The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-01
PETTIS, BASSETT & co.
PREVENTIVE SCIENCE.
Vast Sum that Might Be Saved by Proper
Sanitary Precautions.
INDIANAPOLIS.

During the recent meeting OF the State Board
of Health the following paper was presented by
DR.. ". H. Myers, of Fort Wayne -
The Importance or preventive Science" can
only be properly estimated by considering the
pecuniary cost of sickness. We may safely ga
that 1t costs the people of the State of Indiana
directly $2O000,00 year in two items alone
to nurse aud diet and to doctor the 1000 per-
ennial sick. If all the people were healthy ex-
cept the 20, 900 whO>die, Indiana would add
$780, 900 more to her annual increase of
wealth. In calculating the cost of an epidemic
we would have to consider, aside from the loss
of life, the loss by the diminutiOn of traffic by
railroads, city passenger railways, to merchants
and manufacturers, well as by diminished
--aduction. In 1872 we experienced these
,es in a marked degree During the small
deaths occurred costing us in money thousands
of dollars. II came upon us 80 suddenly that
we had TO reconstruct duringits presence a pest
house. We were not prepared for it,.
With the recollection fresh in my memory, being
at that time one of the health officers of the city
of Fort Wayne, 1 come now before you in an
ticipation of the threatened invasion of cholera
in this country, and declare that we In Fort
Wayne are not prepared for this visitation and
that this want of preparation is largely due TO
the defective local administration of our city
Board of Health. To illustrate the manage
ment-I learn from the reports that during the
month of January we had one birth. and that
the labor was natural also that duriag the same
month we had three deaths, and that in the
month OF April we had hve deaths. Now you
will conclude that if these reports are correct,
our city is not insanitary, as our populatio n
numbers 80, 600. But you will please RENE m
Der that IL these statements are true, official
~ made 1t establishes the following conclusion,
that "God is good!"
Now, believing as do thar preventive science
IL properly enforced can rob cholera of its
malignancy and protect the community,
such neglect becomes almost criminal. How,
then, can we prevent in our midst a repetition
OF the past which will certainly occur should
cholera visit usl What confidence can we place
in those health officers who are wholly unac-
quaiited with sanitary preventive scienceq To
remedy this defect, will be for you TO solve the
problem The difficulty evidently lies in the en-
torcement of the knowledge we possess. Bill
ings may state "that much can be done to check
ing pure water supplies and by the proper use
of disinftctants." Chadwick may write that
"epldenics occur in the greatest proportion on
common conditions OF foul air from stagnant
putre faction, from sewers of deposit, from ex-
crementsodden sites, from filthy street surfaces
and from impure water" Peltenkofer may
state that 1.-TWO things are admittedly necessary
for the spread of disease: diseased poison or
germ and a congenial soil, and that must
either light the germ or steriliZe the soil"
and you may suggest disinfection and
general by giene the only safe refuge during
the threatened invasion of an epidemic, but this
will amount to hut very little under the feeble
administration of our local health boards.
In conclusion, allow me to add: While we are
eagerly watch Dg the reports from the East, in
tent to notice the first announcement OF its adj
vent IN the city OF New York, it may be i'm
far inland. From Europe 1t may at any time be
carried with the tide OF migration, introduced
by bedding and clothing. These may pass with
out being suspected Mt the port of entry and be
carried far into the interior ana there prod uce
their specific effect