Institute of Agricultural Medicine in Iowa.

IN CONTRAST to urban dwellers, rural families have enjoyed relatively little of the protection afforded by public health agencies. For this reason, research at the Institute of Agricultural Medicine at the University of Iowa has undertaken exploratory studies of rural health, with identification of major needs as its first concern. With sympathetic collaboration by investigators in other centers, a general evaluation and demonstration of rural health programs will ensue. Public health functions, historically, have been designed and organized to serve urban populations. Particularly is this true of the epidemiology of infectious disease, the foundation of public health work. The massing of large populations created an excellent breeding ground for epidemic and endemic infections. The wealth and governmental experience of the cities at the same time provided facilities for public health activity; otherwise, the cities would have perished. Traditional public health methodology is not always applicable to rural conditions. Techniques of control and investigation, designed for urban settings, frequently are not well suited to the sparsely settled communities. The nature of local government structure in