The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-01-10
Mr.. REARDOA DISAPPOINTED,
HIT HARD BY COUNTY BOARDS
REFUSAL TO RECOGNIZE VAE.
UE OF COUNTY HEALTH
OFFICER.

Df. lflaync IN His Talk 10 Board Stat.
cd That State Board Of Health and
Rockefeller Foundation Would Do.
nate as Much Towards Expenses of
County Officer as County Cave
Secretary ReardOn Reiterates VAL
ue Step Would Prove to County.
DR.. ]. A. Hayne, the State Health
Officer made the following propo-
sition to the county board Of COM
missioners and the county legislative
delegation, at the joint meeting of
those two bodies held yesterday.
If Sumter county would appro-
pirate two thousand dollars the State
Board of Health and the Rockefeller
Rural Sanitation Commission would
appropriate two thousand dollars each,
making four thousand dollars from
outside sources, or a total of six thou
sand dollars in all which would be
used in this county in the following
manner:
An expert and trained physician
sanitarian and three sanitary inspec-
tors would be placed in this county
for one year to make a complete coun-
ty health survey. This survey would
consist Of visit and inspection Of
| every farm house and premises in the
county with instructions to the own
| ers or occupants as to how to safe
guard their health, and to point out
just what might be on the premises
detrimental to health.
The public schools would be visited,
the children given medical examina-
tions free of cost, hundreds of illus
trated public health lectures would
be given at mass meetings held over
the county among white and colored
citizens. and at public schools.
A complete and comprehensive
campaign Of education would be thus
conducted for twelve months or long
er If the survey was not completed
|
After the expiration of the twelve
months work and education a COM
plete and detailed report would be
submitted of the work done and the
results secured. Then, if the county
delegation and county commission
ers cared to and thought that health
work among the rural people was the
right thing they could have a whole
time county health officer elected.
A committee of five ladies from the
Sumter Civic League. Board Of Health,
Representatives Of the County Board
| OF education and Chamber Of COM
marce were at yesterdays meeting to
urge that something be done to i'm
prove sanitary conditions in the rural
districts. But the delegation and COM
missioners refused TO appropriate a
cent for any rural sanitation work
work proposed.
| DR.. Hayne in corroborating state
ments made by the secretary Of the
| Sumter Chamber of Commerce,
agreed that Greenville county and
Greenville city had secured advertis-
ing Of a valuable character that
could not be secured for one hundred
| thousand dollars by the recent coun-
ty health survey made in that coun-
ty.
Hartsville, South Carolina, had re-
Gently employed a two thousand five
| hundred dollar year health officer
for that town, and one enterprising
citizen gave fifteen hundred dollars
towards paying his salary.
Hartsville and Greenville have Sc
| cured nationwide advertising as
model and clean places in which to
live. Magazines and leading papers
all over the United States have had
articles about the progressiveness of
those two cities and county. Busi-
ness men Of those two cities say the
improved health conditions are worth
| hundreds of thousands of dollars TO
their towns and county. 1t shows
progressiveness in making their
towns and county desirable places in
which to live.
Sumter and Sumter county could
secure about the same kind of ad-
vertising and at the same time great
ly benefit the public health, if the
county would pay one-third of the six
thousand dollars necessary to secure
this great countrywide campaign Of
education.
Secretary Reardon was very much
disappointed today over the knock
out blow the delegation and commits
sioners gave the proposed county