Daily Kennebec journal., 1922-09-30

health worker. All this needs is
forethought for the "other fellow"
This leads again to ''co- operation"
which is the solution of any problems
that may exist. The specific problem
of cooperation is a local one, to be
worked out on the broad general
principles outlined above.
DR.. Dalton said that if he had given
the impression that any considerable
amount of dissention existed among
the public health workers, he wished
to eliminate any such idea. There
seems to be no specific difficulty in
New England, only a vague opinion
that trouble is present somewhere, in
individual cases. However, more eff
fective cooperation is needed. The
speaker suggests that past troubles
be forgotten, and the health workers
proceed along their. several lines of
work in a spirit of cooperation,
looking for big results instead of
searching the field for faults and de-
fects of fellow workers. 'In other
words" said DR.. Dalton, "use a tele-
Enforcement of Health Laws
Enforcement of State and Local
Health Laws and Ordinances" ~was
treated by DIR Thomas Tetfeau
Health Office rat Portland.
THE purpose of enforcement Is to
secure the observance of laws tending
to protect the public against possible
II Iicp, two,
Tetrcau.
The police power of the state is
cocNtonSive with sclf-protection and is
not inaptly termed the law Of over
ruling necessity 1t is that power in
the state which enables it to prohibit
all things hurtful to the comfort
safety and welfare of society. This
gives the state power to pass tatutes
against the spread of contagion and
for the protection of health
ITO secure the enforcement of health
laws is possible only through cduca-
tion Of officials and of the people. Both
officials and the public must be in SYM
pathy with the laws for it is generally
conceded that law enforcement depends
more upon good strong public opinion
, than any other one thing.
To be enforceable a law chould be
reasonable. The legislation must he
necessary and the benefits accruing
| from enforcement must outweigh
harm done by on-enforcement.. Penal
| ties should be reasonable and propor-
toned to the sravity of the offcnse
Tho law should also be adequate in
setting forth the means necessary to
! its enforcement and so specific as not
to be susceptible to neutrality-suspicious..
Methods of securing enforcement
are to be found in publicity. and after
, sufficient notice no known infractionS
| of the law should he allowed to pass
, unnoticcd. The offender should either
be given sharp warning or his conyic-
, tion should be speedily secured After
convictions are secured ell possible
publicity should be given the convic-
ton.
Many difficulties will be found in
! prosecution. There may be ignorance
| of the Jaw by the officials themselves.
Lack of sympathy with the law. de-
= fccts in indictment, impcrfcctions n
the law. insufficient evidence and
+ pull either political or othcrwico
/ Thus 1t may be seen that it is not
Glv-ays easy to secure the conviction OF
I on offender
| Howard A. Strccser Of NJ. n.
| Howard A. Streeter, Health Officer
; of Manchester, n. H.. discussed the
question, whether or not the Health
..l, u I,a
tee. He said in part, should the
question be put up to the present as
sombly, it would meet with an en-
/ piatic. mo" Many communities are
= conducting a nom political health de-
partmcnt and others will follow soon.
Like other departments of our civil
! government, the health department
had its early struggles for existence
and recognition, and has at last found
a place in the world. with the prom
isc of greater future. However,
/ lack of trained officers has tended to
/ hinder progress. Public health ad-
/ nlinistration was first recognized
: through the work of the Sanitary
! Commission during the Civil War
Soon after the>war, boards of health
/ were organized, one of the first being
| in this section of tho country. At first
: these boards were made up only of
men interested in the betterment of
civic conditions. Later, men were
appointed more because they had
beCn Of some political service. This
was when health work became i'm
! portant enough to be considered. AS
the people insisted on more public
health boards to protect their rights,
the professional politician realized
! that to retain his power, he must con-
troll the election of the health officer.
| Thus the health officer became a
| politician. More true were these
facts in the positions paying a fair
+ salary.
! The change that has come over
health administration is gradually
eliminating politics. especially in New
. England. Some of the larger cities
are sending outside for their health
officers in order to get trained work
ers. and political leaders often aid in
securing these people, who are told to
attend to health business. and leave
politics alone. Whether health work.
ers should be governed by civil serv-
ice is question. 1t Is of doubtful
value in an emergency.
If the health officer wishes to Sc
cure his full measure Of appreciation,
and retain his position, he mus,
mend some of his ways. He must
take no part whatever in politics ex-
cept to cast his ballot at elections.