of Governor Herbert R. O'Conor 143

In the field of public health, the activities of the past year rank Maryland
well up among the progressive states of the Nation.

For instance, there was appropriated $10, 000 for the control of pneumonia,
and a program was formulated for the free distribution of toxins to practicing
physicians applying to the County Health Officers for the treatment of patients
unable to purchase the same. The program also provides systematic laboratory
tests as a means of checking any untoward effects of the drug. So well-planned
is this pneumonia-control program developed during the year that the State of
Delaware has requested permission to adopt the program in full, and health
officers from Canada have requested the complete program. The Metropolitan
Life Insurance Company, an institution vitally interested in saving lives, called
it the most complete and thorough program they had reviewed. During the
first month of its operation, 41 physicians applied for the toxin, the county
public health nurses made 95 visits to pneumonia patients, and arranged for
28 blood examinations at the request of private physicians.

Immunization against diphtheria was conducted by all the 23 county health
units and it is estimated that 80% of the school children of Maryland have been
given this preventive measure.

Two hundred seventy-nine clinics for tuberculosis were held in the State,
with an attendance of 5, 774 patients, of which 473 were hospitalized.

Great strides were made in the expansion of venereal disease clinics and
increasingly widespread attention was given to this serious situation affecting
indirectly the people of the entire State.

Among the State's service to children, it is noted that there were pro-
vided 31, 227 hospital days, 6, 801 visits to the homes were made by the orthopedic
nurses, and 16, 426 treatments were given by physiotherapists. Shoes, braces,
and orthopedic appliances were purchased for children in the cases where
parents could not purchase same from their own funds.

The Bureau of Child Hygiene conducted 608 prenatal clinics during the
first 11 months of 1939, and these were attended by 2, 138 women. Nursing
visits in the number of 15, 134 were made to mothers before and after the
birth of their babies.

Child Health Conferences were held in all 23 counties, with an attendance
of 13, 659 new children, and 5, 557 children returned for re-examination; 3, 285 of
these were examined on the health trailer which toured the State during the
summer months. Maryland's public health nurses made 35, 585 nursing visits
to infants and pre-school children.

As an instance of the protection afforded in the matter of foods, drugs,
and other items that have a direct bearing on the health of our citizens, the
Bureau of Food and Drugs made approximately 13, 550 inspections during the
year, of which 6, 469 were food establishments.

The Bureau of Chemistry during the year made approximately 10, 000 ex-
aminations of such varied items as products from markets, dairies and can-
neries; water, sewages, etc.

To do away with the haphazard method of waiting for the Legislature to
assemble without having a continuing method of ascertaining all facts in regard
to the budget, there was created in 1939 a Department of Budget and Procure-
ment. This fact-finding, money-saving agency has already justified its ex-
istence. To head the Department, I selected Walter N. Kirkman, whom I con-
sidered the best available person in the State for this position. Under his