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M. PUBLIC HEALTH ORGANISATION CITY OF TORONTO.
Under the Ontario Public Health Act all Municipalities in the Province are re- quired to make local arrangements for the carrying out of the l'ublic Health Act and they are not entirely independent of the Provincial Health Department which has cer- tain inspectorial and supervisory powers. It is laid down that "any order or regula- tion made by the Provincial Department shall while it is in force in any locality, supersede any municipal bye-law or other regulation".
Rural areas and Urban areas which are not municipalities are dealt with by the Provincial Department machinery direct.
Every municipality must have a "Local Board of Health" which is incor- porated and whose corporate name is "The Local Board of Health of the City......".
It is laid down by law that the Local Board shall consist of :-
The Mayor.
The Medical Officer of Health.
Three rate payers,
The Secretary of the Board is the clerk to the Municipal Council-but he is not a member of the board.
A Local Board must meet at least four times a year.
It is the duty of the Local Board of Health to superintend and see to the carrying out of the provisions of the Act and any regulations or bye-laws.
Under Schedule B-Bye-law (1) of the Ontario Public Health Act it is the duty of the Municipal M.O.II. to assist and advise the Local Board and to superintend the enforcement and observance of the health laws and regulations.
Under Article 37 the M.0.H. is made the Executive Officer of the Board and with the Local Board is responsible for carrying out the provisions of the P. Act or the sanitary by-laws of the municipality.
It is laid down that the Sanitary Inspectors shall assist him.
The M.O.II. is given wide powers for he is the real administrative and execu- tive officer of the Board and it is the duty of all citizens to assist him.
The estimated population of Toronto for 1929 was 600,000 about the same as that of Victoria, Hong Kong.
The Department of Public Health has 12 divisions as under :-
1. Secretariat Division
2. Vital Statistics Division.
3. Laboratories Division.
4. Medical and Dental Division.
5. Public IIealth Nursing Division.
6. Quarantine Preventible Disease Division.
7. Hospitals for Infectious Diseases and T.B.
8. Mortuary and Ambulance Division.
9. Food control Division including abattoirs and markets.
10. Sanitation Division.
11. Housing Division.
12. Plumbing and Drainage Division.
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The whole is under the direct control of the Medical Officer of Health.
"The administration of public health in Toronto is based on the maxim that individual diagnosis and prescription can never solve the community problem, but that diagnosis and prescription for the home as a social unit can and will. The basal activities of the department therefore centre around the home”,
"The key-note in Toronto as in the Province generally is public health effi- ciency through co-operation and co-ordination. The M.O.II. is the co-ordinating an- thority for all the many technical branches of Public Health Department. He is also the promoter of co-operation between the municipal department and the non- municipal organisations, hospitals, benevolent societies, medical practitioners, Police and others which are carrying out medical relief and welfare in the city.
But full co-operation means the intelligent assistance of the individual citizens which can only be obtained through education.
A noteworthy feature of the Department is its publicity. It publishes monthly reports, monthly educational bulletins. pamphlets, posters, etc., etc.
The news- papers give excellent support to the department's educational campaign. Education is carried out in the schools, institutions, and in the homes of the people. There are lectures, latern slides and cinematograph exhibitions and demonstrations in museums in workshops and in homes. The result of this education is that people now see in the Health Department an organisation established for their benefit, they regard the Offrers as their friends and seek advice from them.
The Secretariat.-One of the principal duties of the Secretary is to act as a helper to protect the time of the M.O.H. against trivial calls upon it.
This department contains:—
(a) The bureau of accounts.
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(c)
(d)
(e)
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records.
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supplies.
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printing.
publicity and education. correspondence.
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A very important part of the work of the Secretary is to keep the record
cards of all employees.
The Division of Vital Statistics is engaged in the tabulation and analysis of statistics dealing with births, deaths and incidence of disease and population. It also collects statistics from other cities for comparative purposes. It prepares material for educational purposes-Staff-1 Chief and 3 others
The Laboratories Division.-The Laboratories Division supplies laboratory diagnostic aid to the municipal staff and to the Medical Profession, it manufactures and distributes biological products to the same, and it maintains supervision chemical and bacteriological over the water supply, the milk supply, swimming pools and the process of sewage disposal.
A fifty drug stores throughout the City are kept equipment for taking speci- mens for diagnosis of diphtheria, tuberculosis, typhoid, ophthalmia—which_equip ments are available for the medical profession. The doctor hands the used outfit back to the druggist who sends it to the City Hall where it is examined by the Labo- ratory Division and the result sent to the Doctor. This Department carries out the chlorination of water and sewage for the water and sewage department.
Medical, Nursing-Dental Division. The City is divided into 9 Health Dis- tricts each with a District Medical Officer, A Nursing Dept. and a Staff of Nurses and one or more Dentists.
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