A HISTORY OF HEALTH IN DENVER

BUREAU OF

HEALTH AND HOSPITALS
West 6th Ave. and Cherokee Sts.
  DENVER, COLORADO


       PREFACE
TWENTY UNCERTAIN YEARS

1927-Code Revision voted to 1916 charter. No
qualifications specified for manager of Health and
Charities.

The foundation was laid for 20 years during which
lay persons of varying interest and ability directed
service including Denver General Hospital, the
Denver Farm, and garbage collection.

1927-The newly formed Denver Public Health Coun-
cil conducted a survey and suggested "Reorganize
the Health Activities in Denver, Colorado."

The first failure by a group of interested citizens.

1939-Denver Public Health Council attempted to get
a merit system established in the Department of
Health and Charity.

This effort failed!

1943-A citizens' group with the assistance of the
United States Public Health Service requested organ-
ized health services.

And this effort failed!

1946-Dr. Carl Buck and Dr. Florence Sabin spear-
head drive for statewide health program.
The State adopted a program. But Denver as a
"home rule" city, remained aloof.

1947-The Buck report on Colorado's Health was
presented to the annual meeting of the Unity Coun-
cil. The local press took the torch, and backed by
other interested individuals and groups succeeded
in persuading the administration to get Dr. Edward
McGavran to make a local survey similar to Dr.
Buck's state survey.

Public interest in public health measures was be-
ginning to be felt.

1947-The newly elected mayor had pledged his ad-
ministration to implementing the 30 page "McGavran
Report", which charged-
"It might be truthfully said that Denver does not
have a health department-"

and of Denver General Hospital -
"In an organization sense it may be said that the
hospital does not exist."

AND SO A HEALTH DEPARTMENT WAS BORN.

TWENTY tINCERTAIN YEARS


HEADLINES TELL THE STORY OF
   THE FOLLOWING YEAR

June 1, 1947-City Administration Changes.
June 2, 1947-Dr. S. S. Kauvar Agrees to Become
Manager of Health and Charity for 6 months.
June 5, 1947-Dr. Lloyd Florio Accepts Temporary
Appointment as Health Officer.
This team, one surrendering a lucrative practice and
the other a college position--took over the job of
"complete reorganization of Denver's public health
facilities".

August 20, 1947-Lewis Dodson Named Director of
Sanitation.

Headlines proclaimed "Rats Overrunning City".
August 27, 1947-Dr. Angelo Lapi Named Medical
Examiner.

September 1, 1947-Dr. Ward Chadwick Becomes
Director of Communicable Disease Control.
September 17, 1947-Miss Evelyn Rahm Loaned by
U.S.P.H.S. To Direct Health Education.
October 1, 1947-Dr. James P. Dixon Appointed
Medical Director of Denver General Hospital.
December 9, 1947-Dr. Ruth J. Raattama Named
Director of Maternal and Child Health.
Newspaper stories stressed rat control and food
handlers courses; but of more importance was that
during this six month period-
1. A contract had been made with the Colorado
  University Medical School, making Denver
  General a teaching facility.
2. A non-political board of health had been
  appointed.

3. A medical examiner system had replaced the
antiquated coroner system.
4. Staff was rapidly being assembled to make a
real health department.

December 23, 1947-Dr. Florence Sabin Replaces
Dr. Kauvar As Manager of Health and Charity.
Dr. Sabin, a native Coloradoan, retired from an
outstanding medical career-took the helm. Dr.
Xauvar, having given six months of excellent leader-
ship during a critical period, returned to his prac-
tice.
. I.
April 1, 1948-Appointments announced include-
Dr. R. M. Sorenson, Director of Venereal Disease
Control; Dr. David Reisner, Director of Tuberculosis
Control; and Mary Emberton, Director of Public
Health Nursing.
Headlines in March indicated great concern over
substandard milk! Rat poisoning was going full
blast-and so were food handlers courses at Oppor-
' tunity School.

But most important was the amalgamation of the
59 year old Visiting Nurse Association with the
health department nursing staff.
Dr. Naylor wrote an editorial on the possibility of
a rabies epidemic, and the kids at Teller School com-
plained that the dog catcher was taking his work
too seriously.

May 6, 1948.-Merged Health and Hospital Services
to be headed by Dr. James P. Dixon announced.
SO THE FIRST YEAR SAW
(1) Order come to Denver General Hospital.
(2) The creation of a public health department
  containing all basic public health services.
(3) The combining of health and hospital services
   to better meet the total health needs of the
  community.

A YEAR OF HEADLIMES


      A YEAR OF SERVICE
The year 1949 found Denver Bureau of Health
and Hospitals affiliated with Colorado University
School of Medicine, and working with the com-
munity's physicians in seeing that every person
in Denver received medical care, and was protected
from health hazards. This year also saw adequate
housing furnished for the preventive health services.
THE PROGRAM FOR 1949 INCLUDED:

o Medicul Care For The Indigent-supplemented by staff ossis-
tance from Denver's practicing physicians valued at $500,000.
*Preventive Health Services-aided by lay assistnce valued
at $60,000, and professional help at $75,000.
`Education of Health Personnel- This program was carried out
in cooperation with the University of Colorado, Rocky Mountain
Training Center and Opportunity School.

