“Tuberculosis
Bureau Established” by Warren E. Booker, from the April, 1914, issue of The Health Bulletin, published
by the North Carolina State Board of Heath
Dr. L.B. McBrayer Will Direct the State’s Fight Against the Great
White Plague
Beginning April 1st,
Dr. L.B. McBrayer, who helped make Asheville famous as a health resort, will be
in charge of North Carolina’s fight against tuberculosis, as the chief of the
Bureau of Tuberculosis and Superintendent of the State Sanatorium for the
Treatment of Tuberculosis.
Dr. McBrayer lays
down not only a lucrative practice in Asheville, but also the responsible
office of health officer in a town that has a national reputation for its
healthfulness. A great deal of this well deserved reputation as a health resort
and rendezvous for consumptives from every clime has been due to Dr. McBrayer
and his well organized health department, which he is now leaving to take up
the larger work of directing the State’s fight against the great white plague.
In addition to
directing the work of the sanatorium, Dr. McBrayer will have charge of the
Bureau of Tuberculosis, to which the names and addresses of thousands of
suffering consumptives will be reported every year. The Bureau will endeavor,
through a correspondence course with this comsumptive population, to aid them
in obtaining a cure, and to teach them how to live so as not to convey the
disease to others. This Bureau will further endeavor to interest political,
social and religious organizations in assisting in the work of suppressing the
great white plague.
As a man, Dr.
McBrayer is big in all three dimensions, physically, mentally and morally; he
is a tireless worker and a deep thinker with a broad view point. As a citizen,
the doctor has always shown a deep and active interest in the public affairs of
his city, county and State. Through his strong personality and through the
columns of the press, he has always been a leader on the side of the people.
Only last summer Dr. McBrayer led the fight which resulted in Buncombe County’s
employing a health officer for his entire time. The fine type of his
citizenship is nowhere better illustrated than in the personal sacrifice he
makes in order to serve his State in the effort to decrease the ravages of
consumption.
As an official, Dr.
McBrayer’s work as health officer in Asheville has attracted national
attention, and has correctly advertised Asheville as one of the healthiest
cities in the South.
To the medical
profession of North Carolina, Dr. McBrayer needs no introduction. He represents
the ethical physician and the best ideals of the profession. He has always been
active in the North Carolina Medical Society, has held many offices in that
organization, and is at present a member of the State Board of Medical Examiners.
The doctor’s
accession to the executive staff of the State Board of Health is a real
encouragement to the health workers in the State.
In further
testimonial of the high esteem in which Dr. McBrayer is held through the state
generally, we quote herewith from a few of the papers which commented on the
fact that he was to take up this new and much needed work to save some of the
6,000 North Carolinians now lost every year to this prince of diseases,
tuberculosis:
Dr. McBrayer’s
administration has been a creditable one. Many new features have been installed
during his term, and Asheville has been advertised the country over as a city
of sanitation and cleanliness.
--Asheville Citizen, March 25th
In light of
additional information we reach a better understanding of the decision of Dr.
L.B. McBrayer to accept the position of superintendent and medical director of
the State Tuberculosis Sanatorium at Aberdeen. Dr. McBrayer is a sanitarian and
hygiene publicist, rather than a laboratory man, and one thinks of the head of
a tuberculosis hospital as an “indoor doctor.” There was more or less
insistence that Dr. McBrayer accept the superintendency of the school for the
feeble-minded, and this is a work in which he is deeply interested. However, it
is announced that as head of the sanatorium the first work he expects to do is
the conducting of a State campaign against tuberculosis. This is the sort of
job he likes.
It will not be the
easiest thing for Asheville to find a health officer who will fill McBrayer’s
shoes. In saying this we have in mind
his peculiar qualifications. He has the tenacity of a bulldog, and is finely
organized for work. He has the physical equipment to back this disposition. He
is suave and diplomatic enough, he has the politic al gift, but he hardly ever
concedes anything. He is always taking an advanced stand, but usually is able
to maintain his position because it is sound. As health officer of Asheville
Dr. McBrayer has worked steadily for the following things, until one by one he
has seen them accomplished: sanitary surface closets in the suburbs,
publication of a health bulletin, meat inspection, source of certified milk,
city laboratory (whereby, among other things, the milk inspection was
improved), abattoir, garbage incinerator, quarantine and release of diphtheria
patients by laboratory methods, new smallpox hospital, sanitary cells in the
city prisons, and a comprehensive advertising exhibit which has made known to
the world the work of his department.
We take it that Dr.
McBrayer intends to devote his abounding energies in future to the sort of
work, in general, which has been his especial study for the past several years.
Such efforts will be crowned with abundant success.
--Greensboro Daily News, March
26th
Thirty-five of the
members of the Buncombe County Medical Society last night gathered at the
Langren Hotel to pay a sad farewell to Dr. L.B. McBrayer, health officer of the
city of Asheville, who leaves this city within the very near future to assume
the duties of superintendent of the State hospital for tubercular patients at
Montrose. An elaborate menu was prepared for the banqueters last night, and the
spread was an unusually successful event. The table decorations were pink, and
an enjoyable musical program was rendered for the occasion.
At the close of the
dinner, Dr. Paul H. Ringer, who acted as toastmaster, presented the various
speakers of the evening in a most appropriate manner. Dr. A.W. Calloway was the
first to be heard, being asked to deal with the subject: “McBrayer, the Man.”
Dr. Calloway revived incidents in the life of the retiring health officer which
have made him popular among the people of the city, and paid a high tribute to
Dr. McBrayer’s character, his personality and his accomplishments.
“McBrayer, the
Health Officer,” was the subject of the remarks of Dr. Carl V. Reynolds, who
will succeed the retiring officer. Dr. Reynolds made a strong speech dealing
with the administration of Dr. McBrayer, and predicting a successful career for
him at his new home. Dr. Reynolds spoke of the hardships encountered by the
health officer and the scope of the work. Dr. McBrayer has made good as a citiy
official, Dr. Reynolds declared, and his efforts have not only reflected credit
on the officers of this city, but they have brought fame to Asheville as a
place where matters pertaining to health and santifation are properly handled.
“Dr. McBrayer, the
Doctor,” was Dr. W.L. Dunn’s subject, and he handled it well.
The final speaker
was Dr. McBrayer. He made a touching talk dealing with his associations with
the physicians of this city and his experience as health officer of Asheville.
--Asheville Citizen, March 29th
At a meeting of the
Board of Trade, resolutions were adopted expressing regret at the departure of
Dr. L.B. McBrayer, the health officer, who leaves within the very near future
to assume the duties of superintendent of the State Sanitorium for tubercular
patients at Montrose. The Board extended to him wishes for success in his new
field of work.
Asheville Citizen, March 31st
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