Page Eight
THE STATE
February 8, 1936
Social Security and Health
1Ж.
REYNOLDS explains the health fea¬
tures contained in the proposed federal
legislation and tells how North Carolina
will participate in it.
By CAUL V. REYNOLDS, M.D.
Secretary and State Health Officer
WHEN the 74th Congress en¬
acted into law 11. R. 7260, an
Act known as the Social Secur¬
ity Act, provi'ion was made therein to
aid the states in raising the standard of
all public health activities.
When this Act became a law, provi¬
sion was made therein to aid the states
in raising the standard of all public
health activities.
Man’s Humanity to Man
Personally, if I were giving u title
to the Act it would rend “Man’s Hu¬
manity to Man."
North Carolina's benefits derived
from such an appropriation is Ix-st set
out in Title 6, Section 601. "For the
purpose of assisting States, counties,
health districts, and other political sub¬
division' of tin- State» in establishing
and maintaining adequate public health
services including the training of per¬
sonnel for State and local health work,
there is hereby authorized to be appro¬
priated for each fiscal year, beginning
with the fiscal year ending June 30,
1936, the sum of $ _ to be used as
hereinafter provided."
"Tim amounts of such allotments
shall bo determined on the basis of the
population, special health problems, and
the financial needs of the States.
“The moneys so paid to any State
shall !"• expended solely in carrying out
the purposes specified in Section 601,
and in accordance with plans presented
by the health authority of such State
and approved by the Surgeon General
of the Public Health Service.”
Your State Board of Health has com¬
plied with all requirements and plans
are now in the hands of the proper au¬
thorities in Washington.
I her. hu« l»*'U an immense amount
of 'tody and thought given to the ways
and mcaus of securing the best results to
the greatest number out of the funds
secured.
It is realized too that such Federal
funds arc not to replace existing State,
county, or municipal funds but ONLY
to SUPPLEMENT such funds.
Certain Standards Set Up
To accomplish best results certain
minimum standards were set up for
medical officers, nurses, engineers and
sanitarians.
MEDICAL OFFICERS. Basic ed¬
ucational requirements shall
1ю
(a) de¬
gree of "Doctor of Medicine/’ etc. (b)
Candidates shall not be more than
3.'»
years of age when first specializing in
public health work, (c) Personnel se¬
lected shall already have had
я
gradu¬
ate course of instruction in puhlie
health of not less than three months
duration in a University. For health
officers of jurisdiction having popula¬
tion of more than 50,000, not less than
one year in residence at a recognized
University School of Public Health, is
required.
The above requirements guarantee
ns that only men of the proper educa¬
tion and experience shall bo employed
ns medienl officers. Similar qualifica¬
tions are demanded of nurses, public
health engineers, sanitarians and sani¬
tary officers.
Maternal and Child Health Services
The law provides for the develop¬
ment of demonstration services in needy
areas and among groups in special need.
It provides for cooperation with the
medical, nursing, dental, welfare, and
other groups, It is designed as a long-
range plan. It is aimed to improve
methods of administration and care for
expectant mothers, for women in con¬
finement, and for babies. The law it¬
self provides, and the Children’s Bureau
at Washington, which is the national
administrative agency, feels, that em¬
phasis should be placed on the develop¬
ment of minimal health services for
those unable otherwise to obtain such
services. It hojios to make available
the fundamentals of health education,
which will eventually lead to adequate
maternal child care in every section of
the State.
Plan for Crippled Children
Objectives of the State Plan:
1. The main objectives of this plan
are to locate and register all crippled
children in the State, to effect treat¬
ment for these children ns soon ns pos¬
sible, to establish a follow-up system,
and to contact these children until they
are 21 years of age.
2. This will ho handled through clin¬
ics, the North Carolina Orthopedic
Hospital, and selected general hospitals
in the Suite.
The greatest need for the care of
crippled children in North Carolina is
the establishing of additional hospital
lieds. There arc over 1,200 crippled
children who have been examined and
who are waiting for hospital rare at
this time.
The total number of crippled chil¬
dren under 21 in this State is about 20,-
OOO (figured on a basis of 6 per 1,000
population).
It is ostium tod that from 75 to 90
per cent of this number are in need of
sonic type of orthopedic treatment.
The moneys derived from Federal
funds will be used to secure well-trained
competent personnel which is a prere¬
quisite for the proper administration
and function of a public health program.
The tenure of office should depend upon
efficiency and be free from personal
favoritism or political popularity. When
it is realized that health is purchasable
and through a hotter conception of the
principle of protection, through envi¬
ronment and hygiene, we will, in the
not distant future, rid ourselves of the
(Continued on page twenty-two)
