History of Dakota Territory, volume III, Part 52

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1146

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No one questioned at this time that diphtheria, scarlet fever and smallpox should be properly quarantined. There were many people who believed that measles should not be. The health board did not agree with this conclusion and said "Measles are accompanied by catarrhal discharges of the eyes, ears, bronchial tubes and lungs. All thus having measles are unduly exposed, are chilled and take cold in these parts, suffer especially in the lungs and are apt never to recover wholly from the effects." They declared that after this time

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about one-tenth of all who had measles were predisposed thereby to tuberculosis. Early in 1910 there was an epidemic of measles at Beresford and vicinity. It spread into Clay County and there was no quarantine. The newspaper at Beres- ford said the epidemic spread to the country, and the people, not realizing the danger of the succeeding cold, became afflicted with pneumonia and spinal men- ingitis accompanied with half a dozen deaths, all from complications." The health officer of Clay County said: "We have had several deaths from measles or combined effect of measles and whooping cough. Had I quarantined five or six families for measles when it started I would have stopped it." The state board thus called attention of the authorities to the danger due to this neglect. As a rule there were more deaths from diphtheria than from either scarlet fever or measles and there were more deaths from scarlet fever than from measles. Occasionally the reverse was true. The state board, after duly considering the subject of contagious diseases, declared it to be their judgment that those hav- ing measles should be lawfully confined until all danger from exposure was past. During the early part of summer and later, smallpox was quite prevalent in the western part of Beadle County, mainly at Wessington and vicinity. Chickenpox was also found there. These two diseases co-existed in families. The quarantine there was not strict. Cases of infantile paralysis were reported to the state board with inquiries as to treatment and whether the disease should L'e quarantined. It was considered an infectious communicable disease that had a mortality of from 5 to 20 per cent, and 75 per cent or more of the patients surviving were permanently crippled from its effects.

During the winter of 1909-10, owing to the deep and long continued snow, inany head of live stock died of starvation in the northern part of the state west of the Missouri River, mostly in Corson County. The carcasses were hauled into the creek bed where they decomposed when warm weather came, and where they became a menace to the health of that portion of the state.

At this time the board of health regarded tuberculosis as in a way con- tagious. However, the cases were so few among the native white people that little attention was paid to the contagion, although it was prevalent to an alarm- ing degree among the Indian tribe. A few cases of cerebro spinal meningitis were reported to the state board, deaths resulting in about half the cases.

The regular meeting of the Yankton District Medical Association was held in Vermillion in the spring of 1911. Several sessions were held in Science Hall of the university and papers were read by Drs. Mortimer Herzberg, H. E. French, P. R. Burkland and Doctor Fischer. These papers were full of pro- fessional interest and dealt with subjects which were then uppermost in the minds of the medical fraternity. There were present also at this meeting as active participants Doctor Spafford, of Flandreau, formerly a member of the State Board of Regents ; Dr. L. C. Meade, superintendent of the Insane Asylum at Yankton; also Doctors Hoff, Gross, Moorehouse, Roane, Fisher, Rudgers, Kobe, Anderson, Frink and Stewart. Many subjects of great interest to the profession were considered and discussed at these sessions. The meeting ended with a banquet and smoker at Masonic Hall.

In August, 1911, Dr. O. N. Hoyt, secretary of the State Board of Health, showed that during June the percentage of deaths from measles was greater than that for smallpox or scarlet fever. There were no cases of infantile paraly-

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ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL, ABERDEEN

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sis and but one of spinal meningitis. The cases reported were as follows: Scarlet fever, cases 68, deaths 4; diphtheria, cases 26, deaths 4; smallpox, cases 50, deaths none ; measles, cases 44, deaths 3

In the fall Secretary Hoyt reported for the month of August, that there had been 61 cases of contagious disease with 5 deaths, as follows: Scarlet fever, 18 cases with I death; diphtheria, 30 cases, 2 deaths ; measles, I case, no deaths ; smallpox, 5 cases, no deaths; spinal meningitis, I case, I death; infantile paraly- sis, 6 cases, I death. At this time the State Board of Health adopted a resolu- tion ordering all public drinking cups taken from trains and railway stations, the order to go into effect October 15th.

