St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1916-05-13
Parish Physicians Discuss
Matters of Importance to
Health and Sanitation.
DIR. BOWLING IS GUEST
FOR THE EVENING
Morbidity Reports and Sta
tlstics, Births and Deaths,
Difficult to Handle.

/ The st. Tammany Parish Medica
Society held its regular monthly
meeting at the New Southern Hotel
| In Covington. Wednesday evening
The meeting took palce in the din
/ ing hall. Immediately after the din
ner, which was served at 1880 p. m,
and at which informal talks height
ened the interest with which subjects
were discussed later In the evening.
More than usual interest was
awakened by the presence OF DIR
Oscar Bowling, who was the guest
Of the evening and who spoke very
Interestingly upon subjects th,t he
considers of vital importance to the
welfare OF the State.
The following members were In
attendance: H. D. Bulloch. presi
dent; C.. W. Davidson, secretary; ].
F. Polk, H. E. Gautreaux, w. X. Ney
A. G.. Maybe, ]. F. Bouquoi, F. J
Rhomer, r. c. Farmer, w. E. Van
Zandt.
DR.. Bnlloch presided, and on mo
tion Of Dr.. Gautreaux the meet!gr
was turned over to DR.. Dowling ane
a round table discussion Of subjet
DR.. Bowling has .lways been an
enthusiastic worker In the interest
of the State, and be 1t meeting O
medical men or q young ladies
sociable, he usually manages to say
something In the way Of better
health conditions and the uplift OF
humanity.
DR.. Dowling said he was especial
ly glad to be present. because 1t gave
him an opportunity to put in stroke
for more complete morbidity returns
He thought Covington was a fine
place and that great things were in
store for this country. II the people
Icould be aroused to its advantages
and opportunities. Its situation and
reported healthfulness was an ad-
vertisement Of great value II it was
backed up by sanitation. He hoped
the people would put in the water
works system. That it must come
sooner or later any how. That re-
cent failures Of applicants for enlist
ment in the army to meet the ply
sical requirements showed the great
necessity Of surrounding the grow
ing youth with very means Of healthy
development. He cited an incident
where but 66 applicants out of 1000
passed the physical examination.
"Very recently" said DR.. Bowling
ito get an opinion from the doctors
went sent card. as you may know.
to each, asking for an opinion In
favor Of or against the payment Of
fees to the physicians for sending in
OF birth and death certificates and
epidemiology reports. Up to this
morning we have had S22 replies.
They are divided as follows: In
favor of payment of fee for records
Of births and deaths, SIS; opposed.
244. For epidemiology reports: In
favor Of fees. 5O2; apposed, 80"
"A few stated that it was imma-
terial, and special reasons were given
In "a cases for the opinions for and
against"
DR.. Bowling stated that quite
number of physicians were opposed
to the occupation tax. Zone physi-
cian," he said, makes the statement
that large part of the practice OF
every doctor is charity work. There
is something in this, too. The money
value Of time is rational concept.
It is Just as logical for the profess
sional as the commercial worker
Again speaking of the recordation
of births and deaths. DR.. Bowling
said: Michigan and Kentucky pay
the physician or midwife for birth
In Michigan, so cent
10 the fee for the physician and 2
cents for the local registrar"
.'The point most important Is that
We ret the reports. Prevention OF
disease. consider the
most imperative of all the obliga-
ttons Of the State Board Of Health
That we have the actual knowledge
to save lives, to lessen the
number Of cases Of illness and do
not put 1t into effect Is disgrace to
our civilization. But without records
the local board and the State Board
are powerless. Recently We had
report Of small pox in jail. The
records were made on April 18th and
not mailed until May. Meantime
other cases developed. Had some