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Department of Health of Alexandria Any city of the present day, is largely judged by the kind of health j protect/iva organization its citizens are willing to spend their money to maintain. And it is perfectly just and logical that a city should he so rated for what could be more important than the protection of the lives and health of its citizens? It is certainly an imperative duty of the people of any city to make it a safe place in which to live! The four principal questions asked of a city at the present time are: Have you a well organized and effi cient Health Department? Have you a competent and modernized Fire De- i partement? Have you an efficient j Police Department? As this article deals with the Health Department only, we will take up the first question and answer it in j some detail. i In 1018, owing to certain conditions I then existing, and to the fact that J Alexandria was in the military zone of Camp Humphrey, a Sanitary Unit of the U. S. Public Health Service i Dr. Louis E. Foulks was assigned to the City, with a coin missioned medical officer in charge. This unit included Red Cross nurses, .bacteriologist, sarjitary inspectors, etc., and took full charge of all health protective measures. On Jan. 1, lid9, Ass't Surgeon General Clark, of the | Public Health Service, assigned Dr. j Louis E. Foulks, a medical officer i who up to that time was attached to | the Influenza Relief Headquarters, U. S. Public Health Service as Chief of the Division of Food Control and Sanitary Inspection, Military Zone of the District of Columbia to Alexan dria as Clvef Sanitary Inspector,, and ordered him to make a complete sanitary survey of the city. This survey was finished in March, and the various maps, chart)?, and photo graphs, together with the official re port with suggestions made to correct insanitary conditions found, were brought to the attention of the Citv I Councils by the commanding officer, Dr. R P. Sandridge. It should be ! understood that prior to the Public Health Service taking charge in 1!?18, there was no regular health organi zation in the city. A local physician acted as health officer, with a local veterinarian as an assistant. Both gave only a portion of their time to the work, and received a nominal salary. In an address before the City Coun cils, Dr. Sandridge pointed out that part time health work was practically money wasted. He also called atten tion to the fact that the Public Health Service would withdraw its unit on June 30th, and strongly urged Coun cil to make provision for an efficient full-time health department, with a bacteriological laboratory and train ed personnel. Realizing that the time had come for serious action, they re quested Dr. Sandridge to submit a plan for the formation of a perma nent, full-time health orginization, to be effective July I, ll'UO. He did so, the plan was promptly adopted and an appropriation was made > carry it into effect. The next step was to secure a competent outside man, who would bo entirely free from and local tics or affiliations, to act as health officer, and organize and carry out the large and varied amount of pioneer work the new department of health would have to do. Dr. San didge knowing the wide, practical ex perience of Dr. Foulks. along the lines of disease prevention and gener al sanitary work: in both field and laboratory; strongly urged that his services be secured. Although Dr. Poulks was offered the same position in another city of more than twice the size of Alexandria, and at twice the salary, he gave the matter serious thought, fie consulted with the Ass't Surgeon General, who pointed out (he fact that as he had made the sani tary survey of the city, he knew more about the conditions needing correc tion than any other individual, tind should be .'ihlo to do work of great public benefit, far more so than in the other Virginia city, that desired his services This induced Dr. Foulks to agree to accept the office for a period of ons year. At a joint session of the City Council, held in June TWO. Dr. Foulks was unanimously elected Health Officer. Lieut. R. S. Dear styne was elected City Bacteriolo gist and Miss Sallie Jeffries, R. N\, Public Health Nurse. Immediately after his election. Dr. Foulks appoint ed Dr. James J. Garvey, Veterinarian, to be Assistant Health Officer. This' appointment was promptly confirmed by Council. He also appointed Miss M. A. Brock, as tleft. On July 1st, 1919, the newly organ ized, full-time Department of Health ;took official charge of the city, with headquarters in the City Hall. This is the history of the birth and organ ization of the present Health Depart ment of Alexandria. What Has The Health Department Accomplished since its Organization? Since taking charge on July 1st, 1919, it has done a large amount of important and constructive work in making Alexandria a safer place in which to live. It has greatly reduced the number of cases, of such common Jeable diseases as typhoid, scarlet lever, diptheria, smallpox, etc. It has rcduced the death rate of all forms of communicable diseases, from 85 in 1919 to 64 in 1921. It has reduced the death rate of typhoid over 65 per cent! The total deaths from all causes shows a steady decline during the past three years. A Clinic for treat ment of venereal disease has been con ducted, also a general daily clinic for treating the poor of the city A special tuberculosis clinic is also held. The department has, from time to time drawn up and secured the passage by City Council of many important and comprehensive laws re gulating the handling of all forms of foods and drinks. The regulation of restaurants, grocery stores, meat markets, etc. The regulation of res taurants. grocery stores, meat mar kets, etc. The regulation of dairy farms fixing the standard quality of all rnilk sold within the city limits. A law regulating the storage and col lection of garbage, requiring it to be stored in fly-tight metal cans. A special law prohibiting the sale of un wrapped bread. This department has given special attention to