LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. OFFICE OF SECRETARY OF STATE BOARD OF HEALTH, TOPEKA, KAN., December 27, 1902. 1o His Excellency W. E. Stanley, Governor : SIR-In compliance with the laws of the state, I have the honor to herewith transmit to you the First Biennial Report of the State Board of Health, comprising the years 1901 and 1902. Respectfully submitted. CHARLES LOWRY, M. D., Secretary. STATE BOARD OF HEALTH. J. M. MINICK, M. D., President, Wichita, (H.). G. W. HOLLEMBEAK, M. D., Cimarron, (R.). .Term expires Mar. 28, 1903 ADVISORY BOARD. F. O. MARVIN, A. M., M. Am. Soc. C. E., Sanitary Adviser and 1. On Heating, Lighting, Ventilation, and General Sanitation.-Doctors GARDNER, DYKES, and GISH. 2. On Epidemic and Endemic Diseases and Quarantine.-Doctors LOCKE and ALEXANDER. 3. On Topography, Meteorology, Hygiene, and Inspection of Public, State and Charitable Institutions.-Doctors HOLLEMBEAK, CRUMBINE, and LOCKE. 4. Water Sources, Drainage, and Disposal of Substances Dangerous to Public Health.-Doctors DYKES and GISH. 5. Special Sources of Danger to Life and Health.-Doctors GISH, GARDNER, and HOLLEMBEAK. 6. Adulteration of Foods, Drugs, and Drinks.-Doctors ALEXANDER, CrumBINE, and DYKES. 7. Vital Statistics, Registration, and Nomenclature.-Doctors CRUMBINE, HOLLEMBEAK, and GARDNER. 8. Finance and Executive.-Doctors GARDNER and ALEXANDER. SECRETARY'S REPORT. TOPEKA, KAN., December 27, 1902. To his Excellency W. E. Stanley, Governor: DEAR SIR-In compliance with the laws of Kansas, the State Board of Health hereby respectfully submits to you the first biennial report, which constitutes the seventeenth and eighteenth annuals. This report, as the law requires, gives the vital statistics and sanitary conditions of the state for the years 1901 and 1902, and makes some suggestions for further legislative action for the better protection of the life and health of the people of the state. The board held regular quarterly meetings during the years 1901 and 1902, except the first quarterly meeting of 1902, which was omitted on account of the general expense fund of the board having been exhausted. In this connection, I wish to say that the present appropriation for the expenses of the board is inadequate to meet the requirements, and will be referred to later in detail. The quarterly meetings of the board are uniformly well attended, all the members showing a deep interest in the work of protecting the health of the citizens of the state. GENERAL HEALTH. The general health of the state of Kansas for the years 1901 and 1902 has been fairly good. During the winter of 1901 smallpox prevailed to quite an alarming extent over the greater part of the state, and during the fall of 1902 we had quite an unusual amount of typhoid fever. With these exceptions, there has been no unusual amount of fatal sickness. There was a marked decrease in the amount of smallpox in 1902 over that of 1901, undoubtedly attributable to the good effects of the quarantine law passed by the legislature at its session in 1901, and also the good results following the pamphlet issued by the late secretary, Dr. W. B. Swan, giving directions for the management and care of the disease. This pamphlet took up the various phases of smallpox, giving the best opinions of the public-health authorities concerning the nature of the disease, and also full information concerning vaccination, isolation, disinfection, and quarantine. There was published in this pamphlet important sections of our public-health law. Five thousand copies were printed and freely distributed over the state. This, in connection with the good quarantine law passed by the last legislature, had a marked influence in controlling smallpox, diphtheria, scarlet fever, and other infectious diseases. In the year 1900, the total number of cases of smallpox reported to this office was 2087, with twenty-eight deaths. The following table shows the number of cases and deaths during the years 1901 and 1902: EMBALMERS' EXAMINING COMMITTEE. The action of the State Board of Health in the election of the embalmers' examining committee for the state has been productive of good results. All undertakers who prepare bodies for shipment are compelled to pass an examination before this committee, and receive a license. The work of the committee has been thorough, and nearly all the undertakers of the state have applied for a license, and are working under a license granted by the State Board of Health. This brings the requirements up to those of other states. BOARD OF MEDICAL REGISTRATION AND EXAMINATION. One of the most important measures of the board, enacted by the last legislature, was the amendment of the medical law, creating the State Board of Medical Registration and Examination. This amendment was drawn up by Dr. S. W. Williston, then a member of the board, after a careful examination of the medical laws of the different states. The bill drafted by Doctor Williston was submitted to a full meeting of the Kansas State Board of Health, carefully revised, submitted to the legislature, and was made a law. This brings the standard of practitioners of our state up to the plane of the requirements of other states. The work of the new board has been thorough and most excellent, and while it will take some time to root out all of the unqualified medical men who have been practicing in this state for years, it will stop the overrunning of the state with fresh importa |