Sanitary Post

SANITARY POST, the location and workplace of a sanitary worker assigned to perform specific functions. These functions are usually independent and may consist of: a) monitoring the proper use of various sanitary facilities, for example, water sources, baths, etc.; b) regulating the movement of evacuees by directing individual groups to appropriate sanitary institutions and their respective components; c) protecting water supply sources and other objects with which contact may lead to various sanitary consequences; d) ensuring constant readiness to provide medical assistance in accidents and combat injuries. The equipment of the sanitary worker performing individual functions at the post is determined by the purpose of the S. p. For providing medical assistance, he is supplied with a sanitary bag; for regulating movement, with a lantern; for protection, he is armed. In most cases, the S. p. is provided with various means of communication and signaling with the unit that established it. In all cases in the army, the S. p. must monitor for the appearance of enemy air and ground forces, for the presence of chemical agents (CA) in the air, and for the occurrence of fires and other emergencies, about which he must immediately report to his superior officer or, when necessary, sound the alarm. For this purpose, each S. p. must have a precise instruction that provides for the procedure of the on-duty sanitary worker. If the S. p. is established around the clock or is on duty at specific times for several days, the procedure for changing on-duty sanitary workers is determined in advance, which is ordered by the unit. The S. p. can be removed only by the direct superior who established it; similarly, the departure of the sanitary worker from the S. p. is permitted only with the permission of the same superior, unless otherwise provided in the instruction given to the on-duty sanitary worker.

B. Leonardo. SANITARY COUNCIL in the USSR, a collegial advisory body at the People's Commissariats of Health and local health departments, including representatives of the broad working public [trade unions, insurance funds, health departments of Soviets of R., K. and K. deputies, commissions for the promotion of healthcare (health sections) of the largest factory enterprises, ROCC, etc.], the main branches of medical-sanitary affairs and the relevant interested departments, and having as its purpose the discussion and examination of the main issues of healthcare, coordination of the work of different departments in the field of healthcare, and implementation of public control over the conduct of sanitary-hygienic and anti-epidemic measures. S. s. as organs of public initiative in the organization of sanitary affairs, which have been able to develop extensively throughout the entire Union a large preventive and health-improvement work, represent, like all Soviet healthcare, a product of the October Revolution. In pre-revolutionary years, there existed, it is true, in a number of zemstvo provincial and district S. s at the zemvo administration offices, but they were extremely limited in rights and restricted in their activities, although in their composition, besides doctors, there were zemstvo deputies, in the overwhelming part nobles, landowners and officials. Obstacles to the work of S. s. were created not only by representatives of police authority, but also by the zemstvo themselves, fearing the strengthening of the influence on the population of the progressive part of zemstvo doctors, who were members of S. s. Thus, for example, the rules developed in 1885 in the Moscow province regulating the activities of S. s., approved in the established manner by zemstvo assemblies, were declared illegal in 1892 by the Moscow provincial zemstvo assembly, as they gave zemstvo doctors some possibility through S. s. to participate in the management of zemstvo medicine (mainly in the selection of doctors); other rules were developed which significantly narrowed the rights of S. s., reducing the role of the latter to that of narrowly advisory bodies under constant bureaucratic supervision of zemstvo administrations. Administrative and police authorities, seeing in the activities of S. s. elements of sedition, opposed their activities. In many provinces, the decisions of zemstvo assemblies on the organization of permanent S. s. at zemstvo administrations were protested by governors on the grounds that the organization of S. s. was allegedly not provided for in the zemstvo statute. S. s. began to appear already in the first years of the existence of zemstvo institutions at zemstvo administrations, provincial and district, as permanent, regularly meeting advisory bodies acting on the basis of special instructions established by zemstvo assemblies. The composition of district S. s., the sessions of which were held in the mandatory presence of members of the district zemstvo administration, included all zemstvo doctors of the district and other doctors who