The adrenal cortex.

TLDR: The report issued by Dr. Cook states bluntly that education of the public in the principles of hygiene has been neglected and the present need is to emphasize the unsatisfactory basis on which much of thepublic health work has been attempted.

Abstract: is "friction, obstruction and the defeat of most attempts at improved control". Sometimes the less pecunious neighbour, in its determinationto retain a valued rateable area, will bitterly resent and obstruct all attempts to transfer such portions of a town as lie within its own boundaries to the local authority controlling the major part of the urban area. Again, many of the roads boards covering extensive areas are but sparsely populated; in some instances great parts are quite uninhabited. In these instancesthe ratio of population to areamay be so low that even the highest possible rating will yield insufficient money for health purposes. The result has been that in theseareasthere has been a tendencyto use for 'road board administration money that has been collected as a health rate. This kind of arrangementcan only be describedas ridiculous. It is also pathetic. Dr. Cook states bluntly that education of the public in the principles of hygiene has been neglected. "This", he declares, "must be inevitable where the Local Authority is uninformed and where there is no technical adviser to impart the fundamentalsof knowledge by precept or by coercion." Government departments,he insists, set an example of tolerated neglect. Describing defects in the provision of privies, he states that conspicuous among thosewhich do not conform to local by-laws or to the first principles of sanitation are those of the Railway Commissioner, the Parks and Gardens Board, the Education Department,public hospitalsand local roads boardsthemselves. The astoundingstatementis madethat at 91 public schools the duty of night soil disposal is imposed upon the school teacheror the school children. At the outset the report issued by Dr. Cook was describedas a departmentaldirge. There are some bright spots in it, but the present need is to emphasize the unsatisfactorybasis on which much of the public health work has to be attempted. A year or two ago it was urged that a Royal Commissionshould be set up to survey the public health needs of Western Australia and to suggestways in which those needs could be met. This has not been done. If a commission is merely to take evidencewhich will be put on one side, as sooften happens, it would be better not to waste money on the effort. If the governmentwould consider the setting up of a new framework to replace the presentroads board patchwork, the step would be worth while. If nothing is done in the next few months perhaps some public spirited member of the medical profession will presentat the congressin Perth next August a pap"erwhich can be usedas a weapon to arousepublic interestand indignation.