Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-06-20


problems requires; and he frequently
lacks the tact and business acumen that
fits the model health official to deal
smoothly with the people and their chosen
officers
So, however well equipped the physician
| may be to deal with disease in its techni-
cal aspects, he may still lack something
that is required Of the practical ssnitar-
| Ian. The practical sanitaran must be
something Of lawyer an engineer, as
| we'll as doctor, and withal, a tactful and
resourceful man. So It comes about tina
| come medical men. who are health off,
cials. lack certain qualifications which
laymen possess; that some OF our best
health officers. measured by results at
| tained, are laymen.
This school is planned to supplement- the
equipment Of both physicians and laymen
for the office Of health officer. The doctor
| may here learn something apart from his
| professional knowledge; the layman,
| something Of the technical nature of dis
| ca Sc causes and the rudiments of proven
| ton.
In this connection II may interest you to
| know the appreciation in which this
school is held.w have a register OF at
tendance Mt the sessions of this school
| from the beginning. There may have bee 4
failure on the part Of some health officers
to register. but it is believed the follow
| ing figures are substantially correct
The average attendance OF health off,
| GERS during the eight years OF the scho d
has been III per cent. Or there have been
| 1876 towns on an average unrepresented
| here each year. 1t should be stated in
| this connection that the attendance dur
ing the last five years has averaged better
than this, being considerably over halt
the whole number of towns.
| 1t will surprise you to know that 81
| towns have never sent their health off,
GERS to the school. These are Goshen,
| Granville. Hancock. Leicester. Whiting,
Pownal, Searsburgh, Woodford, Norton,
Victory, Washington. Bloomington. Clio
yer. jay Westmore. Clarendon, Ryegate,
Waterford Huntington. Bloomfield,
Brunswick, East Haven, Guildhall Lem
ington, Maidstone. Mendon. Duxbury,
Dover Immersion. Grafton. Marlboro,
Wilmington, Windham. Baltimore. Ply
mouth, Sharon, West Windsor
| There can be no sort of doubt that these
towns are missing something. 1t might
be suggested that the health officer OF
| each Of these towns ought to be awaken
ed to the opportunities of this school. The
| people In each should stir up that official
and insist that he keepin touch with his
| fellows. or resign in favor of some one
who will attend. There are, too, many
towns which have been represented here
| only once or twice.
The State pays the bills for this school
Health officers are entitled to four dollars
a day and actual expenses from theil
| towns while In attendance. 1t should b.
the exception that a town fails Of repre-
sentation here. That so many fail is dis.
graceful-for 1t betokens an ignorance d
a disregard of healthful community III.
that deserves. in this day, nothing bu
| criticism.
appreciate that most Of these towns
are small rural communities, with small
grand lists and little preventable sickness
l believe that the one might be increased
and the other lessened If the people hac
the benefit Of intelligent sanitation. 1t J.:
a unive rsally recognized fact that publ,
health expenditures pay. They pay sinai
towns as we'll as large. They pay in max
ing them better places for residence oil
business, thereby increasing values. The,
|
| and sorrow.
For whatever reason these 81 towns
have failed during these eight years tc
be represented here. whether through
carelessness or motives Of economy, It /:
unfortunate for them and It Is unfortu
nate for the State.
Every town is somewhat at the mere,
of its neighbors in matters affecting
health. Every town owes certain duty
to the State at large, one of which Is to
so guard it's own healthfulness that 1
may not by any possibility teopardize the
whole. 1t Is the duty OF every town il
Vermont to send its health officer to thi
school. On the other hand, 1t ts gratifying
to know that his school Is appreciated b,
some Of the towns, and that they are get
ting all possible benefit from It, Thrice,
towns have never failed of represe ntatiol
at these sessions. These are New Haven
Bennington, Lyndon, Burlington, Char.
lotte. Hinesburgh Shelburne, Brighton
Fairfax, Stowe. Grand Isle, Rutland city
Ma rshfield.
There are, besides, 20 towns that hav,
but once failed to be represented at tn
school during the eight years Of its his
tory.
It should be said again that health ofl
GERS who have attended these session
faithfully, should've sure Of their tenur
of office.
} They have fairly earned the right to ad
minister the health offices OF their towns
Such men should not be displaced, excep
for excellent reasons. Their towns hav
no right to their services.
know Of no surer criterion by whicl
to judge the efficient health officer thai
that furnished by the register OF thi
! school,
, This health officers school is then a.
important adjunct OF our State equipmen
against disease. Its benefits should reacl
J to every hamlet in the State; it SHOULD
have, through you who attend, an in
fuence on public opinion in the Stat
that would render public health laws cas-.
of enforcement.
1t would be interesting to know exactI
what effect our public health laws hav
had on the healthfulness of our people
1t is possible, however, TO gain som
; light on this head from statistics fur
nished by our registration returns O
death.
The prevention of those diseases whc
we have been taught to consider prevent
able Is really the chief function OF healt
depa rtments. State and city. The list o
I IL Dc