For the biennial period ending December 1, 1912, the State Board of Medical Examiners made an exhaustive report to the governor. The number of appli- cants to practice medicine was unusually small in 1911, owing probably to the partiai failure of the crops. For the last five or six years South Dakota had not reciprocated with other states in issuing licenses to practice medicine, but in 1913 this custom was somewhat changed. Many of the western states were com- municated with and preliminary steps were taken to put into effect reciprocal relations in this regard. The appropriations were so small that the board felt too cramped to conduct its business in the best manner. Four years before the appropriation had been made so small that operations were curtailed and ham- pered. Nothwithstanding the board had practiced the most rigid economy, there was not sufficient means to pay traveling expenses to places where the law required the board should go from time to time. Members of the board had taken money from their own pocket to pay considerable of this expense. In addition there was no fund provided for the prosecution of violators of the medical law in different parts of the state. This rendered the operations of the board nugatory.

The secretary of the board was required to visit other portions of the state on important matters of business, but had no means to pay his expenses. The physicians of the state did not realize how the state board was thus handicapped, and consequently unjustly criticized them for failure to perform their duties. For instance, the physicians of Hot Springs insisted on a special meeting to be held in Deadwood to consider the charges against one of their physicians who was alleged to be practicing without a license. As there was not enough money ' within the command of the board to defray the expenses of this meeting it could not be held, whereupon the board was blamed. They asked that the appro- priation be sufficient nor only to cover the expenses of the two regular meet- ings required by law, but to pay the per diem and traveling expenses of members when necessary to investigate and prosecute violators of the medical law. Until this should be done, the board declared, it would be an impossibility for them to carry out the law and do their duty. The appropriation should also, they declared, cover the expense of sending delegates to the national medical meeting where it was necessary to send representatives in order to keep in touch with medical progress and education. The board declared its aim was to keep step with such progress and education, and with that end in view were endeavoring to make the examinations of applicants to practice comprehensive, rigid and along modern methods in all respects. The secretary said: "Inasmuch as the work of the board of health and the board of medical examiners overlap and

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cover in a large measure the same line, it is my opinion that more efficient and satisfactory work for the health of this commonwealth could be obtained if the two boards were united or both dissolved and a new one organized whose duties would be to look after the work now given the two boards.

For the biennial period ending June, 1912, the State Board of Health reported that there had been several epidemics in the state during the previous two years. Smallpox had appeared here and there and as vaccination was the only pre- ventive, the board urged that it should be adopted with due care to secure the proper vaccine lymph. During the year ending June 30, 1911, there were in the state 616 cases of smallpox and 4 deaths. During the year ending June 30, 1912, there were 350 cases and I death. Diphtheria had prevailed in portions of the state. For the first year there were 630 cases with 52 deaths and during the second year 520 cases and 50 deaths. This disease was most contagious and infectious. The state was warned against its ravages. Children under sixteen were especially subject to its attack. Scarlet fever had raged also in various portions. During the first year there were 1,262 cases and 53 deaths and during the second year 548 cases and 16 deaths. This was considered one of the most dangerous, contagious and infectious disease. Children under ten years of age were particularly susceptible to its attacks. Measles had likewise prevailed in portions. There were 767 cases during the first year and 15 deaths and 263 cases the second year and 2 deaths. Cerebro spinal meningitis was also prev- alent in certain portions of the state. These were the serious epidemics, but there were others which prevailed in different parts of the state. The State Board of Health, the county boards and the city boards were all united and all employed up to date and effective measures to check and crush any epidemic that might start.

