Arizona republican., 1910-12-23

receiving the benefits of such remu-
 neratiOn as is paid fer the guarding
 of the public health. pr. Beauchamp ! for instance, fOstered the movement
 ad Dr Hughes. the county health of ficer, lent it his enthusiastic support | Dr. E. s. Godfrey, territorial super intendent of public health, and Su- | pervisor HOghe, as a member of the
 county board of health, both heartily favored the plan, or some plan to be | devised It was felt that when the health and administrative officers of territory, county and city were all agreed as to what ought to be done,
 the time is not far distant when a
 way will be found to accomplish the ! desired end
 After the meeting was over Dr.
 Godfrey, territorial superintendent of public health, was interviewed con- corning the movement and expressed himself as decidedly anxious to see feasible plan worked out. Dr. Beau
 champs idea, he said, is along the
 line of practical protection, and is
 one that others will do well to emu late. He was pleased to note the CO., operation and endorsement of the l county health officer. the county
 board and in fact all present
 A feature of such a health depart ment would be the establishing of a laboratory for the bacteriological eX- animation of milk, water and other foods. for the study of patients under suspicion of infection from contagious diseases, the better diagnosis of dis ease, the testing of the condition of patients who have been in quarantine, before they are released the study of bodily secretions generally and many other purposes a laboratory would serve in protecting public health.
 But even more benefit than the es- tablishing of a laboratory would come from other lines of work that would be carried on by such a department In it would be concentrated all the powers and duties now held by the county superintendent of health and the health officials of the various cities and towns in the counties. The county and each of the towns in it is now spending a little money and paying d little remuneration tO uu- mer0us persons for performing vari- ous duties as d side line tO the gen eral practice of medicine on which the individual finally has to depend for his self support.
 The doctors idea is that this work should all be under the direction of one man. who should be paid d sal ary sufficient to enable him to give up medical practice. and in some de- gree commensurate with the impor tance of his work. One of the essen tials is that he shall give up practice. Further, he should be provided with capable office assistants to attend to detail work. The idea of having a high priced doctor wasting his time at clerical work. be said, is like att tiring ones self in kid gloves and silk stockings to go on a prospecting trip. The health officer should be paid a salary, and not fees, in order to fore stall the cry of graft that is always raised whenever it is necessary for him to get busy in cases of qparan- tine
 Another feature of such health department pertains to vital statistics. the value of which is still too little appreciated. Under the present prac- tice the records are months behind. necessarily, before all are returned
  officer are compiled, errors run down and results finally obtained. They should under the proposed plan be posted frequently in the office of such an official as is suggested All con tagious diseases should be tabulated and each case in the county should be personally inspected by the official and not be merely left to quarantine An epidemic started through infected milk. for instance. cannot be stopped by merely quarantining the people as fast as they are taken sick.
 There should also be spot maps kept for each contagious disease, daily kept up to date. showing the location of every patient and the record of every death. This gives an opportu- nifty not only for effective warning, | but enables a study of possible causes.
 Such an official should also inspect l slaughter houses. dairies, bakeries, 1 restaurants and all places where food ! is manufactured or sold. Sewage and | garbage disposal would also demand | careful watching and the health of ! ficial should be able at all times to | give necessary advice or information i to officials whose duty it is to en- | force violations or call attention to ! neglect. The sanitary construction of | all public buildings. especially schools | and jails, should be enforced and sug- gestions made for betterment
 Another phase of such an officials | work would be the frequent eXamina | tion of school children. not only to prevent the spread of disease through cases but to discover and recommend for treatment these children who are handicapped by defects such as en- larged tonsils. adenoids. etc, which make them susceptible to disease and backward in their studies. In many instances the money paid for the of child is practically thrown away for the reason that the pupil is not in a physical condition to profit by instruction.
 These things. said the doctor. are by no means all that an energetic and efficient health officer could find to do. but they give a little idea of what the proper care of the public health and the prevention of disease. even more than it's cure. will demand of one in such a position, and he can very easily earn any salary that he is paid. for the subject is one that is developing and presenting l