The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1921-10-13
CUTTING FUNDS CUTS E(lEf
Twenty-Four Thousand One Hundred
And Fifty-Nine Dollars OF The
Fund For 1921.

The appropriation of the State Board
of Health for 1922 and 1928 was cut
by the Legislature. This cut, with the
withdrawal of federal aid to venereal
disease control work, gives the State
Board of Health $24, 1890 less money
than they are operating with this year.
1t is hard to conceive how this work
can be carried on in the same pro
portion as at present; In fact, it can
not be done. The Venereal Disease
Control Division of the Board has been
cut 500; this means that this De-
partment cannot do much more than
continue its free Wasserman Depart
ment and possibly furnish Keidel blood
tubes to the physicians. This, as we
view it, is no less than a public ca.
laInity. The State Board of Health
so far as the central unit is concerned,
had their appropriation cut $3.50.
When you consider the growth of the
population and the constantly increas-
ing demands on the Laboratory. Won
Will realize that this really means a
decrease in the capacity of the work
of the State Board of Health, of about
20qo; in other words, it was estimated
by DR.. Thos. f. Abercrombie, the Sec
rotary and Commissioner Of Health.
that 10 keep pace with our increase
Of population and consequent danger
from infectious and communicable dis
eases incident to the natural conges-
ton of people, he would have to have
ten thousand dollars more money for
1922 and 1923 than for last year and
this, This, it seems to the editor of
this paper, was very modest and rea-
aonable conclusion
The appeal of DR.. Abercrombie to
the appropriation committee was for
s100,950.00 This was made after very
careful estimates had been made hav-
ing in view the financial condition of
the State and of the people who paw
the tax, keeping constantly in mind
the actual demands ON him by the peo-
pie and the physicians of his State.
with also the fact that the lowered re-
slstance of our people from the neees-
7ANJ AOA C$OAOAly llldl dIl must Dfar-
lice, the possibility of an increase in
the communicable diseases and a nos
sibility Of pellagra increasing. We can
imagine his grief and surprise when
the committee recommended an an
preparation for the entire work of SGT.
10000; the appropriation for this year
"a been $90,590.00.
The friends of the people and those
legislators who were interested in the
prevention of disease, some of them
being members of the appropriation
committee from the floor of the House
succeeded in getting this raised to $751;
t2l.00 Many realized that this sum
was entirely inadequate for the work
Of the health department, and interest
ed themselves in having the Senate
increase the amount at least to the
figure Of this year, but history of all
time was broSen when the Senate
adopted the House Bill without the
changing of word the dotting of an
i or the crossing of a t.
We think, in justice to our State
Board of Health our people, and the
especially, should know the
facts, and if you are not able to get
from this Board the cooperation that
you think you should, you should re-
member that they are doing the very
best they can and wrestling with
shortage of $24,15900.
1t is more than likely that the dis.
tribution of free Arsphenamine will
have to be discontinued, and that the
funds will admit of very little diphthe-
ria antitoxin being given the poor.
This is no less than public calamity.
as a few doses of COG will control the
spread Of Syphilis and a few thousand
units of antitoxin will save a life.
Oar State has many people in it who
ere not able to pay for these rene /
dies.
The work Of the Board win have
" be curtailed in other respects as
u. We are quite sure that it win |
ction as best it can, and with the |
mall appropriation at its disposal will
he the means Of preventing much i'll !
3ess and the curing of many who are
lick through it's diagnostic work at the /
Laboratory.