had any relation to the zemstvo, several deputies elected by district zemstvo assemblies, trustees of zemstvo infirmaries, representatives of public administration of the district city. District S. s. dealt with the discussion of all current issues of medical-sanitary service of the district. In provincial S. s., which considered issues of medical-sanitary service of the province (plans and estimates of provincial infirmaries, mandates of provincial assemblies on medical-sanitary matters, consideration of estimates and proposals submitted to the provincial assembly by the administration on the organization of medical-sanitary affairs, discussion of measures to combat epidemics and sanitary arrangement of the province), there were doctors elected at provincial congresses of doctors or in district S. s., and provincial deputies elected at provincial zemstvo assemblies. Sessions of S. s. were held in the mandatory presence of members of the provincial zemstvo administration. In S. s. the duties of chairman were performed by the chairmen of zemstvo administrations. This circumstance, as well as the appropriate selection of 'politically reliable' deputies for participation in S. s., ensured the consideration and resolution of issues in S. s. in the spirit desirable for the zemstvo and in accordance with its requirements as an organ of class rule of the nobility and bourgeoisie. Decisions of S. s., going counter to the class interests of the zemstvo bosses, if in rare cases they were brought up in S. s. in some zemstvo, were not approved by zemstvo administrations, which directly managed all the affairs of healthcare. In the Moscow province, where in 1885, under the influence of strong fears of the spread of cholera, the zemstvo decided to organize S. s. as part of the sanitary organization, in some very few places sectional S. s. were also established, which, besides the zemstvo doctors of the given section, included so-called sanitary trustees (see Healthcare, zemstvo medicine). The task of these sectional S. s. was to carry out sanitary measures recommended by provincial and district S. s., to provide active assistance to zemstvo medical personnel in their anti-epidemic work, to take measures to organize medical assistance to the population and to carry out sanitary supervision. These sectional S. s., whose political reliability was greatly doubted by police authorities, were usually created only during epidemics and, after their cessation, ceased to exist under pressure from local authorities. By 1897, provincial zemstvo S. s. existed in 22 zemstvo provinces (out of 34 zemstvo provinces), and in 184 zemstvo districts out of 359 there were district S. s. In 1913, sanitary councils existed only in 28 zemstvo provinces; in non-zemstvo provinces there were none. The interdepartmental commission for the revision of medical-sanitary legislation under the chairmanship of Reine drew up 'Regulations on the organization and management of the medical-sanitary part in provinces and regions where the Regulations on provincial and district zemstvo institutions have not been introduced'. According to this regulation, as permanent members in provincial and regional S. s., headed by the governor and regional administrator, there were: the provincial (regional) leader of the nobility, vice-governor, head of the provincial (regional) medical-sanitary administration, medical-sanitary inspector, prosecutor or deputy prosecutor, city mayor, city and local district sanitary doctors, senior doctor of the provincial (regional) hospital, 2 representatives from district S. s., a rural district doctor appointed by the Medical-sanitary administration, and a representative of the Orthodox clergy. Representatives of local government institutions and departments were also invited to the sessions. The bureaucratic-police composition of district S. s. was the same. This composition fully ensured such 'leadership' of medical-sanitary affairs as corresponded to the interests of the ruling classes of pre-revolutionary Russia. The October Revolution, having destroyed the entire apparatus of class rule of the bourgeoisie, also eliminated in the field of healthcare the apparatus of the old power - zemstvo medical administrations, medical-sanitary administrations and S. s., and, creating in their place new organs of Soviet power for healthcare - health departments of Soviets, called into being new S. s., based on broad representation of the working masses and ensuring the genuine active participation of the latter in the resolution of all healthcare issues subject to consideration by S. s. The composition and activities of S. s. in the USSR are regulated by the corresponding legislative acts and special decrees of the people's commissariats of health. Thus, by decree of the SNK of the RSFSR of 10/IX 1931, No. 964, a special regulation on S. s. at the People's Commissariat of Health was approved. The S. s. of the NKZdr. has as its task to attract broad working masses to the work of