The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1928-03-09
A TRI-COUNTY MEDICAL
HEALTH DEPARTMENT
DR.. .Laughinghouse Proposes Plan By Which
State Would Bear Greater Part of Expense
For Pasquotank, Perquimans and Camden

y tri-county whole time
medical department Of health
for the intensive practice of
preventive medicine in the
counties OF Pasquotank. Per-
quimanS and Camden is pro-
posed by DIR. Chas. OH. Laugh
inghouSe, Secretary of the
North Carolina State Board Of
Health. the State to bear the
greater part Of the cost OF such
Il health department.
Dr. LauShinghou>c. accompanied
hy DIR. G. y. SiSk. director Of coun-
" health work of the State Board OF
Health. Spcut Tuesday in Elizabeth
City maxim. Il survey of the Situ-
alton here before unfolding his
plans. And DIR. IaughinghOuSc and
Dr. SiSk did not disclose the object
Dr their visit until they had called
upon every practicing physician in
town who could be located hy them.
II is the policy of the State Board
If Health not tn engage in any en-
terpriSe that would provoke the
autagoniSm of the medical profeS-
Il, hr..l NN-nrcS with
the doctors. not against them. DIR.
Iau"hinghou<e satisfied himself
that the medical profession in Eliz-
ahcth CRY would approve his plan.
And his plan is this: If Eliz-
aheth City and PaSquotank will each
employ Il whole time graduate nurse.
and if PerquimanS and Camden will
each employ a whole time graduate
nurse. the State will supply Il whole
time health officer and IL whole
time sanitary Inspector aud such
clinical supplies aS may be neceS-
>ary from time 10 time in carrying
ont the practice of preventive medi-
cine in the three counties IL pre-
<cribed by the State Board.
To Be First of Its Kind
Seventeen counties in North Caro-
lima have whole time medical de-
partmentS OF health: this L. the
first attempt To be made To COM
biue the health work of Il group OF
counties under one department. DIR.
I.aughinghuuSe believes that it may
he the solution "a the public health
p1 bIem for many counties that are
unable to assume the burden of
whole time health department i'll
dividually.
The most the State can do in
helping Il single county Is IN APP
preparation of 81 300 Il year. But
whole time medical officer m
health commands salary Of Sl.Nin;
II trained sanitary inspector costs
S2.IOO. And each has to he pro
vi,Icd with IN automobile. II runs
the cost up pretty high for "m"
county. But to make the tri-county
cylsrimcnt the State will foot the
total expense Of the medical director
anil sanitary Inspector II the cOllh-
ties will pay the salaries Of the
nurses only. And the salary of Il
nurse i $1.Gt0 II year. which i'll
rlmlc< her travelling expenses.
I'm other words il would cost EliZ-
aheth City aud the three counties
81 600 Il year each to make p0SSlhl"
nm efficient whole time medical de-
parrmrnt of health serving the three
counties.
Elizabeth City is now payin" SlaO
year for an Indifferent health
service and $l.liO Il year for SAN
itary inspector. or more than II
! would cost to abolish the offices rs
now conducted and adopt the State
Beard plan. I'aSquOtank Is payln"
S!WO il year for IL part time health
and quarantine officer. 1t could
command whole time health service
; plus the whole time services of
, public. nurse for an Investment "i
! 500 more than is now expended for
work that commands neither rec
0"nitiOr nor respect.
Mayor Flora's Idea
Dr. LaughinghOuSc and DR.. SlSK
! had "A conference with Mayor Flora
Tuesday evenim" and the Mayor VIII
! urocccd ut once TO try to interest
the city and county administrations
/ with Il view to having action taken
. the firtS Monday in April. II lhS-
, ,.,,,,t,,,l. +.EnS thp load i'm agreeing