The Wilmington morning star., 1946-07-02
Doctor Says
HEALTH
SERVICE HELPS
By WILLIAM A. O'BRIEN, NJ. D.

Official public health service is
the application of tle science of
preventive medicine, through gov.
eminent, for social ends. Concern
for the illness of the individual and
its treatment, except as it may
have a bearing on the spread Of
the disease, is not, according 10
most authorities, a function of AK
supported public health service.
The smallest unit of population
which >can support a good local
health service is about SOC 0 per-
| sons. The minimum staff of such
a service should include one medi.
| cally-trained health officer, 10
public health nurses, one sanitary
engineer, one s%anitarian, and three
clerks. Part-time clinical ~Servicex
for tuberculosis, venereal disease,
child hygiene, and dental services
may be provided, as we'll as a
laboratory for the examination
of specimens. Larger population
units can afford a more elaborate
service, and wherever possible
rural jewellers should share the
expenses and enjoy the benefits Of
a public health service in a nearby
city.
The public health dollar brings
the greatest return. In spite of
the progress which has been made
by individuals and private organs
cations in the care of the sick.
public health service has a better
record of results.
The chief functions Of a public
health service are controlling
communicable disease, improving
environmental sanitation, keeping
records, offering laboratory serv-
ing, providing special protection
for the health of mothers, infants.
and children, and serving as a
center Of information for the com.
muaity.
The control of contagious dis
ease has produced a great increase
in the span of human life. In
1900, in one Midwestern city, Is
per cent of deaths were those of
babies and 5 per cent those of
persons more than rs years OF
age; in 1910, in that same city.
only 3 percent of deaths occurred
among babies and Is per CEN
among persons more than rs years
of age.
Public health service betters the
conditions under which our people
live and work. 1t also controls
our food, milk, and medicines,
Although We have succeeded in
practically eliminating tubercu-
losis among cattle, millions of
American people still use raw
milk infected with the germs Of
other diseases.
Public health records are in
valuable. Unless we know how
many cases of a certain disease
we have had, we cannot tell how
effective u methods Of control
nave been. Birth and death certi-
flcates tell the story of u efforts
to replace ourselves and to control
the diseases which take life pres
maturely.
Laboratory tests are necessary
for the control of most contagious
diseases. These services have
proved of tremendous value in the
control of tuberculosis, diphtheria,
typhoid fever, and the other in
fectious diseases.
Society protects its mothers, in-
fants, and children from uaneces-
sary diseases and hazards through
its public health service, and the
cooperation Of the medical profess
sion and the hospitals helps
greatly,
Public health service also pro-
vides information for every citizen
enabling him to protect himself
from unnecessary disease. Cur
country spends only AZ cents per
capita for official public health
service, and it is estimated that
about 81 per capita would provide
an ideal service for all.
QUESTION: My little girl, six
years old, has styes, What can |