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Health center work in Halifax and Dartmouth came about as a direct result of the ship disaster occurring in Halifax harbor, Dec. 6, 1917, when the Mont Blanc and the Imo collided. The Mont Blanc was loaded with trinitrotoluene, and a great explosion resulted, destroying the lives of 1,635 citizens, and wrecking several thousand dwelling houses. Practically all buildings in the two communities were severely damaged, the property loss alone amounting to $30,000,000. Immediately after the news reached Boston, citizens of Massachusetts hurried physicians and nurses to Halifax with relief and supplies. A very generous contribution of funds and supplies followed, the collection reaching almost $750,000. In addition, several shiploads and several trainloads of supplies and the personal assistance of many citizens of Massachusetts were contributed. As soon as the governments of Canada and England could visualize the disaster, and make plans to give permanent relief, a commission was formed

For efficiency, a public health organization in a representative form of government should, in our opinion, be directed by one versed in sanitary and practical medicine as well as in sanitary engineering.A little training in entomology and geology would add to the efficiency of the executive. He should be clothed with great police powers. The foundation of the organization should be a statistical division, including vital, morbidity and marriage statistics. Cooperating and depending on this statistical division, a medical division should be established, headed by a medical chief with an experience of at least ten years in general and special hospital work and in epidemiology. The medical associates should be those fitted for bureau work and for field service throughout the territory over which the department has jurisdiction.Independent of the responsibilities generally recognized as belonging to a medical division, it is essential for the best work to have

Trachoma was by regulation of the Unites States Public Health and Marine Hospital Service declared "a dangerous contagious disease" in 1897. Under this regulation, operating at all ports of entry since 1899, many undesirable immigrants have been excluded who, if admitted, were considered likely to become public charges. The ruling was a commendable one for this reason alone. Health officials almost without question accepted this ruling. State after state made this "dangerous contagious disease" reportable. The movements of those affected with trachoma have often been limited as if this regulation were literally true. Has the time not come for state health officials to reconsider the facts with regard to trachoma, its contagiousness and its epidemiology? Is it possible that trachoma may be primarily a deficiency disease?SYMPTOMS AND CURETrachoma is the name given a pathologic condition of the conjunctival tissues, usually first noted as a marked folliculosis in the