Norwich bulletin., 1917-03-30
DIR. BLACK PLANS
 AN EFFICIENCY CORPS
Circulars Sent Out to Health Officers
 in the State.

AN EFFICIENCY .COhPS Circulars Sent Out to Health Officers
 in the State.
 A movement to organize emergency corps of professional men from all parts Of the state <o prepare Connecti- cut for war from standpoint of civic T: Black secretary of the state board Of health. who asked tha health of- hcers of the state to aid in forming an organization which may be effected either as a state body or in conjunc- health service. Dr. Black said he had outlined the plan to the military emer- gency board and had been told that the movement was good one and to go ahead with it.
 health officers of the state. to secure at once a list of sanitariams. sanitary engineers, epidemiologists, bacteriolo- gists, chemists. food experts, purchas- spectors, nurses. orderlies. clerks and publicity agents who are willing to enter the service. A conference of all those interested in the work will be caheo at an early date. to take place either in Hartford. or New Haven. When the organization is perfected. its services offered either to the state or to United States public health serv- Ice or. as deemed advisable at the con- ference. The first step in the move ment yesterday consisted in the prep- aration of scores of notifications of the plans outlined for the proposed work. These notices will be sent to all parts Of the state for the attention of men m all professions, whose experience could be of use to the state in time of war.
 Dr. Black said he would confer with other branches of the state govern ment immediately to perfect the or eanization. He said the experience of the dairy and food commissione.. the secretary of the state board of agri- culture and the commissioner on rom estic animals will prove invaluable in erecting the proposed organization.
 With the movement of trvops about the state. the influx of labor and vari- ous changes due to war conditions the state must be prepared from the stand point of civic nealth." said Dr. Black Under war conditions disease may break out, and the state must be in a position to handle any emergency asid from the military question. I will tell you or case in point Out of six men who were put on guard at the Con- necticut river bridge some time ago two developed typhoid fever. This might not have happened if a plan of civic health preparedness had been per- fected,
 We should be able to establish safe IrOODS. should be able to look into the water supply. We have men in this state who can do this-experts, whose serv- ices would be invaluable to the state at such time as this. We must mini mize hte danger of disease The ques- ton of food must be considered. If the health of the people of the state is good it will aid the troops quartered here.
 "The proposed efficiency corps would 41T s,-Lz we are going to war, we must prepare To see the war through. It is not all a matter of fighting. To fight success fully the food problem must be solved The food production most be in. creased. One duty of a branch of the corps would be to promote interest ir the raising of vegetables, the planting of corn and the production of legumes etc. Germany has been able to hol6 out because she has recognized thii problem. That is where England ha. fallen down. ' The proposed corps would be O civilian service. but working in con. Junction with the state or the nationa government. It would be Hom, Guard for health, which is one of tn, prime factors of a successful war w must not forget that a large body O. troops, mobilized near a town is bound to have an effect on the town: Men O. expert knew1edge in the town could b. uSSd lO all DOSSlDllltY O. d6nger of the towns health.
 "The problem of camp followers mus be taken into consideration. The dis tribution of milk for babies must b, thought oE- All these questions coulC be taken up by the proposed eficienc, corps which could be formed along tn, lines of a Home Guard or as a reserv, or auxiliary of the United States pub lie health service. To perfect the corp! the first step is to take a mail census of the men interested and that Is wha is being done at present. Hany a pro fessionaI man would be of more serv ice to Connecticut by using his ex Derience to make the state efficien rather than by using a gun or dig ging trenches. Some of the countries abroad are already prof1ting by tn, service of American experts in tn, war zone. We will need experts in tn, came way"
 The notice sent out to health officer. and other professional men by Dr Black follows:
 To Whom It May Concern:
 Our country is at war regardless O the fact that war has not been official ly declared. We must arouse to tn, responsibilities which a state of wa contingencies.
 Elaborate military preparations ar, under way and our best men are rap idly enlisting in one or the othe branch of the service. An eff1cien fighting force is imperative, but i alone cannot carry on a war of any length to successful consummati ton The support of an organized and eff.