The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-07-11
PENSACOLA To
IN
HEALTH DRIVE
All Municipal Resources Offered
to Make City Better
Place to Live.
PROMISE TO HELP,
Informal Meeting at City Hall
Shows Most Cordial
Feelings Exist.

Cooperation on the part OF the city
of Pensacola in the movement Of the
government and the state health board
to make Pensacola one of the healthiest
of cities. was voiced by Mayor san
ders yesterday afternoon when DIR. r.
G. Devereaux, of the public health
Service, DR.. F. L. Tatom, of the state
board of health, President Blocker, OF
the Pensacola chamber of commerce,
and committee from that body with
sprinkling Of business men, met In
the city hall and talked over the nee
essity for urgent work in and around
Pensacola. The city will cooperate
to the extent of it's ability, 1t was
made plain, not only in the appropri-
alton of funds, but the resources and
employees of the city health depart
ment will be used in the movement.
which will guarantee city free of
typhoid, free of malaria, and free of
flies and mosquitoes. All these things
were stressed to make the city free
of summer dieases, and a rousing
speech by DIR. Blocker. urging the city
not to lose the opportunity offered.
was followed by the announcement OF
Mayor Sanders after a consultation
with the other city commissioners.
This promised. a very interesting and
an end.
DR.. Devereaux was sent here as
representative of the public health
service, and he met with the chamber
of commerce and before the joint
meeting of yesterday afternoon had
made a hurried survey of the city.
noting many menaces to health which
he said must be corrected If the city
wanted to be a more healthy place to
| live in, and in the explanation of his
survey, had many things to tell at
the meeting. One thing it showed, and
that was that he is familiar with
what he was talking about. He praised
the water and the water supply OF
the city; said the place was practically
free of malaria; said the city, as
port had advantages which were not
possessed by many ports, and that
there was an open, clear and healthful
access to the bay; was not surround-
! ed by marshes, and about the only
| pressing menace to health now was
! the prevalence Of some 5000 surface
| closets. a menace to health in any
vicinity. He intimated that city
! which could show clear bill of health
was the one which big industries
sought, and this was one of the first
! considerations made in the location
| of any industry of note. Proof of the
statement was cited when he related
how one city lost a very substantial
/ industry because it could not meet the
| advantages and the healthful condi-
| tions sought.
| The conference was entirely in
| formal. II opened with an introduc-
| ton of DR.. Devereaux. who in a plain.
| matter-of-fact statement. outlined
some of the plans which the govern
ment would be willing to place in
| operation here If the city and citizens
| should show desire to cooperate.
He recited dangers that could and
would exist unless things were rem
edied, and made plain that the city
| of Pensacola could be more healthful.
| Point by point, and item after item,
were pleasingly recited by him. and
in such plain language that he even
| resorted to some inelegant expressions
| to make clear points he was driving
home to all present.
The upshot of the conference was
that the citys promise and wiling
ness to cooperate will mean that the
United States government in due
| time will take a hand in making PEN
sacola a better and a healthier place
to live in. In other words, the health
situation was taken out of the
the hands of the city and will be workd
by the government. This specifically
conceded. and It follows the lines
which Uncle Sam has employed at
every point where there is a can
tonment or where the government
maintained a reservation. 1t does not
mean that there is any more sickness
here than at any other place, but II
does mean that when the employment
of the means of the government will
institute, there will be a healthier
city In a comparatively short time.
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