In 1913, Doctor Woodworth, surgcon in charge of the Tuberculosis Hospital at Custer, stated that there were 3,500 victims of the white plague in South Dakota. He announced that it was utterly impossible for that institution to care for the number who desired treatment. At this date the hospital officials asked for a large enough appropriation to care for at least five hundred afflicted with tuberculosis. E. V. Davis of Custer visited the Legislature in 1913 and explained the condition and capacity of the Tuberculosis Hospital and of the prevalence of the disease throughout the state. His statements astonished the whole Legislature. The hospital had been established as an experiment in 1911, but at this date, 1913, it was one of the most important state institutions and needed much larger appropriations to be of much service. By January, 1913, it had been opened only a little over a year, but during that time had been com- pelled to turn away over two hundred urgent cases and had cured twenty-two cases.

The first extensive health exhibit of South Dakota was held at the Agri- cultural College in February, 1913. There were present several thousand peo- ple. The exhibit was opened by Prof. S. P. Miller, assisted by students, and covered 4,000 feet of floor space. The exhibits particularly showed the causes and methods of prevention and control of tuberculosis and typhoid. Lectures by the professor accompanied the exhibits. Anti-toxins and vaccines were shown. There were over thirty booths which were in charge of an instructor or student of the department. Among the important displays were the following: How

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flies contaminate food and carry disease; means of treating garbage to kill house flies; how to dispose of sewage; how typhoid is spread by the milk and water supply ; a typhoid sick room; deaths from tuberculosis in South Dakota; how tuberculosis is carried; utensils used by tuberculosis patient ; an outdoor sleep- ing tent for tuberculosis patient; fresh air sleeping garments; window tents; sanitary fly-proof outhouses; sputum cups; hygienic tooth display; view of the South Dakota Tuberculosis Sanitarium; numerous bacterial vaccines, tubercu- line and diphtheria anti-toxins. Professor Miller showed the effects of anti- septics ; proper methods of cleaning and dusting a house; absorbent dust remov- ers ; sterilization of water and dishes and many other health measures.

In May, 1914, the State Dentists Association held a three days' session at Sioux Falls and carried out a lengthy and important program of papers, exhib- its, clinics and lectures. Many prominent dentists not only from South Dakota cities, but from adjoining states, were present.

In recent years chiropractics have appeared and commenced the practice of their profession in nearly all the cities of the state. A bill introduced in the . Legislature of 1915 asking that they be duly licensed by the state board was defeated, but these rebuffs did not discourage the members of that profession. They had already organized and had been recognized as useful even if the Legislature did not think so.

The food and drug commissioners have been as follows: From April 1, 1901, to March 13, 1905, C. P. Sherwood, DeSmet; March 13, 1905, to February 15, 1907, E. W. Smail, Webster; February 15, 1907, to July 1, 1909, A. H. Wheaton, Brookings ; July 1, 1909, to March 13, 1913, A. N. Cook, Vermillion; March 13, 1913, to the present date Guy G. Frary, Vermillion. During nearly all of this time the commissioner has had a number of able assistants in his work. The result has been to increase the standard of investigations in every department fully up to those set by the food and drug commissioners of other states. The investigations have been greatly extended to include every article that might become dangerous under the head of food and drugs. The work was under the hotel inspection law of 1909, and included the investigation of hotels, restaurants, rooming houses, lunch rooms and public buildings under the special law of 1913. The commissioners attributed much of the success of the department to the ability, skill and painstaking care of the department staff which consisted of from eight to fifteen individuals.

The report of the commissioner in 1914 covered the years from 1908 to 1914 inclusive and showed a period of exceptional and most efficient development. During 1914, owing to the fact that previous to July 1, 1913, South Dakota had no law regulating the sanitary conditions under which foods were manufactured and sold, he directed his special attention to the condition of stores and food supplies of every description. The results were better than had been expected. Groceries and meat markets in nearly every town of the state were inspected, sometimes two and three times. In many instances sanitary counters and cases were installed in bakeries and confectionery stores at the request of the commis- sioner. Generally dealers yielded readily to the wishes of the inspectors, particu- larly in regard to keeping the stock and store clean and neat, cleaning behind counters, watching for swollen canned foods, covering butter, cheese, honey, bread, cakes, smoked meats, etc., from the ravages of flies. Early in the year Vol INI-24

