The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-01-29
The Statistical Facts Sought by
the state Hoard Of Heath.

! q
/ the state Hoard Of Heath
The recent severe epidemic in yellow
fever suffering has served to awaken a
deep interest IN the laws Of health and
the means OF preventing the introduction
of contagious and infectious disease into
the State. The immunity which our
people had so long enjoyed from such
destructive visitations had naturally rem
/ dered them Indifferent to the subject,
aud skeptcal Of the value Of State
Board Of Health, organized under laws
that wouli arm it With power TO accom-
plish the objects of It's creation. 1t vas
a true remark Of the able President OF
| the Texas VI .dical Association, in his
| Address OF 1873, before that body, THAT
e the power Of organizations, under State
8 or municipal authority, whether quar-
antine or sanitary to protect the lite OF
- the citizen Is manifest but the diff
8 Guilty lies in their enforcem ent. Let
s. the laws of hygiene be taught in our
= best schools by competent teachers
- instruct the public teach the public
Z the value OF the law and they will en-
4" force it. The road must lie through
b" better and wiser and better enact
ments."
Our people have been taught in the
school of bitter and terrible experience
the lesson which can never be forgot
ten.
When the Mississippi State Board OF
Health was in session in this city in De
cember, with some of its memb ers fresh
from the awful realities of the pestilence
which they had personally encountered,
and all, with minds thoroughly aroused
to the Importance of timely sanitary
measures, they authorized circular to
be issued by the Secretary of the Board
| DIR. Writ Johnston, to the Clerks OF
County Courts, stating that the first OF
January instant had been fixed as the
time for beginning the registration of
marriages, births and deaths by the said
officers, as prescribed by the laws of
1878, pamphlet acts, pages 1872, 49, and
1874 and calling the attention Of physi
ciaLs and others to the requirement of
the law that they should make returns Of
cases within their knowledge, or prac-
tice, to those officers. Registration books
have been furnished by the Secretary of
the State Board and on the 10th of De
cembec his circular was issued calling al
tentlon to the subject, and containing
specific instructions. Ii is TO be hoped
that this matter will receive due atten-
ton. All educated physicians and we'll
informed persons know the object OF such
a census as is sought to be obtained by
the Board. From the time of Moses
down through the ages to the present
day, enlightened lawmakers and phllan
throphists have understood its value and
uses. Dr. A. R. Fitzpatrick in very
exhaustive paper delivered before the
Texas Medical Association described the
object in this language:
= The object OF the census is to develop
those points that show the best human sta
tus, the measure of vitality; perso nal, do
mesuc aud social condition; to learn as
nearly AZ may be. the exact measure of all
tho elonasntS of force in each Individual,
ana Know now mucn ana what lie mas IN
himself ana can contribute to tle sum total
of national power aud wealth. Another
feature of our subject is best illustrated by
the Hebrew economy established by Moses
in the wilderness. The enforcement of his
rules added greatly to the longevity, health
ana prosperity OF the Hebrew nation.
Viewing them a high examples of the ben |
EFF OF hygeinic rules, we are led 10 a beliet
in the propriety and utility OF sanitary laws |
and enforced by the State
The same able author states that the |
present sanitary system of Great Britain
5 the best in the world. The tables OF
registration are carefully kept under com
oulsory laws; and they embrace age,
sex, birth place, and occupation, the de
gree of education, the number of idiotic,
leaf, 4 ND, blind and insane, together
With births, marriages and deaths IN
very family, with memorandum of dis
Eases and causes of death. These sta
istics constitute the data from which
are formed. When it is
lscertained that diseases originate from
Deal cause, or other well defined condi
ions, measures can be adopted for
heir eradication.