The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-03-10
THE DISCUSSION.

THE DISCUSSION.
INCLUDING A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF WHAT
EACH MEMBER HAD TO SAY.
The Art of Preventing Disease--FataI
Results of Sanitary Laws-Patent
Medicines and the Press..The Des-
truction of Our Forests is Frausht
| with Eyil..Their Existence Is Ben.
effciaI to Health and Climate.
According to the rules of the Club, the Pres
idert called Oh each member for anything he
might have to say, commencing with the first
mem Ger on his left, and continuing in regular
order until each person present had been Of
fered an opportunity to speak.
DIFF. Gary said: I have listened with
great pleasure and profit to- the admirable es,
say on Hygiene just read by Mr.. Wilson, and
concur in his many suggestions. /
| Hygiene Is the art ofprevention as sapplled to
disease and consists In literal obedience to
tile laws of nature governing the growth and
development of man and other animals.
From this definition we conclude that no
more important subject could be discussed,
because its consideration involves our life,
health and happiness. Statisticians estimate
each man as worth sixteen hundred dollars in
cash, and each woman and child over twelve
years OF age at one thousand dollars. Now, II
we consider how few children survive over
five years, and how few comparatively reach
the allotted period of three score years and
ten, we are able to form some conception OF
| the loss to the wealth OF the country In un-
productive labor from sickness and the deaths
| from preventible diseases, and to pay that re-
Spect to the value Of hygiene which is Its due.
When death occurs in our midst the idea
never enters the mind OF the afflicted that
in all probability the death was the result OF
death is usually attributed to the will of Prov
idcnce! and our usua. routine of business
I goes on as If nothing unusual had happened.
II however, money or property Is lost. er-
erybody is stirred up, and the greatest pre-
cautions are taken against Its repetition.
Why not use the same wisdom to prevent
| sick css and deaths from preventible disease? ?
| The answer Is that sanitary precautions In
terere with our liberty or our business
This was exactly the case with the city OF
Memphis. In 1873 that city was visited by an
epidemic of cholera: including its loss of life: !:
the destruction Of business; the Stagnatlon OF
all its trade, its sh piping and railroad travel,
tOgether with the thousands OF other necess-
ties incident to the existence of q fatal empi-
demic. and We have the enormous sum OF
over twenty millions of dollars as the money
penalty of that city from the neglect OF sanl-
taken his leave Of them, in 1873, than the peo.
pie forgot the duty of the hour, and neglected
to remove the call"e, and remained supne to
all measures tending to prevent repetlon
rested in conscious security, making phenom-
inal progress in wealth. Its streets were un-
clean, its alleys and hack yards reck ing. with
garbage and filth of all kinds, when in 1878 1t
was again visited by an epidemic OF the most
direful that has oc Cured In modern times.
There were over on e hundred thousand cases
lesson was needed. Over million Of dollars
was spent in sanitary precautions; since
that time there has been no further outbreaks
of disease, and now Memphis is regarded as
healthy city.
Last year the town OF Wilksbarre. in Penn.
sylvaniu had eight hundred cases of typhoid
fever, with many deaths. Investigate ion re-
veuieG the fact that the water supply was
poisoned By germs. the product OF an impru'
dent emptying Of the excreta of typhoid pa
ticnt in a mountain stream which emplied in'
to the river upon the banks of which the
town OF Wilksbarre is situated. What an ap
parent small cause for SO much sickness.
might cite the case OF ToClyn In France, OF
Canada, the past year. bnt enough Is presenteo
to warn and teach us that insanitary condi
tions should always be corrected. II we Wish
to enjoy immunity from sickness.
+ Now, to enable as to apply in time the prop
cr remedy, sanitary science must be taught
everywhere. Let us not depend alone upon the
medical profession TO worship at the shrine
of Hygiene. Let all assist i'll the education
of physiology and hygiene, so that they may
make intelligent rules and regulations baseo
itariHns for the promotion of the pubiic
health. The doctrines Of divinity and ele
ments of law are so thoroughly Y taught that
ignorance upon these subjects Is not received
rs an excuse. In regard 10 sanitary matters
we daily see an exposition of the general zig.
norance in the habits, vices and surround
ings of the people. The Press could be OF es
scntial service. 1t is notorious. however a,
that the columns OF many. and regret to SCI
even III the religious papers, whole columns
filled with the advertisements of patent med
icincs and quack nostrumS under Inc pre-
tense of disinterested medical advice, thai
we are free to say they have done more harm
, than good. 1t is generally some such head
ing as this: "a retired clergyman whose
sands of life are nearly run out, accldentally
discovered a sure cure for consumption" &c.
&c, or the great "Indan Discovery" &c
f The hook is SO attractively baIted that gudg
cons are sure to bite. and the manufacturers
: of all such medicines are soon able to retire
on fortunes made out Of the gullibility o
the public. In view OF the above facts IL II
novel and refreshing to listen toA live ed1tol
upon hygiene, and TO feel and know ne has
done his great subject justice. One or tht
most important offices Of the State Board O
Health is to disseminate information among
f the people. This has been literally done Il
the extent of our limited means by the pub
lication of the annual report, and by tracts
upon various subjects, such as diptheria, scar
, let fever. small poX, cholera, &c: There are
thirty-four States that have boards OF Health
and annually, their publications are dIStrlb
utcd. It Is impossible that works of tho
character published, should not have pro.
| duced good WORK, which will be demonstrated
in Il few years, and which will be appreciated
by the people. The discovery lltS been made
g.. through the labors OF Koch and Pasteur tha
diseases are the product of germs, especially
is tins the case with typhoid lever, yellow ie
|, yer, diptheria, scarlet fever, small poN
measles, whoopng cough, cholc ra, DC.
and these arc the diseases that usua y
, constitute The cpidemics that afllict thl'
bear fruit In an lnhospitabie soil. Ihc
agency OF inSanitury conditions arc under
our control. y single case of small poS
or any OF the above diseases tntroducet
multiply indefinitely among the unprotected
f But vaccinalc, isolate, disinfcct, and We
may stranale the whole OF them. This vii
apply to two-thiidS of the diseases that afllic
the human race, and can be prevented by
, timely application Of sanitary regulations.
The question has been ask cd, may not yc How
fever be indigenous and thcrefure not neces
sary to be Quaraniincd aga nst. 10 the inqui
ry answer that certain diseases have thel
hnbitats such us cholera In the junglrS OF In
f dia, and yellow ieYer in the southern troElcil
religions. In the space Of one hundred years
we have had about seVeniy-tivc riSitatiOns o
s yellow fever The proof Is conclusive tn
epidemics were due to imported contagion
: In no case Is there satisfactory evidence tina
the disease originated among us, and II W.
| will use and adopt measures TO prevent the1
importation we will be free from them.
While | have the floor | Will say few
s words in reference to the destruction uf our
forests. We Of the South nave fine climate
, but have been Indifferent to our best Inter
| ests in allowing our forests to be cut town. II
is well known fact that such wanton de
struction Will sooner or later be felt by an in
crease OF drougths, change of climate, ana IL
the nu mber Of storms, and in the supply o
, our water courses. Let MS, before it is too late