Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-06-27
NAMES new HEALTH Law
C.. e. Turner, NJ. "A.


/ health administration. A few OF the
summer resort towns, of which YORK
is a conspicuous example, are securing
the services of well trained, full time
| local health officer and the experiment
| in York has been SO successful from
every point Of view that after three
years of trial the renewal of an ap-
preparation of one dollar per capita
fol public health work was voted unan-
imously at the last annual meeting.
But in most towns of the state there is
need OF a direct stimulus for health
work.
! Other needs are, more effective work in
tno control of contagious diseases, better
provision for the distribution and use of
sera and vacctnes. the extension Of edu-
cational work, and definite campaigns for
the protection of child life and for the
prevention of tuberculosis. There are
many labor and pleasure camps in Maine,
! as we'll as the numerous hotels over
which the State might well institute an
effective supervision.
These Improvements it was believed
, could be best assured by comprehensive
reorganizatio ton, and consequently a bill
was proposed following in general the
New York Massachusetts plan, which
provides for a State Department of
| Health consisting of a commissioner and
a Public Health Council, together with
directors Of divisions. district health Off
GERS, and other employees.
| In Maine the law provides that the
Commissioner, q man experienced in pub
! lie health administration, shall be APP
! pointed by the Governor for a term of
! six years. Upon him rests the respon-
sibility of administering the laws and
regulations relative to health and SANTA
/ ton. He shall prepare rules and regula-
tons for the consideration of the Public
Health Council, appoint directors of divi
sions, district health officers and other
employees. submit annually to the Public
Health Council recommendations regard
! ing health legislation, and perform all
executive duties previously required Of
the State Board Of Health. He has power
to direct any executive officer or employee
of the State Department of Health to as
sist in the study, suppression or proven
ton Of disease in any part of the State
! The Public Health Council is to consist
of the commissioner and four other men,
bers, two of whcEl shall be physicians, to
! be appointed by the Governor for pc
Rod of four years. 1t is to meet once a
month and at such other times as its
members may determine and 1t will be
the duty of the council to make and
promulgate rules and regulations In fur
therance of the public health law, to adj
wise the commissioner upon the appoint
ment of district health officers and other
employees and to recommend to the
/ legislature needed health legislation. 1t
is to have no administrative or executive
duties.
| There are to be such divisions in the
State Department of Health as the COM
missioner, with the approval of the Pub
lie Health Council may from time to time
determine, and the commissioner with the
advice of the council, is to appoint and
may remove director of each division
! The commissioner from time to time is
to divide the State into three or moro
health districts appointing to each dis
trict a district health officer who shall be
a graduate of an incorporated medical
school or shall have been certified in pub
| lie health by a reputable institution of
collegiate grade. These men are to spend
their full time in the field work of the de-
partment.
! The bill provides that the Commissioner
of Health shall receive an annual salary
of $1,000, that the Public Health Council
shall receive S. day while in conference
and their necessary travelling expenses,
and that the compensation Of directors
of division and district health officers
shall be fixed by the commissioner of
Health but shall not exceed $500 per
year.
Public health workers may feel that the
annual appropriation of $4,000 which this
bill carries. is indeed a small sum upon
which to begin the work of such a state
department. If Maine should spend per
cent. of its total appropriation upon health
work. a proportion which Surgeon Carroll
/ Fox of the federal service suggests is a
fair distribution of funds. the department
would receive $4,000, while the Massa-
chusetts expenditure of IL per cent.
would give the department $4,000. But 1t
should be remembered that the original
of Health began work in 1885 was only
$1,000, that it has never exceeded $4,000
! and that It Is still the privilege of health
administrators generally to do large
money. Moreover the last legislature
| passed an additional act providing for the