The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-12-08

u
Etimately upon a knowledge Of its
cause; at least upon an acquaint.
ance with the known laws in 40.
eordauce with which IL operates
The essential cause IL believed TO
be q minute organic germ, whicl,
is given Off by the sick, and may
be transmitted TO the well in sew.
eral ways, In the case of typhoid
fever, il is believed to be contaiued
in the discharges from the bowels
land possibly in that from the kid
neys-hence in it the disposal Of
1.-The excreta lisa matter Of the first
Importance. Again, whenit leaves
the body the disease germ is not in
a condition 10 be dangerous, but in
short ttnv through i fermenta-
i q Fl
tion process, when once introduced
into places which present the ia
voring conditions Of warmth, moist
lure and filth, it soon acquires a
dangerous condition; therefore the
need Of disposal ;of all discharges
without delay, and the vital neces
sity Of not planting the seed in
soil congenial toit. The poison Of
Typhoid fever may bo sometimes
received into the system by breath
ling it in, but in the great majority
Of cases il finds its way into the
Intestinal canal BY means Of the
food or drink. Let it be borne in
mind that it is a filth disease, that
il filth is not the direct cause, IL is
at least the nidus-the nest in
which the cause or germ may be
developed. That the poison is
principally given of BY the bowels
that it is usually received into
the system in the food aud drink.
The prevention Of 1t then consists
in cleanliness, perfec! cleanliness
in all things.
| might easily prolong the theme
but l trust / have said enough on
the subject Of typhoid fever and
smallpox, to suggest not only some
idea Of the cost Of them to tho com.
munity, but also to show that ii is
an entirely unnecessary cost for
they are preventable; and yet when
the health officer makes certain
rules and regulations in the inter.
est Of the community, he is met
with difficulties and objections
mainly on The score Of cost, until
a public interest is awakened in
the subject, measures of SANITARY
interest can never bo fully carried
out. The public pocket is very
sensitive 10 the calls for present
outlay for future benefit, especially
when IL does not see and compre.
bend, not only the how, but the
necessity for the outlay; and again,
in this day and generation Of mon.
ey getting, the great public can.
not understand a body Of educated
and intelligent men, setting out To
work against their own pe9uniaty
interest; for 1t is clearly to the in.
terest Of doctors that sickness
should prevail. This rising above
selfish aims is a thing hard to un.
derstand, and can only be appreci.
ated, when they are educated up to
the point of seeing that there is
something in this world more than
all its money, and which money
can not buy. l think preventive
medicine is the coming glory Of our
profession, When the profession
will place less reliance on medicine,
and more on personal advice; when
the public shall be taught to value
professional advice, as Of far more
moment than bottles Of medicine;
when medicines shall be recognized
as having little curative power
over disease, but as Of uso in com.
batting certain unpleasant or dan.
gerous symptoms that may arise in
its progress; when proper food, good
air, perfect cleanliness and a due
recognition Of climatic influence,
shall be the most powerful aids in
the treatmentof disease, as we'll as
in its prevention. In the past
medicine has aimed to be curative,
in the future it will be preventive.
There are now but Eve States in
the Union which have not State
Boards Of Health, which atlests a
growing Interest in public health,
for the purpose, and the object Of
the State Boards Of Health, as 20
protect and preserve the lives and
health Of the people and Of the
stock in the State; but they fall
far short Of their capacity for good,
by reason of the limited power
which they possess to enforce their
rules and regulations for the pub.
lilo welfare; and because of the lin.
"a. 80, =,