Evening journal., 1919-05-30
COMMISSIONER OF
HEALTH IS URGED
Dr., Terry Also Would Have
Nurse Corps and
Bacteriologist
POINTS OUT DANGER
OF IMPURE MILK

Urgins the appointment OF a health
commissioner for this city. as wen as
The securing Of six trained nurses and a
city Daclcriologisi TO take charge Of the
milk supply. Dr. c. u. Terry. who has
been making a health survey here, ad-
dressed communication 20 City COun-
ell last night Following the reading Of
this letter. The matter was referred TO
the health and finance committees Of
Council The communication from Dr.
Terry follows:
The health survey Of this city which
] am making under Tie authorization
Of your body, is not as yet completed,
but, IN view Of the fact that appropria-
lions for the various city departments
will be made before my report is pre-
pared. I am anticipating the complete
report, for the purpose OF bringing be-
fore your body certain budgeiary items
which, I feel, need especial consldera-
tion in preparing for the health work
OF the ensuing year.
"Tho greatest single need Of the,Wil-
minglon health department is a health
commissioner, with training and expert
cnce In modern public health work The
whole policy OF the health department
should be determined by such a person
and the details Of execution supervised
by nm. Without such head aggres-
sive and modern public health work
may never be expected. A health com
missioner Of this type should be Sc
lccted by the Board OF Health. which
board should act as an advisory board
and as final authority in health mat
iers, as provided for by the present law.
a man Of the type required should ror
cciNe a salary of not less than Sj,O00,
and should be selected solely upon his
qualifications for The office.
"One of the first duties OF a quail
fed health executive would be TO in
stitule adequate measures for the CON
troll Of communicable disease and forl
the Improvement Of conditions relating
% TIE health Of infants and children. |
For he details Of such work, which /
would of course, include medical IN |
spection Of school children. minimum
OF al least six public health nurses !
would be required whle twice that
number would be none too many. The /
salaries OF six trained public health /
nurses would aggregate not less than
$500 a year. AZ the present time the
Board OF Health is quite unable 10 deal /
adequately with the problem OF commu- /
nicable disease control or with those I
which are affecting preiudiciously in
fant aud child life OF this city.
I "The findings Of the present survey |
indicate conclusively that there are a
large number OF preventable and hence
needless deaths among infants and
young children. from causes which can
be best controlled by am adequate pub
lie health nursing service. The number
above suggested skis not considered
adequate. but would at least prove a
slep in The right direction, and is deserv-
insf feel strongly. Of The most serious
RI Consideration Of your body
"fhc infant welfare work az present
being carried on by the Reconstruction
Commission and Woman's Committee. is
work Of the highest value and which
belongs properly 10 Tie City health de-
rarimeni supplementary 10 This. how
ever. The six public health nurses above
mentioned are urgently needed for the
dulles described Thes two halth ac-
tiviiics could easily coordinate their (
work TO ihe benelt Of each service and 1
That of The public. as a whole
"Closey related 10 the preceding
Item Is TIE need of facilities for the
control and supervision OF the oiiys
milk supply and that Of other foods
For the carrying on of This work. funds
>hoird be supplied for the equipment
of q laboratory and The employment. on
a full-ilme basis. Of a city bacteriologist I
and chemist The expense OF this eX-
tension Of the ciiy's health activities {
would cost approximately $500 for the
first year. This would include labora- =
tory equipment and salary for the bac-
teriologist For The field work, in con q
ncction with the dairy and milk inspec-
zion. there should be provided not less
hhan Si.GO0 for the employment Of
dairy intpeclor with training and ex-
,periencf f..
In this connection. I would state
Ma no Improvement in the present
tdk situation cam be expected. upless
4 milk and dairy Inspector selected be
n Individual experienced I'm sanitary
m0k production ana thoroughly fannl
rNyith modern dairy methods. As far
as my Information goes, no such quail
ilfations have formed part of Tie
equipment Of those who have. hereto
fore. held the position OF city milk in
speclor. That the milk question is an
urgent one an dihat the milk supply Of
Wilmington is, as a whole, unsafe. has
been shown by the recent Investigations
made by officials from the Department
or Agriculture. My own findings. while
as yet not available in detail, are strong
ly corroborative OF theirs
I'm addressing you In regard to the /
above matters. would not be under
stood as indicating that they cover the
needs Of your city health department
They should be considered rather as an
irreducihle minimum, without which
the Wilmington public may not reas-
onably expect any reduction in the too
high sickness and death rates of this
city At the present time the city
health department is handicapped be-
vt5fi,4i al all hene Of successful achievement.
while the items suggested above would
afford the department an opportunity
Of making material progress in health
and life conservation.
"While. as suggested above. the
health survey which ! am conducting
has not. as yet. been finished the lind
jnes are sufficiently complete to war
rant this communication and the COM
nlete report. which viii be rendered
later. viii furnish ample proof Of the
urgent need Of adopting the suggestions
contained above.
"Respectfully submitted,
'DR. c. +. TERRY"
The communication was referred 70
the public health and finance commit
tees