This is Arkansas’s public health story, celebrating 100 years of service. I’m Dr. Paul Halverson.
One of the common ailments in the late 1800s was hookworm disease spread by poor sanitation, a lack of proper sewage facilities and people going barefoot.
In 1909 the Rockefeller Foundation began a campaign against hookworm.
To take part, a state needed a board of health, a state laboratory, and a bureau of vital statistics.
Though some folks refused to believe that hookworm even existed, Governor Donaghey worked hard to get legislation approved.
In 1913 Governor Robinson signed a law creating the first permanent State Board of Health and Arkansans wiped out hookworms.
Public health efforts over the last century have added an average of 25 years to the life of each American.
This chapter in Arkansas’s public health story is brought to you by KUAR and your Health Department.