The daily independent., 1937-07-07
District Health
Service Explained
Continued from Page One)

and (4) a clerk k-stenographer for
each county.
The health officer, a licensed
physician coming within certain
requirements of the State Board
of Health, would be elected by
the combined County Board of
Health, and he would select the
remainder of the personnel.
The inter-county work would
be directed by an executive COM
mittee consisting of one member
elected from each county board
of Health, with the State Health
Officer, or his representative. as
an eX-officio member.
Some of the duties and acti-
vities of the district department
would be:
l. School health supervision, in
Guiding physical examination of
school children for defects.
2. Immunization service, pro-
vided for the control of smallpox,
typhoid and diptheria.
3. Perfection of an organization
for the correction of physical de-
fects, such defects to be. correct
ed by competent physicians.
4. To conduct an organized pro-
gram to reduce maternal and in
FAINT deaths.
5. An adequate venereal disease
and tuberculosis program with the
cooperation of the local medical
profession.
6. An educational and supervis-
ory program for correcting an
Vironmental sanitation, with par
ticular emphasis on the disposal
of human excreta, malaria con-
troll, providing a pure and whole
some water supply, pure milk and
pure food.
7. Conducting archaeological
Investigations and institutlng
measures for the prevention of
communicable diseases.
8. The Public Health Nurses
will visit the homes of children
absent from school because of
communicable diseases or physi-
cal defects and take necessary
steps to prevent a spread of dis
seases and encourage correction
of the physical defects. The
nurses will also visit homes in the
interest of eXpectant mothers in
prenatal care.
9. The district health depart
ment will supervise midwives,
give them instruction in element
airy hygiene and enjoin them
against certain harmful and
dangerous practices.
In addition to paying it's pro
rata part of the expenses of the
department. each county will be
required to provide office space
containing at least two rooms
with lights and water. The coun-
try in which district headquar-
ters is located will have to provide
three rooms.
The estimated expense of such
a health department is $21, ,210, of
which State and Federal health
agencies will provide $14,326 and
the four counties will be asked to
put up S6,884. On the basis of
population and property valua-
tions, Pasquotank's share of this
would be $3.50, Currituck'S would
be $1,324, Camden's would be
500 and DareS would be 5000.
The amount of tax levy sufficient
to take care of this would be
around three cents in each coun-
ty.
If one or two of the counties re-
ject the proposition and the
others accept it, the district
health department will be set up
anyway, Dr.. Fox explained, with
the State Board of Health paying
the part of the health officers
salary that would have fallen on
| the county, or two counties not
participating.
1t is regarded as doubtful that
Camden will participate, but
Currituck, Dare and Pasquotank
are regarded as fairly good pros
poets.
1t was pointed out to the local
commissioners yesterday that the
district health service would not
cost the county much money, be-
cause it would eliminate certain
health expenses which now cost
the county around $1,000 year.
A health department similar to
the one proposed for this section
was set up last month in Ply
mouth, serving Tyrrell, Hyde and
Washington counties.
Plans are now shaping up also
for a similar department for
Chowan, Gates and Perquimans
counties.
SiXty-siX North Carolina coun-
ties are now being served by dis
trict health departments.
ChOWan Votes Wet