NOVEMBER The nights are lengthening and growing colder, and in the northern and western counties of the State there is already ice in the lowlands and a powdering of snow upon the hills. It is time to gather with satisfaction about the open fireplace and to pity the sailor at sea and the poor people in the cities who have only steam radiators to warm, but not to cheer them. The winter is a hard time for the elders, however, and the diseases which attack them, pneumonia and bronchitis, Bright's disease and heart disease, are not easily controlled as are typhoid fever and tuberculosis. and the other communicable diseases which attack us in earlier life. In most cases, however, these affections may be checked by living a healthy life for they are all diseases due to low vitality or to excessive strain of some sort, to unhygienic habits rather than to years alone. We greatly overdo the business of keeping warm in our houses, for instance. It is the habit of living in overheated rooms that lowers the vitality and injures the membrane of the nose and throat so that we fall victims to pneumonia and bronchitis, which become more prevalent during the autumn and reach their height in March and April; and now is the time to take precautions to prevent these respiratory diseases. A sound and strong old age At night the person who would avoid respiratory disease should always sleep with open windows or out-of-doors even in cold winter weather. The human body has a wonderful power of adapting itself to changes in temperature, but the power must be educated by use. Cold is dangerous when it comes as a surprise. Make a friend of it and it is one of the best tonics you can have. Most of the diseases of later life and senility are primarily due to aging of the blood vessels as a result of excesses of some sort, over eating, alcoholic stimulants, or overwork. Avoidance of excesses would add five years to the life of the average adult. Good food in proper amount with not too much meat and frequent draughts of pure, cool water will keep the digestion and the kidneys in such conditions as to avoid many of the troubles of later life. Temperance in eating and drinking, a modicum of physical exercise, best in the open air, avoidance when possible of nervous strain—in short that moderation in all things which the Latin poet prescribes these give the best insurance of a long and happy life. Some physical defects will develop in all of us as we pass middle life and everyone over forty-five should have a complete physical examination once a year by a competent physician so that beginning disease may be detected and checked before it does its deadly work. 7 6.... Sat.... Koch announced lymph treatment for con 8 Mon.. Montana admitted, 1889. 6.35 Battle of Talladega, 1813.. 6.36 10. Wed... Martin Luther born, 1791. 6.37 II. tality, New Haven, 1909... 12. Thur... Conference on Prevention of Infant Mor Fri.... Montreal captured by American forces, 1775. 6.40 4.41 DECEMBER The year rounds to its close and Christmas once more gathers together the families whose callings have perhaps scattered them to distant cities and States. About many a merry table the circle gathers unbroken to tell the news and compare the experiences of twelve busy months. There will be some 15,000 families in our State, however, where the family circle has been broken during the year, and broken by just one of the communicable diseases — the most insidious and deadly of all the communicable diseases tuberculosis. Even this, the worst of all our microbic enemies, may be defeated if we will use the right weapons. It is worth while even in our busy season of rejoicing to give this enemy a thought lest 1916 find us as unprepared as past decades have done. Prevention of tuberculosis We know to-day that tuberculosis if taken in its early stages can be cured, not by patent medicines but by nature's medicines — fresh air, good food, exercise and rest. The first step in controlling this disease is to find the cases early enough to secure the needed hygienic treatment. If you know anyone who has a persistent cough, or catarrh, or a constant feeling of languor, or feverishness at night, who is losing weight and has a feeling of discomfort in the chest, warn him or her to go to a competent physician and find out the presence of the enemy while it is still time. The surest way to prevent danger is to care for tuberculous patients in sanatoria and hospitals where they can be under expert supervision, and it is only in such institutions that they are likely to live the sort of life that will ensure a real recovery for themselves. Everyone is interested in the war against tuberculosis and particularly at this season when the sale of the Red Cross stamps gives each one a