Evening star., 1928-03-25
HEADS PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

DR. Hugh Smith Cumming has been
| continued as head of the United
| States Public Health Service by re-
| appointment for a third term by Presi-
| dent Coolidge. The appointment was
confirmed by the Senate the same day
| 1t was received from the White House
and the Surgeon General Immediately
| took the oath of Office again.
DR.. Cumming has been identified
| with the Public Health Service since
| 1894 when he was made an assistant
surgeon In 1899 he was promoted to
the grade OF passed assistant surgeon,
in 1911 TO surgeon in 1918 to assistant
surgeon general and in February. 1920,
/ to surgeon general. He is the fifth
man TO be at the head of the service.
| which dates back to the Marine Hos
| pital Service, created by act OF Con-
| gress, July IS, 1898. TO provide medical
| service for seamen of the American
| merchant marine.
| For a great many years. Or. Cum
ming has stated, the care of sick and
| disabled American seamen remained its
sole function. It's public health func-
| tons developed naturally, because the
| medical officers OF the Marine Hospital
| Service In looking after sailors fire.
| gently we're the first to diagnose quar-
| antinable dangerous diseases and the
| hospitals and physicians OF the service
were used in fighting the epidemicS
| of cholera which formerly occurred IN
some of the ports OF the United States
In 1878 Congress gave the service
| broad powers to cooperate with state
| and local authorities in the control OF
| disease In 1902 Congress changed It's
name to the Public Health and Marine
| Hospital Service. and 10 years later
/ 10 afyN htf drumming
| ence to the hospital service and giving
! II the title 1t now bears
| The present functions of the service.
| as set forth by DR.. Cumming, are the
protection of the United States from the
| introduction OF diseases from without:
| medical examination and inspection OF
| all arriving passengers and seamen
prevention of interstate spread OF dis-
eases and the suppression OF epidemics:
| cooperation with State and loca!
| health departments. investigation OF
/ diseases; supervision and control OF nlo-
| logic products used In the propnyiaxls
| and treatment of disease; collection ana
| publication of morbidity data, sanitary
| legislation, court decisions on public
| health, and general sanitary informa-
| ton: public health education, and the
| maintenance Of marine hospitals for the
| care and treatment of certain pene-
| ficiaries as prescribed by law
Medical Service by Radio.
| One of the most interesting OF the
activities of the service Is the furnish
ing of medical advice by radio To ves-
| sells at sea, which do not have medical
officers ON board. This work was IN
augurated six years ago, and has grown
steadily. All kinds Of cases, from tooth
ache 10 broken legs and arms, have been
given this sort of absent treatment, and
on one occasion a captain radioed
| frantic appeal for instructions as To now
| TO handle man suffering from delirlum
| tremens.
This radio service Is furnished from
the marine hospitals, the Atlantic Coast
being served from New York City, the
Gulf OF Mexico from Key West, New Or
leans and Galveston, and the Paeihc
Coast from San Francisco. On the
Great Lakes the marine hospitals at
Chicago and Cleveland and the relief
station at Sault Ste. Marie render the
service, and relief stations In Honolulu
and Manila serve ships that call Tor
| help In their vicinity.
The personnel of the Public Health
Service consists OF large corps OF
| commissioned and non commissioned
medical officers OF various grades, SOL
entifie experts. and technical and other
employees In 1925 there we're 1.08o
medical officers and scientists. 1883
general and technical employees, and
4,442 officers OF State and local health
departments who held nominal appoint
menA from the Federal Government
and co-operated with the Public Health
Service by furnishing morbidity reports
and In other waya
The medical otfiCeTs are secured in
the same manner an are the medical
oHlcarA OF the Army and NaYyw~hy
| competitive examinations, that Is, that
are open 10 graduates of reputable med
ical colleges. The grades, In addition To
the surgeon general, are assistant sur
geonh general al large. senior surgeons,
surgeons, passed assistant surgeons. as
sistant surgeons dental surgeons. and
internes.
Wide Range of Experience.
Virglnian and graduate of the
University OF Virginia, Dr Cumming
lihh had Wide range OF experience
particularly hitting him for the position
at the head OF the Public Health serv-
Ice lie has studied the medical as
pset oI the immigration question At
Ellis Island, has been In charge OF
quarantine at San Francisco. has been
detailed 90 the Orient and brought
into close touch with the diseases ot
that part of the world, and has given
much study 10 The problem of the pol
luton OF navigable streams and coastal
waters,
During the World War he was de-
tailed 10 The Navy as adviser In SAINT
tatlon ana later was sent 10 Europe IN
charge of Public Health Service ae~
hyitles relating 10 sanitation, return
Ing troops and the resumption af trade.
lie served as president af the Inter-
allied Sanitary Commission 10 Poland
and Was engaged IN that work when he
was made Surgeon General eight years
ago lie was rendered that decoration
~ the Legion Of Honor by France and