Issue 41: 66 Years Ago: Board Approves Creation of Health DepartmentThis is a featured page


photo of county health nurse bess ott
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted to create a Health Unit for Loudoun County 66 years ago, on August 25, 1941. This was the start of what is now the Loudoun County Health Department.

The Board was divided on the issue, voting 3-3 before Judge William A. Metzger, the county’s official Tie-Breaker, voted in favor of establishing the Health Unit.

The total cost was $11,000, with $6,500 to be paid by the state and federal governments, $2,450 by Loudoun County, and $2,050 by the Loudoun Fauquier Health Centre. The funds for Loudoun County’s share came from the annual salary and expenses that had been budgeted for Bess McClung Ott, who until that time had been employed directly by the Board as the County Nurse.

On October6, 1941, the Board unanimously accepted the nominations made by the State Board of Health and appointed Dr. C.E. Waller to serve as the first County Health Officer, and Bess Ott to serve as nurse for the county.

The primary goals of public health nurses at that time were the control of communicable diseases and the prevention of maternal and infant mortality. “The chief aim of every health department is to prevent, as far as possible, disabling illness and mortality among the people,” said Dr. Waller.The Health Unit staff attempted to achieve this through reporting of cases, diagnostic consultation services, isolation of cases, quarantine of contacts, epidemiological investigations and the promotion of individual immunizations. Immunizations were available for diphtheria, as well as vaccinations for smallpox.

Tuberculosis (TB) was a major concern at that time. Forty new cases were registered in 1941, for a total of 88 TB cases and over 300 nurse field visits. The home visits included home nursing care and demonstration of preventive measures that could be taken in the home when someone with an active TB case could not get admitted to a state sanatorium.
This is one of a series of weekly releases from the Loudoun County Office of Public Information highlighting landmark events in the Loudoun County government during its 250-year history.

Sources:

“50 Years of Public Health Nursing in Loudoun County,” by Gloria Collins (1993);
Board of Supervisors Meeting Minutes

Image: Photo of County Health Nurse Bess Ott (family photo courtesy of Jim Barnes)


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