The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1919-10-08
THE ESSENTIAL
FEATURES OF
THE MODERN
Public Health Move
ment By the u. S. Pub
lie Health Service.
s IS YOUR
COMMUNITY FIT?
To the Mayors, ETC., In
Towns and Cities Over
5000 Population.

/. Who is responsible for the
health of your city? Have you a
health officer? Does he give all his
time to his office? Or, are you de-
pending upon a busy doctor who &C
cepts this position at a nominal sal
airy for the honor he feels attached
to it? It is we'll to bear in mind the
truth of the motto: Public health is
purchaseable; in a large measure
community can limit the degree Of
prevalence of disease within it's Dor
ders.
In order to acquaint municipal adj
ministration officers and influential
business men with the essential fea-
lures of the modern public health
movement, the Public Health Service
has sen the following open letter, en-
titled us Your Community Fit? 20, to
the mayors of all towns in the Unit
ed States having a population of over
5000. In addition to this, a copy has
been SEM to chambers of commerce
and boards of trade and to all chap
ters of the American Red Cross. It
is hoped that this will stimulate &C
tive interest in public health matters
throughout the country, and that State
and local health matters will help
translate this program into effective
action.
2. Have you any definite informa-
ton as to the precedence of preven-
table diseases in your city? Without
such information health officials can
not direct the activities in a way that
will yield the largest returns in dis
ease prevention. All doctors must
report such diseases as part of their
responsibility to the community.
3. Have you a safe water supply?
How do you know that it is safe?
You can not know unless you have
archaeological tests made frequently
and regularly. Typhoid fever, diar-
rhea, dysentery, and other water
borne diseases may be expected I'M
less your water supply is kept safe.
Do you permit a large proportion of
your citizens to use water from wells
which may be polluted? If your town
is small and not provided with water
works it is possible that insanitary
privies and unsafe methods of dis
posal of human excreta are p~olluting
your wells.
4. Is your town adequately sewer
ed or are there still many homes with
cesspools and insanitary privies
Are you and your neighbors doing
anything to check the breeding of
flies and the spread of fly-borne dis
eases? Does your community enforce
any ordinance providing for the
screening of food against flies in
markets, restaurants, and food stores ?
S. What effort has been made tc
ascertain whether or not your mill
supply is safe? Diphtheria, scarlet
fever, septic sore throat, typhoid
fever, dysentery, all may be spread
by unsafe milk. A system of in.
spection and efficient pasteurizatio1
will protect people from milk-borne
diseases. If your community is toe
small to bear the expense of dairy
inspection, it should at least enjoy al
adequate system of. pasteurizatior
under proper supervision.
6. Do you know how many of the
registrants from your community
were rejected by the medical examin
ing boards as unfit for military duty
on account of tuberculosis? Has {
campaign for the relief and proven
ton of tuberculosis been organized
If not, as a minimum requirement
provision should be made for tn,
proper reporting of all cases of tub
e~rculosis and for health instruction O.
families and patients, especially il
families where there is a patient will
advanced disease. Where the patien
requires hospital care, is provision
made for such care, either through
city institutions or by arrangement
for bed space in State or distric
tuberculosis hospitals? It is highl.
desirable to provide special clinics fo1
the diagnosis and care of cases O
tuberculosis before the disease ha'
progressed too far.
7. A Nationwide campaign for thu
prevention of venereal diseases ha!
been organized. Have you consulted
your health officer on the part you,
city should play in this importan'
work? Is your community planning
to take advantage of the recent Fed
eral enactment and appropriation fol
the control of veneral disease:
throughout the United States? Ha!
an ordinance been passed which will
enable your health department to take
up this matter in an effective man
ner? Proper reporting of dangerou:
sources of infection and their ads
quate treatment and control beyond
the contagious stages is essential. Thu
establishments of places where infec.
ted persons can be given expert treat.