FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. †WILLIAM M LATE, M. D., BRIDGEPORT. *JAMES E. REEVES, M. D., Secretary, WHEELING. SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. *C. T. RICHARDSON, M. D., CHARLESTOWN. IN. D. BAKER, M. D., MARTINSBURG. THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. †GABRIEL MCDONALD, M. D., UNION. FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. IT. A. HARRIS, M. D., President, PARKERsburg. *HON. A. R. BARBEE, M. D., POINT PLEASANT. Exchange University of Minnesota STATE BOARD OF HEALTH. OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, STATE BOARD OF HEALTH OF WEST VIRGINIA, WHEELING, January 1, 1885. TO HIS EXCELLENCY, JACOB B. JACKSON, Governor of West Virginia: } SIR-In compliance with the law, I have the honor to present to you my Fourth Annual Report of the State Board of Health. The work of the Board during the year, as in the three previous years, has been exceedingly gratifying; and the results continue to demonstrate its usefulness. The growing appreciation by the people of every section of the State of the value of sanitary inquiries or questions concerning the public health and general welfare--the part in sanitary police that should be performed by every enlightened community, municipality, and intelligent family, in preventing disease; the importance of higher and higher medical educacation; and the evident satisfaction of all classes of citizens in obeying the law that has produced such excellent fruits-marks a progress of the most encouraging character. Indeed, without the hearty co-operation of the public good-will, much that has been achieved would have remained undone and impossible. REORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD. Since the report for January, 1884, Dr. George B. Moffett, the President, resigned his membership on the Board, because of failing health, and Dr. T. A. Harris, of Parkersburg, was appointed to fill the vacancy, and subsequently-June 1-re-appointed for the term of four years. Dr. Moffett was one of the original members of the Board, a compe tent and faithful officer, and his retirement was sincerely regretted by his colleagues. At the annual meeting of the Board at the State House in Wheeling, July 22d, 1884, Dr. T. A. Harris, the newly appointed member, was elected President, and Dr. James E. Reeves re-elected Secretary, with the same salary. ASIATIC CHOLERA. The people of this country will soon, I fear, be confronted with epidemic cholera. It is a well-known fact in the history of the periodical marches of this dreadful disease from its habitat in India westward, that it never appeared in Europe that its outbreak, sooner or later, did not occur in some portion of the United States; and the recollection of its ravages should be the solemn warning to the authorities of every city, town, village, and head of a household, to make ready for the coming of the unwelcome guest! Last August I sent out to every County or Local Board of Health printed instructions, "How to Resist Cholera"; and hence timely notice has been given and the county authorities urged to active duty. At the National Conference of State Boards of Health, at Washington, D. C., the roth ult., at which twenty-nine (29) State Boards of Health and many municipal boards were represented-West Virginia by President Harris, Dr. N. D. Baker and the Secretary-the following eleven propositions, presented by Dr. J. H. Raymond, Health Commissioner of Brooklyn, N, Y., concerning the prevention of cholera, were unanimously adopted: First. That all surface wells should be closed at the earliest possible moment, and that great care should be taken that the water supply of all cities, towns and villages shall be of undoubted purity. Second. That all privy-vaults should be abolished wherever waterclosets can be supplied, and that wherever the existence of such vaults is necessary that they should be rendered water-tight in such a manner as to prevent the saturation, not only of the ground surrounding them, but also of the materials of which they are built, and that the contents of such vaults should be kept constantly disinfected, and removed to a proper place at frequent intervals. Third. That all stagnant ponds, when practicable, should be disinfected, and when possible the water removed by drainage or pumping. and the further accumulation prevented by filling with fresh earth, or other material free from garbage or other filth. Fourth. That great care should be exercised to keep at all times clear and free from obstruction all sewers, into which passes the refuse from dwellings, factories and other buildings, and that such examinations should be made as will detect imperfect plumbing in all buildings |