[This tape was duplicated from a 16mm original by Colorlab for the National Library of Medicine, August 2004, NLM call number HF 783]

[Numbers flash by, counting down]

[National Motion Pictures Co. presents Your Health Department, Copyright MCMXLI]

[Narrator reading from a bas relief:] "The health of the people is really the foundation upon which all their happiness and all their powers as a state depend."

[Building with "...Board of Health" engraved.]

[Narrator:] Did you ever stop to realize how much all these health activities mean in your life? Let's take a look at the Browns. A typical family whose life and whose problems are not so very different from your own.

From the very beginning of Frank and Helen Brown's wedded life, their health department has been helping them achieve the blessings of health and making theirs a more healthful community.

Before they could obtain a marriage license in the state where they lived, they had to show that they were free from venereal infection; an important factor in their future happiness and in the health of any children who might be born unto them.

The doctor draws a sample of blood for a test. This should be made a routine part of every physical examination and must bring to light many unsuspected cases of syphilis.

In the health department laboratory, the blood samples submitted by the doctor are tested. At the completion of this test Frank Brown's sample will show up negative, no syphilis,

but the man who followed him into the doctor's office has a positive test. This means he has syphilis and requires prompt treatment.

Early continuous treatment will cure syphilis and prevent its further spread.

Why does the health department come in on this? It wants to find the contacts of the infected man and see that they undergo treatment if it is necessary.

Since continuity of treatment is so essential for cure, the health authorities are also vitally interested in seeing that those under treatment keep it up until a cure is effected.

When their first baby was expected, Mrs. Brown underwent a blood test as part of her prenatal examination. Why? Because treatment of expectant mothers who have syphilis will prevent their babies being born with this disease.

Together with other expectant mothers, Mrs. Brown had the benefit of valuable instruction given by a competent health nurse.

At home, too, Mrs. Brown found the public health nurse most helpful. This work was carried on in complete cooperation with their private physician.

Their first baby was born at home and the physician called to engage a maternity nurse to assist at delivery, a service offered by many health departments.

The nurse helps to prepare for any emergency. Warming beds or baby incubators must be available in case the newborn babe is premature.

Ready at a moment's notice, the maternity nurse answers the call, happy in the knowledge that she has guided the expectant mother in healthful living and has helped her prepare for a safe delivery and a happy convalescence.

Doing fine, thanks. Each year thousands of mothers and babies benefit by this maternity service. Does health work pay? What do you think?

Getting the facts needed for baby's birth registration.

These people are going to a lot of trouble to obtain birth certificates which they must have for employment or for many other reasons. The proper registration of births is of importance to prevent future difficulties.

Along with other records these birth records comprise the vital statistics which serve as a guide to health workers, showing them where they need to put the most effort and how successful their work has been.

[Bar graph with title "Tuberculosis, Deaths in Five Indiana Counties." At the top of the chart is a note: "Rate = Deaths per 100,000 Population." Vertical axis is titled "Rate" starting at 0 up to 80 at 10 increments.

Horizontal axis are years starting with "1931, 1932, 1933, etc. Approximate rate numbers per year - 1931 = 75, 1932 = 72, 1933 = 65, 1934 = 53, 1935 = 54, 1936 = 48, 1937 = 60, 1938 = 38, 1939 = 39, 1940 = 42.]

The health department's work was not completed when the baby was born. It carries through after the birth of the baby. Our suspicion is aroused by a persistent hacking cough.

The nurse makes some inquires which lead her to believe an examination for tuberculosis is in order.

The doctor's thorough examination which includes the x-ray reveals an active case of tuberculosis.

Thus, possible infection of the Browns' baby was prevented and the woman received the treatment she needed, all because of the thoroughness of observing and following through, which are a part of health department training and practice.

All the home contacts of the tubercular woman are checked carefully.

When the baby is six months old, the nurse reminds Mrs. Brown of the necessity of smallpox vaccination and immunization against diphtheria.

Surely this safe process is more sensible than running the risk of catching these dangerous diseases. The Browns' next door neighbors were guilty of a terrible act of carelessness. They failed to immunize their child against diphtheria. One day it struck.

As soon as the doctor makes a diagnosis of diphtheria, he gives antitoxin.

Sometimes it is necessary to take cultures on other members of the family to control the spread of the disease.

When a case of communicable disease is reported, the health department comes into play once more. It offers laboratory service to confirm the doctor's diagnosis. It safeguards the community by isolating the sick individual.

Once again the public health nurse is of invaluable help. Here she is instructing the child's mother on the proper technique to use in the sick room. This is important in controlling the spread of the disease.

The school, of course, is an important place to work for prevention of spread in many communicable diseases.

This work is aided by the use of sanitary drinking fountains such as these and by rigid inspection of the entire sanitary system. The school has more than a preventive role to play.

It is also an ideal place for teaching the positive lessons of health. Not only by classroom instruction but by every tried means at its command does the health education department endeavor to guide the people in the paths of healthful living.

It is not sufficient for science to learn new facts about nutrition. These facts must be brought home to us so that we will learn how to make use of them in our daily lives.

Since many health faults need correction before a child is of school age, pre-school examinations, dental as well as medical, are of great importance.

The school is a good place to develop a physical education program, which will build strong bodies for our children.

[End of Part One]

[ Background sounds ]

[Part Two]

But to return to our friends, the Browns, the milk they drink, so essential in a healthful diet, must be safe milk carefully guarded from contamination in every step of its handling from the producer to the consumer.

Healthy cows tested to show they are free from tuberculosis, mastitis and contagious abortion. Scrupulous cleanliness of the dairy barn, the cows and the milker's hands. Rinsing of udders with bactericidal solution.

