The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-07-16
Public's Health Vital
 Factor In War Effort
State Commissioner Appeals to Individuals to Co.,
 operate Communities to Provide Facilities
Doctors Called to War

We shall have to look after our own health more and more. There are going to be fewer doctors and nurses to look after us. The July issue of the Connecticut State Medi- cal Journal, just received, states that the Office of Procurement and Assignment expects this state to contribute 602 physicians to the armed forces before January l, l043. Besides the doctors who have al- ready left for service, more than 400 doctors will go between July l, l942 and the end of the year. Other phy- sicians are leaving private practice for war industries. On July l, there were 2.434 physicians registered and living in Connecticut, but evident ly we will lose 90 per cent of our practitioners within a year.
 By looking after ourselves. we do not mean self-diagnosis and self medication, but each of us can fol- low few health suggestions such as to-
 Eat right, sleep right, keep
 personally clean, play within
 reason, be moderate, and visit
 the family physician At least
 once . year for physical cx-
 animation.
 A practical resolution was passed by the House of Delegates of the American Medical association in Atlantic City last month. Many people with symptoms delay go- ing to the doctor. When they do go, and he recommends Q course of treatment, perhaps an opera ton, they put that of. They are too busy, or 1t isn't serious, or they just procrastinate. So the Amer ican Medical association recom- mended that all persons who ex- pect to seek medical opinion or who have had medical and sur gical care prescribed for them should seek medical advice or fol- low such advice while sufficient doc- tors remain available to the civil population.
 Full Time Services
 As a further contribution to the upbuilding of civilian health. tho doctors passed second regolu- ton urging the earliest possible provision for every part of the na- ton. Of local. county, district or regional full time modern health services"
 Tn line with the above, the Public Health Council of the Con- necticut State Department of Health has authorized the sub mission to the next session of the Connecticut General Assembly of an amendment of the law for health districts, providing joint state and local support. The larger cities of Connecticut. and slightly more than half the population, now have full time local health service, but this would be possible for smaller cities and towns only by grouping with their neighbors. Just AS the physicians in the armed forces are working 10 maintain the health of the men in the services, Eo must the physicians in public health work do their utmost to keep before the people this vital matter.
 However, neither the physician nor ti1o t.Aaith department, val uabie as they are. can do the whole job of keeping us well. That Is up to each one of us. Others may ex- plain the rules of healthful living to us, but 1t is we who follow them and by following. help in this emergency. It is now nationally important to be "in health" By keeping well, the faster we can produce war supplies and the earlier the war shouId end. Pro- 1uct.on lines are interrupted by illness and the home front Is like- wise disrupted by illness of those running the household. We must keep we'll It is the patriotic thing to dol