Norwich bulletin., 1916-12-07
STATE HEALTH ASSN
ORGANIZED ON WEDNESDAY
Health Officer w. r. s. Heating of
WiIIimantic Among Speakers.

A largely attended meeting of
health officers, medical men, and 9TH
ers interested in the cause OF public
health was held in the Chamber of
nesday, to organize. a Connecticut
Public Health Association. DR.. Steph-
en- J. Ma11er Of New Haven presid-
ed.
After the formal organization of the
association md the adoption of COM
Charles w. Evarts, Prof. Irving Fish
er of Yale urged the Importance of a
system Of Health Insurance; partic-
ularly on account OF its indirect in
fiuence as stimulus to preventive
measures, which he compared to the
influence exerted on accident preven-
ton in factories by Workmen's Com
pensation acts. He pointed out that
adopted this system .wg. h. $3.50.
European nations. have almost all
chusetts and California now has spe-
ciaT commissions considering it, while
bills for Health Insurance are likely
to be introduced in at least twenty
state legislatures next year.
DR.. e. B. Hooker Of Hartford spoke
on the Tenement Problem. Miss Mary
G. Hills on Public Health Nursing in
Connecticut, Mrs. wv. e. D. Scott of
Greenwich on The. Connecticut Re
search Association and its work for
public health, Prof. c.. J. Bartlett on
the Health work of the New Haven
Civic Federation, Health Oh1oer w.
P. 8. Heating Of Willimantic on the
work of the Local Health Officer, Hon.
c. v. Evarts on the work of the Coun-
ty Health Oficer. Dr.. T. N. Hepburn
Of Hartford on Surgical Hygiene
Problems in Connecticut, DR.. w. N.
Thompson Of Hartford on Mental Hy-
giene Work in the State and DR.. s.
]. Maher on tuberculosis.
Special interest was excited by the
vivid presentation of the needs Of the
State Board of Health by its secre-
tary, DR.. John T. Black. He pointed
out that during the epidemic of the
past summer the state board Of health
had been unable to properly respond to
the appeals for help that had come to
1t from many quarters.
1t is surprising to note the number
of people who are still under the i'm
preston that the state board of health
has almost unlimited powers and is
easonably well equipped with funds.
Let us look at the situation as it
really is. The board has the au-
thority to request information con-
corning diseases prejudical to public
health but cannot institute an in
vestigation nor introduce measures for
control. Local health officers can be
advised but rot assisted. Indifference
or neglect of duty may be noted but
| cannot De corrected OTOVlSlOn mas
been made for the study of water and
sewerage works without the power to
| regulate. The statutes require the
| dissehnina ton of information on health
subjects without providing funds fol
| the purpose. Vital statistics which
| should be available within a few
| weeks cannot be tabuiated for over g
| year because of restrictions imposed.
| 1.-THE average per capita expendi-
| ture for health by the state boards OF
health of New England. outside OF
Connecticut, is IL cents-can it bt
that all New England is foolishI1
spending more than twice as much a:
! it sho1d, or is Connecticut just Sc
much less progressive?
| But Connecticut is q, progressive
state-it has spent a million dollar:
| to protect and conserve it's maritime
interests-it is spending annually tive
and one-quarter million on the high
\ ways. ffty-six thousand a year tt
guard insurance interests, thirty sever
thousand to protect cattle, forty-si!
| thousand for fish and game, and We
| only, twenty four thousand to protec
the health of its people. 'f