230 PROCEEDINGS OF THE INDIANA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



One great trouble, therefore, in the correct collection of Vital statistics, seemed 

 to lie in the tenure of office given to health officers and the method of com- 

 pensation. 



On the part of physicians, when they were reproached for not promptly 

 reporting as the law commanded, the argument was frequently heard that 

 the State has no right to impose a duty upon its citizens without 

 according proper compensation, and therefore the statute is unconstitutional. 

 In reply to this the Attorney-General said: "All physicians hold a special 

 license and are protected by the State, and this would be class legislation if 

 the state were not permitted in turn to impose duties upon the physicians for 

 their privileges." The Attorney-General further said: "We need not in- 

 quire whether the provisions of the statute are unjust or not. These matters 

 are for consideration of the legislative department of the government. We 

 may observe that it is difficult to discover any injustice in requiring the medi- 

 cal profession to make knowai to the work statistics which maj^ promote 

 and are promoting the public health." That the State Society undoubtedly 

 believed that it was the moral and professional duty of the medical profession 

 to make reports of births, deaths and other matters pertaining to vital 

 statistics, was proved by the resolutions which it passed, calling upon its 

 members to voluntarily report. 



Disease Prevalence. 



Beginning .January 1898, the State Board of Health began the collection 

 each month of reports upon disease prevalence. The method adopted was 

 that known as the Michigan method, the same having been in use in that 

 State for over twelve years, and securing to that Slate most valuable informa- 

 tion. One or more observers are selected in eacli county and tlie ])Ostal card 

 y)lanks which are sent out, set forth plainly the ol)server's ()i)inion as to the 

 prevalence of disease for that month in the region under his jurisdiction. 



Another advance made in State sanitation at that time was a pro\ision 

 of the State Board whereby physicians might have certain bacteriological 

 and chemical examinations made, without cost. The Legislature appropriated 

 $1,200 as a special sum for the suppression of contagious diseases. It was 

 tills sum from which the cost of food analy.ses, water analyses and bacterio- 

 logical examinations for the diagnosis of diptheria and consumption was paid. 

 Any physician could invoke the aid of the iiealtli authorities in the above 

 way. 



Another advance which seemed worth mentioning, is the publication of a 

 Quarterly Health Bulletin. Said Bulletin gave the analysis of the statistics 

 reported for its quarter, also a report of disease prevalence, and any matters 

 which might seem to be of general sanitarj interest. 



The State Board in 1897 gave the foUowng table during the status of 

 typhoid in Indiana and three other states: 



