1967-Annual Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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Board of Health The existing town charter approved under the provisions of a Legislative Act of 1945, provides that the board of health shall consist of three members appointed by the board of selectmen to three year staggered terms with one term expiring consecutively each year. Present board members are Rufus L. McQuillan, Chairman, Dr. William L. Cosgrove, and Dr. Charles G. Colburn. Mr. McQuillan is completing his twenty -third year as chair- man and board member. The board employs a director of public health, a clerk- stenographer and two part time employees, a dental hygienist and a veterinarian as animal inspector. Professional services obtained by contract are: public health nursing from the Lexington Visiting Nurse Association; part time physician and dentist services for clinics; and labora- tory service for routine sanitation tests. Board meetings are held the first Friday of the month and are open to the public. 1967 has been a year of changes in the organization of the board of health. Mr. James F. Finneran, director of public health since 1962, was stricken with a heart attack early in the Spring and after resuming his duties, found he was unable to carry on and sub- mitted his resignation. Regretfully his resignation was accepted by the board, and they take this opportunity to commend Mr. Finneran for his excellent work. It was with deep regret the board received the resignation of Mr. James M. West, as a member of the board. Mr. West served for the past six years and the members of the board would like to extend to Mr. West their thanks and appreciation for his willing and faithful service. The tragic death of Dr. Carl R. Benton, town veterinarian, left still another vacancy in the organization. Dr. Benton was appointed animal inspector for the town in 1953 and performed his duties faithfully and well. By the first of September the organization of the board of health was once again at full strength, with the appointment of Dr. Charles G. Colburn to the board, Mr. Robert Heustis of Acton, had been hired as director of public health, and Howard A. Smith, D.V.M. was appointed animal inspector for the town. Communicable Disease Control Diseases prescribed as dangerous to the public health are required to be reported to the board of health by the attending physician, parent or guardian. A biological station for vaccines prepared and distributed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health is maintained in the health department for practicing physi- cians. These vaccines, anti - toxins, serums and other biological products provide physi- cians the means to control communicable diseases from early childhood through adult life. Specimen kits are also stocked for physicians use in obtaining laboratory confirmation of communicable diseases. The wide- spread use of these vaccines, at public clinics and by private physicians, has proven most effective in controlling diseases which were prevalent a few years ago. The board realizes that this control cannot be accepted complacently, therefore annual clinics are conducted for poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and measles immunization. A flu clinic is conducted annually for town employees to prevent an outbreak resulting in a curtailment of town services. The nursing service continues their fine supervision of patients and contacts under the communicable disease control law. This work proved most effective this year, when a person with active pulmonary tuberculosis came in close contact with over sixty young people. When the active case was reported to the health department it became the duty of the department and the nursing service to check all contacts and arrange for testing and re- testing to assure that this disease had not been transmitted to the contacts. For the first 27