The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-05-27
GREENES RESIGNATION
A LOSS TO FLORIDA
State Health Officer Will Retire June
5th-Physicians Hope his Sue
cessor Will Continue his
Constructive Work


Constructive Work
Jacksonville, May 27.-With the
resignation of DR.. Ralph N. Greene as
state health officer of the Florida
State Board of Health, which becomes
effective on June 5th, those familiar
with the constructive efforts and ac-
complishments of the head of the
health department feel that his action
means a decided loss to the entire
state, in that during his entire tenure
of Office his untiring efforts and abso-
lutte honesty of purpose has gained for
him the universal cooperation of ply
sicians throughout the commonwealth
as well as in the government health
departments in Washington.
Prior to his accepting the position
of state health officer. DIR. Greene was
a practicing physician in Florida, and
in 1909 was appointed assistant ply
sician at the Florida State Hospital,
being promoted at the end of one year
to chief of the medical staff, occupy
ing this position for six and one-half
years. At the outbreak of trouble in
Mexico, DR.. Greene resigned from the
state hospital and accepted a commits
sion in the First Florida Field Hos
pital of the Florida National Guard
under DIR. Major Raymond Turck,
serving for eight months with the
troops on the Rio Grande, during
which time he made extensive obser-
vations at the request of the COM
manding general of the Southern de-
partment of the army as to the effect
of flying upon the human system, and
numerous flights at high attitudes
were made, the results being publish
ed in the Military Surgeon, becoming
part of the standard literature on
the subject.
Returning from the border DR.
Greene was elected president of the
Florida Medical Society and practiced
medicine in Jacksonville for a short
while and again entered the army
medical service at the beginning OF
the world war. with the rank of major
serving throughout the emergency
At the time of his discharge, he hac
charge of all nervous and mental wori
for the Southern department Of the
United States army, and was dis
charged in order to accept the position
of state health officer.
Some of the principal features o.
DR.. Greene's regime are: the bringing
about of complete coordination Of tn
!, different departments; centralizing O
administration; the purchasing of al
supplies in quantities and on a com
petitive basis, thus affording distinc
economy; increasing of field activitie
yet with much reduced personnel
Perry anti-malarial work undertakes
, in spite of adverse criticism of ex
perts who DECLARED it could not be sue
cessfully accomplished; active cam
paign against social diseases resultin
in higher efficiency of labor, improve
! conditions in rural districts; conduct
E ed industrial survey in many mills
: mines and factories, resulting
a ground work being laid for elimins
a ton of risk hazards with consequer
contentment and minimiZed labc
turnover; three additional diagnosti
Laboratories opened, saving time fe
people of state; first state TO ador
State Railway Sanitary Code; fir
}. state to adopt constructive progral
v for auto camps; successfully dea
:, with bubonic plague IN Pensacola col
= fning disease to that city and estal
5 lished record for rat proofng new
it before equalled; strict compliant
= with the law providing that all deaf
e and birth records shall be kept
v bound volumes in freproof vault
e preliminary steps taken towards d
velopment of child welfare depar
ment, cooperating with the U. s.
II. s.; during his tenure of Office evel
Y call has been answered; every emer,
ency met and all bills paid; all m
terial property put IN order; ne
re building erected at West Palm Beac
n 1t is estimated that there win be
3 the state treasury to the credit of q
be department over $1O0, 900 at the TN
De of his retirement During his ten
ge of Office, over 100000 has been spe
of state moneys, but for every doh
of Florida money he has made it ps
lie sible TO secure an equal amount frs
n other sources
2tI DR.. Greene's successor has not be