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special attention was directed to slaughter houses. After making several prosecu- tions on the charge of keeping unsanitary slaughter houses and causing several houses to be abandoned and others to be remodeled, the department discontinued the inspection of the slaughter houses at the request of the State Board of Health. This step was due to a possible conflict of operations between the two depart- ments. A slight change in the law would remedy the defect. The department directed its attention, also, to the conditions under which food is shipped into the state. Previously the commissioner had called the attention of express com- panies to the provisions of the sanitary law, and in response the companies had inaugurated improved conditions. This resulted in a marked improvement in the handling of food stuffs by such companies. The examination of samples of food in the department laboratory showed that a large majority of the goods sold in the state complied with the law. Only a comparatively few cases of mis- branding were discovered. A few labels were found wrong. In connection with the inspection of stores attention was directed to the work of discovering food stuffs unfit to eat. Wherever unfit products were found the owner was required to destroy the same. Wormy dried fruit and cereals and swollen canned food made up the bulk of the goods destroyed, which in the aggregate reached hundreds of samples. In a few instances large amounts of such goods were condemned at individual stores.

The large variety of work done by the department prevented the drug in- spector in 1914 from devoting all his time to the inspection of drug stores. How- ever, he succeeded in examining all stores in the state and made a second inspec- tion of many of them. He took large numbers of samples, made an analysis of the same and published the result. His report showed that the quality of the preparations sold was about up to the standard in other states. The law which prevented the sale of adulterated liquor was passed in 1905, but was not enforced at first owing to the lack of a sufficient laboratory force to make the required analyses. It was planned in 1914 that time could be spent to good advantage examining the quality of liquor sold in the state. It was thus the design of the department that as soon as it should be located in its fine quarters in the new chemistry building at the State University, an examination of the liquor sold in the state would be duly made. There was not here the opportunity for misrepre- sentation and adulteration that existed in populous states and large cities, owing to the small quantity of intoxicating liquor manufactured in the state and to the enforcement of the interstate commerce law.

Neither had the department made a thorough analysis of paints and oils during the previous years. This was due to the same reason. Paint analysis required much time, which the chemist did not thus far have to spare. However the misbrand of linseed oil was given considerable attention. One sample of adulterated linseed oil was found and the seller was prosecuted.

During the fiscal year 1913-14 more companies registered for the sale of products in the state under the stock food law than ever before. The increase from license fees from this source alone amounted to about fifty per cent. The Legislature in 1913 made a small appropriation for the department, to be used in making analyses of stood food in feeding stuffs. This enabled the depart- ment to examine nearly every brand of stock food and ninety-six samples of feed- ing stuffs sold in the state. Practically all of the medicinal stock food sold in the

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state during the previous year with the exception of the products of one com- pany was sold locally. One company refused to comply with the law and its agent was arrested and fined, but the company appealed to the Circuit Court and prepared, if defeated, to go still higher. Their refusal concerned the method of labeling their goods. An analysis of the medicinal stock foods brought out an important point which the department particularly noted. It was shown that in many of the preparations, although a large number of ingredients were declared upon the label, the most careful search failed to reveal the presence of the sub- stance except in such minute quantities that they could not possibly have any value whatever in the doses prescribed. For instance, nux vomica was declared on some labels, yet the most rigid analysis failed to detect anything but a trace of strychnine which is the active alkaloid of that drug.

