The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-05-12
Important Movement.
Continued from first page. J

them to the county physician, who
would treat them free if the women
would only furnish the medicine. Mrs.
HoIIowell in good nature got after the
audience for laughing when she men
n.y." she said. "I'm North Carolina
woman, born and raised here, and I'm
as much ashamed of this condition as
you are. Everybody in North Caro-
lima should be interested in the gues-
ton" She urged the members to be-
gin the work wherever they saw the
necessity for it,
DR. RANKIN'S ADDRESS.
Following is a portion of DR.. Ran
kin's address, that part in which the
plan for carrying forward the work
proposed, is briefly outlined:
DR.. Rankin, after discussing the
basic principles underlying the public
health problem, and stating that
100000 OF the l, 100000 deaths oc-
curing annually in the United States
are preventable, suggested to the au-
dience ways by which the Federation
OF Women's Clubs may be most effec-
tive in the warfare against prevent
able disease. lie said in part:
"Once accept the fact that diseases
are preventable, and according to
our civic OppOrtunities-and we all
have them-we become responsible
for the improvement of health cOndi-
tions. In the discharge OF such re-
sponsibility, we must consider and
understand the principles governing
public health work under present
conditions.
"The first one of these governing
principles is the cooperative nature
of the work. Preventable diseases
do not pick out a particular race,
political party, denomination. social
set, sex or age, but involve all these
groups, irrespective of color, caste,
or other distinction. While these dis
eases concern the individual as an
individual their control is subject to
community effort only; and as COM
| munities have but one common me-
dunn, namely their local and State
government, all forces, individual
| and social, must naturally act
| through their respective local and
their common State government.
For this reason it does seem wise for
a social organization, with the power
| full influence of yours, to consult with,
advise with and cooperate with that
organization representing all classes
of people, namely, the State govern
ment.
| "The second governing principle Of
| public health work is that at this
stage of it's development it is almost
entirely educational. Both legal en-
actment and legal enforcement (the
first comparatively easy, the second
difficulty, are but expressions of
public sentiment, and public senti-
ment favorable to the conservation
of life is as weak as the laws for such
conservation are inadequate. There
is but one force with which this public
| sentiment may be created, and that
| is education.
'These cooperative and educa-
tiOnal efforts of the Federation must
be directed by committees. To this
end, to have something definite be-
fore us, | beg to respectfully recon-
mend for your consideration the fol-
lowing committees, to be appointed
or rejected, according to your pleasure
First, a Central Health Commit
tee. This committee should be one
OF the strongest committees of your
| organization for to it's care will be
committed one of the biggest ques-
tions with which you can possibly
deal. Its chairman should be wo-
man whose name has never been as
ISOLATED with failure You will have
no trouble finding such a woman in
the Federation of Women's Clubs.
Second, Municipal or County
Health Committees in those towns or
counties of the State where this or
ganization is sufficiently strong to
accomplish results. Notice the re-
strictions. Ii municipal or county
health committees are appointed
where the organization is weak, or
where the social forces through which
they must work are weak, they will
lower the average standard of COM
mittee efficiency and thereby weaken
that powerful stimulus to the work
| OF other similar committees in the
health work.
| 1.-The work of these committees |
would suggest, should be as follows:
''The Central Health Committee
should o. urge and see to the ap-
pointment of municipal and county
health committees; (2) direct and
record the work of the latter com
mlttees; OBJ accept from two to four
pages OF the Bulletin of the Board of
Health, which are herewith rendered
your Federation for the publication
OF articles bearing on the question OF
health, which articles are to be fur
nlshed monthly by the chairman OF
the Central Health Committee. who
shall be editor of this department OF
the Bulletin; (3) if it is financially
possible and meets with your APP
| prevail, your Federation can, through
its Centeral Health Committee, confer a
great benefit upon the health interests
OF our State by arranging a canvass
OF the larger towns of the State by
such health expert and enthusiast
as Mrs. Crane. of Michigan, who last
year made such a canvass of Ken
lucky under the Federation of Wo-
mems Clubs of that State. Notice
this last recommendation for the
Central Health Committee is condi-
| toned
The Municipal or County Health
Committees will, first, endeavor to
align all social forces whose efforts
and influence will be of service in i'm
proving health conditions. Here is a
field for originality. Let every Mu-
nicipal or County Health Committee
see how many practical ways they
can devise for stimulating co-opera-
tive efforts. Then through the Cen
trail Health Committee and YOUR
health department of the Bulletin let
| IL