The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1945-10-05

1tNA&A0A avn tAA[ WV pm AEhEitft
on the Coast, continues to push hard for his pro-
posal that part o, ihr 81 { slroius OF approxi-
mately $20,000,000 be used to build a four - year
medical college in Jackson. The campaign to
work up public support for the proposal is an ex-
fensive one, and the next session of the legisla-
ture in January is sure TO bring some lively action
on the question.
On the surface, the question seems a simple
one, deceptively so, in fact Most people are in
clined to look favorably on abstract ideas like
education, public health, medical facilities.
The vision OF a fine four-sear medical school for
Mississippi is an attractive one and the average
citizen, without going into a study of the ques-
ton, is more inclined to say yes than no to such
a proposal
This newspaper also hopes to see the ultimate
realization Of this goal. But first things must
come first, and after considerable study of the
matter, hoping to find the best way that this money
can be used for the people Of Mississippi, we must
register our opinion that d system Of county hos
pitfalls and a general raising OF school teaching
standards are essential first steps which must be
taken before the institution. OF a medical college.
These long standing reeds must not be by
passed.
An isue of the Mississippi Farm Bureau paper
for September which has come to our attention
is crammed with statistics and opinions of vital
Importance to any stury Of public health needs
in the state. The Farm Bureau urges the estab-
lshment Of a statewide system Of smaller hos
pitfalls as the first and foremost need Of Mississippi.
With this program given the highest priority for
prospective health appropriations. the Farm Blu
reau then gives qualified support to the medical
school proposal. And it would lower the cost of
the teaching hospital at Jackson from several
million dollars, as now proposed, to one million,
reoIIirfuq ffbe qchaof IN p1aka ureatar of
present Jackson hospitals and facilities for teach
ing purposes.
While we do not agree with the latter pro-
pbsal-feeling that If a medical school is to be
bsilt at all IL will have to have an adequate
pisnt--we nevertheless feel that the Farm Blu
r. u makes valuable contributions to the whole
question of public health needs, and is on sound
md in asserting that the greatest need CT the
ccrcmon people Of Mississippi is a system of
sns Tier hospital facilities throughout the state
rather than a big and expensive one in Jackson.
For our own port. we should like TO see
= very considerable portion Of this money spent
fer The smaller hospitals. for a general over
hsuiing Of Mississippi's disgracefullY impov-
erisl ID school sysiem and after this. for the
construction Of the medical college and hos.
pifr' In Jackson. Use of this surplus for services
like this would be returning it in the most
hsnef cial manner 10 the citizens OF Mississippi
who pUid II into tho treasury. These pro-
jscis seem Ct far more pressing need Than a
general road. reconstruction program or on office
building; construction programs like this give
politicians TOO much, Of q chance TO friifer away
tbs public money. Somehow the people never
seem 10 get exactly what they pay for when
The poiliici as begin 10 call in the confrac-
icrs nd architects and building supplies sales
men.
However If hoping for all three of these pro-
eets-statewide hospitals, fundamental educa-
tionsl improvements. and an adequate medical
s~c1ool~-is Impractical when measured against the
realities of politics, then il seems to us that the
proie is must be taken up one at a time, and in
that oder.
Our state records for hospital facilities are the
poorest in the nation. We are 48th In the ratio
OF hospital beds 10 population. We are 48th in
the ratio of dentists to population. 48th in the
ratio of physicians and surgeons to population,
4sfh in the ratio Of nurses, 48th in live births in
hospitals, 48th in births attended by physicians,
and so on, with depressing monotony.
In modern medical education, as the Farm
Bureau points out THE doctor is trained to work
w \ the facilities Of hospitals and clinics, and the