The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-10-23
WAR EMPHASIZES NEED OF PUBLIC
 HEALTH ENDEAVOR
Dr. Bowling Returns From Annual Meeting of the
 National Association

The war has caused people to ap- preciate more than ever the value of public health work, and 1t has also made necessary the carrying out of more stringent health measures" said pr. J. D. Bowling, Jefferson county health officer yesterday, upon his re- turn from the firty-fifth annual meet ing of the American Public Health association. The meeting this year was held in Washington and pr. Bowling attended in order that he could obtain ideas on the best health protective measures.
 Dr. Bowling declared that the pub- lie health men gathered in Washing ton from all over North America arc rising to the occasion splendidly and are ready for any demands that may be made upon them.
 Among the big health problems that have been greatly intensified by war conditions, pr. Bowling mentioned in- dustrial hygiene. infant mortality. tu- berculosis. rural health administra- tion, public health education, and the venereal diseases. Most of these problems were stressed on the pro- gramme of the convention, which was considered the most important meet ing in the history of the associa- ton.
 Speaking of these problems in the spirit of the convention. Dr. Bowling said:
 THE SOCIAL DISEASES
 'In the first place, the most im- portant problem arising from the war is one with reference to & small group of diseases about which too little has been said in the past. So important are these, the so-called social diseases, that joint meeting with the American Social Hygiene association and the sociological section of the American Public Health association was held for their consideration. It is certain that health departments throughout the country will give more attention to these loathsome diseases in the future than Tn the past, for they must be regarded as communicable diseases and as proper subjects for health depart ment regulations.
 The shortage in man-power to carry on the industrial work required by the war ia directing attention to the importance of conserving all the forces we now pos- sess, and people are thinking more and more of another big health problem in- vowed in saving the babies For this purpose the pest agency that has yet been developed Is the public health nurse who goes into the homes and establishes direct personal relation between the government and the citizens Aside from her service in promoting health, the pub He health nurse is thus an agency for the promotion of democracy, for which we are fighting in this war.
 MUST SAVE THE BABIES
 From a practical point of view 1t is necessary to save the babies, because in the future we shall need them in indus try. In this respect America must fol- low the lead of other great warning coun- tries in it's attention to child hygiene and welfare. Nor must it's interest stop with the babies. The. children must be cared for from a health point of view, not only in infancy, but also during the pre-school period and during their school life until they reach maturity and are able to care for themselves.
 Tuberculosis must also be viewed as q war problem, for it's prevalence has been increased by the war, especially in France. Sanitarians who discussed the matter at the conference were strongly of the opinion that much more attention must be given to tuberculosis in children than heretofore, since it is now generally believed that infection usually takes place during childhood. In the solution of this problem also, the public health nurse has come to be an essential factor"