Vol. 60, 1909 - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

OEIGINAI. COMMUNICATIONS. 23
down to 15% or less. The New York death services, not mereh' holding the position
rate responded at once to Col. Warrick's honorarj', but with their shoulder to the
clean streets, and that of Rochester to Dr. wheel, earnest in their endeavor to make
Coler's inilk crusade; and now it is an- North Carolina the most healthful State in
nounced that Xew York's death rate is the Union, with vital statistics, on an accu-
16.5%, the lowest on record. A result in rate basis to prove it, in keeping with other
all human probability due to the hygienic civilized countries. \"ital statistics are the
work of Dr. Darlington, the efficient health very basis and foundation of any attempt
officer; Nathan Strauss, the milk reformer, to better the general health. Public hyand
the i-ublic agitation for health, by the giene is built on it, is controlled and direct-
"New York Times," "The Journal," and ed by, and is everlastingly in debt to vital
other media allied with the health work of statistics, and to it belongs the might and
the "Committeeof One Hundred of National the right to direct the future of preventive
Health," the Tuberculosis Association, and medicine. We need more medical legislacommittees,
and other organizations. These tors. There are golden opportunities for
and other facts, and the mass of detailed fig- some of our medical talent of North Caroureswhicli
they represent, show conclusively lina to distinguish themselves by services
that human life is long or short precisely of eminent value in our legislative halls,
under the hygienic conditions under whicli And, while he may not have an open reit
is lived, that human life can be prolonged ward, he will have a reward which is posas
these hygienic conditions are improved, sibly unknown to him, but he will have,
and that there is still enormous room for best of all, the pure joy of service well renimprovement.
dered. To do things that are worth doing
A report which Dr. Fisher compiled for —to be in the thick of it—Ah, that is to
the Conservation Commission, based on live!
data from American sources, shows that I shall not attempt to suggest a number
human life in America can be prolonged by of new laws to l)e enforced, but urge that
the adoption of hygienic reform already the laws we already have be carried out to
known over one third, or more than fifteen the letter. I would like to make only a few
years. suggestions along this line. There should
Tuberculosis is known to be ijreventable. he a State law requiring every case of tuber-
In Dr. I-"isher's report it is entered as 75 per culosis to be promptly reported by the atcenl.
preventable; Typhoid 85 per cent.: tending physician. Then the patient should
Pneumonia 45 per cent. Many diseases receive treatment at a Sanatorium if possisuch
as cancer are entered per cent, pre- ble, and they should go as soon as a diagventable,
although the best expert would nosis is made, for every tuberculous patient
allow some degree of preventaljility, if pre- is a source of danger to all who come in
vention begi"ns early enough in life. On contact with them. Not only the open air
these premises we find that about two years treatment with rest and forced feeding; but
of the possible lengthening of the human the educational advantages will accomplish
life would be due to the elimination of jire- great good among the people, for they are
ventable tuberculosis; 6 per cent, a year taught to ward off and protect themselves
would be due totlie prevention of Typhoid; and others against the disease. When they
H percent, a year to the Diphtheria; 9 per retuni to their homes they will impart the
cent, a year to the elimination of prevent- information gained to their families and
able accidents. At least 8 years could he neighbors and the result will be that the
added to the average life by securing rea- entire community will be benefitted by it,
sonably pure air, water, and milk. Apply- and tuberculosis will be on the decrease ining
what is actually knowo in hygiene, the stead of increase.
death rate amongst insured peojile could be There should also be a law making it a
reduced nearly one-half during the decades, misdemeanor for any parent or parents to
between thirty and sixty, about one-seventh allow any remediable deformity of their
during the next decades. According to this children to go untreated. If the parents are
plan which the writer had in mind, life in- notsensibleenough to realize that it is forthe
surance money invested in saving life would child's future usefulness as a good citizen
not be in Hospitals, but in tlie education of that it should have a healthy body, then
the public, and particularly their policy the State should make them realize it by
holders, in health matters, and joining in compelling them under penalty to give the
every legitimate way to improve the public child every chance for recovery. One
health offices and services in the muncipali- mother when asked why she did not have
ties. States, and Federal Government. her child's deformity attended to replied:
We need in North Carolina laws to back '
this was a double club-foot in a little girl),
us, then (.onipctent men elected to fill the "Well, God made her so and I will let her
positions created, and they paid for their stay so." Thepoorignorantmother did not