Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-02-17

holds and then labor to introduce 1t
among their focks. Having acquired
this knowledge the clergy should
unite with the local boards
of health in their work.
These local boards of health need en-
couragement. This local board OF health
is generally sluggish until some epidemic
strikes their locality. That should not
be the duty Of these organizations. Their
real duty should be to prevent. epidemic
diseases by proper and intelligent
sanitary provisions, to build up
and secure the greatest percent
age of good health and long
life to the greatest number. Christ
taught "heal the sick" The clergyman
should be the real outriders in the work
of sanitary reform-the physician had to
do the drudgery when disease came. Ih1s
work of educating the public in these
matters of hygiene by precept and ex-
ample was the work of the clergymen,
and when they could be Of great assist
ance to the medical profession. In
further explanation Of his idea, DR.,
Hewitt said:
AS showing how the citizens of our cities,
towns and villages, may, by organization, aid
y
the sanitary needs Of their own homes
and houses, increase their protection
from preventible disease, and stimulate and
aid the work of boards of health, the follow.
ing brief summary of what has been done out
side our State will be Of use:
This advance in sanitary work was first
practically tried in Edinburg, Scotland, under
1878. 1t was speedily adopted in Newport,
R. l., for the first time in the United States,
in the same year. Since then the number Of
such associations has increased in the East,
showing the appreciation of their useful
ness, both among the people
themselves and professionally sanitarians
The essentials are simple enough. number
of householders in any town organized for the
following purposes: First-To study the art
of hygiene as available for increasing the
healthfulness of the houses in which are their
homes. Second-As growing out of the first
to learn the sanitary condition of the town in
which they live. Third-To encourage and
support the execution of sanitary legislation
by their local board of health, and to supple
ment their efforts by such assistance as may
be necessary, especially as respects the houses
spection of sewerage disposal, water supply,
etc. To the association of cities, where these
problems are often of very complicated char
acter, the opinion of a competent sanitary en-
gineer is often of the greatest value.
1t is usual to charge an entrance fee, which
is used for current expenses, inspections,
publication of brief pamphlets on sanitary
subjects and for the printing and distribution
of reports. 1t is important to remember,
however, that the scheme for such organiza-
tion may be varied by circumstances and con-
sequently is adapted to varying minds. In
Minnesota our greatest need is such evangel
lists in townships and villages. In such COM
munties even health boards are absent except
in event of an epidemic, when the supervisors
are the board, and the epidemic going they as
health board adjourn sine die. AS result
sanitation is at the lowest ebb-nothing is
practically done. The true remedy is in the
hands of any half dozen thinking and read
ing men and women who will effect;
such organization as that we sug-
gested. The first duty of the organization is
to make sanitary survey of their own homes
and of the township. To awaken interest and
increase information let them call in the ply
sician or physician of the locality most in
terested in sanitary matters, and make him the
chairman of the committee on survey. After
his report lay out the work accordingly. Let
each member take Especial department for the
day Let one take ventilation, another. water
supply, another the disposal of filth, another
prevention of diseases. If they are at loss for
the situation of the subject, apostal card to the
secretary of the State board of health, who
lives in Red Wing will receive the desired in
books upon hygiene, published at Philadelphia,
are capital manuals for popular guidance. The
study of water and air afford abundant fields for
exercise of ones faculties either for amnse-
ment or instruction. Newspapers are cheap
and SO good now that such an association
could, by small individual contributions, buy
one, even if some individual did not. Its use
~ cf,,6r 10 ho1p ff11 of
portant. The sanitary chemistry of water is
not difficult The duty of making and ventila-
ton of school buildings and houses and their
practical improvement is within reach of such
associations. Their duty of making the rules
for preventing infectious diseases and for con-
trolling them, will make the members intelli-
gent co.operators with physicians, whose
work is materially lightened and aided by such
assistance as intelligent popular opinion can
give.
cannot impress too thoroughly upon the
educated classes, professional and business,
their duty in this regard. My experience for
eight years as secretary of the State board of
health has impressed it upon me very forcibly.
Nothing more pitiable can be imagined than
the condition Of thinly settled township or
village in the presence of epidemic disease 9th
and premature death which has occurred SIM
ply because people did not know what to do,
and local authorities were alike ignorant or
Indifferent, cannot be estimated. 1t will not
do to lay the blame, as is often done, upon
physicians. The physician lives by his profess
sion. The cash income from his patients is
his visible means of support, and it is common
enough to charge that his interest is that
people be sick and keep sick, and
that he is not likely to be very active in pre-
venting what supports him. That may be an
average standard of business honesty among
those who say it; but am proud to state that
the standard of the medical profession is not
that, and to claim the testimony of all that
knew me in proof, Alone and unaided, sus-
pected and even abused for his meddlesom-
ness, can testify that many a physician, not
only or chiefly in great centers of population,
but in all parts of the State, has made vigor-
GUS efforts for the public health of his COM
munity, and often, despite these, has made
progress against epidemic disease. More and
more the physicians of our State are teaching
hygine by their own example and by their
teaching at the bedside. If our other educated
classes will manifest, not merely in word, but
in deed, q like disposition to do, such meas
ures as are here advocated will become the rule,
not the rare exception, in our State, and the
sanitary work of local and State boards
will be encouraged and compelled by the pop
ular verdict that nothing shall be left undone
which public health as an art can do to pro-
long life, prevent disease and insure the health
and happiness of our people.
DR.. Berry, Of New Ulm, detailed his
experience the past three years in fight