PUBLIC HEALTH REPORTS VOL 48 DECEMBER 22, 1933 NO. S1 CURRENT PREVALENCE OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES IN THE UNITED STATES1 November 5-December 2, 1933 The prevalence of certain important communicable diseases, as indicated by weekly telegraphic reports from State health depart- ments to the United States Public Health Service, is summarized in this report. The underlying statistical data are published weekly in the PUBLIC HEALTH REPORTS, under the section entitled "Preva- lence of Disease." Poliomyelitis.-Further decline in the incidence of poliomyelitis continued through the month of November. For the current 4-week period 268 cases were reported, as compared with 602 for the pre- ceding 4-week period. In the New England and Middle Atlantic States, where the disease first appeared in epidemiciike form, the number of cases dropped from 262 for the 4 weeks ended November 4 to 94 for the current period; in the East North Central States the number dropped from 140 to 39; and in the West North Central from 98 to 29. The South Central and Mountain areas reported a slight increase and the Pacific area a decrease as compared with the pre- ceding period. No increases above the normal seasonal expectancy have been reported this year from these areas. The number of cases for the current period (268) was still high as compar6d with the normal years of 1932 and 1929 (approximately 1.4 times those years), but it was only about 42 percent of the number in 1931 and 30 percent of that in 1930-both epidemic years. The South Central areas reported practically the same incidence as last year, but all other areas reported increases ranging from 18 percent in the East North Central States to 93 percent in the West North Central area. I From the Office of Statistical Investigations, U.S. Public Health Service. The numbers of States Included for the various diseas are as follows: Typhoid fever, 48; poliomyelitis, 48; meningococcus menin- gitis, 48; smallpox, 48; measles, 47; diphtheria, 48; scarlet fever, 48; influenza, 38 States and New York City. The District of Columbia is counted as a State in these reports. These summies include only the 8 important communicable diseases for which the Public Health Service receives weekly telegraphic reports from the State health officers. 202870-33-1 (1513) December 22, 1£33 1514 1nfluenza.-During the current 4-week period 4,429 cases of influ- enza were reported. This number was only about 18 percent of that reported (24,673) for the corresponding period last year, when a sharp rise marked the appearance of an epidemiclike wave of influenza in the Mountain and Pacific aDd South Central areas. For this period in 1931, 1930, and 1929 the numbers of cases were 3,593, 4,009, and 4,927, respectively. The influenza situation is very favorable in all sections of the country, no section reporting more than the normal seasonal increase and none exceeding the incidence for the corre- sponding period of last year. Smallpox.-For the 4 weeks ended December 2 there were 408 cases of smallpox reported. The current incidence approached very closely that of the corresponding period last year, when 430 cases were reported. For this period in 1931, 1930, and 1929 the numbers of cases were 1,124, 1,467, and 3,717, respectively. In the various geographic areas the New England and Middle Atlantic still remained free from the disease, while the East North Central and West North Central areas each reported a 25 percent decrease from last year's figure for this period; the South Atlantic States reported 9 cases as compared with 5 last year, and in the South Central areas the inci- dence was approximately the same as last year; the Mountain area reported 20 for the current period as against 68 last year, and the Pacific States reported 28 as against 61. Diphtheria. The number of cases of diphtheria dropped from 8,302 for the preceding 4-week period to 7,442 for the current period, wlhich might indicate that the peakfor the current year was passed during that period (Oct. 8-Nov. 4). In each of the 2 preceding years the peak was reached during the 4 weeks corresponding to that period, while in the years 1930 and 1929 the peak was reached during the period corresponding to the current 4 weeks. The current incidence was 1.1 times that for the corresponding period last year, but was only about 80 percent of the incidence in 1931. For this period in 1930 and 1929 the numbers of cases totaled 7,031 and 9,405, respectively. The South Atlantic and South Central areas seemed mostly responsible for the increase over last year. In each of those areas the incidence was approximately 1.4 times that of last year. In all other areas the disease was less prevalent than during this period last year. Mea4es.