Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-10-25
HEALTH PROGRAM
DR.. Bristol Tells Of New
State Department
State Convention Of Charities and Cor.
reetiens Elects Officers and Passes
Resolutions = -Anti.TubereuIosis As.
soeiation Meeting

soeiation Meeting
of Charities and Corrections. which
has been in session In Waterville, were
held Wednesday with a large attend
ance. At the forenoon session, A. A.
Head Of this city was the presiding
officer, and the address was by j. Prem
tiss Murphy on the subject Of The
Unmarried Mother" 1t was a very
strong statement Of facts in regard to
this evil and Of methods of combating
1t. There was also discussion.
At 2.30 the meeting was called to or
der by Robert Treat Whitehouse and
was presided over by him. The first
speaker was Robert w. Kelso of Bos-
ton who spoke on the Mothers Aid
question. He went into the methods
used in Massachusetts quite extensive
ly and covered the various plans which
have ben worked out in this matter at
length. Following his address there
were many questions asked him by
members who were present and the
that have not been clear to the boards
in Maine.
Or. 6ristoI's Health Program
The last speaker of the day was DR..
l.. D. Bristol the new head Of the
health department of the State, who
spoke at som length on the organiza-
ton and work Of the new State De-
partment of Health and outlined a war
program for public health in Maine.
DR.. Bristol showed that war condi-
tions have brought about a greater
appreciation of the value Of public
health work and the recording of vital
statistics. The speaker brought out the
fact that information required by the
federal government regarding the exact
date of birth of many of our young
men has served to emphasize the many
failures in the past to have such events
properly recorded, and should act as a
stimulus in the future to the better
recording Of all births, deaths, dis
eases. marriages, etc.
Tuberculosis must be considered as
one of the great war problems, for its
prevalence has been increased by the
war, especially in France. With the
decrease in available food on account
of its high cost and scarcity. will come
definite decrease in the nourishment
and resistance of people. Many pre-
vlousiy unrecogniZed cases of tubercu-
losis will develop rapidly in our. sol
diers and sailors on account of the
hard work and unsanitary surround
ings OF warfare and some extra provi-
sion must be made in each state for
these cases when they return home.
Another problem emphasized by
the war is that of child hygiene, in
cluding prenatal work, home welfare,
infant feeding and school inspection.
The present high cost Of milk, which
Is by far the best baby's food. will
result in the use of poor substitutes
and the innocent baby will suffer un-
less great care Is taken. On the other
hand. the high price of cows milk
may be of benefit to the young infant
If it forces the mothers more gener-
ally to nurse their own babies.
DIR. Bristol said further that he be-
lieves one of the greatest necessities
IN Maine al the present time is the
employment OF one or more public
AsaItR- nurses by every community in
the State. For the most effective
work such a body of nurses should be
we'll organized and should be under
the general direction of the State De-
partment of Health. The wide spread
use of the public nurse will helm 10
solve most of these great problems en-
phasized by the war.
In closing Dr RriStoI d;..,..~s ..
briefly the Importance of industrial hy-
giene, rural health administration ana
public health education.
Officials Chosen
Following his address. the officers
for the coming year were elected as
follows: President. Alexander T.
Laughlin, Portland; vice president
Edwin H. Reader, Saco, superintend-
ent of the Orphans Home; second vice
president, w. C. Hawes, Augusta. su-
perintendent Of the Maine Children's
Home Society; third vice president
Gertrude Mcdonald, Hallowell, super
intendent Of the State School for
Girls; advisory secretary. Miss Gladys
Gaylord. Waterville. secretary of the
New England Home for Little Wan
derers; secretary. Miss Marion Keese.
Waterville, secretary of the Associat-
ed Charities; treasurer. Harry S.
Brown. Waterville; executive commit.
tee, Canon Robert w Plant, Gardiner,
superintendent Of the Good Shepherd 8
Home, Rev. S. H. Sargent, Thomaston,
overseer Of the poor. DR. Carl Hedin,
West Pownal. superintendent of the
Maine School for Feeble Minded. L.
G. Butler. Skowhegan, probation off,
Ger, Mrs. Elmira Cox, Portland, pres
ident board Of trustees Home for
Friendless Boys. L. NJ. Binford, Saco,
State Sunday School Association, A.
J. Torsleff, secretary OF the Anti-Tu-
oerculosis Association; corresponding
secretaries. Androscogging county,
Miss Rose Neilley. Lewiston: Aroos-
took county, Mrs. Sidney Graves,
Pressure Isle; Cumberland county, Mrs
Bertha Pettingill. Portland Franklin
county. Mrs. Harriet Henderson, Farm
fngton: Hancock county. Mrs. Hettie
Fullerton, Ellsworth; Kennebec coun-
ty, Miss Helen Cole. Waterville; Knox
county, Miss Helen Corbett. Rockland; );
Lincoln county, B. c. Redonrett. Wis