The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-08-19
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THE folIou,np editorial 1crttten by Doctor
Ollie NJ GoodLoe Columbus Health Commits
s,oner appeared in the August issue Of the Co
l,tmbus Health Bulletin)
We like TO think of each succeeding generation
as heinq a little better educated, mayhap with
slightly higher intelligence potential than It's pred.
ecessor. This may may not be true yet we ieei
certain our forefathers living more than century
ago left us heritage in many avenues when seem
AZ sound now As they must have been when flrst
promulgated.
one Of the many ideas they propounded in the
distant psst which still endure is the Board of
Health plan Of community health protection Almost
every CITY follows il because, experience has proved,
II works better for the good Of all than any system
YET devised In practice il has expanded many foid
as knowledge experience and the need have dc
tsted But bascally it is the same it was origin
ally.
Actually the Board of Health theory is as simple
rs having rommuntys health protection IN the
hands of experts in that field and IN keeping them
free from political pressures.
As an apt illustration of how this works, the
present Columbus Board of Health furnishes fine
example lis membership of five includes one doctor
of veterinary medicine, Russell F. RebraSsler presl'
dent pro. tenn: two medical doctors m Lowell r.
Rohr and Edred r. Hesel with wide expert
ence in hospital administration Charles A. Jones;
and Joseph S. Goodwin, registered pharmacist.
III
course The Columbus Health Department pursues in
the protection of the cy's health with the health
commissioner as IN cir administrative instrument,
serving al their pleasure Theoretically, City COun-
ellis only function in regard TO public health is to
meet the expenses incurred by the department
This breaks down however, when funds are in
sufficient Under present organization the depart
ment is forced 10 appeal almost in the sense OF
begging, To maintain its skeleton services. TO en-
large upon them, TO take advantage of the vast
resources science and research have made available
in the .asi decade, would not have been counen-
aneed,
That is why the department employs only AZ
nurses when the United States Public Health Service
stipulateS-a city OF Columbus size should utilize a
minimum of 90 That is why many services to which
the citizens are entitled and which are available
AT price have not been undertaken
We should, in good conscience provide prenatal
training for expecant mothers, mental hygiene for
the unstable chronic disease control program and
the means by which To step mp accident prevention
Ito name only 4 few,
II is true the department is enabled to offer what
might be termed An adequate job in the realm Of
basic health services Our meat inspection is
thorough any offered anywhere, milk inspec-
tlnn service does what it was intended to do, from
dairy farm to dairy plant Our food establishment
inspection service has eliminated food poisoning
from public eating facilities and depart.
mental laboratory, in addition to its routine chores,
has performed many services for other local health
jurisdictions without fee or credit
There are other areas Of public health where We
maintain creditable control so long AS We are not
faced with an emergency And there are areas
where We fail, To cite example, during the last
ss years We have provided insect control pro
gram of inestlmable value in the elimination of
epidemics Of communicable disease from the com
munity We had, in all truth, few flies and mos
quitoes
But now, with a far greater concentration of
population and with new areas being added to the
old II Is virtually impossible To maintain these same
standards with the same equipment and on the
same material budget Yet that is what we are being
asked To do in this field and in long list of
others
Healthwise Columbus ranks with The very finest
anywhere. But per capita awse, rank ninth in
the state on The amount Of money spent on public
health II is flstterln9 TO us Of course that we are
able to stretch health dollar 10 its greatest
breadth
Yet the health dollar. like any other has limits
upon the distance il nay tread II has stretched un-
III II Is threadbare All because of continual limi-
tauons Of resources to either maintain present
standards or TO expand in the directions where the
greatest public good could be done
have lived in Columbus long enough now 10
know IT IS town not easy 10 dupe The average
intelligence here is unusually high ! believe most
Of The citizens know, unspectaeuar As the services
NAV bs, The health OF each citizen and the health
of the community is one of its most precious assets
think they will want to see these services main
tanned nj peak efficiency and ampIifed in those
avenues where the public need is greatest
Inls cannot he done. experience has proved
ny the handtomouth methods of securing funds
IN Inc past We deem 1t for the best good for all
of lis that We return TO those basic fundamental
Intentions of our forefahers and allot funds TO the
Board Of Health that they as experts in that field
direct The health department program solely within
me hmH SCI down Tor them by The electorate