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

June, 1951The Health Bulletinrials are given careful consideration.Some of the special projects duringthe year were with welfare departmentson feeding ADC children, with trainingcenters connected with UNO and theschool lunch program.Cancer Control: During the year eightDetection and Diagnostic-Managementand three Detection Centers were operated.On Jime 30 the Winston-SalemCenter was closed and the members ofthe Forsyth County Medical Societyelected to do the work in their individualoffices. During the year 472 clinicsessions were held; 11,775 examinationswere made in the detection centers,4,579 of them were referred to theirfamily physicians, 3,287 were referredto the Diagnostic-Management Centersand then on to their family physicians.This shows that 7,866 patients were referredto private physicians. 259 newcases of cancer were diagnosed and 52already known cases were reviewed.579 biopsy examinations were reportedto this office. Approximately 2,500 casesof cancer were reported during theyear. The 1949 Legislature appropriated$50,000 for the treatment of indigentcancer cases. This is confined to casesoffering hope of cure or arrest.Mobile Gastric Cancer Detection:This unit is being operated on an experimentalbasis. It is planned to doabout 10,000 cases and then evaluatethe procedure to determine whether ornot the procedure is practical. This unithas served only in Durham and Wilmingtonand has done slightly overhalf the proposed ten thousand cases.The cancer detection and diagnosticcenters have the approval of the CancerCommittee of the State Medical Societyand during the year a representative ofthe American College of Surgeons visitedeach of the centers and after athorough investigation recommended tohis board that they be considered forapproval.Free examinations of cervical smearsby the Papanicolaou method is availableto all the centers. Four of thecenters are using this as a rountinescreening method. 4514 smears were examined.Most of the centers are expectedto use this method soon.Heart Disease: Very little has beendone in heart disease control. Part ofthe salary ($6000) of one of the teachersat the University is paid out ofthis appropriation. The full salary ofan EKG technician at one of the teachinginstitutions is also paid out of thisfund. A certain amount of equipmentand supplies are also provided theteaching center.It is planned to make this a muchmore active program this year.MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTHSECTION—Robert J. Murphy, Jr., M.D.,Pediatric ConsultantIn the past year two additional prematureinfant centers have been opened.They are Rex Hospital in Raleighand James Walker Memorial Hospitalin Wilmington, making a total of sixcenters with a capacity of eighty-fivepremature beds. The increase in hospitalcosts has made it necessary forus to limit our financial participationin these centers to two-thirds of thecenters' capacities. Despite this cut inour financial participation we have beeninterested in keeping the centers fullto capacity and have accomplished thisby enlisting the aid of the county welfaredepartments and the parents toparticipate in sharing the expenses. Thesix premature infant centers can onlytake care of a fraction of the prematureload and are therefore reserved in mostpart for the smallest of the prematurebabies. We have tried to improve themedical care of premature babies inthe local hospitals by the establishmentof secondary centers. These centersare those who have a pediatricianon the staff and a nurse in charge whohas been trained in premature carethrough a scholarship offered by thisdepartment. The hospitals are alsoloaned two Gordon Armstrong incubators.Four of these secondary centershave been set up in the past year atElizabeth City, Rocky Mount, Concordand Goldsboro. Through cooperationwith Duke University we have establisheda refresher course in premature