The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-07-21
HEALTH BOARD IS
PENSACOLA NEED

The following communication adj
dressed by DR.. R. NJ Kennedy to the
charter board presents the need of
Pensacola for health department:
DIR. Kennedy's Plan.
Believing that the city of Pensa-
cola has reached that state OF oevel-
opment in size and population when
its present laws are Inadequate,
have taken this opportunity to sub
nit to your honorable body plan
which, if put into effect, will. I feel
sure, meet the needs of our growing
city at the present time, and for
many years to come and can be al
tsred in the future so as to meet the
requirements of city twice the size
Of Pensacola.
JacksOnville's Health Laws Endorsed
By Surgeon Fox.
The plan I submit is not original,
but is the plan under which Jackson
vile now works, and is considered
such a good plan that Surgeon Car
rol Fox Of the United States public
health service, after making a thor
ough study f the health laws of
Florida covering a period of three
months beginning November 20, 1915,
said in his report to the United States
government:
mo county in the state has
health organization of any kind, and
there are only two cities in the state
having a health department worthy
of the name, Jacksonville and Miami.
"Too much dependence is placed
upon aid received from the state, es-
pecially in those communities form
ing headquarters for the assistance
to the state health officer. Such a
condition is inconsistent in a growing
and prosperous community"
DR.. Fox is considered an expert by
all medical men who keep up with
such matters, and his high praise of
Jacksonville's health laws makes
them worthy of your body's careful
consideration.
A city prospers in direct proper
ton to it's healthfulness, and you can
not have a greater asset than health.
Witness the business depression dur
ing and following in the wake of an
epidemic and the unrest produced
among our citizens even by the re-
port of the prevalence of a contagious
or infectious disease.
Board of Health.
The health organization of the city
should be controlled by a board of
health which has as its executive Of
ficer a full time city health officer,
whose duties should be prescribed by
the board, but should give his entire
time to the health conditions affect
ing the entire community. He should
receive a salary of not less than
So 900 per year. If he is worth any
thing, he is worth this to the commu-
nifty. The board should have the right
to secure this man from anywhere in
the state. He should be an expert in
the diagnosis of yellow fever, bubonic
plague, small pox, cholera and other
infectious and contagious diseases,
and skilled in hygienic and sanitary
science.
How you will provide for the selec-
ton of this board and how the full
time health officer is to be selected, l
will leave to your body to decide, but
may offer as a suggestion that this
board be composed of at least three
members and not more than five, and
that they be chosen with due regard
for their knowledge of public health
matters, eliminating as far as posi-
BILE all politics and the power to build
a machine, for in no department of
the city's government should there
be a wider divorce from politics than
the department of public health, that
controls the lives and well being of
the community.
Activities of the Board.
The activities of the board OF
health should comprise the health su
pervision of schools, the control of al
communicable diseases, infant vel.
fare work, the recording of births -
deaths, milk and dairy inspec .i0:-, al,
the disposal of night soil wher'
houses do not have sewer connection
To carry on the work required il
a health supervision of schools, on
or two doctors would be required a
salary of $50 per month. These
could be part time men, and TIVE
trained nurses, giving their full tins
to the work, to be started at a salar!
of S75 per month and their actual ex
penses, while at work, viz: carfar
and trap hire. A colored nurse shoul
also be employed to work among tn
colored population, maintaining 81
pervision over the negro midwife
and performing work along educa
tional lines, and to prevent the sprea
of communicable diseases that so FIRE
ouently start in the families of tn
washwomen, buffers, stable or yar
men. The white nurses should M
only assist in the public school il
spection, but they should visit Ii
| homes of those suffering from tuhel
eulosis-not only giving advice an
instructions as to the care of tn.