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

January, 1951The Health BulletinRESOLUTION OF RESPECT TO THE LATEDOCTOR GEORGE MARION COOPERThe following Joint Resolution, in^troduced in the Senate by Senator PaulJones, was placed upon its immediatepassage by unanimous consent on January17, 1951, then sent by special messengerto the House which took similaraction. The Resolution was passed andratified on the same day.WHEREAS, the death of Dr. GeorgeMarion Cooper, Assistant State HealthOfficer, which occurred on Monday,December 18, 1950, removed from ourmidst one of the greatest Public Healthofficials and humanitarians North Carolinahas ever known; andWHEREAS, his efforts in behalf ofthe underprivileged, especially amongmothers and babies, not only weresignally outstanding, but bore widespreadand beneficial results in everypart of oiu- State;Now, therefore, be it resolved by theSenate, the House of Representativesconcurring:Section 1. That official recognitionbe given the life and services of thisdistinguished and useful native ofSampson Coimty, who, for thirty-fiveyears was associated with the StateBoard of Health.Sec. 2. That a copy of this resolutionbe given the Secretary and State HealthOfficer, and copies to Doctor Cooper'sthl-ee surviving children.Sec. 3 That today's adjournment bein honor of Doctor Cooper.Sec. 4. That this resolution shall bein full force and effect from and afterits ratification.Jan. 17, 1951TRIBUTES TO DR. G. M. COOPERWhen advised of the death of Dr.G. M. Cooper, Assistant State HealthOfficer, Dr. J. W. R. Norton, Secretaryand State Health Officer, made thefollowing statement:"North Carolina has lost its greatestPublic Health Official of all time. Heserved longer, engaged in more activitiesand did more to make North CarolinaPublic Health conscious and tomini ster to its Public Health needs thanany man in the history of the State. Hepioneered more Public Health servicesthan any other man I know, not only inNorth Carolina but in the nation. Bothpersonally and professionally he hadfew peers, if any, and no superiors anywhere.His was constantly an up-hillfight against ignorance, misinformation,indifference and short-sighted selfishinterests. The two greatest groups ofhis beneficiaries were imder-privilegedmothers and children, in whose behalfhe not only worked unceasingly and forwhose relief he was instriunental insecuring millions of dollars in publicfunds, which he administered wherethey would do the most good among thegreatest nimiber of people. During hisservice with the State Board of Health,the maternal death rate was reducedto one-fourth and the infant death rateto one-half of those rates prevailing inNorth Carolina when his service began.This progress was due to the work ofmany devoted physicians and assistingpersonnel; Dr. Cooper was the patientplarmer, the daimtless and resoiircefulleader, the tireless worker."I feel in the passing of Dr. Cooperan over-whelming sense of personalloss. In generations to come, the descendantsof those he has helped willrise up and call him blessed. His S3mipathieswere broad and he worked tirelesslyin behalf of those he sought to