Daily Kennebec journal., 1924-03-11

That Augusta is trailing the field
! in the matter of q full time public
health officer, was the declaration
! Monday night of President George A.
/ Coombs. at a meeting of the Augusta
Public Health Association held at the
Y. NJ. G. A. building. He stated that
Augusta is the only city of any size
ir the state that has no public health
officer on full time
One of the recommendation in his
report which was presented at this
meeting was that such an officer
should be procured. lie explant i
that the state will pay one third of
the salary of such an officer, not to
| exceed $500. and that with such an
himself as public health officer. as
well as the positions Of milk inSpec-
tor, and the sanitary inspector. would
be abolished so that in reality such
an official would not cost the city a
large sum over what is now being
expended.
He spoke of the clinic for crippled
children which is to % held in this
city in the latter part of May. This
idea was first proposed by an Ohio
Rotary club and it has now spread
until clinics of this nature are being
held throughout the country. The
Maine Public Health Association and
it's allied organizations are cooperat-
ing with the Rotary clubs of Maine
in putting on such clinics in various
| places.
DIR. Abbott. n we'll known othopedic
! surgeon will be present at this clinic
and will make an examination and
recommendation of each case. He
cCme to this city at his own expnese
| to do this great work, so it will not
/ take large amount 10 handle the
work. All crippled children in this
| city, Hallowell. Gardiuer, Randolph,
| Winthrop. Readfield. ToSus and Chel-
! sea are to be brought to this clinic.
and where ever possible a course of
| treatment which may he carried out
| at home will he prescribed. In cases
where hospital work is required. ar
rangements will be made TO take the
| child to Portland to the Childrens'
| hospital where they may be under his
| personal direction.
The report of the secretary, Mrs. Fl.
| T. Elmore. was next presented. 1t
| covered the history of the organiza-
| tion from it's founding about a year
and n half ago until the present time.
Especially she spoke of the procuring
OF Miss Jennie Ballantyne as public
health nurse and of the fine work
which she has already done.
She declared that one of the great
est needs of the association is some
means of transportation for the health
| nurse so that she may extend the scope
of her work.
Rev. A. Francis Walch, treasurer of
| the association, in his annual report
stated that S1S22.S3 had been received
| from all sources during the year ara
that s1262.76 had been expended. OF
the receipts s51f.21 was by subscrip-
! tions sent in without any solicitation.
| while the greater part of the remain
| der was from the Christmas Seal sales
of 1892 and 1928. The largest single
! item of expense has been the salary
| of the health nurse. which for the time
| that she has been heer has been S625.
| The remainder has been spent for mis-
| cellaneous expenses.
Miss Ballantyne's report was very IN
| teresting to the members and is print
! ed below:S =
Health Week was in progress at the
time of my arrival and it was my priv
ilege to take part in the program for
! Augusta Public Health Association
Day. giving two child welfare demon
strations and speaking at several of
the schools where opportunity was
given to meet mothers and teachers
The remainder of Health Week gave
similar opportunities for seeing and
talking with health workers in the COM
munity and State and with those in
| teTested in public health activities.
June 5 the nursing service for the
/ association began. Visits explaining
the service and seeking the coopera-
tion Of the medical profession were