patients, was completed in three months, and was opened for patients on September 23d. At the close of the fiscal year there were fifty-three patients in the sanatorium. LABORATORY. The war has made a marked impress on the personnel of the laboratory. At the beginning of the fiscal year, the force consisted of Dr. J. ). Fitzgerald, Dr. A. P. Traynham, Miss Lucille Crutchfield and James Sangster. By the close of the fiscal year both doctors were in the army and Mr. Sangster had gone to work in the munitions plant. Miss Crutchfield is acting as bacteriologist, with occasional assistance from Mr. H. W. Kline. The work in the laboratory has naturally fallen off since about thirty per cent. of the doctors of the State have gone into the army or navy. Moreover, the morbidity statistics show that there has been a considerable decrease in the amount of sickness in the State. The legislature allowed an additional appropriation so that Wasserman reaction for syphilis could be made for the doctors of the State. We have entered into a, contract with Dr. S. W. Budd, professor of pathology at the Medical College of Virginia, who agreed to make these examinations on a unit basis. SANITARY ENGINEERING. In May Mr. Richard Messer, sanitary engineer, accepted a commission in the quartermaster corps of the United States Army. This threw the whole work of the department upon Mr. A. S. Holway. The special report of Mr. Holway shows what a large amount of work he has had to attend to in keeping watch over the water supplies of the State. During the summer we engaged the services of three medical students, Messrs. H. W. Kline, Hunter McGuire and J. G. Lyerly to visit the smaller towns of the State and observe general sanitary conditions, especially those relating to the water supply and sewage disposal both public and private. Table four of Mr. Holway's report gives the results of these inspections. The public water supplies show an unusually good situation. There are still too many unsafe private supplies in the towns. One of the most serious situations in the State, as revealed by the report, is due to the condition of the sewage disposal. Many of the towns have no public sewers; and in those in which there are public sewers, too small a proportion of the homes are connected with the sewers, so that in many homes surface closets or privies Sare used.