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The Health bulletin [serial] - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The Health bulletin [serial] - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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260 THE HEALTH BULLETIN.THE DOCTOR'S LARGER DUTYHis Gre<strong>at</strong>er Privilege and the Possibilities Within His ReachAddress Before the Sixth District Medical Society by Dr. F. R. Harris, Henderson, PresidentWe are all keenly alive to our dutyto our p<strong>at</strong>ients, but may it not be trueth<strong>at</strong> we are so engrossed with the individualth<strong>at</strong> we too <strong>of</strong>ten forget th<strong>at</strong>we owe a larger service to the community?When we recall th<strong>at</strong>, in 1911,we had in <strong>North</strong> <strong>Carolina</strong> over 2,000more de<strong>at</strong>hs from tuberculosis, over1,000 more de<strong>at</strong>hs from pneumonia,over 1,000 more from typhoid, over1,800 more from diarrheas (under twoyears), and nearly 500 more de<strong>at</strong>hsfrom whooping cough than we wouldhave had with the average de<strong>at</strong>h r<strong>at</strong>ein the United St<strong>at</strong>es, I am forced to theconclusion th<strong>at</strong> somebody is <strong>at</strong> fault.This lamentable st<strong>at</strong>e <strong>of</strong> affairs is dueto indifference on the part <strong>of</strong> the public,and this is due to ignorance <strong>of</strong> thelaws <strong>of</strong> health.Now, to whom can the public lookfor relief but to our pr<strong>of</strong>ession? Weknow the conditions; we know theremedy. <strong>The</strong>n is it not our boundenduty, as citizens, to give the benefit<strong>of</strong> our knowledge to the public? <strong>The</strong>St<strong>at</strong>e Board <strong>of</strong> <strong>Health</strong>, with its efficientand wide-awake secretary, is doing allit can with the petty sum <strong>at</strong> its disposal.But this is only the enteringwedge. It rests with us, the rank andfile <strong>of</strong> the pr<strong>of</strong>ession, individually andcollectively, to do our part in thisgre<strong>at</strong> work. If each member <strong>of</strong> this societywould do his part in this workduring the coming year, with the pen,on the rostrum, on the street, and especiallyin the homes whenever andwherever the opportunity <strong>of</strong>fers, wh<strong>at</strong>a strong right arm might we not beto the St<strong>at</strong>e Board <strong>of</strong> <strong>Health</strong>, and wh<strong>at</strong>a blessing we would be to the publicin the prevention <strong>of</strong> sickness, the prolong<strong>at</strong>ion<strong>of</strong> life, and in promoting.in many ways, happiness and prosperityin our beloved St<strong>at</strong>e! This is wh<strong>at</strong>I regard as the paramount privilegeand duty <strong>of</strong> the pr<strong>of</strong>ession.<strong>The</strong> Physician and Vital St<strong>at</strong>istics.Our last General Assembly passeda strict and comprehensive vital st<strong>at</strong>isticslaw. It is incumbent upon us,as guardians <strong>of</strong> the public health, topopularize this law by telling the people<strong>of</strong> its significance. In my judgment,we shall find a gre<strong>at</strong> many obstaclesto be overcome before the peoplecan realize th<strong>at</strong> it is for the publicgood. Let us lose no opportunityto aid the St<strong>at</strong>e Board <strong>of</strong> <strong>Health</strong> inpopularizing this advance step bypointing out to the people the advantagesth<strong>at</strong> will accrue from its enforcement,and even by going out <strong>of</strong>our way to personally see to it th<strong>at</strong> everybirth and de<strong>at</strong>h is reported to thelocal registrar <strong>of</strong> the town or township,whether or not it occurred in ourpractice.<strong>The</strong> Physician and Preventive Medicine.Let our slogan be, "A competenthealth <strong>of</strong>licer paid for his entire timefor each county in the St<strong>at</strong>e." Pardonme if I suggest right here th<strong>at</strong> wesee to it th<strong>at</strong> in each instance a competentcounty health <strong>of</strong>l&cer is selected,and not be guilty <strong>of</strong> selecting a manbecause he needs a job. R<strong>at</strong>her let usselect a man because the job needsth<strong>at</strong> man. With a competent health<strong>of</strong>ficer paid for his entire time in eachcounty, each county should arrange aprogram <strong>of</strong> popular lectures to begiven by the members <strong>of</strong> the countysociety throughout the county, partic-

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