Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-09

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spect be maintained and the salaries
asked given, basing his appeal. he
said. not on personal grounds for the
respective workers. but for the good
OF the State. which can not afford to
lose the splendid workers now in its
employ.
Mrs. Charles p. Barnes of Houlton.
in herahrief address, stated that she
was voicing the call Of 10000 Maine
women to the Legislature to do its
best in the health cause. Henry Rich
ards of, Gardiner spoke. most practi-
cally of the health bill, stating that
in his opinion it had to do directly
with the, efficiency of the State
through the health of its citizens and
asked the committee to do its part
towards making this efficiency 100
per cent, rather than 10 per cent or
so per cent E. T. Clifford, represent
ing the State Grange said that the
men and women Of the State engaged
tn agriculture will not grudge the
money spent on tho health of them
selves and their, children. and citing
the work Of the public health nurse
in. improving conditions in his own
town. said that he considered a health
appropriation Of generous dimensions
would mean that such, health work
could be spread to other parts Of
Maine.
At this point of the hearing. DR.. E..
D. Merrill, presiding for the. propo-
nents OF the measure. in criticising
previous criticism Of the bill. drew
from Rep. Rounds Of Portland that
he might be a mighty good doctor,
but he didn't know anything about
law" whereupon the doctor retorted
that the opponents of the bill remind
ed him strongly of that famous Don
Quixote who was always charging
windmills.
DR.. George II. Coombs, director of
the bureau of venereal diseases of the
Maine Department of Health, in
speaking for the bill, told of the
number of persons that had been
treated during the past year at the
various clinics in the State. On be-
ing questioned by Rep. Rounds of
Portland, a member of the commit
tee, DR.. Coombs said that he was paid
jointly by the State and federal gov
ernments. .......
l.. j. Coburn of Sangerville said
that he liked; a fighter who fought
| fair,' but Misrepresentation had been
made in a discussion about this bill
One member of the Legislature said
that the State paid the salary of the
missing Secretary of the Maine Pub.
TIC Health Association, which was not
true.
IN order to get industries here we
want to say that we have a healthy
state" said Mr.. Coburn, "and I do
not think that you can keep up eff
cheney on two cent basis"
Dr. sylvester ]. Beach of Portland.
+ a member of the Maine Public Health
! Council. spoke in favor of the bill.
ne said that low priced man might
for instance not know how to stop an
epidemic which might cost 1000 lives
DIS Beach assured the COMMITTEES
that these salaries were small tba,,
amounted to but small amount per
taxpayer in the State. whereupon Sem
ator Folsom remarked: Doctor. are
you aware that this committee now has
l2O bills increasing salaries?"
But these are different" said DR..
Beach.
inat Is what they all say"
You're opposed to this. bill?"
i want You to understand that 7 am
not opposed to this bill, but we do
want to get the facts and we want to
know what is fair to do in the matter. >.
asserted Senator Folsom.
Dr.. Bristol. public health. commits.
sioner of Maine. said that he did not
think any member of the committee
was opposed to public health work.
but that he did fear there was a mis-
understanding. This was not a SALARY
OIL; Just one-seventh Of It was de-
voted to salary increases. d..
Replying to- questions by Rem.
Rounds of Portland he said that on
the basis of population he should saw
that about a tenth of the vital statis-
tics Of the State came from Portland.
He admitted that he had never visit.
ed the office of the Portland registrar
of vital statistics. =.
|. you've been in the building a mum.
Der of times. haven't your" inquired
Mr. Rounds. 80 : -.
"Oh. yes"
But you didn't visit this Office to
see. how the records are being kept?"
No, sir, did not, Representatives
or my, department have" -
do you know. that Portland paws
two-thirds as much for its health de-
partment as does the State of Maine p"
persisted. Rounds. p.
1 didn't know that, although knew
that Portland expended a lot on this
work. was the reply of DR.. Bristol.
Mr.. Rounds started to INQUIRE If
this bin proposed to put II doctors
into Portland and If so. why, In view
or the fact that doctors had been dis
pensed, with. This reused Mrs. Howard
Ives, who in two-minute speech 10,
go ,broadside. r;.
The mothers Of Portland don't
want their children diagnosed for
syphilis and typhoid by nurses. Mr.
Rounds; they want 1t done by a phy
stefan. You haven't followed this
work. I've, been following these elm
les. for the past Is years and I've never
seen You at one of them. You don't
know what the work is or what is be-
ing done, but you get up in Portland
and here in Augusta and tell what we
are not doing. The reason the doctors
were taken out of the Portland schools
was because they, were political ap-