The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-05-10
SOLDIERS HEALTH
PRO 7 { CTED BY
SC|ENTF| |C PLANS
Precautionary Measures TAX
en- To Prevent Communica-
ton OF Disease.


WASHINGTON May 7-Extraor-
dinary measures have been taken by
the Public Health Service to prevent
communication of disease between civ
il and military populations where mill
tary camps have been established.
This general scheme of health con.
servation, constitutes what the gov
ernment officials call "a hitherto un-
paraleled demonstration in efficient
public health organization and admin.
istratiOn."
In twenty states, a total of more
than thirty health zones surrounding
the military camps have been estab.
lished, each with separate, careful
ly planned cooperative health organ
i2aiiDn. The Public Health Service,
the state and local health authorities,
and the American Red Cross combine
i'm this cooperative movement. The
general plan is to galvanize local
health authorities into action. to sup
port and widen the scope of state
health authorities, to supplement but
not supplant them. One object is to
so stimulate and strengthen local and
state health activities that the i'm
provement shall be permanent after
the guiding hand of the federal ser
vice has been removed.
CONGRESS AIDS
An experienced sanitation has been
placed in charge and given cOmpe-
tent stan. Local funds were supple
mented by Red Cross funds and by
funds which Congress appropriated.
Stimulated by the presence of large
number of soldiers. the communities
were found to he eager to pass Ordi-
nances to protect the health of these
men.
Health measures adopted in these
military zones have been grouped prin.
cipally around the control of cOmmun-
icable diseases and .he precautions in
chdc investigation. prevention, quar-.
antine, disqualification and clinical
treatment of these diseases. IsOla.
tion hospitals and clinics have. been
found necessary in combating one
of the most common diseases falling
within this class.
Supervision of food supplies, espec-
tally milk and milk products. is car.
ried out by systematic inspections and
typhoid and small pOx vaccinations of
persons employed in handling food
products. Supervision of water sup
plies and of disposal of sewage and
waste are given special attention. In
each zone, a laboratory IL used for di
agnOsis of suspected cases of com
municable diseases. Schools are he
ing medically supervised for contro
of communicable diseases and pre-
cautions taken by smallpox vaccina
tiOn and voluntary inOculation agains
typhoid fever
PUBLIC EDUCATED
Most of the area surrounding tn,
cantOnments being rural, the govern
mcnt has instituted rural sanitary sur
veys to improve sanitary conditions
at dwellings. In each zone. the public
is being aroused to the Importance o
health through lectures, exhibits, pul
licatiOns, school and home inspection
and similar work.
Through these measures" Surgeon
General Blue, of the Public Healt
Service, says, mot only Is the san
tary condition of these areas bein
steadily raised to Il plane surpassin
anything i'm their previous experience
but communities are being taught /
Il most practical manner the value {
public health work and the great col
tributiOn to national efficiency whic
is made by the conservation {
health"
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