Henderson daily dispatch., 1938-02-09
HEALTH SERVICES:
VALUED IN MONEY
DR.. Gregg Shows Monetary
Appraisal Many Times
Cost of Department
YEARS BUDGET SLAP
Report Prepared for City and County
Authorities by Health Officer
Explains Departments
Operation

An evaluation in dollars and cents
of the services performed by the
Vance County Health Department Is
contained in a report on the activities
of the past year ~ DR.. A. p. Gregg,
health officer, prepared for city and
county officials, and to be sent to the
State Board of Health in Raleigh.
The total value of the work done
measured on a scale OF ordinary
charges. runs into figures several
times the amount of the budget for
the work. which during the curren.
fiscal wear is $11, Alp. OF this sum- ST.
914 is made available by the county,
$500 by the city, slice by the State
Board of Health, and $4,536 from the
United States Public Health Service
This divides into $5,714 from local
sources and $5,688 from State and ma
tional sources.
But. in addition to this State ap-
preparation, free service OF the State
Laboratory of Hygiene is extended,
the school dental work, tuberculosis
clinics, funds for prenatal clinics ana
free vaccines for smallpox, typholu
fever and numerous other services,
DR.. Gregg stated. The work done III
venereal disease control alone IS S9'-.
The health officer last year MADE
79 visits to the county home, 63 to the
Jail. 80 to the tuberculosis sanatorlum-
314 visits TO INDECENT patients and
ouarantinine. communica lie diseases.
a total of 4o7, which, on the basis Oh
the customary $3.50 charge Tor pro-
fessional visit, would amount 10
$7O25O
Under the head of preventive medl-
cal work are listed $50 smallpox, o9@
diphtheria and 1,487 (complete) ty-
phoid vaccinations, and II gonorrhea
and 1911 syphilis treatments, all with
a value OF SIP ,8S4.50. Examinations
made by the health department IN
cluded 165 pre-school children, YOU
school children, $50 food handlers, GOT
domestic servants, and $50 boys for
CCC camps and children for industry.
This was given a value of $685..
Tn the performance of their duties
the health officer Travelled 6,988 miles,
the sanitary officer 1928 miles ana
the two nurses 1915 miles, total OF
27,OO2 miles in the interest OF puonc
health work in Vance county.
Much space is given in the report to
a description of how the health de-
partment functions. Much of the et-
fort is directed toward disease, pre-
vention, in the hope of creating bet
ter health conditions and the proven
ton of suffering.
DR.. Gregg explained that the health
officer looks after prisoners IN jan
and the countys poor in institutions
and makes medical examinations OF
persons to be admitted to institutions
or hospitals at the county's expense
and examinations on the courts order.
Disease prevention, the report said
is accomplished mainly by vaccination.
some of which is compulsory in the
schools, and also by clinics held at
intervals Toxoid treatment against
diphtheria is provided for small chill
dren with consent of the parents. Ty-
phoid incubation is also an important
feature of the work. Disease proven
ton by sanitation is attempted
through inspections of food handlers
and eating establish nnents I'D dair-
les, eliminating breeding places for
flies and mosquitoes. There are also
the "well-baby' clinic, prenatal clinic
and the one for cripple children.
Particular attention has lately been
devoted to the campaign against vene-
real diseases, including syphilis and
gonorrhea, with hundreds treated at
the health office last year. Blood
tests were made in 1,196 instances and
1911 treatments were given.
TIndQr tho 1O,,ooctio &c 1oxx-
too, 81 servants were examined in