The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-10-05

to their friends and their country if
early physical examinations were made
and proper measures taken to detect
disease and prevent or delay the de-
velopment of fatal conditions.
But little thought was formerly Civ
en- to the numerous stillbirths and he
deaths of hundreds of newly born
children-potentia workers and ser
vers of humanity. 1t is impossible
to estimate how great a loss to the
world is this waste of infant lives.
The serious part of h matter is that
the loss is largely ~preventable and we
are failing to prevent it. Nations and
states are awakening to this fact and
are taking steps to meet their respon-
Sibility. The success of their efforts
has been and will be in proportion to
the cooperation and support Of the
people of the communities in which
the work is instituted.
The most efficient and successful
method in promoting public health
and saving lives has been through the
combination Of the forces and funds
of all local medical and other organi-
cations interested in public health
with the State Departments of Health,
forming local health enter under the
management of full time health of
ticers and directed and aided by the
State Departments. An adequate
health organization not only can pro-
long the average span Of life, but can
lessen the number of deaths from pre-
ventable causes which take their toll at
the ages of greatest usefulness.
The purposes of such health centers
are to give through physicians and
nurses, information, instruction, ad-
vice and practical demonstrations in
the hygiene of maternity, infancy and
childhood, provide nurses for home
visiting, give aid to those to whom a
physician, for any reason, is inacces-
sible; examine children and advise re-
garding hygienic measures and medi-
cal or surgical treatment when indi-
Gated; assist in finding means Of cor
recting orthopedic defects; assist in
checking and spread of infectious dis
eases. Secure more complete re-
ports of births, deaths and commune
cable diseases. Urge regular physi-
cal examinations of persons of all
ages in order that physical defects,
inSipient diseases or defective de
velopment may be discovered and
treatment recommended. Endeavor
to correlate the efforts of all existing
agencies engaged in public health
work so that Implications of labor
and waste of funds may be avoided.
Very soon South Dakota through
combined federal (Sheppard-Towner)
and state funds, will be able to offer
assistance in the establishment of a
limited number Of health centerS in
various localities. These will neces-
Sarily have to be established first in
those counties which can contribute a
share to their maintenance. 1t is the
desire Of the Department of Public
Health that eventually there may be
such a health center available to the
people of every county in the state.
Some communities are o ready
for such health organizations. Others,
for various reasons, feel that they are
not yet ready to begin public health
work. This fact will soon enable the
state to give aid first to those coun-
ties which first desire it, and we hope
that resources may be developed suf-
ficient to meet the requirements Of
other communities as they desire it
and become able to meet their share
Of maintenance.