The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-05-22
HEALTH NEWS

MODERN Meoictne ana puOuS ssS''
A plea for the establishment by
medical colleges Of the degree OF DOE
tor of Public Health in addition to that
Of Doctor of Medicine is voiced by As
sistant Surgeon General w. T. Sedg-
wick, of the q. S. Public Health Ser
vice. In a lecture recently reprinted
by the service.
DR.. Sedgwick points out the low
standards Of medical colleges in the
seventies. The school terms were on
ly about four months; no examinations
were held till the end Of the second
year and then they Were short and
easy. Chemistry and physiology We're
taught by lectures. without labratory
work. II shall never forget" says DR..
Sedgwick, my regret that I was born
too late, for gathered from my text
book and teacher that everything in
physiology was known, and that there
was nothing to be discovered"
After referring to the marvellous
colleges Of to-day, DR.. Sedgwick points
out that even the best still. neglect
the field Of public health. Yet to-day
there are 4S state departments Of pub
lie health, which require at least $50
experts in public health and sanitary
science. The U. S. Public Health Ser
vice finds great difficulty in getting
the scores Of qualified health officers
it needs. The army and navy and
hundreds Of counties, cities, towns,
trained health officers. Private agenz
cies. such as the Rockefeller Founda-
ton and the Red Cross, cannot get
competent personnel. Men trained in
Industrial, school, mental, social, and
dental HYGIENE are all badly needed.
DIR. Sedgwick urges that the present
medical curriculum should be split at
the end of the first two years. One
line should stay as it is, but from it
another line should branch off, which
should treat of preventive medicine,
vital Statistics sanitary science, lab
oratory methods in epidemiology, mu-
nlcipal sanitation, preventive hygiene,
and so on. 1.-The medical school," lie
ends, that neglects this Is sending out
its graduates unprepared for some of
the most serious problems they will
have to face"
>,
The efficiency of the local health
officer, says DR.. Robert Olesen, in
recent U. S. Public Health report,
should be judged not so much by the
number of epidemics he brushes but
by the number that he prevents.
Nevertheless, it is a good deal easier
to measure cures than it is to measure
prevention Of disease.
To meet this difficulty. DR.. O1esen
suggests that every health officer
measure his own performance of duty.
by the score card SO widely used in de-
termining the sanitary conditions of
da1ries, restaurants. and the like. Such
use. would at least provide mirror
In which he could view himself; and
II used by the state authorities would
record of the efficiency of the various
LOCAL officers.
The score card would show. for in
stance, how well the health officer
had prepared to avail himself Of aid
from the scattered health activities in
his locality. Little as some officers
may realize it, governmental and priv
ate agencies covering every conceiv-
able field Of health work are willing
and even anxious to help him solve
local problems. The smallest request
for information or aid will amaze him
by the fullness of his response When
emergency comes he will have little
time to seek the people best fitted to
supply information or aid; and he who
has learned beforehand where to find
them will probably render the most eff
ficient service.
In the score card recommended by
Or. Olesen, public health education"
ranks high, being exceeded in numeri-
cal Importance only by the prevention
of communicable diseases" and lab
oratory activities" This is an excel
lent illustration Of the modern view
point regarding the functions of health
authorities.