controlling the conduct of sanitary-health-improving and anti-epidemic measures and to coordinate measures on healthcare and related to healthcare, carried out by various departments, organizations and institutions on the territory of the RSFSR. The S. s. at the NKZdr. is headed by the People's Commissar of Health. Its composition includes representatives of trade unions by decision of the CC of these unions, administrations and scientific institutes of the NKZdr., representatives of people's commissariats - NKTP, NKLP, NKLes, NKZem, NKSS, NKSnab. In addition, by decision of the relevant departments and institutions of all-Union significance, their representatives are also included in the composition of the S. s. at the NKZdr. The scope of tasks of S. s. is very broad. It hears and discusses reports on the sanitary condition of populated areas, plans for carrying out sanitary-health-improving and anti-epidemic measures, drafts of mandatory sanitary, sanitary-hygienic and sanitary-technical norms and rules, bills on medical-sanitary issues, drafts of sanitary protection of borders, and gives conclusions on drafts of international sanitary conventions. On all issues heard, S. s. adopts decisions and corresponding proposals, which, within the competence of the NKZdr., come into force only upon their approval by the People's Commissar of Health. Decisions of S. s. on issues falling within the competence of the USSR or autonomous republics come into force only upon approval of these decisions by the respective bodies of the USSR and autonomous republics. Plenary sessions of S. s. are convened not less than once every 2 months. Similar S. s. function at local health departments.

Oblast and krai Sanitary Posts in the RSFSR, in accordance with the resolution of the People's Commissariat of Health of December 22, 1923, No. 291, have as their purpose the consideration and discussion of the main issues of public health in the field of prevention, sanitary improvement of populated areas and their improvement, and the organization of medical-sanitary assistance to the working population. The composition of the oblast (krai) Sanitary Posts, convened no less than 3-4 times a year, includes: a member of the oblast (krai) executive committee, the head of the oblast (krai) health department (who is also the chairman), representatives of the health section, oblast (krai) trade union departments, insurance organizations, labor protection bodies, VLKSM, ROCC, commissions for assisting healthcare at the largest enterprises (health rooms), road and water health departments, military-sanitary administration, district Sanitary Posts, representatives of the Physical Culture Council, physicians of the krai (oblast) health department apparatus and physicians in charge of medical-sanitary institutions of krai and ob significance, representatives of interested departments of the oblast (krai) executive committee and institutions - departments of public education, communal economy, kraisovnarkhozy, etc. The Sanitary Council is granted the right to establish special commissions to develop individual issues of a medical-sanitary nature. District Sanitary Posts are organized in the same way. Their composition includes representatives of trade unions, insurance funds, corresponding departments and institutions of the district executive committee, health sections, district public organizations, VLKSM, labor protection bodies, commissions for assisting healthcare at large enterprises, heads of district medical-sanitary institutions, all sanitary physicians of the district, physicians of the OZD, representatives of sanitary commissions, representatives of collective farm public opinion and large state farms (circular of the People's Commissariat of Health of the RSFSR of March 11, 1925, on the organization of sanitary councils and sanitary commissions in rural areas). All the most important issues related to the organization of medical-sanitary service to the population, to coordinating the work of various organizations and institutions in this field, and to carrying out worker control over the organization of medical assistance to the working people are placed for discussion at the Sanitary Posts. In the system of worker self-government bodies in the field of public health, the Sanitary Posts of the USSR occupy an important place. Sanitary Posts also exist in a number of capitalist countries under different names, for example, the Higher Council of Public Hygiene in France (Conseil superieur d'hygiene publique) and Sanitary Posts at departments, the Higher Sanitary Council in Italy (Consiglio superiore di sanità) and there also provincial Sanitary Posts, etc.; in some countries, for example in Germany, the functions of a consultative body on sanitary matters are vested in the Medical Council (Reichsgesundheitsrat); the composition, structure and activity of Sanitary Posts are similar to those of pre-revolutionary Russia. For details, see individual countries.

D. Gorfin.