MARYLAND MANUAL. 45


In addition to the Executive Office the Department consists of eight
bureaus, the duties of which are described as follows.
The Bureau o Vital Statistics registers all marriages, divorces,
births and deaths occurring in Maryland, licenses and registers mid
wives, and regulates the transportation of the dead.

Dr. Frederic V. Beitler, Chief, Baltimore, Maryland.

The Bureau of Communicable Diseases receives daily reports from
Health Officers of communicable diseases: investigates outbreaks of
disease and directs measures for their control; enforces •the laws on
notification of reportable diseases and the smallpox vaccination law;
aids in maintaining tuberculosis clinics and keeps a separate and con
fidential record of all cases of tuberculosis and of venereal diseases;
maintains venereal disease clinics, directs medical inspection of pub
lic schools and investigates nuisances.

The Chief of this Bureau is also Assistant Director of Health. The
Deputy State Health Officers report through the Assistant Director to
the Director of Health. The Assistant Director supervises the work
of the public health nurses of whom there are forty-eight through the
Deputy State and County Health officers. He is also Chairman of the
Oyster Survey Committee and is in charge of the issUance of permits
to operate picnic, tourist, labor, religious and recreation camps. He
aids in the development of full-time health departments in the coun
ties and public health nursing programs.

Dr. R. H. Riley, Chief, Baltimore, Md.

The Burean of Bacteriology, assists physicians in the diagnosis,
treatment and prevention of communicable diseases; determines the
sanitary quality of drinking water, milk and other food substances and
drugs; makes immunizing substances, tests the efficiency of operations
for the purification of water .and the disinfection of sewage.

The Central Laboratory is located at 14 West Saratoga Street, Bal
timore City, with Branch Laboratories at Cumberland, Hurlock, Fred
erick, Hagerstown and Washington, D. C.

Mr. H. C. Ward, Chief Bacteriologist, Baltimore, Md.

The Bureau of Chemistry determines the sanitary quality of drink
ing waters, of milk and other food substances, determines the legality
of drug products and pharmaceutical and medicinal preparations sold
to the public; assists in testing the efficiency of operations conducted
for the purification of water or for the treatment of sewage; assists
in preventing the adulteration or misbranding of foods; conducts in
vestigations from time to time which have for their object the im
provement of analytical methods applicable to drugs, foods, waters and
sewage.

Dr. W. W. Randall, Chief Chemist, Baltimore, Md.

The Bureau of Sanitary Engineering exercises supervision over the
purity of waters over the State; examines all sewage and water works
projects, approves or amends them, can require local authorities to in
stall sewerage or water works, or to alter the construction or operation
of these works; exercises snpervision over the disposal of trade wastes,
stream pollution in general, and aerial pollution, and prepares plans


and specifications and supervises the construction of water and sewer
age works at State Institutions.

Mr. Abel Wolman, Chief Engineer, Baltimore, Md.

The Bureau of Foods and Drugs controls the purity of foods and
drugs; inspects pharmacies, dairies, canneries, slaughter houses, mar
kets and other places where foods are produced, sold, manufactured or