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

October, 1951 The Health Bulletin 13tclinic area there are four examinationrooms equipped with the most modernfacilities; x-ray room and dark roomwith new equipment; laboratory completelyequipped for public health labooratoryservice; library and conferenceroom with facilities recessed in the floorfor installation of dental equipment,should a full time dentist become available;two storage rooms; large assemblyand reception room; information center;and in the administration sectionof the building are located the ofiBcesfor the personnel. This Health Centerwas constructed under the Federal HospitalSurvey and Construction Act asadministered in North Carolina throughthe North Carolina Medical Care Commission.The costs of the building andequipment were prorated as follows:Federal $29,348.00State 18,208.10Local 31,442.90Total $79,000.00Public Health is usually defined todayas "The art and science of preventingdisease, prolonging life, and promotingphysical, mental and social weUbeingthrough organized comxnunity effort.Public Health embraces the total population,not any particular economicclass, race or creed. No chain is strongerthan its weakest link. Dr. M. J. Rosenau,in speaking of each person havinghis share of health said, "These thingshe shall have as a matter of justice andnot of charity."The Public Health Program of theHalifax County Health Departmentconsists of the following principalgroups of services:/. VITAL STATISTICS1. Registration of Birth Certificates2. Registration of Death and StillbirthCertificates3. Tabulation, interpretation and publicationof the essential facts of VitalStatisticsAt the present time all births anddeaths in Halifax County, with the exceptionof those occurring in RoanokeRapids and Roanoke Rapids Township,are registered in the Halifax CountyHealth Department. Moreover, a specialreport is received from the RoanokeRapids Township of the births anddeaths occurring there. Copies of thesebirth and death certificates are filed inthe Health Department, with a secondset being filed with the local Register ofDeeds, and with the original certificatesbeing mailed to the State Board ofHealth each month. Certified copies ofbirth and death certificates occurringafter 1913 can be obtained from eitherthe Register of Deeds or from the StateBoard of Health.II.CONTROL OF COMMUNICABLEDISEASES1. Tuberculosis(1) The Control Program for Tuberculosisincludes the early diagnosis ofthe disease, prompt hospitalization ofactive cases of tuberculosis, x-ray studiesof all contacts, and an intensiveeducational program, as well as specialstudies to locate the disease and a rehabilitationprogram. An x-ray clinic isheld in the Health Center every Fridayafternoon at one o'clock. Every citizenin Halifax County is entitled to a freex-ray examination in this clinic byappointment.(2) Special X-Ray Surveys—A MassX-Ray Survey was held in HalifaxCounty in 1946-47, during which timeapproximately 22,000 citizens were x-rayed; a special survey in Enfield, Januaryand February 1950, with 3,000 x-rayed; and a second Mass X-Ray Surveyin 1951, with approximately 25,000x-rayed.cases, and all(3) Tuberculosis Register—This registercontains the names of every knowncase of tuberculosis in Halifax County,together with all the contacts of theseother essential data pertainingto the status and progress ofthese cases of tuberculosis.(4) Home Visiting — Our PublicHealth Nurses visit all suspected casesof tuberculosis regularly, so long asthey remain at home, and also visitcontacts of tuberculosis cases in an effortto get them in to the x-ray clinicregularly for periodic checks-ups.(5) Laboratory Diagnosis—The HalifaxCounty Health Department Labora-