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NATIONAL SANITATION FOUNDATION
The concept of the National Sanitation Foundation was conceived by Walter F. Snyder who for 10 years ( 1934-1944) directed the environmental health program for the City of Toledo, Ohio. He was convinced through his work and academic studies that pro gress on vital problems of public health could best be resolved by bringing together representatives of government, industry and user groups on neutral ground to recon cile their viewpoints and differences. In 1944, Snyder resigned his position in Toledo and moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan where his concepts found support from Dr. Henry R. Vaughan, Dean of the School of Public Health, and others at the University of Michigan. And, in that year, the National Sanitation Foundation was organized as a nonprofit corporation in Michigan and housed at the University of Michigan. Snyder was its Executive Director from its inception until his death in 1965. The NSF charter provided that the organization would devote its efforts to improv ing man's health and environment through educational programs, research to seek answers in environmental health, and the establishment of public and environmental health standards and service programs. The Board of Trustees listed in 1948 included Dr. Henry R. Vaughan, Dean, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, as president; Dr. Nathan Sinai, Professor of Public Health, University of Michigan, as vice president; Walter F. Snyder, secretary and executive director; H. William Klare, Detroit, Michigan; Judge Arthur J. Lacy, Detroit; Brig. Gen. James S. Simmons, Chief, Preventive Medicine, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C. Some of the early studies by NSF related to problems being encountered by industry and regulatory agencies concerned with food equipment, specifically the local variability of equipment and product requirements. Although funding came from industries interested in the problems confronting them in sanitization requirements, the expen diture of funds was arranged to permit seeking the truth without prejudice for or against any one corporation. In 1948, the National Sanitation Clinic, sponsored by NSF, recommended the develop ment of a methodology that could be used to establish uniform, nationally accepted, voluntary consensus sanitation and environmental health standards, based on facts, sound engineering and fundamental sanitation principles. The Clinic also recommended the establishment of an objective third party evaluation/approval program for equipment and products based on the standards. The National Sanitation Foundation leaders worked on the concept that its success required the interest, skills, knowledge and contributions ofprofessional and regulatory officials. Without the support of such persons, the development of standards relating to manufacturers' products to meet the health needs of users could not be served. Therefore, a Council of Public Health Consultants was established to provide advice and guidance to NSF in the design and promulgation of its programs in health, technology and environmental safeguards and to develop future programs. The responsibilities of this Council include advice and counsel on the public and environmental health re quirements in the acceptance of standards to serve the protection of public health, establishment of environmental health operating philosophies and implementation of environmental programs.
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