Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1919-01-03
NEGLECT PUBLIC HEALTH
Public Health Association Presents
Further Figures Showing Com
parison With Others
Climatic Conditions Of New Mexies
Nuilifled by Utter Lack Of
State Health Bureau

Legislature In behalf ~ a state health
board is the policy adopted by the New
Mexico public health association. The
following article contains some pow
erful argument I'm the way OF eompar'
isons:
Is New Mexico so much poorer or
more backward than other states OF
similar populatio0,as 20 excuse her
from ahsoiute disregard of her public
health situation?
Much as Il IL 10 he regretted. that
opinion Is gaining ground In health
circles throughout the country.
During the past year or so men OF
national regulations have visited New
Mexico on various health missions for
the federal government and various
hehi;h organizations, and the things
these men have considered themselves
Obliged to say in their reports are such
as 10 cause all thinking New Mexi-
cans the gravest concern.
DR.. Charles v Chaplin, Health Com
missioner Of Providence, Rhode Island,
recognized authority ON health or
ganization. who made survey Of the
work Of the various state health de-
partments throughout the country, In
speaking OF Neww Mexico said, ut Is
unfortunate that state with a popu-
alton which now numbers neaTy half a
million should do nothing whatsoever
for public health. II Is the only state
OF which this can be said"
A little later New Mexico was visit
ed by DR. Evans OF the Chicago Trib-
une. then President OF the American
Public Health Association. Writing
tiesisively of New Mexico's lack Of
health organization in that paper, DIR.
Evans said, New Mexico sells health,
hut does not know herself whether she
IL healthy or not"
Last spring we were visited by DIR.
S. !. Crumbine, Secretary Of the Kan
sas State Board OF Health, on a mis-
sion from the National Council OF De
Tense. concerning the prevalence OF
venereal disease n New Mexico as II
affected the army. The lack Of health
organization made it impossible for
New Mexico to adequately carry out
his plans, and he was forced TO so state
in his report.
This autumn on the request OF Gov
ernor W. +. Lindsay, Surgeon John
W. Kerr, Major, one Of the most ex'
perienced men In the United States
Public Health Service was sent TO
New Mexico by Surgeon General Ru
pert Blue, TO make survey OF health
conditions and organization. While
DR. Kerr's report was made for the
sole benefit OF New Mexicans, 1t was
printed in the Public Health Re
ports,' the weekly document put out
by the Public Health Service under
the Treasury Department and distrib
uted broadcast throughout America
The report Is far from fiattering In
asmuch ms II was necessary, II the doc
ument was to be OF any value, 10 cal
spade n spade.
The report states among other thingi
that mo health laws have been passed
by the legislature since New Mexico
came into the Union, and there Is n,
special mention OF health conservation
In it's constitution" Elsewhere in hi
report. the doctor says, IN most o.
the cities and towns visited. the pub
lie health activities undertaken arc
decidedly limited" And further on w
read "the recording OF births an'
deaths is also mist defective"
Copies Of DIR. Kerr's complete re
port may be had from the New Mex
leo Public Health Association, Com
merce Building, Albuquerque, for tn,
asking.
AS lately as November, DR.. Freder
ick L. Hoffman. Vice President Of tn,
Prudential Life Insurance Compan.
and chief Of their bureau Of vital sta
tistics. director OF the Public Healtl
Association, the National tuberculosis
Association and other health organi
zati0ns, visited the state and speak
ing at the annual meeting Of the Amer
lean Public Health Association som
time later stated In effect that: "Ney
Mexico. with health problem create
than that OF ordinary states owing Il
the large influx OF health seekers. witt
tuberculosis on the increase among tn
native population. and peculiarly me
naced on account OF certain disease
among her Indian population, is seem
ingly not even aware OF the precariou
state Of her ps. ',i'' ,ealth.'
New Mexico cannot AFFORD to permi
these reports or the conditions the,
described, to continue. We show be
low table Of amounts spent on publ
health protection by states with popu
lations similar TO New Mexico's
Estimated populations July 1, 1910
luanO ------------------- 90
Monthiiu ------foofOo
New Hampshire so
l Otan -------------------