The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-27
MODERN METHODS or MAINTAINING
mann.

voted to the preservation " health ns distin.
guishcd from the cure OF disease, in ENGLAND
than in this country. II is true that some OF Gus
municipal Boards Of Health do most valueha
and efficient work. but the sanitary admnistr,.
ton Of the States generally is confined tot Nh.
largo cities 20 far IA practical efficacy isc~.
cernod. IN Massachusetts, the Stat, roards IN.
Health now extends It's inquiries into the coun.
try townships. FOR statistical purposrs at leqs..
hut We are inrliae1 to believe tim, Massachg.
,et,s is far in advance ol ths res, Of the st.,s,
on this subject In England. however. Ira
greatly increased appreciation Of tho mpor.
lance 81 sanitary science within a few years hss
led h. the appointment of numerous local ma,li.
cal officers Of health throughout the countrr.
Strict lnws against the adultcra,un vt lo-d
have been passed.. and are vigorously eniorsei
Every considerable town or district has lis pub.
lie analyst 10 examine suspected articles OF fo,1
or drink. In fact. II very strong impressroa
scnms to exist that 1t IA certainly Visor. prohl.
by easier. and possibly cheaper. to prevea,
disease than TO cure it.
We orc led 10 notice these facts at this time ~
the prominence which the English iournas
have lately given to the proceedings OF the San.
itary Institute Of Grca, Britain which recently
held its annual meeting at stafford. Last wear
the wcll-known Dr. Benjamin W. Richardson
this year By Mr. Edwin Chadwick. also recos.
nizcd authority on sanitary matters. Without
attempting to follow the addresses and discus.
sions in detail. we will touch upon few point,
OF particular interest.
It will probably surprise many persons IN
learn that the healthcst place in the world is.
prison. Sir Robert Christlson. the emlnsrt
Scotch physician. is named By Mr.. Chadwick as
the authority for this statement The prison ia
that of Pcrth-the chief prison in Scotland But
n appears that the Stnf1ordshrc jail. in tho very
county whore the Institute met Ia now rival
Of the Perth prison as u model sanatorum.
During the last ten years tho death rate there
has bcun less than one per 900. while amos.
adults outside it has exceeded ten per 900.
" ell may Mr.. Chadwick ask what health resort.
what Watering place. what climate can show
results Ike this Of the application Of sanitary
science We can now understand Pnchs re.
cent advice TO an invalid. to go and steal some.
| thing.
In the jail thus conspicuous for its heathiu-
ness there Is no consumption OF beer. spirits.
/ tea. or tobacco, and regular bathing is insisted
on. These conditions are worthy OF special
note. and even prisoners who are sick when
| admitted always improve under them II seems
n strange conclusion. but II is one TO which
these facts lead. that outside adult life to be-
most henhiul must be most like life in jail.
An improved method Of administering the
health laws OF the nation was earnestly advo-
Gated by Dr. Richardson He favored tho estab-
/ lishmcnt oi ministry Of health. which should
/ include all existing sanitary Offices and func.
/ tionaries. with "A responsible minister ut their
head This. he thought. would make the work
| Of oil moro systematic and efilcacious. OF
course, no such plan would he capable OF adop-
| ton in this country where. under the Consti-
tuition. the national Government has nothing
/ to do with the public health. In the several
| States. where the subject Is properly coeniz-
able by tho respective Governments II may bo
worthy Of consideration. however. whether the
local boards scattered about In tho various
cities and large towns could not be advsn-
tageously supervised by a State board Of SAM
tary officers.
Tho importance OF fixing meal hours with
reference TO climate and occupation was em-
uhasized 10y Lord Mark Kerr. General in the
NY, who read n paper on army sanitation.
, W'pcland the British soldier ents breakfast
; r .,oj ana dfcr ut / o'clock hours which are
4 Il sad The good in n cold but killing in
tropiN'l climate. He persuaded his own rsRl-
ment whch in India. to change thcn to hall
past in the morning and aquarter to in the
afternoon taking also acup Of tea or coffee and
| a bit Of bread Immediately after rising Tbs
result was TINT the regiment though stationed
ut one Of the most unhealthy places in Bengal
returned thu best health report in the province.
We have liule doubt that the advance OF pre-.
ventiVe medicine will induce greater care tc
maintain proper relations between tho food
man eats. the time he cats it, and the tempera.
ture he cats i in.
Another army officer dwet upon tho value 81
temperate habits in the military service. As to
Napier Of Magdala drinks very little. and Sir
Garnet Wolseley not at all. In the permanent
camps in England tho best non-commssioned
officers the winners in athletic sports and tho
most religious men. are found among the total
abstainers. As TO ths rank and he we will not
question tho inference sought TO be dcduced
from these facts; but as 10 officers it may DO
said that the most prominent OF American Gen.
erals certainly is not temperance man.
The last of the various methods Of main.
taininG health proposed to the Institute was tho
establishment Of preventive service OF medi.
cal practice, in which the physician should he
sort Of family health officer paid only TO keep
the family well As yet we fear there would 10
lack OF candidates Tor this service. II sa
mistake to suppose that skill in sanitary science
il common. Like skill I'm remedial medicine.
It has TO be acquired but with more dinicully.
for the student has not access TO any such stores
81 accumulated knowledge 1T belong to curative
science. The competent saitar!an. no less than
the qualified physician. must be man Of edu-
cation. At present. however the practitioner
who cures Is more literally rcmunerGted than
tho health officer who ayorls disease Perhaps
one reason Is thRt We can never be- quite suts
wa should have suffered. oven in tho absence u
preventive measures. No doubt n growing con-
Il ienre IN sanitary science II manifested IN ths