254 



THE BIOLOGY OF DISEASE 



Never use any methods of disinfection unless they have 

 been personally recommended to you by a physician or an 

 expert in the details of room disinfection. Do not rely 

 upon patented solutions and methods. The latter are ex- 

 pensive and often practically worthless. 1 



194. Results of Disease. — In New York State for the year 

 1909 there were reported to the State Board of Health 

 138,315 cases of communicable diseases. There were 

 many. cases that were not reported, so that this is not to 

 be taken as the highest estimate of the number of people 

 who were sick with preventable diseases. During the 

 years 1913, 1914, 1915 in the same state the following 

 number of people died from these communicable diseases. 



NUMBER OF DEATHS 



1913-1915 



1913 

 1914 

 1915 



Diphtheria 



1853 

 2015 

 1754 



Scarlet Fever 



837 

 687 

 409 



Whooping Cough 



818 

 730 

 749 



Measles 



1071 

 839 

 834 



Typhoid Fever 



1018 

 878 

 750 



It is difficult properly to measure the value of health to 

 the community. When the wage earner is sick and is 

 placed in quarantine, the loss of money is the amount he 

 might have earned. In the case of a typhoid fever epi- 

 demic the total loss is many thousands of dollars. Further, 

 there is no adequate measure of the sufferings of those 

 who die, and the heartaches of those who survive. But 

 both the suffering and the financial loss can be greatly 

 lessened by improving our sanitary laws and aiming at a 

 better state of health for all the people. An increase in 



1 When practicable, it is well to have the local health officer discuss 

 such subjects as disinfection and quarantine. 



