New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-12
Combining Various
Duties

In its application to Scotland the bin
gives the new minister less authority. but
amalgamates the Scottish local government
board and the Scottish insurance commits
sions in Scottish board of health which is
to act under his direction and be, in effect
section of his ministry. The local govern
ment boards of England and Wales and their
insurance commissioners cease to exist
under its provisions. 1t provides, also for
the appointment of consultative commits
sions from both sexes to give advice and as
slstance to the minister on health questions
The salary Of the new minister is to be f5.-
600, or double and over what the members
of the Cabinet in this country receive.
The combination of various powers and
duties in one ministry is more farreaehing
than would appear at casual glance. For
instance, in Great Britain there are in
volved in various matters concerning the
health of the mother and child these sep
arate agencies: The Local Government
Board, the Insurance Commission, the
Board of Education, the Home Office and
the Privy Council. All these arc delegated
to the ministry of health in this proposed
law, which brings together under one body
of men and one minister the chief govern
ment departments concerned in matters al
fecting the health of the British people
The bill does not affect the functions Of
any local authority of any kind. They are
as jealous of local authority over there rs
we are over here. Nor does it provide medi-
cal treatment for any individual a matter
of far more moment in England in refer
ence to their state insurance system than
in this country at present though medical
treatment of the individual is almost en-
tirely local matter and likely to remain
In presenting the bill Dr. Addison had
this to say:
The war has revealed in a very striking
manner what many of US have been calling
attention for a good many years, namely,
the need of improvement in the health of
our people. After the war the need will
be even greater than during the war for
making the best of all our powers and
resources and it is very certain that in the
time of reconstruction we shall not be able
to afford any waste either of material or
of human power.
at is essential to bring together all the
tiHPoi 'oAs So'SllimSHt sSINlCeS concerned
with health and under one minister the
surveillance of all the local health services
of this country, because the legislation nee
essary to provide for the full DEVELOPMENT
of the health services of the country NAV
be controversial and certainly will be diff
cult and involved If it is achieved how
ever, we believe it will be possible TO ex-
pect real progress with respect to the i'm
provement of the health of the people.
We may, for the first time in this country.
be able to develop and ultimately to apply
scientific, well thought out and thorough
health measures for the benefit of our peo-
pie"
In France, where the lawmaking BODY in
cludes often great a preponderance of
doctors as in this country Congress and
in England Parliament do of LAWYERS.
they do this sort of thing better, and the
sister republic has long had more or less
federal control of the public health. But
IN the United States and the mother coun-
try, and especially in the latter such things
have to be worked out from small begin
nings. Our experience in the war. how
ever, has taught this nation that a big prob
lem must be tackled in big way-and is
there any bigger problem than public
health?