Show CALL YOUR FAMILY PHYSICIAN Dr M M. J. J Macfarlane County Physician Since the statement published Inthe in inthe inthe the last Issue of the lorn County Record by the City Physician has l there has been considerable considerable considerable consider consider- able confusion in the minds of the people as to what hat their duty is Inthe Inthe in inthe the case of a suspected contagious disease In the tile family Numbers of people have called the writer to know if It is their duty to call the City Ph Physician in such case The answer is No It ItIs Itis Itis is their duty to call their family physician who will examine and diagnose the case Then It is his duty according to the state law lawand lawand lawand and the city ordinances to report Immediately this case to the city board of health of which the city physician is a member According to section 2748 of the state law It shall be the duty of the local board of health without delay upon upon up up- on receiving such notice as Is provided provided pro vided for in r. r Section 2748 to proceed proceed proceed pro pro- immediately to carry out such rules and regulations as the state board of health may prescribe having for their object the prevention prevention prevention pre pre- pre pre- and restriction of the disease dis dis- disease ease e ease S ar diseases aforementioned referring to contagious diseases Some people have the eroneous idea that tha t the city physician Is compelled to diagnose and treat all cases of contagious disease According According According Ac Ac- cording to the statutes of the City the city physician Is compelled to treat only city prisoners at the re request request request re- re quest of the city marshal Parents have failed to cooperate cooperate cooperate cooper cooper- ate with local physicians in one Important detail Many cases of mumps have never been quarantined quarantined quarantined tined because parents have failed to report subsequent cases to their doctor The law prescribes that every case as it com comps comes s down in a family shall be reported in the same manner as the first case If there were intelligent cooperation between n the parents physicians and the board of health In the matter matter matter mat mat- ter of contagious disease there should be no wide-spread wide dissemination dissemination dissemination of which is an easy disease to control providing there Is this cooperation So it would seem the wise policy polley on the part of parents is to notify their family physician immediately upon suspicion of a contagious disease and upon subsequent appearance appearance appearance ap ap- of the disease in any other member of the family If this is done the board of health will be properly notified and the proper quarantine regulations will be en en- en forced |