various unanswered sec tion of the city, where the most dan gerous unsanitary conditions existed. In order to correct these conditions, the department from time to time prepared a total of 2G petitions for sewer extensions, and presented them to City Council. All of these were granted and the extensions have been constructed, the last section being finished in February of this year. All houses abuting upon these sewer ex tensions, over 400 in number, have been connected thereto, except those upon the section finished last month, j and these W;U be between now and | April 1st. j When the health department began \ its sanitary work in July 1919, it was found that approximately 375 houses had been abuting upon - city j sewers from Uo 7 years, yet had never | been connected. This constituted a | serious menace to the public health, a menace the department was deter mined to correct. As fast as these houses were located and inspected, an official notice was served upon the owners, and if they failed to comply with the order to connect their prop critics to the city sewers, they were summoned into Court. This made some enemies for the health depart ment, but as the health officer was working for the public good, it did not deter him from his work. At the present time there arc no houses abutting the city sewers, that are not connected thereto, except the few that have had their time extended to April 1st. A Few Facts and Figures Taken from Official Records General Food Inspection From July 1st, 1919 to Dec. 31st, 1921, the department condemned and destroyed a total of 28,805 lbs. of tuberculosis meat. 3,216 cans of spoiled fish. There is also a long list of various stuff condemned that would take too much space to list here, con sisting of many hundreds of pounds of chickens, turkeys, livers, pork, lamb, mutton, barrels and crates of fish, gallons of oysters, etc. All of the thousands of pounds of diseased beef and other food mentioned above, would have been sold to the people of Alexandria, but for the constant inspection work of the health depart ment. All the restaurants and hotels arc kept under almost daily inspection, while other places such as meat mar ik-jts, grocery stores, fish markets, candy and ice cream stores, bakeries, soft drink establishments, are, as far as it is physically possible, inspected once a week, and more frequently when necessary. Dairy and Milk Inspection When the health department be ! tran its work in 1919, it found the milk situation far from satisfactory. Many of the dairy farms supplying milk to this city, were found to be in an un sanitary condition and without suf ficient or modern equipment to en able them to produce milk of a stand ard safe quality. Some had no milk houses and the milk was bottled under unsafe conditions, while others hav ir:g milk houses had made no provi sions for heating water to wash bot tles and dairy utensils. These con ditions and many others have been changed for the better. All cows fur nishing milk to this city, must be tuberculin tested at least once eaeh year. Every dairyman must secure a permit from the health department, before he can sell milk within the city limits, and this permit, is only issued after his cows have been tested, his barns and equipment, inspected and passed upon by the veterinarian and dairy inspector, Dr. Garvey, who is the Assistant health officer. To state it in a few words, the health depart ment has revolutionized the whole situation to such an extent, that to day Alexandria is getting as good a grade of milk and as free from con tamination. as any other city in this section of the country. Medical Inspection The Medical Department assists the Board of Education in the medical examination of school children. The .jepartment nurse also assists, the school nurse in daily inspection work. Over a thousand school children have brcn vaccinated since this department was organized. Any scholar who has been excluded from school on account of having symptoms of a communica ble disease, or where such a disease cxitsts in the family, cannot return until examined by the Health Offi cer and given a written order by him. The employees of all restaurants are kept under constant observation by the Health Officer, and when deem ed necessary by him, must submit to a full medical examination and labo ratory tests to insure his or her free dom from communicable diseaese. The Health Department does a very large amount of medical examination work, in order to prevent the spread of the various forms of communica ble diseases. This is all done in such a quiet, tactful way, that few people know it is being done. It is none the less very important work. Venereal Clinic This clinic was established Octo ber 1st, 1919. and is conducted joint ly by the Federal Goverment, the State of Virginia and the Health De partment, with Dr. W. Clyde West, a specialist in genito-urinary diseases, as clinician. The official records of the clinic show that from Oct. 1st. 1919, to Dec. 31st, 1921, a total of 970 patients were treated for veneral diseases and 8,160 treatments were given! This will give some idea of the extent of the work done by this section of the Health Department in not only pro tecting the health of the present gen eration, but of future generations as well, from the most destructive and widely extended diseases known to medical science. General Clinic For The City Poor This Clinic was started September 1920, and from that date up to Dec. 31st, 1921, it has treated 345 patients and given a total of 1,013 treatments. The Clinician also visits the City Alms House and looks after the in mates requiring- medical attention. He also looks after the inmates of the Anne Lee Memorial Home. When the case requires, the Health Depart ment nurse visits the poor patients in their homes. This will show that the poor of our city need never suffer for j lack of medical attention. The Labarotory The Health Department laboratory has modern equipment, and is con ducted along thoroughly up-to-date scientific lines. The official reports show that the average monthly work accomplished