The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-12-29
STATE Health HEAD
urges GREAT CARE
!. IN CUTTING BUDGET
Recommends That Legislators
Use Pruning Knife Only
After Careful Thought

Four major recommendations, three
of which concern appropriations for
health work, are made to the next
legislature in the 22nd biennial report
J OF DR.. A. A. Whittemore, state health
officer
The recommendations urge:
I. Adequate appropriations for the
state department Of health.
Recognition of the necessity OF the
bureau of sanitation by adequate ap-
preparation to maintain the service.
Administration Of the public health
laboratories by the department OF
health rather than the state unlver-
sity.
Great care and thought in the re-
duction of health appropriations.
I'm times of financial stress when
the general nutrition is brought to
low level, the morale of the people
lowered and the standard Of living re-
duced, public health problems are in
creased DR.. Whittemore said. Con-
sequently adequate appropriations are
more essential than ever before. Sal
aries OF our heads of divisions now
are so low that it is necessary to &C
cept outside charitable assistance be-
fore competent persons can be en-
ployed.
Urges Care In Economy
1T is recommended that great care
and careful thought be exercised IN
{, the reduction of health appropria-
tions to meet the great economic need
Of the times, to the end that the
work of 20 years may not be de-
stroyed and the lives and health OF
our people may be preserved ne
said
General health conditions through
out the state have been excellent. NO
unusual epidemics have occurred.
There has been slight increase OF
nutritional diseases during the last
year, he said.
The doctor reported considerable
increase In the number OF typhoid
fever cases. He declared that the gen.
eral drought caused many wells to go
dry and listed the indiscriminate use
Of water from unprotected sources OF
supply as an important typhoid caus-
alive factor.
II health departments could utilize
to full advantage the knowledge IN
the possession of medical science, as
to the cure and prevention OF diph-
liberia, DR.. Whittemore said, there
seems no doubt but what 1t could be
: eliminated altogether. The diph-
liberia commission has over $4,000 i'm
nominations to its credit during the
! last Is months. he said. OF these.
81 900 were in the drought area. where
30 per cent of the school children IN
II counties were immunized.
! Lists Smallpox Outbreaks
Whittemore's report listed several
rather widespread but mild" out
. breaks of smallpox occurring during
the last two years, especially through
out the southwestern portion OF the
state, and described the outbreak Of
botulism near Grafton as the largest
in the history Of the state.
THE state is rather liberal in its
provision for the care and cure Of
those afflicted with tuberculosis"
Whittemore stated, 'but no provision
for its prevention has been eStab-
ushed by the state"
OF public health among the Indians,
he said it continues to be consider
able problem. The federal Indian
service was said to be rapidly i'm
proving. A health survey Of all the
reservations in the near future also
is being planned, said WhittemOre.