The Wilmington Morning Star

MID-APRIL DATE SET FOR SURVEY

Mass X-Ray Round-Up Will Be Sponsored By County Health Department

The mass X-ray survey planned for New Hanover county will be conducted in mid-April by the State Board of Health, assisted by funds from the United States Public Health service, Dr. A. H. Elliot, county health officer, announced yesterday.

Exact date of the arrival of the five mobile units requested by the board of health here will be announced in the next few weeks, according to Dr. Elliot.

The State board now has nine mobile units for work throughout North Carolina, which has been designated as a proving ground in the technique of community-wide surveys, which are now being put into practice over the nation.

"Cooperation among the USPHS, the State board of health and county health departments, local tuberculosis associations and civic clubs has made it possible to X-ray as high as 88 per cent of the adult population in the 12 counties which already have had the survey," Dr. Elliot pointed out.

The local health department is the sponsoring agency, and local authorities are required to provide funds to take care of the operating costs of the survey which is estimated costs $10 for 100 persons. The Red Cross Sanatorium committee has guaranteed the necessary funds to bring the survey to New Hanover county.

According to Dr. Elliot, the follow up of all patients found is the responsibility of the local health department and its nursing staff.

To build up public response to the survey, a widespread promotional campaign is being planned by the local tuberculosis association and civic clubs.

After conclusion of the survey, X-ray followup of the cases found will be conducted through the chest X-ray clinic located in the health department and supported by the local tuberculosis association, Miss Lucy L. Nash, executive secretary, has disclosed.

The clinic, which has taken 6,500 free chest X-ray pictures in the two years of its existence, will be able to discontinue some of the routine X-raying done under the present program, but necessary follow-ups of patients found in the survey will mean an increased number of X-rays will be made through the permanent clinic. Miss Nash explained.