Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-08-06
4 DOCTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH
NEEDED FOR FULTON COUNTY,

The suggestion that Fulton county establish
thoroughgong system of sanitary inspection is rich
in common sense and public good. 1t is as true of
community of individual that its greatest
treasure its health and upon the consistent car
ryingout Of this truth all business and social prog
ress must depend.
Our state and local laws concerning sanitation
are within themselves adequate, but have thus
far neglected, for the part, the essential mat
ter Of providing for their enforcement. We have
delivered ourselves of certain admirable opinions
and have then left them to take of themselves
1t is for the purpose of making these statutes and
regulations really count for the daily benefit of all
the people that Office of Doctor of Public Health
has been proposed.
Such an official would be definitely responsible
for sanitary conditions throughout Fulton county.
He would regularly inspect all of water sup
ply sewage and garbage disposal, public buildings
and premises, with particular reference to the
schools; he would be alert to discover and cheek
every possible source of contagion he would see TO
it that all diaries, bakeries and factories where
food products are made dispensed observe the
laws for the publics protection.
The work of such an official would be far
than merely corrective; it would be constructive
and educational. He would conduct in the county
schools a system of medical examination such as
that from which our city schools have derived in
calculabe benefit He would deliver lectures on pup
lie health not only for the school children but for
citizens generally in each district of the county and
thus he would develop and organize a popular senti
ment in support of all those laws and principles
that make for the prevention of disease
Systematic service of this character would
the saving of much money and of many lives. 1t
has been cOnservatively reckoned that the deaths
and illness. the lost labor and crippled earning
pacty due to preventabe diseases, cost this county
one hundred and fifty thousand dollars every month
The economic loss entailed by diseases, which
efficient public health service could prevent, is the
heaviest and at the same time the most unnecessary
burden the American people bar tuberculosis alone
exacts an annual toll of one billion dollars from
the United States; in Georgia. it is equivalent to
tax of between three hundred and five hundred thou
sand dollars and in Fulton county it's cost to the
public is at a minimum thirty thousand dollars a
month.
Add to this, the communitys loss through such
diseases and typhoid malaria and others, the
Of which a competent health service could virtually
eliminate, and it becomes evident that such
vice is demanded in the interest of economy as well
as of humanity and social progress.
Some time ago. a committee Of Fulton countys
board of commissioners, realizing the Importance of
this matter to the taxpayers and the public at large
requested DR.. James c. oakshette, a physician of
sound attainments who has devoted much study to
this subject to prepare and lay before the commits
sion plan for such a system of countrywide health
supervision. He has done so and his suggestions
have been cordially approved by authorities most
competent to judge it, This plan will be presented
to the board at its regular meeting next Wednesday,
1t is earnestly to be hoped that favorable action
will follow The cost of the plant outlined would be
only a few thousand dollars year; its benefits to
the public would be Unreasonable. bill to estab-
lsh a statewide system of sanitation is before
the Legislature. If it becomes a law and in the in
terest of the people should Fulton county will be
already the line of the requirements if the present
proposition is accepted by the commissioners. This
is one of the practical and progressive steps
ever proposed for our community and when it is
taken we shall have reached a sounder basis of
prosperity.
The county schools are soon to open, wherefore it
important that the proposed sytem should become
operative at the earliest possible moment