The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-04-04

Ihere IS report on the sanitary COndl-
ton and Surroundings of Vigo County,"
by J. 7. Scoville, NJ. D., which may be OF
State importance for aught we know, and
there is another report by i. H. Dunning,
NJ. D., on the Sanitary Condition and Sur
roundings of South Bend" possibly of great
Importance to the State at large. We no
tice report on Sewers and Drainage" by
]. w. Compton, NJ. D., which, from the
title, we should judge would be of very gen.
eral importance. We notice a report by
George L. Curtis, D. d., NJ D., on the Ere
lation of Sanitation to Christianity" which
opens up wide field for speculation and
inquiry, and ought 10 be valuable and en-
tertaIning. The report by Thad. NJ. Stephens,
NJ. D., on "Surtace Geology, Typography
and Sanitary Survey of Indiana" as also the
first Registration Report Concerning Vital
Statistics of Indiana. by the same author,
are calculated to command special attention
since We conclude from Cursory peruSsl
that they indicate more thought and research
than any of the reports mentioned. DIR.
Stephens names aboEt fifteen preyentable
diseases. and says:
The actual loss by sickness, in consequence OF
prevents BILE disease, Is loss 10 the individual
who is sick, aud to his family and dependents; il
is also loss to the State as compared with other
States whose sick list from such cause is less also
it Is actual loss to the State in proportion to
the amount of taxes lost to the State in conse
quence of failure of such person to pay, or else
the State. TO make up, will have to increase the
amount of taxes of those who well. All these
facts hold good with reference to those who die
with preventable disease each year, and even II
we say that to the individual deceased there Is
loss by his death, STILL the loss TO his family
and dependents is increased by each death, the
actual loss may be counted the same. In each
County Of 10000 Inhabitants there is lost in
this way about $4,000 per snnum. That
alone makes the subject of health laws and their
observance desirable; but If we examine we shall
fad that weeks sickness costs each one thus
afflicted a certain sum; that to himself and to
the community III general there is an actual loss
besides the actual cost Let us see for moment
If persons are sick they can not earn support
rather, they cause expense to one or more; they
are unproductive consumers, and, as health and
disease are not only absolute. but relative there
is a graduation from perfect health to absolute
helplessness.
The following figures, taken from a reliable
source of statistics, show the number of deaths
In England and the cost and loss to the State and
citizens in consequence OF such deaths. The fig
ures given are for one year:
Deaths from preventable dIseases-....... $1,000
0ne-third OF these were adults........... 1888
For each death twelve cases OF sickness
Sre compr 300 600
One-third 100000
-. = IL
Eacn adult sick for six days in the year,
losing 8 per 81 200, 900
Each Of the cases of sickness eost eighty
cents per day for six 0ays......--.... 81 40, 100
Total cost and loss per annum.........sle7 ss 600
Add to this the cost of funerals, etc and the
sum would be sweiled to about $4,000 900.
II the diseases which entail such losses
annually upon the State can be prevented
the people ought to know it, and the re.
quired information ought to be widely dis
tributed, which, however, will never be
done in books of 315 pages The reports we
have named, and which constitute the real
value OF the document. could easily aud
for a moderate sum of money be pub
lished in every County in the State, and the
people thereby would reap some benefit
from the money expended to maintain a
State Board Of Health. The tables relating
to vital statistics are interesting aud valua-
ble and the facts they contain ought to be
widely known. 1t IS shown that for nine
months, ended September so, 1882. there
were q, $40 births, 1885 deaths, and 9, 297
marriages IN the State, and the report shows
there are nearly $500 physicians and ac-
couchers to look after those who require
their services.