The Topeka state journal., 1922-03-03
RoCkEFE1LER's GREAT WORK

The Rockefeller Foundation has
given six million dollars to Johns
Hopkins university. Baltimore, for
endowment and buildings of the
school of hygiene and public health.
Since this school was opened in
1918 the Foundation had furnished
the funds required for its mainte-
nance from year to year. This new
type of institution places emphasis
upon the development of preventive
medicine and upon the training of
health officers.
This new type of school, it is point
ed out, is an indication of the shifting
of emphasis in medicine from cure to
prevention. SchoolsRof public health
and also the departments of hygiene
which are growing in many modern
medical schools recognize the great
advances in preventive medicine and
the need of special training for those
charged with the control of prevent
able disease. They are concerned not
so much with the care of individual
sick patients. training for which is
provided by existing medical schools,
with the combating of disease en-
masse and the safeguarding of the
health of the community. The special
province OF the new school is the i'm
provement in. personal and public
hygiene, the warding off of epidemics,
the constant battle against the 1hicro-
scopic, deadly enemies of mankind
which not only exact immediate toll
of human life but also SOW the seed
for LATER cbro,irr ailments
The demand for public health
workers is large. 1t already exceeds
the supply Of trained personnel. and it
is steadily increasing. The United
States public health service is con-
stantly on the alert for recruits prop
erly qualified for the field operations
of that most beneficent of national
armies. state, city and county health
services are demanding additions all
along the line.
There are calls not only for general
administrators, for health officers of
towns and cities and counties and
states. but also for teachers and work
ers in technical branches. Men and
women trained accurately to compile
vital statistics and wisely to interpret
NAANAAA dIS GSSGHll6A TO 1nLeAllBenL
health programs. Engineers. chem
lists and bacteriologists are needed to
install and to safeguard public sup
plies of drinking water. Sanitarians
must arrange for disposal of waste
and sewage and the prevention of
contamination. Qualified inspectors
are needed to maintain purity of-milk
and food and drugs. PathoIogists and
technicians are called for to staff the
public health laboratories, to make
tests of specimens submitted, and to
prepare vaccines or serums for the
prevention and treatment of small
pox. typhoid fever, diphtheria, and
other diseases. Hygienists can do
much TO promote the health and
safety of industrial workers. Educa-
tors must be found who by lectures,
writings, exhibits and demonstrations
will accurately and effectively inform
the people as to means of keeping
well. Public health nurses and health1
visitors are needed in numbers far be-
yond the present supply. to visit
homes, tend the. sick, prevent the
spread of disease to other members
of a family or community. and help
and teach in the proper feeding and
care of infants and children. These
are among the activities for which the
school of hygiene offers training.