The record., 1920-08-19
County Health Department

on its program for the coming year,
wishes to submit to the citizens
tentative outline of its proposed
activities. The object of which is
the prevention of sickness and de-
crease Of the county's death rate.
A sanitary survey is to be made
of each rural community or unin-
colporated neighborhood in the
county. This survey consist OF
securing information from the head
of the family or lady of the house
hold, as to the preventable sickness
that the occupant of the home may
have suffered from during the pre-
v1ous year, and the number of days
lost from work as result of sick
ness. Also the number OF days
that any of the children may have
lost from school. On this visit to
the home, containers will be left for
each member of the household, so
that through examination may be
made of the entire county. Also
at the time of this first visit, an in
spection will be made of the pre-
mise, with particular reference to
sewerage disposal, character of
water supply, and for any condi-
tons that may be a menace to the
health of the occupants of the
home. Where unheathful condl-
tons are found, the householders
attention will be called to it, and
suggestions offered to relieve same.
AS nearly all prlvies inspected are
found unsanltary, due, to the fact
that they are not fly proof, arrange
ments will be made with the head
of the family to have the county
sanitary inspector and concrete
worker visit the home, on day
agreed upon, at which time the
necessary material will be on hand
for constructing Kentucky SAM
airy Privy. The only cost att ach
ed to the construction being the cost
of material, the labor being furnish
ed by the Health Department.
During the school season the
children in attendance in the county
schools will be examined for physl
cal defects, with particular attention
to their teeth, eyes, nose, throat
and ears, and for any defect that
may prove a handicap in their
school work.
When such defect is found, the
parents will be notified, and every
effort made to have the child see
the family physician or specialist.
| The examination of thous ands of
children in all parts of the United
States, children living under differ
ent social, climatic and industrial
conditions, has revealed the fact
that about &c per cent have defect
i've eyesight, five per cent defective
hearing, ten per cent diseased ton
sis and adenoids and more than 50
per cent defective teeth-defectlve
to the extent of seriously handi-
Gaping their mental and physical
development. These defects Ray
not manifest themselves while the
child is young, but If not remedied
may lead to serious disorders in
later life.
The boards of the late war ex-
amlned three million men from IL
to 81 years of age, aud found ap
proximately one third physically un-
TIT to become soldiers.
Another project of the Board
will be the free prophylactic In
oculatlon for typhoid, para-typhoid
and smallpox vaccinations. There
is considerable criticism of the
tyhold vaccination, but when one
stops to think that during the Snan-
lsh- American war five times as
many men died of typhoid fever as
were wounded, In contrast to the
recent world war, during which
this disease was practically eliminat
ed from all the civilized armies
through the use of vaccine, there
should not be the least condemna-
ton.
The Health Department is also to
cooperate with the ply sicians of
the county by doing at any time
their laboratory work, thus assist.
ing them in their cases and di
agnosls of same. Physicians are
to report all communicable diseases
to the Health Office, and upon re,
ceipt of such report, the nurse will
f visit the home for the purpose o
assisting the househould in suct
: things as the preparation of diets