Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-11-01
DAILY KENNEREc J0uRN THURSDAY, NOVEMBER l. 1923

work of the boards OF selectmen and
the city government. Unless these
are backed by the moral sentiment
of the community demanding for ac-.
ton on the part Of officials, but lit
tie can be really accomplished"
Or. Pepper Of Portland
Dr.. J. L. Pepper Of Portland.
health ofIicer for the first district.
in his address entitled "The Relation
of the District and Local Health
officers with the Nom Official Health
Organizations" said that the health
officer is a creation of law.
"The non offlcial organizations are
creations of the public sentiment
which underlies the law that has
produced and supports the depart
ment of health" continued DR..
Pepper.
ment that calls for even more chari-
table and health promoting pro-
grams in state, district, county. or
town than the Legislature cares to
finance through the official body. but
not more than the state depart
ment of health il DESTROYS of en-
couraging, forwarding, supporting
and assisting, and by the offices Of
it's field staff.
"The health officer then, and the
non official organizations are. SO
far as fundamental cause, intent.
purpose and function, invariably the
same; they differ only in the manner
Of procedure, though never in pur-
pose and aim.
"The different non official organi-
cations with which the health officer
is, or should be intimately connected
Tina Rad Crnc0 he Cfo
health association, the district or
county health association, the state
county medical associations, the
local health and charitable organiza-
tons. Those not so closely con-
cerned with health programs, but
whose, general purpose necessarily
includes this work in part, and at
times, are the Grange, the clubs. the
churches, the women's clubs, and
the village or town improvement
societies.
Taking these separately and CO.
relating their peculiar functions
with those of the health Officer, 1t
will be seen that he comes into re-
lation with them. each and separately
along different lines according as
their activities touch and function
with his legal obligations"
Dr.. A. G. Young
Most of the work of disinfection
is needless, Is uncalled for, SO we
| are told by some health workers of
note" said DR.. A. G. Young of Au-
gusta, director of the division of
communicable diseases of the state
department of health. in his address
entitled Some Points in the Control
of Communicable Diseases"
Some municipal health depart
60
this line and they are teaching de-
pendence upon cleanliness, fresh air
| and sunshine" continued DR.. Young
"But it seems to me that some
health departments have accepted
| this teaching before they have been
sure 1T is safe and best to do SO.
at is true that we have good rea-
| sons for believing that cleanliness
and the processes Of cleansing 20, a
long way in lessening the danger OF
| the transmission of infection, and
| that we have learned that free ex-
posture to the air and to direct sun
| shine destroys the vitality or lessons
the virulence of most of the disease
producing misc organisms.
| But the sun does not shine all the
time when it's help may be needed
Direct sunlight can be made to pene-
trate some infectious rooms but lit
| tie or not at all. The supervision
| by the health officer of the disin
! lection of things by natures process
| ses would very often be more trouble
70 MIN than the resort to chemical
disinfection as a part of the work"
Dr.. L. +. Hall ct Auburn
| DR.. L. F. Hall. local health officer
at Auburn, spoke upon the subject
I Relations Between the Local and
the District Health Officers, Show
ing Cooperation in Health Work"
With the local health officer, the
problem Is more personal as his is q
more restricted area of activity
| said DR.. Hall. 1.-THE district health
ofhcer's work is much less personal
and rather more general as it takes
IN several of the smaller areas and
coordinates them into one larger
area. 90
1.-The local health officer oversees
the health activities in his commu
| nifty and the district health officer
| overlooks the activities of the sew
eral local health officers throughout
his district.
I'm our State of Maine. the
health activities have their source
| with State Commissioner of Health
His work subdivides down into the
| several departments and the health
districts in the State At the head
! of each district is a district health,
| officer who is responsible for his dis
! trict to the Commissioner. In each
district are the several local health
officers who should be responsible
i for his community to the district
health officer and so to the Commits
| sioner. So at once we see that the
| first relationship existing between
| the district man and the local man
! Is that the district man is the bridge
over which the local man and the
State commissioner communicate.
"As personal representative of the
Commissioner. the district man
should be conversant with all the
| policies of the Commissioner and
thus at all times he can hand these
| policies down to the local man and
in this way keep the local man in
formed as to new ideas and new
works that are originating at head
| quarters or the State Department OF
Health. This aids the local man by
| keeping him informed ais to what is
going to happen throughout the
State and gives him a chance to
| study out way to apply the new