The Coolidge examiner., 1930-10-17
HEALTH SAFER
WHEN JOHN IS
ON THE JOB.


much was admitted at the first
meeting of the state board of health
under the new superintendent OF
health, April 2, 1929.
There were dysentery and menin-
gifts problems in Maricopa county,
rs victims had died of meningitis.
A typhoid epidemic at McNary,
where little had been done by the
state board of health, was just
abating. General Indifference to
the entire health situation in the
state had it's effect on the office
force of the board. Clerical work
was consuming entirely to much
time. An immediate cut was made
in routine. The time saved made
more work in the field possible.
y study of the dysentery situation
had been started a few months be-
fore. 1t was now decided to petit
ton the aid of the surgeon general
of the federal public health service.
DR.. Fred T. Foard was sent to Ari-
zona. He made a survey of the sit
uation and recommended a full-time
health unit for Maricopa county.
The state health superintendent and
county boards of supervisors CO.
operating, obtained an epidemiol-
ogist, and later a sanitary inspec-
tor. The epidemiologist finished
his work on February l, 1880, Sc
rious danger of the spreading of
the disease having been overcome.
Eight weeks of negotiations and
discouragements brought on Febru-
ary L; 1880, a grant of $4,000 from
the Rockefeller foundation to match
an equal state appropriation for i'm
munization work. Seven nurses
were set to work in the field. Sixty
five thousand inoculations against
typhoid. smallpox and diptheria
were administered in IL of the IA
counties Of the state. Each nurse
made an average of 85 inoculations
day-cost to the state of each in
ocuiation, seven cents person. And
that was not all the nurses had to
do. They worked day and night.
The public had to be educated. A
hundred communities were given
talks and lectures. They were tiId
how to protect themselves against
the ravages of contagious diseases.
AT this time a state epidemiol-
ogist was also set to work; again
the Rockefeller Foundation had
matched funds to further health
work in Arizona. Today there are
fewer cases of contagious diseases
in Arizona than there have been in
the state for years.
Infant mortality was another big
problem. In 1928, on an average
more babies died in Arizona than
in any other state, 125 out of each
1000 born. During 1929 Arizona
got out of last place, the average
was pushd down to 109 deaths per
1000 births. Still too many deaths,
but nevertheless an Improvement.
The defunct state child hygiene
division was revived. Birth notifi-
cations and similar work was un
dertaken and is now being done
without cost to the state. All forms
are furnished by the federal govern
ment, and franking privileges have
been granted.
Miami had a meningitis scare.
Again the help of the surgeon gen
eral had to be sought. DR.. F. A.
Spencer of the federal health ser.
vice was sent to Gila county, where
he established much needed deten.
ton hospital. In short order the
spread of the disease was curbed.
In December, 1929, and in Janu.
ary, 1880, Graham county had Sc.
we're epidemic outbreaks. Late in
January an appeal was made to the
state superintendent of health. This
time the superintendent had the
keen satisfaction of not being
forced to call for federal aid. He
was By this time able to send out
his own epidemiologist and nurse
They stayed in the field until the
scourge was cleaned up. There
were few mortalities.
| nen the new state Superlntend
ent Of health assumed charge the
reporting of disease detection to the
state board of health was wholly
inadequate.
Reports were made through coun
/ ty physicians offices and usually
dill not reach the superintendent
office until the tenth of the month
following the detection. Often re
ports were six weeks arriving.
change was made at once. Physi
clans were requested to report i'm
mediately and directly to the STATE
superintendent as soon as a case o
disease was discovered. Few re
ports now arrive later than a weel
after a physician finds a patien
infected with any dangerous com
municable ailment The number o
reports received jumped almost i'm
mediately to four times the numbe
received previously, and withou
any additional cost to the state
The superintendent found it wise t
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