Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-05-21
ANDERSON Sees
BETTER HEALTH


II can visualize a not far distant
day when among the AZ states that
comprise the United States oi
America none shall eclipse Texas In
the point OF healthfulness or It's
citizens" Or. J. G. Anderson. state
health officer of Austin this after
loon told doctors attending the an
nual convention OF the Texas State
Medical association. which opened
here today.
Or. Anderson was reporting on
progress OF the state health depart
ment during the last two years.
Human life l. the states great
est asset and probably no activity
has such scope. such a variety OF
subjects to deal with as public
health" DR.. Anderson said. Public
health Is the science and part OF
preventing disease. prolonging life
and promoting physical health and
efficiency through organized COM
munity efforts" was heJdefinition
DR.. Anderson reported that dur
ing the past two years the chem
zeal and pathological laboratories
have been combined. re-euuipped
and placed under one director. "A
new building has been completed.
the hygenic laboratory merged with
the Pasteur institute and the COM
bined laboratories r now housed in
one building.
This has increased the efficiency
OF the work and the amount OF work
being done has increased Is per
cent.
The department has co-operated
In control OF az outbreaks OF COM
municable disease and otherwise
worked with the various health Of
r OF the state. DR.. Anderson said
He reported that q number OF school
boards had ordered compulsory vac
cination ms a safeguard against
smallpox after conferences OF health
department officials with members
of the school boards.
The work Of the bureau OF child
hygiene OF the state department has
been of great value. he said. and the
demand for public health nurses
now far exceeds the supply. Nurses
for this work should be available Ia
every county in the state. the OF
fetal declared In his plea for better
support OF the work. The $4,000 ap-
preparation OF the federal govern
ment for this work in Texas will be
exhausted June 80. 1929. with nc
promise or further assistance from
that source.
Thousands Of defects in children
have been connected as a result OF
the work OF the school nurse. he
said.
The bureau or food and drugs
has been reorganized and placed In
charge Of an experienced drug
man." DR.. Anderson said. Thou
sands Of pounds of meats, vegeta-
bles. canned goods have condemned;
some alarming conditions have been
found In bottling plants and several
cases Of food poisoning have been
investigated. Oyster shocking plants
we're found wanting in sanitary
equipment and operation Of a num-
Der Of poultry plants we're found ac-
CCDtiAlS LA1Cl1Ok 6A4Q QAcC6cCQ 4OWAo.
Warnings were issued in all these
cases and partial or complete correc-
tons brought about.
In compliance with the vital sta
tistics law passed by the legisla-
ture, the bureau Of vital statistics
was reorganized and the personnel
increased. More than 1000 local
registrars have been appointed. and
the registration OF births and deaths
has increased approximately 20 per
cent. as reported to the bureau. To
bring about more satisfactory COM
pliance with the law. more than $50
public addresses were made by the
staff and others: a birth and death
registration day was set aside for
the annual statewide cleanup
week. thousands Of letters. newspa-
per articles. and interviews we're re-
leased, and franking privileges Sc
cured for a number Of city health