The inspector makes a thorough check of the milk cows also. Adequate hand-washing facilities.

A stove to heat water for washing and sterilizing cans and buckets. Check. Check.

Clean milk aprons. Check.

Cabinet for storing strainer pads, chemical disinfectant, and other loose equipment.

Water for cooling milk down to a safe temperature. Clean buckets and cans. Check.

Milk produced under these conditions is clean milk, but as a further safeguard, it must be pasteurized.

When the milk reaches the pasteurization plant, it is dumped in properly covered receiving vats and sampled for tests checking the effectiveness of the sanitary methods employed in production.

From the receiving tank the milk is transferred through sanitary piping to the pasteurizer, which is equipped with leak-proof inlet and outlet valves. Each pasteurizer has indicating, recording, and air space thermometers.

After each day's operation all equipment which comes in contact with the milk must be disassembled, washed and placed upon racks where it remains for inspection.

Immediately after being used it is assembled and sterilized. Dump tanks, filters, pasteurizers, sanitary pipes, coolers, bottlers, and individual bottles must be kept scrupulously clean.

Samples of the producer's milk is analyzed microscopically by using the breed microscopic technique.

The effectiveness of cooling, the cleanliness of utensils, and the presence of mastitis can be determined by this test.

After being pasteurized a bacterial [inaudible] count is made of the finished product. At this time a phosphotase test is made to determine the efficiency of pasteurization.

The results of the foregoing precaution in producing, handling and processing milk is grade A pasteurized milk. When the Browns eat in a restaurant, their health is safeguarded by sanitary inspection. Here is a sanitary inspector checking on dishwashing equipment.

Pure water is always an important health problem but the Browns don't have to worry about that because their water comes from the municipal plant which is subject to constant inspection...

...but, the people who live out in the country must obtain their water from their own wells.

Properly constructed and located they are safe, but many a case of typhoid has been traced back to a polluted well caused by cracked platform, split base, and no stuffing box.

The spout is flamed to destroy bacteria and a sample is collected in a sterilized bottle which may be obtained from an approved laboratory.

Tested in the health department's water laboratory...

...the water proves to be highly polluted with colon bacteria, an indication of possible typhoid contamination.

Advice on well construction and location is available to you for the asking. Simply write your health department. Another function of the health department is the inspection of swimming pools.

The Browns have a further advantage over their rural neighbors in the disposal of human waste. That problem is taken care of for them by a municipal sewage disposal plant which renders these wastes non- injurious to health.

Where water under pressure is not available; it is impractical to build a septic tank. The best solution is a sanitary toilet built according to health department specification.

In order to combat those diseases which are waterborne, the sanitary engineer also works toward the prevention of stream pollution. In still another way is his Health Department is interested in Frank Brown's health.

Aroused by a case of silicosis, which occurred in a fellow worker of his...

...the director of industrial hygiene sends his inspector to the plant where Frank works to collect dust samples.

And, the industrial hygiene laboratory proves the existence of health hazards which must be eliminated.

A still further service of the health department is the distribution of certain drugs, vaccines, and serum to doctors for use on those who cannot afford to pay for them. Thus, no one need be denied the benefits of modern medicine.

Fortunate, indeed, are the Browns to have this intensive health protection once available only to city dwellers.

For the families that dwell in the great rural areas, or along the shaded main streets of our small towns, adequate full-time health work has not existed for so very long. In many areas, it does not exist yet.

Even though this is an age of speed, distances in the country are too great for health activity to be carried out with maximum effectiveness from a central location such as the state health department.

To accomplish the most good, health activity must be localized. It must serve the people of one county or a few counties combined to make a district.

Thus does it establish the intimacy and thoroughness which ensure maximum effectiveness.

The staff of the local health department, its director, its public health nurses, its sanitary officers, and its clerical force are all in health work on a full-time basis.

They have been carefully [inaudible] in the best universities, and through lectures they keep up with the newest developments in their field.

Naturally, thus equipped and thus devoted, they will do a good job of protecting the health of the people they serve. Does organized local health work pay?

[Bar graph with title "Diphtheria, Deaths in Five Indiana Counties." At the top of the chart is a note: "Rate = Deaths per 100,000 Population." Vertical axis is titled "Rate" starting at 0 up to 20 at 2 increments.

Horizontal axis are years starting with "1931, 1932, 1933, etc. Approximate rate numbers per year - 1931 = 18, 1932 = 18, 1933 = 9, 1934 = 11, 1935 = 14, 1936 = 10, 1937 = 4 (arrow point to data point with note "Full time health service introduced"), 1938 = 3, 1939 = 3, 1940 = 0.]

These figures show how deaths from certain diseases have been reduced as a result of instituting full-time health work. Behind these cold statistics is the story of reduction of needless suffering and preventable death.

[Bar graph with title "Typhoid, Deaths in Five Indiana Counties." At the top of the chart is a note: "Rate = Deaths per 100,000 Population." Vertical axis is titled "Rate" starting at 0 up to 10 at 1 per increment.

Horizontal axis are years starting with "1931, 1932, 1933, etc. Approximate rate numbers per year - 1931 = 10, 1932 = 4, 1933 = 10, 1934 = 5, 1935 = 4, 1936 = 4, 1937 = 3 (arrow points to data point with note "Full time health service introduced"), 1938 = 2, 1939 = 2, 1940 = 1.]

You there, are you protected like the Browns by organized local health service? If so, cooperate with it in every way you can. If not, who then is responsible for your community's health? Are you getting the health protection you ought to have?

[The End]