The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-09-30
A CHANCE FOR THE DOCTORS.
Progress" Calls on Sumter County
Medical Association to Weld its In.
fuencc for County Health Officer.
Editor Daily Item.

The physicians of the Sumter
County Medical Association will new
er have better opportunity to exert
their professional and personal knowI-
edge and influence in behalf of their
fellow citizens than is now presented
to them to take the lead for the es-
tablishment of the office of whole
time county health officer, and for Sc
curing a complete county health sur
vey for Sumter county.
Professional ethics need not inter-
fere with their ability to do something
great for their county.
The fact that the movement for a
county health officer. and the secur-
ing Of the unit health survey for
Bethel and Dalzell school districts, the
unit survey having been completed
with splendid results, were started by
man who is not a physician, or pro-
fessional man, need not deter the
county medical association from now
going ahead. and by their superior
professional knowledge and greater
and more telling personal influence,
induce the county legislative delega-
ton, and board of county commission
ers to establish the Office of county
health officer.
| Sizing up the results Of the COM
plete county health survey of Green
Vile county by United States govern
ment sanitary experts. and seeing just
what a magnificent advertisement
such a county health survey has prov
en- for that county, and adding the
value in dollars and cents, of the hun
dreds Of lives saved by increased eff
cheney and general interest among ru-
raj people of all kind in rural santa
ton, not to mention the thousands of
dollars saved by preventing prevent
able sickness, it seems that Sumter
county physicians would grasp the op-
portunity to help out in a great
movement of this kind. The non-pro-
fessional men behind this movement,
say that they are willing to drop out
entirely If the physicians of Sumter,
and Sumter county wish to show
what they can and will do.
We naturally expect our family ply
sicians to lead and teach us how to
keep well. We love them more than
any one else outside of our families.
and look to them to lead us in matters
of physical well being. and in many
other ways. Sumter county taxpay-
ers will follow Sumter county doc
tors, II they lead. The State and
tcounty Sofilcials-M will. inahtress do ai,sa.
lwise. {
When you stop to think what a
complete county health survey by five
to seven trained, expert professional
sanitarians of the United States De-
partment Of Public Health, and State
Board Of Health means. it seems
worth while going after. A doctor
can better appreciate this effort.
TO have every house and premises
In Sumter county. outside of Sumter
city. including every incorporated and
unincorporated town. village and COM
munity. every house in the rural dis
tricts. and the premises thereof, white
and colored. rich and poor, visited by
these government experts, and the in
mates instructed what to do to pre-
vent disease and premature death, and
the fact that hundreds Of timely, IL
lustrated lectures on the various COM
municable diseases and how to pre-
vent their spread will be delivered to
audiences Of white and colored citi-
zens. at every school house in Sumter
county. white and colored, has been
promised for this county, provided we
create the office of county health Off
Ger, should surely appeal to every in
telligent and progressive man and
| woman Of this county.
1t matters little who might be
credited as the real men and wo-
mon behind the movement. The ques-
tion is shall we organize for the ac-
complishment of these things we can
get for nothing, If we have a county
health officer.
| This movement was started not for
personal glory or credit, but for the
greatest good to the greatest number
of Sumter county people.
Greenville is holding a big health
celebration next month. That city
and county will secure world wide
advertising that money could not buy.
Sumter city and county can get the
same thing if those who are primarily
responsible for the public health will
just get busy now and go after these