chance to do a little something for the unfortunates whose Christmas is overshadowed by disease. Have you done everything you need do, however, if you have bought a few Red Cross stamps? Many of you who read this almanac are physicians, some health officers, a large number school principals. You have authority and responsibility in your own local community. What is that community doing about tuberculosis? Have you a dispensary and a county hospital for the care of this disease? Have you in your town a visiting nurse to seek out the early cases and get them into the hospital, or to give them advice and assistance as to home care? If your county and your town are not doing these things for the tuberculous, perhaps a thought for these poor unfortunates at the holiday season will lead to a New Year's resolution to make some definite community effort that they may have a happier Christmas in 1916. SPECIAL BULLETINS AND CIRCULARS May be obtained by sending a two-cent stamp for postage to the New York State Department of Health Albany, N. Y. SPECIAL BULLETIN No. 1- INFANT WELFARE CAMPAIGNS AND INFANT WELFARE STATIONS The value of such stations, how to organize and manage them. SPECIAL BULLETIN No. 2 SANITARY CODE, CHAPTERS 1 AND 2- REGULATIONS FOR CLEANSING AND DISINFECTION Rules for isolation of communicable disease. after communicable disease. Cleansing and Disinfection during and SPECIAL BULLETIN No. 3 - -EFFICIENCY IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH CAMPAIGN SPECIAL BULLETIN No. 4 — THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE STATE Address by Governor Glynn at the Saratoga Conference of State Sanitary Officers. SPECIAL BULLETIN No. 5 COUNTY TUBERCULOSIS HOSPITAL Why every county needs one. Sanatorium facilities of New York State. CIRCULAR No. 1 THE FILTHY FLY Habits and life history of the fly. Prevention of breeding. CIRCULAR No. 2 BEFORE THE BABY COMES Proper preparation for motherhood. Diet for the mother. for the baby and mother. CIRCULAR No. 3 -- THE NEW-BORN BABY How to properly nurse your baby. Advice to the mother. CIRCULAR No. 4- THE FOOD OF THE BABY How to trap flies. List of necessary things Weaning from the breast. Food the baby requires and how to prepare it. Rules for bottle feeding. CIRCULAR No. 5 THE SUMMER CARE OF BABIES Care of breast-fed and bottle-fed babies. How to prevent diarrhea. CIRCULAR No. 6-CARE OF MILK IN THE HOME How to safeguard the milk for your baby. Directions for making a home-made icebox. CIRCULAR No. 7 FROM THE BOTTLE TO TABLE FOOD What food to give the baby after weaning from the bottle. CIRCULAR NO. 8 AVOIDING INFECTION How the baby may be kept free from disease. Things which are bad for all babies. CIRCULAR No. 9-FARM SANITATION How the farm may be kept free from flies and mosquitoes. How to construct a safe well, a good type of watercloset. How to safeguard the milk. CIRCULAR No. 10 YOUR BABY HOW TO KEEP IT WELL A 28-page booklet of advice on preparation for motherhood, nursing, feeding and care of the baby. How to detect this loathsome disease. How the disease spreads and how it may be avoided. Directions for care of patients. Care of the vaccination, so as to avoid sore arms or other harmful results. CIRCULAR No. 13- THE TEACHER AND COMMUNICABLE DISEASE How disease is caused and spreads. Symptoms by which the teacher may detect communicable disease. CIRCULAR No. 14 THE CONDUCT OF AN ISOLATION PERIOD IN THE HOME The what, how and why of treating a communicable disease at home. CIRCULAR No. 15 SCARLET FEVER How it may be detected. How it spreads and how it may be avoided. Directions to mothers, nurses, physicians and health officers for treating cases of this disease. CIRCULAR NO. 16- - TYPHOID FEVER Information for those who care for the patient, for physicians and health officers in regard to the spread and prevention of typhoid fever. CIRCULAR NO. 17 MEASLES Information for parents and for those who care for the patient, for physicians and health officers in regard to the spread and prevention of measles. Information for parents and for those who care for the patient, for physicians and health officers, in regard to the spread and prevention of whooping cough. CIRCULAR No. 19- AMUSEMENTS FOR CONVALESCENT CHILDREN Amusements for children that will make the convalescent period less tedious. CIRCULAR No. 20- TUBERCULOSIS (CONSUMPTION) What it is. CIRCULAR No. 21 How it spreads, how it may be detected and how it may be prevented. Directions to mothers, nurses, physicians and health officers for caring for this disease. CIRCULAR No. 22 SORE EYES OF NEW BORN BABIES. DIRECTIONS FOR PREVENTING INFANT BLINDNESS How sore eyes of new-born babies is caused and how it may be prevented. Directions for preventing blindness of infants, |