Proceedings of the quarter-centennial celebration of the establishment of the Michigan State Board of Health : held at Detroit, Michigan, August 9, 1898.
- Michigan. State Board of Health
- Date:
- 1898
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Proceedings of the quarter-centennial celebration of the establishment of the Michigan State Board of Health : held at Detroit, Michigan, August 9, 1898. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.
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![Almost nightly a small circle gathered around a table in some ])ublic garden and the day's work of each, if of general interest, was discussed amid pleasant surroundings. Each one thus absorbed the essentials of ten or a dozen. I might add that the American divine expressed a sincere regret that conditions in this countiy^ made it impossible for him to form here such profitable associations. A few of the States and one or two of the provinces of Canada have formed health officers’ associations. In some of the other States there are .sanitary associations to which health officers may belong. A sharp distinction, I think, should be made between a sanitary association and an association of health officers. Each has its own field of operation, and neither can entirely take the place of the other. An attempt to com- bine them will leave essential work undone. As Avitnessing the desir- ability of this separation of Avork, we may point to our National sanitary organizations, which are, on a larger scale, an exact counterpart of our ►State sanitary associations and State health officers’ associations. Our American Public Health Association opens its doors to all Avho are in- terested in imblic health matters, and is a sanitary association. The .^.merican Association of State and Provincial Boards of Health is made up exclusively of health officials. It is true that members of State and Provincial Boards of Health are among the most active Avorkers in the other association, and our health officers should, and are likely to be, active members of State sanitary associations. To the Michigan State Board of Health belongs the credit, so far as I have been able to learn, of having ])iislu‘d the Avork of sanitary conven- tions beyond that of any other State. It has carried the gospel of sanita- tion into all its lands, haA'ing since the year 1S80 held under its auspices forty-five sanitary conventions in as many different cities and villages. The good results of such work can hardly be overestimated, and should be prominently mentioned on this, its quarter-centennial day, in recall- ing the many good and precious gifts the State, through its board of health, has given to the people of Michigan. Michigan has also organized an Association of Health Officers. It is. hoAvever, not of sanitary associations but of associations of health officers of AAdiich I am to speak. What is their best form of organization, and hoAv can they be made the most useful? Doubtless there Avill be differences of opinion on these subjects. We must bear in mind, hoAv- oA’er, that differences in the laws and conditions of the various Rtates and proA'inces may enter into the question. Stdtr aftftoriatirnis of health officers may be spoken of first. It is the Avriter’s belief that these should be under fhe direct control of the State Board of Health. ^lany reasons may be given in faA'or of this. First is the question of ex])ense. ^leetings of the association, to be of the great- t‘st value, should haA'e their ])roceedings reported, published and dis- Iribnted to all members of boards of health, and to other ]iersons spe- cially interested in such matters. In my State it takes about twelve thousand copies of proceedings to supply members of boards of health. The cost is annually four to flA’e hundred dollars. The postage alone on this number of reports Avould be quite an item, but Ohio, like many other States, publishes a monthly journal, admitted to the mails at pound rates. Avhich effects quite a saving. The proceedings may be ])ublished in the annual reports of the State Board of Health, but these reports are usually late in appearing—possibly a year or more after the meeting](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b22335213_0063.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