-The usual seasonal increase of measles continued through the current 4-week period. The number of cases (10,567) was about 23 percent in excess of that for the corresponding period last year. In fact, for the entire reporting area the incidence was the highest for the 5 years for which data are available. A comparison of geo- graphic areas shows that the situation in the South Atlantic, South 1515 1515December 22, 1933 Central, and Mountain and Pacific areas was simnilar to that described for the country as a whole, while in the East North Central area the incidence was the lowest in the 5 years. Thle number of cases reported from the New England and Middle Atlantic areas was approximately the same as for last year, and the West North Central States reported 1,084 cases for the current period as against 707 and 461 for the years 1932 and 1931, respectively. Scarletfever.-The number of cases of scarlet fever (17,713) reported for the 4 weeks ended December 2 was the highest for this period in the 5 years for which data are available. All areas except the New England and Middle Atlantic and the East North Central contributed to the increase over last year. In those areas the disease was slightly less prevalent than at this time a year ago. For the corresponding period in the years 1932, 1931, and 1930 the numbers of cases were 16,938, 15,281, and 14,240, respectively. Meningococcus meningiis.-For the current 4-week period 157 cases of meningococcus meningitis were reported-the lowest incidence for this period in the 5 years for which data are available. The South Atlantic States reported 27 cases, 1.8 times the number reported for the same period last year, and the West North Central area approxi- mated last year's incidence; all other areas reported decreases ranging from 13 percent in the South Central groups to 65 percent in the Mountain and Pacific areas. Typhoidfever.-The incidence of typhoid fever dropped approxi- mately 1,000 cases during the 4 weeks ended December 2 as compared with the preceding 4 weeks. The number of cases (1,376) was 20 per- cent higher than that reported for the corresponding period last year, but only about 70 percent of the figure for 1931. For this period in 1930 and 1929 the numbers of cases totaled 2,234 and 1,496, respec- tively. The disease appeared to be most prevalent this year in the West North Central, South Central, and Mountain and Pacific areas. In each of those areas the number of cases reported for the current period was approximately 1.6 times that for the corresponding period last year. In other areas the disease was less prevalent than last year. Mortality, aU causes.-Deaths from all causes in large cities (as reported by the Bureau of the Census) for the 4 weeks ended December 2, was 11.2 per thousand population (annual basis). This rate was practically the same as the rates for the corresponding period in 1932 and 1931. In the first half of 1933 the death rate was very low in relation to recent years, but for the last several 4-week periods it has approximated the level of 1932 and 1931. December 22. 1933 1516 STATE AND INSULAR HEALTH AUTHORITIES, 1933 DIRECTORY, WITH DATA AS TO APPROPRIATIONS AND PUBLICA- TIONS Directories of the State and insular health authorities of the United States for each year from 1912 to 1931 have been published in the Public Health Reports 2 for the information of health officers and others interested in public-health activities. The present directory (1933), like those formerly issued, has been compiled from informa- tion furnished by the respective State and insular health officers, and includes data as to appropriations and publications. Where an officer has been reported to be a "whole-time" health officer, that fact-is indicated by an asterisk (*). For this purpose a "whole-time" health officer is defined as "one who does not engago in the practice of medicine or in any other business, but devotes all of his time to official duties." ALABAMA ALABAMA-Continued Board of censors of the medical association of the Sanitation-Continued. State of Alabama, acting as a State committee of Division of inspection: public health: 'C. A. Abele, Ch.E., director, Montgomery B. M. Miller, governor, ex officio chairman, *H. J. Thrasher, assistant director, Hunts- Montgomery ville W. D. Partlow, M.D., chairman, Tuscaloosa *F. D. Downs, dairy inspector, Montgom- R. S. Hill, M.D., Montgomery ery Fred W. Wilkerson, M.D., Montgomery D. T. McCall, M.D., Mobile Communicable disease control: M. S. Davie, M.D., Dothan 'D.