The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1919-09-23
LOCAL HEALTH Off.
Ger NAMED DELEGATE
To NATIONAL meet
DIR. j. Ii. Rice Commissioned q Repre-.
sentative From Kentucky Health
Meetlng-Goyernor Discusses
States Health Conditions.


DR.. ]. H. Rice, Mason County's
Health Off1cer, has been honored by
Governor Black by being named one
of the states representatives at the
meeting of the American Public
Health Associations annual meeting
at New Orleans, La, on October 27-30.
In commissioning DR.. Rice, Cover
nor Black goes into detail in regard to
the health condition of Kentucky. His
letter follows:
Frankfort, KY, September 25, 1919.
My dear Doctor:
Kentucky. in common with the rest
of the world, suffering from the raw
ages of war and of the terrible pam
demic Of influenza last year, realizes
as 1t never did before, the value of the
health and lives of its people.
| A report of the Bureau of Vital Sta
tistics to the State Board of Health for
1918, has just been placed on my desk,
which should become familiar to ev-
cry well-wisher of our people. 1t
shows, in addition to the 1857 deaths
from influenza and pneumonia, that
there were 1862 deaths from tubercu-
losis; 1,112 from diarrhoea in babies
and 791 in older persons; 625 deaths
from typhoid fever; 24s from diph-
iberia; 2S0 from measles, and 1926
from whooping cough; that 1S4,S33 OF
our people suffered the illness, untold
anxiety, as we'll as the financial loss
from having had one of these prevent
able diseases during the year; and the
plain figures of these official records
indicate that there have been 1,222,-
010 cases of these eight diseases un-
der treatment by physicians in this
State in the last eight years, during
which such records have been kept.
The accuracy of these records is
cruelty confirmed by an inspection o.
the official records of our draft boart
examinations last year These indi
cate that practically eight out of ev
cry thousand of our citizens have tn
berculosis; that 81 out of each 1000 O.
the men examined by the draft boards
have veneral diseases; that 8 out o
each 1000 have trachoma; that thu
teeth of 4 out of each 1000 are so de
fective, and that in each 1000 hav'
such defective vision, as to render
them totally unfit; and that In eacf
5000 are drug addicts.
These invoices of the health of oul
people are appalling, and it is thu
duty of every citizen and, especial!
of every official, to make 1t possible
for you as Health officer, to so func
tionate that these sick and death rate
may be rapidly reduced. No more i'm
portant subject demands the consid
Grafton of the Commonwealth.
l understand, of course, that tn
physicians of the State earn their live
lihood in the grand work Of ameliorat
ing the condition OF tine sick. 1t 1
our duty now to develop to its highes
efficiency the specially in medicine o
medicine of the prevention Of illness
Fortunately for our people, I believe
Kentucky's entire political system l
based on local self government. Th
! last General Assembly recognized thl
in authorizing the Fiscal Courts or tn
people of each county, to constitute
County Health Department, which will
enable you as a competent Health OF
fcer, assisted by public health nurse
to devote all of your time to this worl
During my administration as Gov
ernor of this Commonwealth, / pro
pose to devote as much of my time an
energy as possible to bettering tn
health conditions of the men, wome
and children OF Kentucky.
With this idea in view, and to EN-
phasize to you people and officials, tn
Importance of the position you hold,
am hereby commissioning you as
delegate to the meeting Of the Ameri
can Public Health Association at Ne'
Orleans, October 27-30 next, whel
these problems are to be studied
appreciate your service to tn
State and stand ready to help you 4
every way I can.