The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-03-01
Mayor Lane Commends
Joint Board Of Health


his staff of Consolidated Board O
Health workers for the "splendle
work they have done, and are do
ing, considering manpower short
ages and the budget under which
the department has operated.
The commentary Of the City ex
ecutive, an ex-officio member Of
the Health board, followed a City
Council decision to allow individual
members to study the findings in
survey OF the local set-up by the
U. S. Public Health Service prior
to further consideration.
Mayor Lane promised to distri.
butte copies of the 61-page report
to individual counciluen. The
Board of Health had furnished the
municipal body with single copy
of the USPHS report, supplement
tary summary, and the Health
boards commentary on the review.
The Mayor presented the material
to the Council.
In connection with the Health De-
partnent review, DR.. Elliot COM
mented that 1.-The survey and rec
concentrations, except for certain
inaccurate, statements, are very
fair, complete and helpful. The
whole report should serve as an
invaluable guide now and for a
good many years to come. To me
a few of the recommendations
seem rather idealistic and might
well wait until we may meet
many of our more urgent and more
more practical public health prob
lens"
The City's attack against admin
istration of the department and
the criticism of inadequate sani-
tary inspections of waste disposal
facilities. which repeatedly brought
on the USPHS investigation, re-
ceived full answers from the
board of health.
The health body advised it had
approved a recommendation quot
ed from the survey: "Reorganiza-
ton to serial Indignation. with
definite delegation of duties to the
various divisional chiefs would
evoke dividends in increased eff.
ficiency.
RESULTANT liberation of the
Health Officer from his present
time-consuming detail work would
permit him to plan the broad
sweep of his program. From facts
derived from more extensive NOR
bidity and mortality statistics, he
might evaluate his public health
problems more completely, then
plan and elaborate. reasonable,
programs for their amelioration. !"
The Health board expressed be-
lief that completion of the City S
new i1lcinerator would solve the
refuse and garbage disposal prob
lem.
In the matter OF sanitary inspec-
tons, the Health body explained
away the fact that too many are
made for proper thoroughness with
the Amusement that sanitary en-
gineers would be more efficient,
but none are obtainable and Meth.
er do we have funds for this type
of service.
In this connection, the board
said it planned to place moderate
ly-paid sanitary inspectors under
supervision and control Of the
sanitary engineer, now devoting
most of his time to water control,
to whom they would report, and
designate the engineer responsible
for proper performance OF duties
by the inspectors.
DR.. Elliot had declared that the
most urgent need was the ern-
ployment Of an approved and ex-
perienced sanitary engineer to be
in charge Of sanitation.
A summary of the USPHS re-
view by local health authorities
follows:
THE survey discloses the fol-
lowing facts:
"Our department is much under.
manned both as to professional
and clerical forces. Concrete sug-
gestions of a constructive type
are offered for reorganization of
some of the activities which, if
followed out, will reduce duplica-
ton and release certain employees
for special duties.
eve do not concur in a portion
of the findings of the survey rela-
tive to the water control and SAM
tation activity which findings are
to some extent erroneous due,
most probably, to transformation
and to lack, of intimate knoWl-
edge of local conditions surround
ing these activities.
'"The public health nursing serv-
ice is especially commended and
much credit given to the trained,
experienced and efficient super
visor. The recommendations made
for expansion Of this activity will
require marked increased expendi-
ture.
''The survey further notes the
communica disease control
program as well conceived and
well organized. The mosquito, 9TH
er insect and rodent control ap-
pear to be adequately covered.
While provision is adequately
made for environment conditions
of EMPLOYMENT no authority is Civ
en- in any manner for control over
: .apcF" A- :