The Wilmingtonian., 1885-02-21
HEALTH HINTS.
Curative Hygiene.


Curative Hygiene.
The average physician pays too little at
tention to the potent agency of curative hy-
giene; he relies too implicitly upon the drug
treatment of disease, and then he wonders
why some of his patients who ought to get
we'll fail to do so.
We know that the zymotic diseases are
caused by unsanitary surroundings; yet,
when called to such cases, how many physi-
clans inquire into the hygienic conditions
and remedy those that are faultyp Do not
the majority merely write out prescription
after making the diagnosis, and hurry off to
the next patient? How rarely are direct
ions given for the patients diet, unless some
of the friends ask the question?
We do not mean to belittle the influence
of drugs; there is tendency to do so in GER
tain directions, but with this move we can
not sympathize, since we have great faith in
the curative power of drugs, and believe
that the day is not far distant when our
therapeutics will be placed upon very exact
basis.
But We desire to insist upon the great
value of placing our patients surroundings
in such sanitary condition. that pernicious
| agencies will not be constantly counteract-
ing ard autagonizing the curative workings
of our drugs.
Ia the Glasgow Medical journal for Decent
Der, 1888, DR.. Eben Duncan very wisely and
very forcibly says:
'Tn every house in which he tthe physi-
cian) treats patient. he ought to be able to
recognize and suggest remedy for defects
of ventilation and for defects of sewerage.
These matters should not be left to iguo-
rant tradesmen, because there can be nc
doubt that diseases of every kind assume "A
more serious character, and are more in.
tractable in ill-ventilated houses, or an at
mosphere tainted with sewage-gasos, HI
should be able to point out any error in tn,
position of well or cistern which renders /
liable to contamination, and to apply sim
pie tests to ascertain the quality of the wa
ter. He shonld be able to recognize adul
terations in bread, and to detect the varou
dangerous conditions of the milk supply, o
of butcher meat, which may seriously effec
the recovery of his patient. He should b
able to recognize dampness in walls, and t,
point out its causes and its dangers-to de
tect arsenic in papers and bed-hangings
: He should be carefully educated in the law
of infection and disinfection, in the natur
of soils, and the effects of climate. In short
; hold man is not properly equipped as
physician who has not studied these sub
jects, both in their prophylactic and in thei
curative aspects, as carefully as he has STUD
led materia medca aud pharmacy. there
fore hope that in any reconsideration of til
: Gu rrculum of the medical student hygien
will be made an integral part of the cours
af '.tiidu At tho ,,.s,o"- ;.,,.,-Al,a aaiarit
: of medical students get no adequate instru,
) tion in sanitary science. They frequentl
pass all their professional examinations an
obtain qualification to practice, withor
) having been asked single question, wri
ten or oral, having any bearing on such in
portant matters as disnfection, dranag,
water supply, and ventilation"
We have already advocated the establish
ment of a chair Of hygiene in the regula
curriculum Of our medical colleges, and "
do most heartily agree with DR.. Dunca
that the physician who is not familiar wit
the doctrines OF preventive and curative hy
giene is minus most important weapon
his warfare with disease.