MEDICAL CARE INCLUDED:
At Denver General Hospital
`140,477 days care to 8,914 patients
o 28,121 patients given emergency care
' 36,049 out-patients treated
o 3,697 surgical operations

At Denver Farm
* 38,537 days care to 170 chronically ill
Field Nursing

* 13,790 nursing visits to 1,616 ill persons
Quality of service is hard to describe-but no longer was
Denver General Hospital described "as the last step before the
morgue".  Affiliation with the medical school along with the
necessary higher standards; and having the best physicians in
town as a volunteer staff, made a great difference in medical
care.

PREVENTIVE SERVICES INCLUDED:
  Well Child Service
  ' 5,062 children cared for in 23 stations
o 11,258 infant nursing visits
' 9,877 pre-school nursing visits
* 13,241 parochial school child inspections
o 1,578 parochial school child physical exams
o 8,749 parochial school child dental exams

Mother's Assistance
o 4,529 prenatal field visits
o 4,306 post-natal field visits
Communiccrhle Disease Control
* 1,077 nursing visits
o 2,832 Tuberculosis nursing visits
o

  801 V. D. nursing visits
* 1,949 persons immunized against smallpox
o 2,561 persons immunized against diphtheria

1.450 persons immunized against whooping cough
o 1,348 persons immunized against tetanus
.   733 persons immunized against typhoid
`233,994 persons given small chest x-rays

Sanitation
General
o 8,005 complaint inspections
o 1,544 rat and rodent surveys
.

  117 mosquito and insect surveys
o 1,055 water samples tested
Milk
*

1,842 plant inspections and surveys
o 4,603 farm surveys
*

2,986 attendance at 76 farm meetings
* 27,863 milk samples tested
*

  698 ice cream samples tested
Food
' 11,772 inspections of establishments
I)

   927 food handlers trained
.   214 food and meat samples tested
Meat
`163,890 animals inspected

Notable accomplishments in preventive services included:
1. The first x-ray survey in the United States to include com-
  plete diagnosis. Follow-up for ultimate medical care was
   immediately instituted.

2. A continuous rat proofing and eradication program.
3. Twenty three well baby stations furnishing well child super-
  vision for over 5,000 children.
4. A milk control program that raised the rating from 62%
  in 1947 to 88% in 1949.
5. A food control program that raised restaurant ratings from
49% in 1947 to 74% in 1949.

EDUCATKON FACILITIES WERE PROVIDED FOR:
Training of:
  * 16 medical interns

* 125 medical residents
* 127 medical students
* 45 nurses
* 6 x-ray technicians
Field experience for:
- 55 in public health nursing
* 46 in sanitation
' 20 in laboratory technology
* 10 in physical and occupational therapy
*

4 in public health education
o 1 in hospital administration
'  1 in medical social service

Community health is dependent upon adequate health per-
sonnel. The private physicians. nurses, and other specialists.
along with private hospitals, are responsible for the larger part
of the community's medical care. The Bureau of Health and
Hospitals feels that providing training facilities (1) helps the
community to obtain more health personnel, and (2) enables the
medically indigent to get better medical care, because of the
additional resources available in a training facility.

A YEAR OF SERVICE


AND WHAT NEXT?. . .

The Bureau of Health and Hospitals is proud of the
Good Government Award from the National Junior
Chamber of Commerce for: "sanitation improve-
ment; leadership in the recent x-ray survey; enforce-
ment of communicable disease laws; increased
effectiveness of Visiting Nurses and Maternal and
Child Health programs; and improved management
of Denver General Hospital", but feel that fullfilling
the obligation for still better community health
means-
-seeing that every cent of your tax money is used
with wisdom and care in providing as much good
health service as possible
-continuing to work with Denver's physicians to
improve Denver's health
-encouraging teamwork of all agencies involved in
child care

-emphasizing care of people rather than merely
curing disease.
This calls for

*Better out-patient services
*More mental health services
*Encouraging more good convalescent homes, day
care centers, and boarding homes
*Taking services to the people through branch
offices

*More visiting nurses

*Replacing obsolete portions of hospital buildings
*Improved facilities for the health of mothers and
children.

Some of these cost money-others depend upon ad-
ministrative ability and cooperative effort.
The Bureau of Health and Hospitals pledges itself to
provide the best service possible with the resources
available.
But remember-

Denver's Health Depends On Your Support!
Your Health Is In Your Hands!

DENVER BUREAU OF HEALTH AND HOSPITALS
         Quigg Newton. Mayor

Florence S&tin, M.D., Manager, Health and Charity

   BOARD OF HEALTH AND HOSPITALS
      S. S. Kauvar, M.D., Ch `rman
Kenneth D. A. Allen, M.D.  f Hugh B. Terry
Kenneth E. Oberholtzer        Mark Harrington
Mrs. John 1. Sullivan          Gerald B. Peters
     James P. Dixon, M.D., Director