The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-06-04
PUBLIC HEALTH.
Editor Democrat:


Health is the corner stone of human
happiness, and the proper mode 81
preserving it should be the primary
consideration in all that pertains to
the regulation of the public welfare.
/ think that by due and intelligent
observance of the laws of health our
lives may be extended to that period
allotted by nature for man to live, and
it seems to me, when anyone is sick
some law governing the system has
been violated, and if this is the result
of ignorance, which, of course, it is in
a great many Instances, we should set
about trying to get the proper infor-
suatioa 90 the subject, and thas avoid
the ills that arise from q non comp Ii.
ance With the laws of nature. The
thing for Us is TO 6ad out the true aud
just condition upon which life is held,
and then abide by it.
The fundamental principle of all eff.
forts TO improve and preserve health
has been thus stated.
s''Man, as an organized being, is sub
ject to organic laws, as much as the
inanimate bodies which surround him
are to laws mechanical and chemical /;
and we can az little escape the conse.
quenees of neglect or violation Of these
natural laws, which affect organic life
through the air we breathe, the food
We eat, and the exercise We take, "a a
stone projected from the hand, or a
shot from the mouth of cannon, can
place itself beyond the bounds OF
gravitation."
All human science, all the arts of
civilized man. consist Of discoveries
made By use of the laws impressed
upon nature by tho Author of the uni
verse, aud the application of those
laws to the conditions which are laws
also-in which man and the particular
bodies and substances around him are
placed; nor, it il manifest, should any
science concern as more than that
which relates to the proper manner Of
preserving and prolonging our exist
ence. I hold that individuals and
communities have their health very
much ut their own disposal; and that
careful aveidanee, on the one hand,
OF what is noxious, AMI julicious at
tsntion TO what ia beneficial, Oh the
other, are what are chiefly necessary
for the preservation of the human
frame in health to old age; aud that
premature deaths, over and above
those which result from unforeseen
casualties, instead Of being, az sup
pased by the untutored mind, u mys-
terious and irreversihie decree of
Providence, are simply the natural Ell
feet Of our own violation af laws
which Providence has appointed for
our security.
II isa clearly aserrtained fact that
diseass aaa preasatare deaths are not,
aud never have been Rxrd at any given
a,aouHs, but yield constantly to the
ss,wer Of amy new conditions which,
man may be- able to introduce. 1t can
bo easily shown that sickness and NOR
fatty vary both in place and in time,
according to ply and organic con
diti,as. During the last two hundred
years q gradual Improvement in health
and life has been going on in nearly
the whole of Europe, ia prpporfion tn
i'aproved conditions. In view Of the
f.a,fui experience Of last year, wonld
1t not he we'll for our Police Jury to
discuss this ma tier. Such discnssiou
might prove highly beneficial to the
Parish generally. | will run the risk
of being called presumptnous, by sug-
costing that Beard of Health should
bs created with full power to enforce
it's authority throughout the Parish.
Such IA organization composed of
medical men, and we'll informed and
Intelligent citizens. would be Of great
benefit to che community generally.
Let such sanitary regulations be adop-
ted, 40 will tend TO preserve and pro-
tect the health, of the public, and
thereby subserve the interests of all.
This can be done most efectuaily by
Board of Beaith, and let it be- per-
maneut institution, and let them see
TO it, that proper regard is observed
for all sanitary regulations by the
Board. Very respectfully,
STONEWALL.