Download or read book Fifth Annual Report of the Provincial Board of Health of Ontario written by and published by . This book was released on 2015-08-05 with total page 670 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from Fifth Annual Report of the Provincial Board of Health of Ontario: Being for the Year, 1886 The progress of Sanitation in our Province during the last year, we may fairly consider to have been satisfactory, and the good work done by the numerous Local Boards most encouraging, affording conclusive evidence of an increase of interest in the minds of the people on matters connected with public health. On the routine work of our Board it will be unnecessary to dilate, as the Secretary, in his report, will enter fully on the discussion of all matters that at the various quarterly and special meetings have occupied the attention of the members; but on a few points of great importance to the community at large, I purpose briefly commenting: - 1st. On the establishment of a vaccine farm at Palmerston, under the supervision of the Board and subsidized by the Government, Dr. Stewart, of that town, being the Manager. The occasional but somewhat rare occurrence of death from smallpox after vaccination, erysipelas and cases of blood poisoning from the use of impure virus, have led to a distrust in the minds of many to the practise of vaccination, as the Medical Officers, during the epidemic of last year in the Province of Quebec, had, too frequently for success in stamping out the disease, occasion for observing. It therefore became the imperative duty of all State and Provincial Boards of Health ta endeavour to provide for the area of country under their charge vaccine virus to which no possible suspicion could attach. In view of the great importance of convincing the public that every possible precaution against impurity should be insisted on, it was deemed by our Board that the frequent supervision by the Secretary and one of our members resident in the neighbourhood, and the quasi Government imprimatur, would be the most effectual step towards antagonizing a most disastrous prejudice. Entertaining this belief at a meeting of the Board, February 2nd, 1886, the following resolution, moved by Dr. Yeomans, seconded by Dr. Cassidy, was carried: That this Board having received notification from Dr. Stewart, of Palmerston, of the establishment by him of a vaccine farm, that he has supplied medical men throughout the Province, and further has asked continued inspection of his farm and methods of procedure, therefore this Board recommend that the Government should provide for the continued, frequent and thorough inspection of this vaccine farm, or other vaccine farms that may hereafter be established, with the object of securing a supply of pure and reliable vaccine lymph, procurable within this Province; and that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Attorney-General. At the quarterly meeting in May, Dr. Bryce read his report on the inspection made of the Ontario Vaccine Farm at Palmerston, which report was received and adopted. On the following day, on motion of Dr. Yeomans, seconded by Dr. Cassidy, it was resolved, That inasmuch as Dr. Stewart had fulfilled some of the conditions required by this Board for the supply of reliable vaccine virus for the Province, this Board would recommend the payment of 8250 out of the Government grant, also that the remainder be paid in quarterly instalments. Dr. Stewart continuing to fulfil the conditions laid down by this Board. Since the establishment of this vaccine farm the supply of virus required in our Province has been largely obtained from Dr. Stewart to the complete satisfaction at least from any communications to our Board to the contrary of all who have made use of it. By this establishment of a vaccine institution under Government surveillance, the members of the Board entertain the hope that the prejudice existing in the minds of too many for safety against the dreaded disease. Smallpox, by vaccination, may in time be dispelled and the use of the only effectual preventive universally had recourse to. At a special meeting of the Board convened on the 21 st of April .