The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-12-09
new STATE BILL
TO PROVIDE FOR
HEALTH DOCTOR
Commissioner Proposed Who
Will Devote Time and At
tention to Preventing Dis
ease.

INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. para
mount in economic significance Of the
reconstruction measures that will be
recommended to the approaching gen
erai assembly. according to mem
bers of the Indiana State Board OF
Health. is bill that will actually save
to the people Of the state no less than
$10,000,000. with possibilities up to
: double that figure annually. In brief
the measure provides for the election
by boards of county commissioners OF
n qualified health commissioner, who
shall devote his entire time and atten.
ton to preventing disease.
The Endorsement of Governor James
p. Goodrich has been given to the mea-
sure, which. It Is recognized, would
have ben most desirable in connec-
tion with the pandemic Of influenza
which is sweeping the state. costing
more lives than were sacrificed by the
commonwealth on the altar of world
liberty, In France. The measure Is
being redrawn by the recently nomin-
ated legislative steering committee,
which will undertake to secure the
passage Of such readjustment and re-
constructive measures as the state ex-
ecutive will recommend for APPROVAL
Of the law makers.
The plan contemplates the union of
any county with less than 10000 popu-
lation. with an adjacent county, in the
employment Of a commissioner. whose
qualifications include his ability to
pass prescribed examination such as
is given candidates for the practice
Of medicine in Indiana. The commits
sioner will be paid on a per capita
basis and be required to assume re-
sponsibility for sanitary and hygienic
conditions In his jurisdiction.
To Fight Contagious.
Cities of 10000 population. or over.
excepting only first class cities undi-
nnapolis), are included In the provi-
sions of the act, to be administered by
a municipal health commissioner. OF
similar qualifications, duties and re-
sponsibilities. Appropriate allowances
Tor expense OF administering the health
laws Of the state, are provided.
Among the argument advanced in
support of the prompt enactment OF
the health commissioner law are the
following statistics compiled from the
public records
In 1913 before war conditions az
fected the state) there were In 1ndi-
ana 1889 deaths from preventable
diseases, ono ever hour.
From the records available, which
are admittedly incomplete in this par
ticular there were more than 100000
cases Of preventable sickness In which
the sufferers got we'll.
The actual cost based upon the then
current charges for professional SER
vices, wages, etc, to the state was In
excess OF s10,O00,000.
tuberculosis, typhoid fever. dipthe-
ria and other diseases, particularly
with reference to children, are largely
preventable.
Losses to the state because of pre-
ventable sickness and death, including
the influenza epidemic. during the past
year aggregated more than S2O,0O0.OOO
in reduced production, cost OF doctor
bills, undertakers, lessened efficiency.
etc. ....
Health commissioner might not have
prevented influenza epidemic, but he
could have COPIED far mire successful
ly than is possible under present sys-
TEN, the board Of health officers say.