In 1913-14 the department, at the urgent demand from all parts of the state, began rigid work under the hotel inspection law. The inspectors had not progressed far before the importance of this step was realized. Everywhere hotels, restaurants and rooming-houses were found inferior and bad, and varying thus up to a few which were very good. Fully one-third of the time of the inspectors was taken up to clear up this unhealthful state of affairs. The law required at least one inspection of every hotel, restaurant and rooming-house in the state annually. This requirement was made by the department, and in many instances second, third, and even fourth inspections were made. In addition hundreds of letters and notices were sent from the department offices to aid the cleaning up process. The result was a most marked improvement throughout the entire state. At the beginning of the year numerous complaints came to the department. At the end of the year a complaint against hotels was a rare occur- rence. As this was a state of small towns the circumstances surrounding hotels and restaurants were different from those in large cities. Here the conditions were in a measure due to the sharp competition, limited patronage and small profits. In addition poor crops added to the unfortunate conditions. However, surprising results were accomplished by the departments. The work of hotel inspection was directed to sanitary conditions and fire protection. The condi- tions of back yards were duly considered; knotted ropes were installed in nearly all hotel bedrooms ; cleanliness and sanitation concerning the interior of the rooms were duly enforced.

The inspection of public buildings was an important accomplishment this year. Many were made and the work was well commenced. This duty was required under the law of 1913: Work on the new chemistry building on the university campus, in which were extensive rooms for the food and drug depart- ment, was well advanced and progressing rapidly in 1914. The building was 60 by 120 feet, fireproof throughout, and three stories high. The appropriation for the building was $75,000. In order to obtain a building of the greatest pos- sible size to meet the urgent needs of the University, the Regents used nearly the whole amount for the building proper, leaving the matter of equipment to take care of itself afterwards.

For the first time in the history of the food and drug department, an educa- tional exhibit prepared by the commissioner and his assistants, was provided for the State Fair in 1913. The department was given the use of two booths in Agricultural Hall, and both were well filled with diversified exhibits showing the

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varied and elaborate work which the food and drug department was doing. The exhibit included samples of food products which had been found illegal, including swollen canned foods and open cans showing the effect of the tin on the contents. There was also a large exhibit of goods which were properly labeled and in sani- tary packages. One display was devoted to South Dakota made food products. Many placards and descriptions on the walls explained in detail what the depart- ment was doing. Particularly were the bad results from rotten eggs, filthy flies, roller towels, careless handling of goods of every description shown.

CHAPTER X

NATIONAL GUARD, SOLDIERS' HOME, ETC.

The National Guard had its origin back in territorial days and was mostly concerned in keeping the Indians under subjection, its last important service dur- ing that period being to assist in checking the outbreak of 1890. For several years thereafter the officers were mainly engaged in recovering the supplies of arms and ammunition that had been sent to the frontier under anxious and repeated calls. After 1891 the National Guard of this state had a somewhat uneventful, uncertain and unfortunate existence until the outbreak of the Span- ish-American war in 1898. As a matter of history, it must be said that the legis- lative appropriations for the maintenance of the organization were so small that no creditable organization could be kept up. The allowance during each of the years from 1890 to 1894 inclusive was $4,000, and this was barely sufficient to enable the Guard to keep the mere semblance of an organization; but when in 1895 and thereafter until 1898 inclusive, the allowance was cut to from $300 to $500 per annum the blow was sufficient to annihilate almost completely the last vestige of order, drill and display. It was during this period that the Guard, such of it as remained in existence, was in a large measure sustained by local town aid and private subscriptions. Under the pressure of the Spanish-American war movement the Legislature in 1899 appropriated a total of $7,068.72, but dropped to $1,200 in 1900. In 1901 it appropriated $36,255.56. In 1902 it was $4,200. In 1903 the appropriation was $36,500. Since then the annual appropri- ations have varied from $14,500 to $36,719.13.

No state in the Union needed more than South Dakota to have ready at all times an efficient military organization, owing to the large bodies of Indians within its border, who were liable to go on the war path in short time and on slight pretense. The practical obliteration of the Guard forced all the citizens on the border along the Missouri River and in the Black Hills district to be in readiness to assemble instantly for their own defense. Upon the citizens was thus thrown the responsibility of quelling any uprising of the Indians and main- taining order in the wild and lawless border centers and on the still more lawless plains, a duty that was performed in almost every other state by well organized and equipped companies of National Guard.

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History of Dakota Territory, volume III, Part 52

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1146

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1146