The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1916-06-30
HEALTH WORK IN OUR STATES

(Cmcago Daily Tribuna Saturday,
May 27)
DR.. Charles V. Chaplin, health COM
missioner Of Providence, Rhode ISL
and, and sanitarian of recognized
ability and long experience, has re-
Gently conducted an investigation of
the various state departments OF
health.
His conclusions are embodied in a
report of state public health work is
sued within the last few weeks.
Judged by his report some of the
states are very much alive to the ne
cessity of conserving the health of the
people, while certain others love such
matters very largely to the individual
initiative.
Speaking generally the older states
have developed the best departments
of health. Again, it is noticeable that,
also speaking generally, the best de-
partments are those states in which
by reason Of the development of great
manufacturing and commercial enter
prises, large proportion of the peo-
pie live in cities. In rural communi-
ties the conservation of health can be
left to the individual initiative with
out causing such disastrous results
or disastrous results so easily appre-
ciated.
BY reason of this we find that,
again speaking generally, the agricul-
tural states have not kept pace in
the development of their state de-
partments of health,
-Anoher lettering influence in near
ly every state, but much more in some
than in others, is the tendency to dis
miss trained health officers and to
replace them with green, wholly I'M
trained men flor they are not SANTA
rians) with every change of admins
tration. Speaking of one stat4. H.
Chaplin says:
Politics are said to dictate ap-
polntments to the state board of
health. If this is 50 permanency of
tenure for the executive, and perhaps
mas subordinates, can never be Sc
cure, no matter how efficient an Of
ticlal may be, the whirligig of poll
tics may displaee him in a moment and
reverse the policy Of the department
and destrop its influence. 1.-THE incu-
bus of easily preventable disease lies
so heavy on the south that no south
ern state can afford to allow party
or personal politics to exist in the de-
partment of healthy The people
should demand that no governor ap-
point to membership in the board of
health any man who does not hold
himself above all petty politics."
This criticism applies to every sec.
ton Of the country. It is true in the
north as in the south. The state.
ments quoted were 10 the chapter de.
voted to the Louisiana health depart
ment.
Within year after they were writ
ten LOisiana elected new governor
Powerful political interests are ex
erting themselves to displace the pres
ent efficient president of the STATE
board Of health and to replace hin
with man without training in SAM
tation or experience in protecting
people against disease.
The reputation Of Louisiana as
state where proper health work is be
ing done has greatly enhanced sine
DR.. Oscar Bowling became the stat
health officer.
AS such he has a national reputa
ton, and the state has capitalize
and is capitalizing on that reputa
ton.
People from other sections of tn
country feel a little more temple
to move to Louisiana when they know
of the good reputation borne by Dl
Bowling and the other members o
the state board.
Naturally the people of the stat
would be expected to visit their ven
geance on any officer who wOul
turn che state board of health over t
unframed and untried men.
Rub-My-Tsm- -Antiseptic, Anodyn
Kills pain, stops putrefaetion.--S