Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 92, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 February 1919 — Wanted: National Control of Health and Secretary in the Cabinet [ARTICLE]

Wanted: National Control of Health and Secretary in the Cabinet

By G. E. VINCENT

Prea’l Rockefeller Foundation

National control of public health matters in this country through a federal department of health, with a secretary of health in the presidents cabinet—yes, by all means. Without federal organization of our public health agencies we are in danger of losing much of our gain from the war. For the foundation I may say that it would welcome such a department, and would be very glad to co-operate with it in every way. • The development of thoroughgoing team play among the American voluntary public health agencies, in close co-operation with the federal and state authorities and with the education of the public, ought to lead inevitably to the establishment in Washington of a national department of public health, • which, without imposing its authority unduly upon states and communities, would, through its research/activities and its comprehensive program, guide all the forces of publip4iealth throughout the nation. Twenty-eight associations exist for the sole purpose of promoting some phase of public health. Twenty-nine others, whose primary function falls in a different field, devote a part of their energies and funds to work in preventive medieine. It is substantially true to say that they go their own .ways, pursue their own methods, collect tlieir own funds.and appraise thiir own accomplishments. _ . ,