is greater than that done in the laboratory of any other city of twice the size of Alexandria, from which records have been com pared. From July 1st 1919 to December 31st, 1921, the laboratory has made 10,508 examinations and tests! This does not include daily routine work of making up stains, reageants, cul ture media, etc. All of this work re fluives a high degree of technical skill and wide knowledge of bacter iology and laboratory diagnosis. Daily tests are made of the city wat er supply, and weekly tests of milk from the various dealers. Public Health Nurse The Health Department nurse has duties that are wide and varied. She looks after cases of contagious dis ease and instructs the family in pre ventive measures. She keeps tht Health Officer fully informed of the condition of each case under quaran tine, and fumigates the house when quarantine is raised. She assists the school nurse in her school inspection work; helps in vaccinating children; makes nursing, instructive and child welfare visits; assists at the daily venereal and general clinics, and per forms the various other duties as signed to. her by the Health Officor. Her work is important and her time fully occupied. Some Plans for the Future Besides improving and extending the various sections of the work now being conducted, the Health Depart ment expects to establish a ehilden's clinic, both medical and dental, to be conducted with the assistance of local doctors and dentists. It expects to improve the present garbage collect ing system, and if possible, have daily collections during the summer months. It might be stated here, that the gar bage collecting system of this city doc-s not cost the taxpayers a single cent! This is about as cheap a sys tem as any person could well devise. The department has in preparation a revised and up-to-date plumbing code, also a plan to have a "Board of Condemnation," with powers to con demn buildings that are unsafe and unfit for human habitation. It has plans to improve the general sanitary condition of our alleys, streets and vacant lots. I In fact it is proposed io make the ] department of Health of the city of J Alexandria, sccond to none of any j other city of its :.lse in this country! j Health Department Personal Health Officer: Louie E. Foulks, B. Sc., M. D. j Ass't Epidemiologist, U. S. Public Health Service. Member, American | Public Health Association. Society of American Bacteriologist. Ass't Health Officer: James J. Garvey, D. V. S. Clinician and Bacteriologist: Yv. Clyde West, M. D., Specialist! in Genito-Urinary diseases and Svp- ' hilis. Public Health Nurse: Miss M. A. Davis, R. N. Department Clerk: Miss Elizabeth F. Schneider. SERVICE TO COUNTRY In far-away Montenegro, the Jan- ] ior American Red Cross is assisting j the Jugo-Slav goverment to maintain ! three schools wKere the children may I secure an education and learn some ? useful trade. Recently an admirer of the Red Cross offered a prize for the best essay written by a pupil of the Industrial School for boys at Danilovgrad, the subject to be citi zenship and service. The prize win ner was Paoune I. Vouiochevitch, an orphan boy woh is a member of the Fourth Class. Perhaps his idea of running with a gun in his hand to defend his country may not accord with the purpose of the Arms Re duction Conference, but Paoune has other ideas of patriotic service which do. This is what the young Mon tenegrin boy wrote: "Eveey Serb knows what our fatherland is and at what sacrifice wc have gained it. When our Ser bian ancestors lived in slavery?un t rd the yoke of the Turk?they gave repeatedly for their country, land, houses, flocks, and even their lives; from which each Serb must take ex ample. because it is shameful to aban don and leave our great Jugo-Slavia, the country of the Serbs, Croats and j Slovens, which extends o.i the north j to Hungary, on the south to Greece, on the east to Rumania, and on tho west to the Adriatic Sea. It is not sufficient to fight for it, but oen must try to put her in order, and cause education to penetrate so that she may then be equal to other great countries. "First, each inhabitant must take care of his house; embclish and con struct houses up to the highest floor, j Also pay attention to the poor vil I Iages, so that they may ?e clean and j in good order. Then one must care I for the roads and the schools and vol untarily send one's children to school to learn something so that they may become good citizens. "We must make such order in our country that you will have pleasure in looking at it. And if great dan gers occur, one must not hesitate to give noe's life for one's country. "We children, we do not yet know we will run, with our little guns in our hands, to defend her against the enemy. Now we can finish by saying: 'Long live our fatherland and glory to those who have freed it from slav ery!"' The United States forest service has announced that the Allegheny na tional forest, consisting of about 400, 000 acres, is to be created at the head waters of the Allegheny River in Northern Pennsylvania. Jinrikshas with pneumatic tires have made their appearance in Ja pan. The number 100 has been agreed upon by cities, towns and municipali ties as the universal telephone fire call in Canada. Wherever Motor Cars Go You Will Find The fl PRICES 22-Four-34 Two Passenger $ QAT Roadster, Ot/D 22-Four-35 Five Passenger $ AOP Touring, 1/OO 22-Six-44 Three I'asscn- $"| O/jr ger Roadster, 1 ODO 22-Four-36 Three I'assen- S"1 OQC ger Coupe, A^ic/O 22-Six-45 Five I'asscn- Si OQC ger Touring, A0i70 22-Four-37 Five Passeng- $1 OQC ger Sedan JLOJ/O 22-Six-49 Seven I'asscn- COC ger Touring, iOO?3 22-Six-4(> Three Passen- Si OOC ger Coupe, lOOO 22-Six-4fi Four I'asscn- S9A7C ger Coupe ? k) 22-Six-47 Five I'asscn- ^2105 ger Sedan Jix-30 Seen Pa ger Sedan 22-Six-iiiO Seven I'asscn- ^2375 All Prices F. O. B. Flint, Mich. And expert and court eous service is the repu tation upon which our ever - increasing busi ness has been built. AS! our customers are satis fied customers. Try our service. 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