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Show School leader addresses Rotarians ARMINGTON The Davis Jnty Health Department is curtly cur-tly celebrating its 50th year uversary as the oldest, and first ablished full-time unit in the te of Utah. Vn open house held in honor of s occasion to celebrate this uevement in public health will held at the Davis County Court- use in the commission chambers om 126) on Tuesday. Sept. 22 m 3-6 p.m. with an official prog- beginning at 4 p.m. Speakers on the program will in-ide: in-ide: Dr. Suzanne Dandoy. direc-r, direc-r, Utah Health Department, and :p. Kim Burningham. A presen-:ion presen-:ion will also be made to Dr. D. :ith Barnes, the first health offic-of offic-of Davis County. Steven Rom-y Rom-y , a member of the Davis County Board of Health, will conduct the ceremonies. The Davis County Health Department De-partment officially opened its doors to the public July 1, 1937 under the direction of Dr. Barnes, who now resides in Kaysville at the age of 94. Although a momentous step in pioneering was taken by Dr. Sumner Gleason to help organize the health department, it was not until the Social Securities Act of 1935 was passed that appropriation of monies and enlargement of public pub-lic health could occur. It is Dr. Barnes who is credited as being the first official health officer in Davis County. When the Davis County Health Department first opened its doors in 1937, its major concerns, not unlike un-like today, were: communicable disease control, venereal disease control, community sanitation, maternal and child health, school health, and adult health education. The Davis County Health Department Depart-ment first began its programs with a total of seven employees and four board of health members. At present, pre-sent, the Davis County Health Department De-partment employs over 50 persons who are governed by a thirteen member board of health. Dr. Barnes was succeeded by Willard J. West in 1962, who was succeeded by . Arnold Isaacson, M.D.in 1963, who was followed by Hampton Trayner, M.D. in 1967, who was followed by Richard Johns, M.D. in 1973 who directed the Health Department until 1980. All but Hampton Trayner, who is survived by his wife, are still living. The Davis County Health Department De-partment has been directed by Enrico En-rico A. Leopardi, M.D. for the last six years. He is assisted in his administration by Richard L. Harvey, Har-vey, administrator of the Environmental Environ-mental Health Division, and Mary M. Meredith, administrator of the Nursing Division. The Health Department De-partment provides services in personal per-sonal preventive health, health protection, and health promotion. Personal preventive services (nursing division) are those which concern themselves with substantially substan-tially reducing death, disease, and disability from problems affecting large numbers of people at earlier ages. The Nursing Division of the Davis County Health Department is actively involved in maternal-infant maternal-infant health, immunizations, child health evaluation, and school health, as well as family planning, sexually transmitted disease control, con-trol, and communicable disease control. Health protection (environmental (environmen-tal health) is concerned with reducing reduc-ing health hazards in the environment. environ-ment. The division currently implements im-plements 30 programs in an effort to improve and perfect the quality of Davis County land, air, and water. wa-ter. The Division's goal is the elimination elimi-nation of all factors that lead to disease and environmental degradation degra-dation and the maintenance of the high standard of sanitation that is a hallmark of Davis County's lifestyle. life-style. Health promotion, which is managed man-aged by Brad Neiger, is aimed at prevention of life-style diseases before be-fore they ever occur. With continually con-tinually increasing evidence, there is no question that the life-styles we choose have more impact on our health status than any other single factor. Health promotion in Davis County includes preventive efforts in cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke, and other leading causes of death in Davis County. As efforts and programs continue con-tinue to increase in size and effectiveness, effec-tiveness, Davis County residents can rest assured that the health of their families and themselves is being carefully considered. Dr. Leopardi and his staff welcome all interested citizens of Davis County to attend the open house Sept. 22 to get to know their health department depart-ment better and understand how they can be served as they utilize its services. |
