Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-10-11
Maine Welfare WORKERS
!. CLOSE SESSIONS AT CAPITAL

s.
literature ON the cancer. its origin
and it's treatment. The department
proposes to get this literature INTO
every home in the State, through the
library, the school, the church ana
tho doctors Office.
Dr.. s. J. Beach
Conservation of Vision was taken
up by S. j. Beach. NJ. D., F. A. e. D,
! Division. on Conservation of Vision.
NJ. P. H. A. and his talk was straight
forward, comprehensive and enlisht-
ening <-a
Mental Hygiene
This subject was discussed BY DE-.
| Wescott of Portland, who declared
that this is one of the most important
| of the things which make or oreaA u
nation. All subnormal persons come
within the scope Of this DIVISION Oh
tpublic health work and the recommen-
dation was made that they should pc
classified as far as possible by their
! own local communities and cared Tor
| according to the best arrangements
possible for. their peculiar cases.
When the work gets beyond the COM
munity. it should be taken by the
State Department and the coopera
ton of the two agencies would prob
ably prove adequate. DR.. Wescott
also recommended that the other de-
partments of public health work use
the mental hygiene divisions as
] clearing house.
Social Hygiene
| DR.. Harrison Hunt of Bangor, ex-
planned that this division of public
health work deals especially with
venereal diseases, and that his method
is to try to get the view point of his
cases and to understand them. He
believes that venereal diseases can
be fought with only partial success
and that the fight should begin in
the home with the teaching of honor.
right living and cleanliness.
In Maine a good beginning has been
made through the cooperation of the
State Health Department and the
United States public health service.
They have established clinics for free
treatment if necessary and definite
/ progress is being made. DIR. Hunt
declared his belief that the State
laws are adequate. but that education
is not of much value, as people come
to his office who possess the knowl-
edge. but deliberately put it aside.
The greatest need is for the cooper
alton of the medical profession,
which, he said. the department does
not fully have. Doctors are suscep-
tible to public opinion, however, and
If the public impresses upon them the
idea that they should report venereal
diseases exactly as they rtport other
contagious diseases. they Will do so.
Dental Hygiene
| DR.. F. ii. Mead of Bangor is at the
/ head of this division of public health
work, and in lis report declared that
dental hygiene promises more in the
way of definite returns than any
other branch of public health work.
lie mentioned the present widespread
bellef that there is a distinct relation
snip betweet unGanitary mouths and
mental and bodily health: but while
ne acknowledges the truth of this to
large extent, he also believes that
many teeth have probably been need
, lessly sacrificed
lie said that some 200 kinds of
germs are found in the mouth in
ciuoinG tuberculosis and cancer Not
| all these, however. are DANGEROUS
| Statistics show that 30 per cent. of
| deaths which occur in middle life are
| due to infection transmitted through
the mouth. Ninety FIVE per cent. of
chlidren have diseased teeth, the av-
| efaSe child having five or six. and
| tnese cavities arc the best possible
! breeding places for germs.
| The proper time to care for tho
teeth is in the child when preyenta-
i've work should be done to avoid
'ne necessity of making repairs later.
When the damage has been done.
| Inere are not dentists enough. DR..
| Mead said. to care for more than Is
per cent of the population, in doing
! preventive dentistry. He praised the
! work of the dental school nurse and
suggested that health boards work
| ing IN cooperation with such nurses
| should get at this phase of work.
/ IheFe Is no use. he said, in trying to
give DOOR instruction to children who
arc physically unfit to receive it. and
recommended that municipal officers
| be made to realize the equal impor.
tance of physical and health educa-
ton with book learning.
| Health Legislation
! Mrs. Hilda l.. Ives, chairman Of
TINS division, said that health Ieeis-
lation is hard problem because
i legislators are SO accustomed to deo,
with financial measures and are
anxious to make close financial
record. The members all have their
own local constituencies to look ont
Tor and to provide for, and thew do
not pull together. to get measures that
shall be for the general good at mod
crate expense. They want to show
Dig and quick dividends on what thew
DO, she said. The business of the
health legislative department. she
! believes is to show the legislature
, that a long term investment which
! snail deal with young boys and girls.
or that shall deal with their parents
before the children are born. is the
soundest and will bring in the hest
ana biggest returns. II such a pro-
gram can be carried through a term
Oh years, Mrs. Ives said, we will
SURELY do aWav with s.-