Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-11-30

Health Board. DR.. Coombs visited
first the public health training school
of Johns Hopkins University at Bal
timore Md, where he observed the
methods of teaching and the close
cooperation that exists between the
United States Public Health Service,
the State departments of health ana
the International Health Board IN
training physicians and others In
sanitary work and details of control
of communicable diseases in this
country and abroad.
There has been established IN
many states of the South and several
in the North and East the so-called
County Health Unit comprising
full time health officer. a sanitary
officer, one or more nurses and an
office force to whom are given the
educational work and the control
work necessary for improving con-
ditions in those sections" declared
DR.. Coombs. ut is most interesting
to note that this has resulted In a
marked interest among the people
of these counties in being responsible
for lettering health conditions. IN
their own communities.
"These County Health Units are
financed in part by the state health
departments of the states, by the In
ternational Health Board aud by the
counties interested, with the under
standing that as their value Is DEM
onstrated as early as possible the en-
tire expense will be taken over by
the counties. Already there has been
marked Improvement in health
conditions in the counties where
these units have been established.
Perhaps the most noticeable improve
ment is in the sanitary conditions
surrounding homes of people, chief
ly because Of the installation Of
thousands of sanitary privies mostly
of the simplified septic-tank variety
! which because of the non-freezing
condition and character of the soil
are peculiarly adaptable to that cli-
mate.
1.-The general interest in the value
Of producing Grade A milk and the
| financial advantages which come
from such a product is most MOTTO
| liable.
Already there is a marked reduce
| ton in the incidents of typhoid fever
| in those states where these units
have been most developed. OF great
interest were the state laboratories
for the examination of water and
/ milk and for diagnosis in Virginia,
Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio, New York
and Connecticut, all of which state
| heath departments the doctors had
the privilege to visit and inspect. One
very noticeable feature was that the
state health departments had a suf-
| ficient number of workers to get out
| the reports promptly.
| 1.-THE doctors, also attended q por-
1 ton of the meeting of the Southern
I Medical Association and also the
regional conference of the American
| Hygiene Association, both Of which
were held at Atlanta, Ga. We also had
an opportunity to visit some of the
| schools for colored and others, and
/ to note the cooperation between the
/ teachers and the health officials in
expediting the work of officials in the
finding of contagious diseases. One
disease in the South which we know
practically nothing Of is "Granulated
Lids" "Trachoma, a contagious con-
dition which if not cared for means
permanent injury to vision. A no.
ticiable thing in the school buildings
for the colored children was the
cleanliness of the floors, the freedom
from dust, and the care of the desks
which were free from scars and
SCI catches. We attended a meeting
of the colored teachers with the SUI
perintendents of schools.
We also visited two county poor
farms where it was evident that their
/ success depended upon the person.
mel Of the employees, finding in these
! happy groups all degrees of physical
| disabilities well cared for, well
nourished and given enough occu-
patton to prevent their idleness from
| becoming a curse"
| DR.. Coombs spoke of numerous
other interesting features of the tour
which was made through the cour-
tesy Of the International Health
Board which is a branch of the
Rockefeller Foundation. interested in
the training of health officers and
sanitary officers of which classes
there is a very limited ST. in the
| country,