The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-07-24
NEW PUBLIC HEALTH MOVE
Has Been Instituted in Vermont Dis
trict, No. s, With U. S. Cooperation.

The Vermont state board of health
whereby the United States public
health service will begin work in sani-
tary district, No s, TO demonstrate
what can be accomplished along public
health lines in a district stalled with
additional personnel District, No. s,
includes the following towns:
Barnard, Bethel, Braintree, Bridgewa-
ter, Cavendish, Granville, Hancock,
Hartland, Ludlow, Norwich, Pittsfeld.
Plymouth, Pomfret, Randolph, Read
ing, Rochester. Royalton, Sharon, Sher-
burne, Stockbridge, Tunbridge, Wealth
ersfield, West Windsor and Woodstock.
DR.. c. W. Kidder of Woodstock is the
district health officer.
For several years. the United States
public health service hes been making
demonstrations of whole-time health Of
ficer service in selected counties but
the work has been done entirely in tho
south and west. Nothing of the kind
has previously been attempted in New
England or, in fact, any Of the North
ern states.
The usual requirement for service Of
this kind is that the county or district
raise money to at least duplicate tho
amount furnished by the federal gov
crnment This is usually simple mat
ter in the south, where the county
form Of government is in force, but it
is quite another thing in New Eng
land under our town form Of govern
ment.
On invitation OF the state board 90
health, DR.. I. L. Lumsden. assistant
surgeon general, in charge Of :iTai san
itation, and DR.. W T. Draper, field su
peryisor. came to Vermont TO study tho
situation and 20 determine whether
such a CO operative effort ,.oulG he
made in this state. Whom, tn,
Vermont public health system was ex'
planned to them, showing the state at
vided into 10 sanitary districts. of
workable size, each one with fua-
time district health ofh1er. whose sG.-
ary and expenses are paid by the state,
thew found that Vermont has alresdv
in state wide operation tie very Plan
which the public health service has
been irving for years t. introduce IN
individual counties, and the only ait
necessary was an augmented personnci.
They accepted the money already being
paid bv the state as sufficient TO cover
the requirements Of the. service and as
once agreed to furnish funds Tor thc ad
ditional employees DIR. Lumsdon, who
has charge Of this work in the entire
country, informed the state board ~
health that. tu hi know ledge, no such
arrangement could have been possible
in sny other state.
District, No. 5, has at present fre
public health nurses, whose salaries
are paid Jointly by the Red Cross ana
the towns. Three other town, havs
funds in hand TO install nurses A. sooa
as they can be secured. A sanitary in
spector and a health nurse viii b. e.
raced 80 a. 10 start the nsw work Aug
ust first. and a program Of progress bas
been mapped out. The United States
public health servies exercises no au-
thoritv over the hcalth employees ot
the district, the entire work being done
under the supervision of he state
board oi health aud tie district health
officer The demons;raDcn, ia this
state. therefore. heing unique, VII -
watched viii iutersss by tie Who's
country.