The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1917-10-11
VOL. XLVIH
SPECIAL HEALTH WORK


Contract Signed With State Board
of Health for Special Work in
Robeson-One Of 10 Counties
Will Give County Health Off
Ger Better Equipment, Plenty of !
Assistants and Opportunity for
Definite Work.
Contract was signed yesterday by
Chairman A. j. Floyd of the county
hoard of commissioners with the State
Board of Health for the special health
work authorized by the commission
ers at their last meeting, as explain
ed in a news item in The Robesonian
a week ago today. By the terms of
this contract the county, by increas-
ing its appropriation for health work
an average of $722 year for years
gets through the State Board of
Health an average of $2,378 a year
for the same length of time to be
used in health work in the county.
ned by the State board is to give the
county health officer better equip
nlent, plenty of assistants, and oppor-
unity for doing definite work.
The last Legislature gave the State
Board of Health $15, 900 for 3-year
health campaign in 10 counties. The.
State board secured an additional $15,-
900 from the Rockefeller foundation.
Robson is the ninth county in the
State that has made the necessary ap-
preparation and signed contract for
this work.
DR.. B. E. Washburn, director of the
bureau of county health work of the
State Board of Health, spent yester-
day in Lunlberton with County Health
Officer w. A. McPhaul. They went
to see Chairman Floyd at Fairmont
and the contract was signed after de-
tails of the work had been agreed up
on. 1t was made a part of the con-
tract that DR.. McPhaul, who was
elected county health officer for 8
months upon the resignation of DR..
Page last August, should be select
ed for the new department. 1t is
planned to begin the work the first
of December and DR.. McPhaul in the
meantime will visit other counties
miliarize himself with the work.
The program proposed by the State
board consists of definite units OF
work on the more important health
problems rather than an attempt tc
cover the entire field of county health
activity in limited period of time
Cooperation will be given by the
State board in carrying out the pro
gram outlined in the budgets giver
In hast Thursdays .Robesonian.
The total amount that will be spent
in 8 years is $4,000. Of this thu
county will pay an average of So ~;
a year and the State board an aver
age of S2,378 year. r.
The biggest problem is fighting dis
eases that are spread through sol
pollution. Twenty per cent of death
in this section of the State are du
to such diseases. Beginning mex
March, a vigorous 6-months' campaig
will be waged with 5 assistants in tn
field A sanitary survey will be mad
of every home in the county and ef
fort will be made to put in every hom
q good water supply and sanitar
closets. From this survey data wi
be secured of diseases in every home
After the 6-months' campaign, on
assistant will be employed in thi
field regularly for the balance of tn
years.
In the school inspection work tn
teacher in every school will make ou
llanks for every pupil. These blank
will be filed with the State boarC
which will select the most defectiv
children for examination, and whar
ever treatment is found to be neede
it will be given free where parents 81
not able to bear the expense, or pal
erts will bear part of the expens
where they are able to do SO.
Life-extension work will consist
examination of adults with a view {
detecting unsuspected diseases in the
incipiency. so that medical treatmel
may be obtained while it is possib
to stop the disease. The infant n.
giene work will teach mothers how
care for their children and thus n
duce the infant death rate.
This is merely brief outline of tt
work given by DR.. Washburn yeste
day. Details about each unit will
given when the work is launched. d
Washburn returned to Raleigh la
night and DIR. McPhaul went with hi
to attend meeting in Raleigh toda
OF county health workers.