The Public Health Service in 1952 The material presented in this review is ec- * Conduct and support research and train- cerpted from two recent publications of the ing in the medical and related sciences and in Public Health Service. One is "The Public public health methods and administration. Health Service Today." It outlines the organ- * Provide a full range of medical and hos- izational structwre of the Public Health Service pital services to persons authorized to receive and gives a broad picture of its operations. The care from the Service and aid in the develop- other is the 1951 annual report, which presents ment of the Nation's hospital and related fa- in some detail the activities of the Service for cilities. the fical year 1951. * Assist the States in the application of new knowledge to the prevention and control of dis- * 0 0 ease, the maintenance of a healthful environ- The Public Health Service Today. (Public ment, and the development of community health Health Service Publication No. 165) 1952. services. 22 pages. These three areas are reflected in the organ- ization of the Service. Research is the prin- Annual Report of the Public Health Service, cipal responsibility of the National Institutes Federal Security Agency, 1951. 79 pages. of Health; medical and hospital care is the re- 25 cents. sponsibility of the Bureau of Medical Serv- ices; and aid to the States is the main job of * 0 0 the Bureau of State Services. Administration of the Service is vested by Good health for the people of the United law in the Surgeon General, aided by Assistant States is a matter of vital concern. There are many agencies, voluntary organizations, and Surgeons General, each appointed from the professional groups on local, State, and Federal Com-inissioned Corps. The Deputy Surgeon levels all working toward the goal of longer and General is designated head of the Office of the healthier American lives. The steady drive Surgeon General-which is, in effect, a bureau against diseases and environmental hazards of general administration. that sicken, cripple, or kill is going forward on Growth of Responsibilities many fronts. The United States Public Health Service is Since its beginning in 1798 as a medical care the principal agent of the Federal Government program for seamen of the American Merchant for protecting and improving the Nation's Marine, the Public Health Service has been health. Its staff is constantly working to make called upon to assume many new responsi- more effective the multitude of efforts to con- bilities. Particularly in the past 15 years have qu.er disease-conducting and stimulating re- advances in medical science and growing public search, aiding in the extension of health serv- awareness of the primary importance of health ices and resources, and providing information placed increased demands upon the Service. and guidance to local and State agencies. As an example of how work of the Public Health Service has increased, the seven insti- Job and Organization tutes in the National Institutes of Health have The Public Health Service job can be summed come into being since 1935, two of them since up in three major aims: 1950. Although the Public Health Service has Vol. 67, No. 7, July 1952 705 been carrying on basic research for more than search in atomic radiation. And not the least 50 years, the establishment of these institutes, among these is the expanding participation of in many instances consolidating previous activi- the Public Health Service in the progress in ties, has resulted in a considerable expansion world health. In cooperation with the Tech- of the research program, particularly in the nical Cooperation Administration of the De- fields of chronic disease and mental illness. partment of State and the Mutual Security The passage of the National Hospital Sur- Agency, the Service was assisting in the opera- vey and Construction Act in 1946 increased tion of health programs in 8 countries during the Public Health Service's responsibilities in 1951 and had plans either proposed or being the fields of medical, dental, and nursing re- drafted for programs in 18 others. sources and hospital facilities. In administer- ing this act, the Service provides financial as- Service to Other Groups sistance and technical advice and leadership to As a focal point for health activities in the State and local governments and to nonprofit Federal Government, the Public Health Service organizations so that community needs for hos- program is intimately allied with many re- pitals and health centers may be measured and lated governmental programs in education and plans developed to meet them. welfare. As part of the Federal Security The Public Health Service is engaged today Agency, it works in close cooperation with other in some 30 different programs, ranging from parts of the Agency, such as the Office of Voca- quarantine to chronic disease control and from tional Rehabilitation, the Food and Drug Ad- the production of yellow fever vaccine to re- ministration, the Office of Education, and es- 706 Public Health Reports pecially the Children's Bureau of the Social Selective Service System, the Atomic IEnergy Security Administration. Commission, the National Security Resources The Public Health Service also provides Board, the Office of Defense Mobilization and medical and technical services to many other its constituent agencies, the National Research agencies of the Federal Government whose Council, the Federal Civil Defense Adminis- general programs include medical and public tration, and other Federal agencies. health activities. For example, for the past The work of the Public Health Service, more- 21 years it has supplied medical, psychiatric, over, is linked closely with that of non-Federal dental, and nursing services to the institutions agencies. It involves collaboration with State operated by the Bureau of Prisons. It assigns and local governments, medical schools, re- physicians to the United States Coast Guard search foundations, professional associations, to provide medical care for the crews aboard and voluntary agencies-in short, with the ships at sea, provides dental care, and inspects whole array of organizations concerned with medical and dental facilities of the various sick the Nation's health. It is through the States, bays and infirmaries. In addition, the Serv- medical schools, scientific bodies, and similar ice assigns medical staff to certain bureaus groups that most of the benefits of Federal ex- within the Departments of Agriculture, Inte- penditures for health actually reach the public. rior, Labor, and State. In the interests of national defense, the Serv- Personnel ice, on request, provides technical staff and To carry out its job, the Public Health Serv- consultation to the Department of Defense, the ice today employs about 15,000 persons, who Vol. 67, No. 7, July 1952 707 are engaged in more than 250 occupations and authorizations. Nearly two-thirds of this total are located in more than 600 places. About was allocated in grants to States and to institu- 3,000 of this total are physicians, dentists, tions and individuals outside the Federal veterinarians, sanitary engineers, and nurses. Government. Six percent was devoted to con- Another 500 are scientists, and the remainder struction of needed facilities for the Service. constitute allied and supporting personnel. The remainder covered its internal operations- Most of these employees work in the field, its hospital and medical care programs, quaran- either within the United States or in such re- tine service, demonstrations, research activities, mote places as Thailand, Liberia, and the collection and reporting of vital statistics, Philippines. About 2,000 of the staff are head- technical aid to States, and administration. quarters employees in Washington, and an- Far more than half of the increase in appro- other 2,000 are in the National Institutes of priations to the Public Health Service during Health, Bethesda, Md. the past 15 years has been for grants to non- Federal agencies. The number of personnel 1951 Appropriations on the payroll today is 1,500 below the peak of In carrying out its assignment during the 1944 and has declined during each of the past fiscal year 1951, the Public Health Service ad- 4 years even though Service responsibilities ministered $332 million in appropriations and have substantially increased. 708 Public Health Reports U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I92.