THE STATE TUBERCULOSIS ASSOCIATIONS 99 



MAINE PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION 



The first attempt at organization of tuberculosis work in Maine, 

 was in 1901, when the Maine State Sanatorium Association was 

 formed, with Dr. Estes Nichols as medical director, and Dr. A. 

 G. Young, of the State Board of Health as secretary. The asso- 

 ciation was formed primarily to establish a tuberculosis sanato- 

 rium which was opened in Hebron in 1904 and which the Sana- 

 torium Association operated until 1915 when it was taken over 

 by the State at a nominal sum. 



Largely through the influence of the original sanatorium group, 

 the Central Maine Association for the relief and control of Tuber- 

 culosis, in 1911, opened a second sanatorium at Fairfield, Maine. 

 In 1915 this sanatorium was taken over by the State at a nominal 

 sum. A third state sanatorium at Presque Isle, was opened in 

 1920. 



In 1908 largely as a result of the interest generated by the Inter- 

 national Congress, the Maine Society for the Study and Preven- 

 tion of Tuberculosis was formed. This organization did very 

 little active work. It did lead, however, to the organization of 

 the Maine Anti-Tuberculosis Association, in Lewiston in 1911, 

 with Bishop Robert Codman as president and Dr. A. D. Downes, 

 as secretary. Although its funds were limited, an executive secre- 

 tary was engaged and a state- wide campaign was started. 



Local tuberculosis activity had been developed in the mean- 

 time at Bangor, Lewiston, Waterville, Portland and in sections 

 of Aroostook and Washington Counties. 



In 1918 the association was re-christened and reorganized as 

 the Maine Public Health Association, the general feeling being 

 that the sparseness of the population made it undesirable to en- 

 courage a number of specialized state associations and that the 

 entire tuberculosis and public health work would be furthered by 

 one organization. 



At the present time the State Association has a number of di- 

 visions such as tuberculosis, child welfare, cancer, prevention of 

 blindness, social hygiene, dental hygiene, mental hygiene, etc. 



In addition to the three state tuberculosis sanatoria at Hebron, 

 Fairfield, and Presque Isle, with a total bed capacity of 297, there 



